It saddens me because I was one of those kids who did not see my dad during Christmas. My heart actually goes out to the kids. When you do not see your dad, you think you did something wrong as a kid. We all know that that is not the case. At Christmas time it even feels worse for the many kids who feel this way. My heart also goes out to these kids and their dads.



But here's the problem the divorced dads face, they feel they are beaten before they even try. So many don't bother trying. They are overcome with anguish and grief from missing their kids. For example, At least fully two-thirds of the fathers, grandmothers and grandparents that call us, not many of them have not really taken any action up to this point. That's because they feel that it is totally hopeless and useless to do anything, because they have prejudged the outcome

Of course it is a difficult time. Here is the problem when you want to take action. What happens is the court system becomes a bottleneck and becomes even slower than it normally is, which is already slow, it is at a snail pace. It just makes the stress even worse that you are trying to rush things through and it is just not happening.

That's why a lot of the people who called in to us are exasperated, frustrated because they don't have a strategy or answers.

Many are very sad and angry with good reason: After they've spent tons and tons of money going through the legal system, they have still have not gotten to the solution that they are looking for, they are exasperated and do not really know what else to do. And now it's Christmas.

Because these divorced dads are having a difficult time emotionally: They are not getting any kind of support from the system; they are not getting any kind of help from their lawyer that is effective, and as a result they are almost like lost souls. They just do not know what to do.

Most often, they have no strategy and that is huge part of the problem. With any problem in life, if you can sit down and try to actually map out a plan, that is always the best way of proceeding. It is not always easy to do because we are talking about our families here. It is hard to remove emotion, but helps to have a clear head and look at it strictly from a strategic point of view.

Another part of the problem is that most of the people who had called in have been provoked beyond reason, And that they are having a very, very difficult time too, especially when they are suffering all of the above symptoms of discrimination in Family Court.

So what's the solution?

Coaching and solution focused mentoring that points a divorced dads in the right direction: Finding a father who has been successful in solving this particular problem is crucial, because then he can show what has already worked in his situation.

The important point is this exasperation won't solve your problems, nor will frustration, nor anger. The # 1 thing successful divorced dads have in common is an open mind and a creative spirit. When there is seemingly no way possible, you must make a way

Like their children when they want something badly they never take NO for an answer. Neither should a divorced dad, no matter the obstacles or challenges. That's the best present a divorced dad can give their child their can-do spirit the one that overcomes all odds.

That's a gift a child can take with them all the days of their life.