Dead Beat Boyfriend Wanting To Redeem Himself?

My boyfriend just recently told me that he hasn't been in his children's lives consistently. They are now teenagers and him and I have been dating for almost a year. His children live on the other side of the country so I never questioned anything and just umed he kept in contact with them by phone and letters. However, seeing that him and I are getting serious he told me the truth regarding his deadbeat status with them. His ex told him in the past that she doesn't want him around their children because he hasn't been consistent and they are doing good so she doesn't want to disrupt their lives. I can totally understand where she is coming from. But my boyfriend wants to redeem himself by making things right with his teenage daughter and son. This was a bomb dropped on me so now I feel like him and I need to take a step back so that he can focus more on having a relationship with his children and making things right. I don't mean to break up with him but kind of take myself temporarily out of the equation until his children adjust to having their dad back in their lives. Does this seem as an extreme measure for me to take?