31 years old and my dad who was a full blown family man just ended his 35 year marriage. Looks like dad was right and mom was a bad person afterall.

Dad was a union man who worked full time his whole life and supported the family. He bought mom everything she wanted - take the kids on vacation, give her money every paycheck, a nice house, and good cars. Mom got pregnant with me when they were 9 and 10 years old and his parents sent him to the army instead of jail. <br><br>My whole life I saw mom badmouth dad but they didn’t fight at all. Dad was the dad, and mom was the mom. My mom badmouthed him to me and my siblings for the last 20 years. Mom wasn’t take care of us, mom didn’t want to care for us. She was a mom because dad wanted to be a dad. We couldn’t live with dad’s parents and dad went to the army instead of prison, so mom had us. In the 80s there weren’t a lot of single parents, so we got looked at funny. <br><br>My brother and sisters were given up to the state by my parents because they wouldn’t work for it. They wouldn’t work for us so why should they work for their own kids? In the 80s we lived in a trailer park and she’d leave when we were 4 and dad wasn’t home. I’d care for my siblings until dad came home. <br><br>Mom would sleep all day. <br><br>This is what mom did her whole life. She’d talk about how dad didn’t have a degree and she couldn’t get a job because of us four. Dad always said mom was lazy but mom said she was just tired. <br><br>My brother and sisters were given up and mom got her tubes tied. She was happy with just me. I always felt like dad was the take care of me and mom was just there. <br><br>When I turned 16, mom said I had to get a job. She said I wasn’t her problem anymore. Dad got me a job and let me drive his new car. I saved up and bought a car and dad took me to get it. <br><br>A few years ago she got a degree and it took her like 5 years. She got a job for like a year at the state hospital then she quit. She said it’s too hard and she’s too tired so she’ll just live off her savings. <br><br>I moved out at 17 but dad got me a house at 18. I moved in with my girlfriend and we had a kid. We broke up but she moved back in with me. We’ve been together for 6 years. <br><br>Dad and mom got a big house and they bought new cars. <br><br>She’d spend all day in her room. Dad did everything. <br><br>He retired and mom went on a few vacations with him. They bought an RV and dad would drive to the beach and they take off for a month. <br><br>My brother and sisters came back into my life and we’ve been meeting up the last few years. Mom and dad never acknowledged them. <br><br>My brother and sisters lived with a lot of people growing up. They didn’t have a normal life. One of my sisters is a stripper and the other sister refuses to take off her mask. My brother doesn’t talk very much and he’s always angry but he’s take care of himself. <br><br>I asked dad if mom wasn’t the bad person here. He said he knew how things were gonna go and he was fine with it. He said he wasn’t gonna walk away from his family. He said he’d just be a dad instead of take care of mom. He’d rather be a dad than be a mom to her. <br><br>Dad said, “I couldn’t walk away. I wasn’t good enough for her but she can’t live without me. I’ve always known how lazy she was. I just left her in the room and did everything instead of take care of her lazy ass. I did everything for the kids but she wouldn’t take care of you guys. <br><br>“I can’t help it was this way. I’m so fucking proud of you. You’re everything I hoped you’d be. I knew how things would go and I was fine with it.<br><br>“I’m glad she’s out of my life. I’ve been divorced in my heart for 20 years. You have to be a man. You can’t be lazy. You do everything and always do your best. I’m so proud of you. Don’t forget what I taught you.”<br><br>That was a few months ago. He sold the big house and he moved across the country. He said he’s finally happy. <br><br>I’m a union man just like my dad. I too work 50 hours a week and provide. I bought my family a house and we have a good life. I’m happy but I’m concerned about my future. My family is everything to me and I take care of them. I saved enough and bought the family house. <br><br>If family is everything, why is it so hard to be happy?