The split of a marriage means splitting time with the kids. You are going to have at least some time to yourself while they are with their mom.
This can be a lonely and difficult adjustment, so filling this empty void with new hobbies and fun activities can help boost your morale and your social life.
Here are five ways divorced dads can use their time away from the kids.
Develop New Hobbies
Developing new hobbies can be an exciting and rewarding accomplishment. From volunteering at local organizations to learning how to cook unique foods, hobbies can give you a feeling of achievement.
Whether you have always wanted to take up photography, learn to fish, or play an instrument, this is your time to finally take action and do the activities you have always dreamed of but continued to put off.
DIY, known as do it yourself, has become a trend that people of all ages are interested in. Rather than going out and buying certain things you need, it can be fun to do it yourself and create those items. This can consist of small crafts to home improvement projects to handmade objects.
Cordell & Cordell understands the concerns men face during divorce.
Work on your Health and Exercise
People are becoming more aware of how important exercise is to maintaining proper health and fitness.
This newfound free time can enable dads to partake in a healthy lifestyle by going to the gym, going on bike rides, or even going on a run. Joining a recreational team such as baseball, soccer or basketball can be a fun way to not only exercise, but to meet new people too.
Join the City Dads Group
If you are a dad who wants to boost his social life but does not know how, join the City Dads Group. This organization is located in a multitude of cities from Anchorage, Alaska, to Orlando, Fla. Meetups include educational workshops, special events, and dad’s nights out to movies, sporting events and more.
This group creates a supportive atmosphere for dads from all backgrounds. Whether you are divorced, married, a stay-at-home dad, or a full time worker, City Dad’s Group has a goal of bringing dads together with or without the kids for support and social time.
Get Back into the Dating Game
It’s time to put your best foot forward and leave the complications of your divorce in the past. Your kids should remain a priority, but this does not mean you do not deserve happiness with someone else.
You should not rush into a relationship, but by no means should you fear moving on with someone else.
Getting back into the dating game can be difficult, especially if it has been a while. That’s OK because the 21st century is an evolving period for technology and social media. Online dating sites are the new way for single people to meet. Sites such as OkCupid, Match, and eHarmony have created thousands of lasting relationships.
Prioritize Me Time
Self-care is crucial for happiness. This means giving yourself a period to recharge and rest. The University of Michigan found that a lack of “me time” is a large cause of unhappy marriages. This gives you the necessary time to reboot your brain, help you unwind, and make you more productive.
As the age-old saying goes “time is money.” Most people do not have the time to spend on me time. That is why the quality of your me time is better than the quantity of it. Use your me time to explore new hobbies, unplug from devices you feel addicted to, and invest in experiences rather than material goods.
With these five tips, time away from your kids does not have to be lonely, rather it can be a way for you to invest your time into new activities and passions as well as take the necessary time for yourself.
Of course, while some time apart from your children after divorce is probably unavoidable, you still want to do whatever you can to make sure you get as much parenting time as possible. To ensure you receive a fair and balanced child custody decision, contact a divorce attorney who focuses on protecting the rights of fathers.
Interesting article!
These are good suggestions for all divorced dads. Keep yourself busy and focus on your career and health so you can move on.
This is really good. Dad’s going through divorce need as much support and great ideas as they can get to stay healthy.
Divorce is hard on all parties. I appreciate your focus on helping fathers, specifically, cope with such a difficult time.
I like to sing and my daughter suggested I try the local karaoke bar. This has led to me being in a couple of theater groups and the number of friends I’ve made and the support I’ve gotten have helped me incredibly over the last couple of years.
I’ve done a bit of dating, but after a pretty bad break-up, I haven’t been expending a lot of energy on that front.
I’m a very religious guy, so I’ve also given a lot of time to my church, which they really appreciate…and I’ve gained a lot of support as well.
The first step is recognizing the symptoms that are likely to take over – especially in the earliest stages of divorce/separation. From that point, you need to find a way to “rise above” that works for you.
Best of luck, my brothers!
David M.