[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

From your experience where do you think you went wrong and it came undone?

An obsession called... WORK!
I devoted way WAY too much time to starting up and running a business.
Thinking back, this “obsession” was probably at it’s peak during the early years of my kids growing up!
There’s no doubt my ex virtually raised our 2 almost as a single parent...
Any devotion to family time was almost nonexistent on my part.
I also lost my Dad in 1999, when my kids were little. This had a pretty profound effect on me, thinking back.
I retreated into myself for a long time, with communication between us probably at a minimum! No idea why I couldn’t open up to her?
I also took on a few overseas projects that sometimes resulted in me being away months at a time.
Great “earners”, and upgraded the family home, and bought us both new vehicles.
Unfortunately material things do NOT make the relationship!
I think I treated our marriage more like a business partnership, with me bringing in the bucks and expecting her to raise the kids, look after the household etc?
The breakdown WAS a great learning curve for me though?
I think I’m a better person for it... I’m a lot more tolerant, I am a hell of a lot more aware of my partners feelings... And I learnt that ALL else is secondary to immediate family (especially work!)