A father worries he's failing his 16-year-old son after his marriage ended, afraid he'll repeat the family trauma he grew up with. The conversation traces how anxiety and emotional distance pass between generations, and how the parents' split has left the son hurt and sad.
What do you feel like you're losing or missing out on? It's really confusing for me to say this, but I feel like I'm getting in God's way sometimes. And then there's the fact that, you know, I think back what I went through and I'm like, man, I don't want to do that to our son. But at the same time, I know him seeing what he's seen isn't any better. Yeah.
And a lot of that was modeled for you, right? It's like the man in the picture who's supposed to protect and provide safety and security is unable to do that because of his own feelings, his own anxious attachment, all of that. So in essence, this is sort of generational. Yeah. So how old's your son? He just turned 16. Okay. Does he know what's going on with you and your wife? He knows some of it, yes. Okay. Have you guys talked about it?
We have. Um, I've talked to him alone about all of it. We've talked to him together. Okay, good.
What did he say to you? Has he given you any advice? Has he told you his opinion? Has he shared his thoughts? Yeah, I mean, you know, he's, he's hurt, he's sad. Why is he hurt?
He wants us to— because the family split up, um, and because his mom doesn't really talk to him much. She's spending more time talking to this other guy than even our son.
So in essence, it's kind of like your wife's behavior is hurting him and your in the position that your father was of not being able to fully protect him. Yeah.
