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Jul
05
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 Have you ever heard of the term “Going Family?” You probably know the ones I’m talking about. These are the families that are running from one type of school, camp, social or sporting event to another – all day long, 7 days a week. There doesn’t seem to be a calm moment in the “Going Family” environment. I just don’t understand it, do you? Here are a few “Going Family” myths that I uncovered: | |||
Blog Posts by Single Dad
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Sep
14
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How do you react when you discover that your children are spending a lot of time with your ex-wife’s new boyfriend? SingleDad.com founder, RJ Jaramillo, shares his firsthand experiences. Most newly divorced men come to the realization that their new life as a divorced dad comes with a consequence: you and your ex-wife will move on and begin new relationships. In this case, I am talking about my own personal experience and how I felt like I was being replaced by my ex-wife’s boyfriend. Learn from my experience and pick up a few tips from suggestions below on how to overcome a little anxiety and realize that your children are better off by having your love and support in their new environment. | |||
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Mar
31
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365, 182 or less…These are frightening numbers to look at as a father. Somewhere in the U.S. today, there is a newly divorced father facing his final hearing in a family court room. A judge is making a decision that will change the number of days that the father will spend with his children forever. Back in 1999, all I got was 30% custody. My life had changed in an instant. I was so desperate and angry. It just seemed so unfair. I can remember the advice my attorney told me over and over again, “This is just the beginning custody schedule; through your time and effort, things will change. Just bite your tongue, make every effort to be available for your kids and we can always re-petition for more time.” Times have changed in some courts, but it’s still a shock to see how little time newly divorced fathers get in their custody agreements. Read more » | |||
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Mar
04
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In this blog post, SingleDad Founder, Richard “RJ” Jaramillo discusses dealing with the loss of a family pet and gives parents helpful tips on how to talk about it with their kids. I had a surreal moment two years ago. I was in my old house, sitting in familiar surroundings. My ex-wife, Susan, was in the kitchen sitting across from me and sharing a cup of coffee. We both had the same look of grief on our faces, as well as relief. I could feel my eyes welling up as we began to reflect and share all the family memories of Ellie, our Australian Shepherd that was taking her last breaths in front us. | |||
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Aug
14
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Yes, it is time to get our kids back on a school schedule. My blog post might just be a reminder for some, but it could be a very important checklist for the new single parent. With that in mind, I’ve gathered a lot of great suggestions from other single parents who have been there before, and know what works. | |||
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Jun
15
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I was recently interviewed by DETAILS Magazine about Father’s Day and Fatherhood. One of the questions was about the meaning of fatherhood and how fathers are portrayed on TV — and more importantly, in society as a whole. I was asked if there was a father figure from TV that I remembered or that stuck out in my mind. | |||
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Mar
30
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Who hasn’t been at a child’s baseball, t-ball or soccer game gleefully cheering on their children, only to witness embarrassing behavior and even vulgar language coming from other fans? I’m always amazed at the messages sent by adults watching professional sports, but I’m actually shocked when I see some of that same behavior in the stands at a child’s sporting event. Recently, I was at a high school girls’ soccer game where I witnessed a father screaming across the field at his daughter. I also watched as her participation and enthusiasm for the game decreased significantly. It was nothing short of sad to watch her head start to lower, her shoulders sink, her speed across the field decrease, and her participation shrink to walking up and down the field. Prior to that, she had been one of the stars of the game. At one point the coach even quietly pulled the father aside to talk to him. It didn’t seem to help. That event has been haunting me ever since, because I felt helpless in changing the situation. In hindsight, I wish that I had known how to react or what to say to make the girl feel better or the father pipe down. | |||
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Feb
27
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As single parents, we live in a vulnerable environment. Under some circumstances, when an ex-spouse loses his/her job, it affects the other ex-spouse directly. “Emergency Funds” and reserves dry up twice as fast when one party has to pay child support or spousal support (or both.) With the loss of one income, we start feeling the heat. So, what happens? The “Domino Effect” takes place: both sides of the single parent family suffer financial hardship. Bills get prioritized based on necessity. Parents live off of their credit cards to pay for gas and groceries. | |||
