My son and his girlfriend of almost 9 months broke up last night. He came down the stairs after a phone call with her, set the phone on my table, and then broke down when giving me a hug.

It seems that when he was home last week with bronchitis, his girlfriend was playing the "trust game" with another boy...his close friend. I'm not sure yet what hurt him the most, losing the girl, or losing the friend.

My wife said she wants to talk with the girl's mother, to let her know what kind of games her daughter plays while she's at work...I told my wife to let it go, that it's part of growing up, and goes a long way to make him a stronger and deeper man.

As a dad, it hurts to see my boy hurt like this, but at the same time, I see it as a stepping stone to manhood. For now, I'll help pick up the pieces, plant some seeds in his mind, and make him stronger for the next time...and show him that I'm here for him.

It was easier as a dad to handle the heartbreak my oldest daughter went through with her heartbreak, especially when the young lad cursed me out in front of my children...I was kind enough to only introduce him to the effects of gravity on concrete, and stopped short of introducing him to the hospital. That was easy...this isn't, because there's nothing more I can do, other than raise him right.

Let's hear how you fathers handle things like this...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles