Mrs A has taken me other progeny to visit her brother today / tonight so it's just me the dog and my 5 year old son.
Just put him to bed, read him a story ( half of which I made up to his great amusement ) sang him my special song and tucked him down after telling him how proud I am of him how very much I love him and that I will love him forever.
I realised later in my life how my own father had been unable to say and do things like that and even as an adult in crisis he was unable to reach out and tell me he loved me even though I asked him to. I no longer feel any animosity about it, and I think I have grieved the loss already, he has developed alzheimers now which has removed any chance of me reaching him in the way I wanted.
My mother understands and now I know deep down he has always loved me and has struggled with a level of Mental illness as do.
For all my failings I've been determined to show love towards my children in every way I can, I've never used physical violence towards them, never swear at them and rarely raise my voice. I was beaten quite a lot as a child and shouted at for things like wetting the bed, this continued into my school life and at one stage looked like it was going to lead to me being violent ...but it didn't.
I can't change the past but for me and my father I am building a closer more real relationship with my children, this and the love of me partner of 28years are the only things that are truly tangible and of value to me and I'm very, very grateful for them
