So Ive known a family on the block where I live for about 3 years. They moved out here and have 2 kids. They seemed to have a good family life and I use to play catch with their kids who were both around 5 and 7 years old.

So just the other day I saw the wife and started talking to her and she said that the husband left the family.

I'm like what do you mean left the family? She's said he moved back to Oregon or something and left.

So anyone of you experience this? Maybe your dads did this to you or you had to leave?

I'm trying to wrap my head around it. As a Man, how the hell do you leave your family responsibilities especially when having 2 young children? I can get if you have a bad marriage and want to get a divorce, but just pack up and leave?

Help me understand this.

Need more info.

Had she put on weight? Was she keeping the house clean?

$1?

Was that a genuine gift or was he trying to be a dick?

As a Man, how the hell do you leave your family responsibilities especially when having 2 young children?

What's worse is men who leave their families to sit alone in garages during thunderstorms.

Island life isn't for everyone.

Things happen and men and women cannot make it work as a family.

The thing that I have never been able to comprehend is the guys who never have anything to do with their kids. I cannot wrap my mind around that at all.

My wifes biological father has never been a part of her life. Her mom divorced him while my wife was an infant. They lived in the same area for my wifes entire childhood yet he never made any effort to be around her. On her 21st birthday she got a birthday card from her father (the first one she had ever received) and it had a $1 in it.

Just blows my mind.

Who knows why people do what they do?

Not trying to make light of anyone's personal experience...but I always laugh when the idiot right wing evangelicals in this country talk about the "sanctity of marriage". Da fuck you talking about "sanctity of marriage". ?

My wife's father ran off when she was 7. Left a wife and 5 great kids. They never heard from him again. After the dawn of the internet era they learned he remarried, had a kid and then eventually hanged himself.

Who knows why people do what they do?

Agreed, but a bad father sure makes it hard on everyone else.

Maybe if the families didnt suck they'd stick around.

Not trying to make light of anyone's personal experience...but I always laugh when the idiot right wing evangelicals in this country talk about the "sanctity of marriage". Da fuck you talking about "sanctity of marriage". ?

I don't know about sanctity, but our society would be much better off if adults took marriage more seriously. Too many go into it thinking if it doesnt work i will get a divorce. That thinking has harmed many families and kids.

There are too many reasons to list for cause of divorce...none of which are that simple. It's a maturity thing way more than it is about taking it seriously. Divorce rate is high because marriage and parenting is really difficult and most enter that responsibility without the required maturity. Divorce sucks, but a miserable marriage with unhappy / unhealthy parents is usually far more damaging.

Not sure about this case, HawaiiYou....I've encountered far too many Deadbeat Dad scenarios in my life. All of them are based on a husband / Father who got divorced by their wife and their ego never got over it. I've never encountered someone that just said "I'm out" and packed up and left. Regardless....that's really sad.