Hello there. I had joined this group about 8 or 9 months ago because I was feeling overwhelmed about being a stay at home Dad. I was glad to see that there were other Dads out there doing the damn thing because, at the time, I felt completely out of my element and sometimes still do. The one thing I haven't been able to do, due to a ton of anxiety on my part is start a good routine for my now 1 year old son where we go out and hang with other parents and kids. I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this but I struggle with depression and anxiety and somedays, Cyrus and I don't leave the house and I'm not sure that's good for him or for me. I know I just missed the last meetup and hopefully I can make the next one. I've got to start getting out of the house!
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The Stay At Home Dad Oasis - Resources, Information, Connections, and Community for involved dads.
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I hope you've been able to make progress and feel more confident about getting out of the house and joining us while the weather is still nice. We're meeting at Welles Park tomorrow (Wed). We also get together for Dad's Night Out if that's lower pressure for you since you don't have to worry about being with your son.
Just saw your post
I agree with Mark -- hope to see you out one of these Wednesdays.
Or check the calendar for a dad's night out. For some reason I didn't even make it to one of these myself until very recently, and it was exactly what I needed.
I've been through a lot of the things you describe and I hear you on the isolation. I think just being a parent causes high anxiety, and add on top of that the stresses of an at-home dad. But it's a great thing to do for your kid and your family.
It looks like we might be lucky and get some nice Wednesdays left this year for being at the park together. But either way I'd encourage you to make it. We pick some pretty great places to hang out when it's crappy outside, and it's still a chance to get to know guys in a similar situation. Plus the kids get friends to run around with.
See you,
Lars