RULE 90

Let them cope in their own way

When I got divorced many years ago from my first wife, I ended up as a single parent with almost nothing. The kids and I were in a rented house with very little furniture. One evening I was talking to one of my sons – we were both sitting on boxes and I was overcome with guilt at what the kids were having to go through. I said to him, ‘I’m really sorry, mate. I’m so sorry you have to go through all this.’ Do you know what his reply was? He said, ‘No, dad. It’s brilliant! This is really good fun!’

Of course he didn’t mean that he wanted his parents to split up. But I was worrying about the living conditions, while he felt as if he was on a permanent camping holiday. I’d just assumed he’d feel the same way ...

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