I'm a 35-year-old father of four and have been married for twelve years.  Last week, my wife and I were looking at our wedding pictures.  Our five-year-old daughter commented on how pretty my wife looked and that I looked cute to her too.  Then she got a look as if she was thinking hard.  When we asked her what she was thinking, she asked my wife if she was going to get married to somebody else, and that she didn't want that to happen because she loves her daddy!

My wife reassured her that Mom and Dad were always going to be together and asked her why she thought that.  She replied that many of her classmates in kindergarten came from divorced parents, or ones who had remarried with kids. It's sad to me that so many children have to endure their parents' bad decisions, mistakes and selfishness.  The logic of a five-year-old shows us that this is becoming the new norm.  I may be powerless to prevent this from happening to other children, but it reinforces to me the vital importance of providing a safe, secure, loving, supportive, structured, disciplined and fun world for my family.  To other dads, I say make sure your kids see that you love and honor your wife, and that your children know your family home will always be a safe place. 

John