[floppydiskette]

My dad did try “physically restraining me” by grabbing me before I could run to my mom after I would creep down the stairs in the morning to avoid him. It did not make things better so I would not recommend it, haha. I’m sure it was frustrating for him.

Anyway, thirty years later we’re good, and I would go to my dad way before my mom to talk about any sort of personal issue and such. Of course, every situation is different, hopefully it won’t take you nearly as long as it did for us.

I have found in my personal relationships in the past few years that the more I let go and stop trying to control things or take it personally when someone doesn’t act the way I’d like, the better it all goes. Of course, for some people that means the relationship drops off entirely, but for the more important ones they got a lot better.

[cperciva]

To be clear, the only physical restraining I do is "Mommy needs to go to work now so Daddy is going to pick you up so you don't try to chase her down the stairs". She knows she can't walk down the stairs on her own but sometimes forgets when she gets excited.