Excerpt


The author is an Absentee father, divorced and living apart from his children who were raised by their mother. This father, highly interested in his children's future and welfare, early on determines that he wants to supply more than just the money designated as support and alimony. He develops plans for the children with a view to providing education and training to help them in their future careers. These plans are readily accepted by the children and everyone concerned. They work out well and there is general satisfaction during their operational years.

However, years later, the father and his children become estranged. They avoid contacting him and appear to be uninterested in his welfare. He looks back on those earlier days and determines that he made many mistakes. Based on the long-range view of the results, he believes that his efforts were NOT the best way to operate. He presents a solid case that what he did was pretty stupid. He talks to his friends and they offer their input about his guidance as an absentee father.

The book describes his program of providing a car for each of his four sons when they reach sixteen, via special investments in the stock market. It describes his offer to pay for their college educations, thinking that only two of the four might enroll in college only to find that all four would follow the path of higher education. The father's plan to spend his summer vacations with his children, camping and fishing, and visiting historical sites is outlined.

Some of his friends agree with what he did and others do not. The father responds to questions about his own ethics and integrity. There is the overriding suggestion that he did far too much for his sons. The book he writes describes his poor leadership, hoping that it will help others to avoid the mistakes that he made.

The book is full of details and points out his errors. It shows that he has been an attentive father with well-intentioned efforts and considerable financial outlay. But it also shows that he followed a pattern of leadership which present-day fathers and fathers-to-be will probably want to avoid.

Present-day absentee fathers will be able to judge their actions in comparison with the author=s. These millions of absentee fathers, now involved in supporting children from earlier marriages, often find disapproval among their peers. This book will help them gain more positive recognition of their efforts on behalf of their children.

The book reads like a novel, from the time the children are youngsters until long after they've established themselves in their careers. Any parent will benefit from learning about the mistakes illustrated here.