Following my divorce, you helped me mend things with my sons

DEAR DEIDRE: FOLLOWING my divorce, my wife made it difficult for me to have a relationship with my sons.

She constantly undermined me.

When I wrote to you, this had been going on for seven years.

I’m 42 and my ex-wife is 40. My older boy, who is 15, constantly bullied my 13-year-old son, often hitting and kicking him.

If I punished him, for example, by taking his tablet away, he would get his mum to come and pick him up. She never told him off or supported me.

You suggested my son might still be angry about our divorce, and said I should try talking to him directly.

You sent me your Troubled Teenagers support pack and suggested I call Families need Fathers (fnf.org.uk, 0300 0300 363).

Thank you so much. I’ve had a breakthrough.

I took him out for a meal and he opened up. He is angry and also having some problems at school.

I offered to help him and told him he could call me any time.
We’re now getting on much better.

Every problem gets a personal reply from one of our trained counsellors.

You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page.

DEIDRE SAYS: I’m so pleased you have been able to start building a relationship with your son, and hope you can help him with his problems.

So often, spending real quality time with a child can make a big improvement.