been there dude, being asked if i was mentally retarded by a check out clerk at the mall (older lady) was probably one of the hardest hitting insults in my life. you say you have a daughter? If that's one of your biggest fears to be the idiot dad who cant talk then maybe it's time you use that as motivation to get some help. Is there any particular reason why you're avoiding the confrontation when talking about your stuttering with friends & family? where do you live? there's bound to be an NSA chapter located near you where you can go for support.