We all have stories we tell ourselves about who our kids will become, how our relationships will unfold, and what life is supposed to look like. But what happens when reality tears those stories apart?

In this week’s episode of Hi Pod! I’m Dad, James Guttman shares a raw, honest reflection on the life he never expected. From a divorce during the pandemic to parenting a nonverbal son with autism, James opens up about the imagined futures he had to grieve and the unexpected beauty he found in letting them go.

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👉 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qn6bV6k6Jq8
📺 YouTube: @HiBlogImDad

💬 The emotional centerpiece? A memory about almost giving his son the middle name “Charming” so he could impress girls at bars one day. It’s a funny, touching reminder of the hopes we place on unborn children — and how healing it can be to release those hopes when life takes a different turn.

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👉 Listen on HiPodImDad.com

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Leaving “Charming”: Finding Peace With the Life I Didn’t Expect

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