16 yr old son hit me, and says he hates me
My son's mother and I divorced when he was five years old. I lived near them until he was eight years old. I moved to the city of Chicago for work and another woman, which was four states away.
I had another child who is now six years old, and my son is highly jealous of her. I moved to Jacksonville, Florida approximately three and half years ago. Since I moved here he has only come down twice, I traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but it is impossible.
I speak to him on the phone every day and try to give him as much attention as possible. I also probably do way too much financially, and yes because of my regret and my guilt of leaving him.
Within the last two weeks I traveled back to Pennsylvania to see him because he is having problems in school. I went and spoke to his teachers and try to help out. He also indicated to me that he no longer believes in God.
One of his friends committed suicide while there. I spoke to his grandmother about my concerns and his not believing in God anymore. Unfortunately, she did not keep our conversation private, instead, she immediately started speaking to him about this and made him very angry.
He and I were in the car on the way to Best Buy, and he asked me who told his grandmother about his lack of belief. When I told him I did, he immediately got up out of the car and told me he hated me and is done with me.
I grabbed him to talk to him, unfortunately he punched me in my face! It took everything in my power not to strike back, I am only five 1/2 ft and 210 pounds, he is 6 foot three 248.
We argued for about an hour and he said many things that would hurt the strongest person in the world.
I have not yet spoke to him since this happened please give me advice!
Sincerely yours,
Dan, a lost father