My dad’s version of spending time with the kids was doing manual labor, not talking except to scold. We didn’t get along well when I was a kid because we had very little in common. So little in common that I was basically the black sheep of the kids and struggled the most.
As a kid I wanted a dad who did hobbies other than yard work and hard chores that we could share together but I grew to accept that that wasn’t who he was. My mom did her best to fill in the gaps.
Now my dad is totally the opposite and actually the kid of guy kid me wanted. He does all kinds of hobbies and crafts and activities I would have loved as a kid and is more patient and accepting of kids (family members and kids in classes) when doing them.
It’s been hard to not be a bit resentful even though I’m over 30 and have had to get over it lol.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?
Actually now that I think about it: it this must be pretty common, there was a whole song about it by Harry Chaplin.