I Let My Son Go Live With His Dad—Then I Realized He Needed Saving

Not because I wanted to—truthfully, I would have kept him with me every day if I could—but because I didn’t want to stand in the way of a father and son trying to reconnect. I still had weekends with him and could see him whenever he wanted. I just didn’t have him all the time.

He had missed Eddie—his goofy, fun-loving dad who made midnight pancakes and wore backward baseball caps to his soccer games. And Eddie seemed eager to be more present, more responsible, more steady.

So I let Mason go.

I reassured myself that I was doing the right thing. Giving him space wasn’t the same as giving him up.

But the truth is, the decision quietly broke me.

At first, Mason called often. He sent silly selfies and updates about pizza-and-movie nights with his dad. He’d snap pictures of half-burnt waffles, goofy grins, and late-day adventures.

I saved every photo. I rewatched every video over and over. I missed him terribly, but I reminded myself this was good.

This was what he needed.