Precisely. At least the author acknowledged that he was a shitty person around his kids most of the time and he took steps to correct that. His bourbon and coke didn't help him relax; many a man would have upped the alcohol intake with predictable results. He found a legal(ish) alternative with fewer drawbacks than booze. From personal experience, he'd have found similar effects from regular, strenuous exercise, though not as quickly and not as powerfully. People love a short cut.
A little weed in moderation clearly helps him bond with his very young children. If I were him, I'd be concerned about coming to rely on it and about how my toddlers would perceive me as they got slightly older. Kids are very perceptive and they will notice - and worry - when daddy is unusually attentive, imaginative and happy (and glassy eyed.)
Provided his wife remains sober to drive the kids to the ER if they need it, and assuming daddy's stoned playtime with the kids doesn't interfere with his other responsibilities at home I don't see all that much wrong here at the moment. What he's written here is all positive, but then all drug stories start that way.
Can you please explain what you mean by this? What I got from this article is that he was stressed to the point of not being able to sleep on occasions and that he felt his relationship with his children was not what it could be; he found a way to address that.
It feels to me like a "sorry excuse for a parent" would be someone not considering their children's wellbeing; but this seemed to be one of the author's main preoccupations here.
If I had back pain & anxiety, I'm pretty sure my kid would get an extra dollop of frustration from me, no doubt about it. When people are stressed or in pain, other people around them are impacted.
