The father of my child and I were very young when we had our daughter. I was 15, and he was 17. Throughout my pregnancy, he was constantly cheating, selling and doing drugs, and putting his hands on me. Never to the point of needing 911 help but putting his hands around me to choke me, shoving me, squeezing me when he got insanely mad, etc. when I had my daughter, he didn’t come to the hospital. We had met at a restaurant when she was 4 days old so that he could meet her and he only stayed 30 minutes & then left to play ball with his buddies. He then stopped and saw her at a McDonald’s when she was a month old, then left. He never has actually paid his support or even ever tried. 3 years go by and he’s not been around. A few days ago, I get a message from him apologizing for everything. Saying that he was a stupid kid and that he would like to see us again and actually meet our daughter. He says he’s gotten his shit together and that he’s gotten a job to pay support (which he’s now been paying regularly). I plan on meeting him this weekend without our daughter to see how he truly is. I guess I’m just asking how I’ll know if he’s a changed man, and when to truly accept that he’s ready to be around our daughter without being a danger or hurting her by leaving again. Any stories? Any advice?