I work long hours and sometimes I feel like I'm failing my kids because I miss stuff or I'm too tired to be present. My wife says I'm doing fine but I can't shake this feeling that I should be doing more. I started seeing a therapist last month which helps but some days are still really hard. Anyone else deal with this? How do you get past it?
Quality over quantity is a real thing. You show up when you can and you're present when you're there. That's what they'll remember, not the stuff you missed. The fact that you care this much means you're already a good enough father.
I'm dealing with almost the exact same thing right now. Working nights at the hospital means I'm missing baseball games and school stuff and it eats at me constantly. But my kids know I'm there for them when I can be and that matters more than being there for everything.
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Try to cut yourself some slack man. My dad worked constantly when I was growing up but I always knew he was doing it for us. Your tiredness is proof you're putting in the work. Kids understand more than you think.
This right here. Long hours are brutal but you're still showing up. That's what counts.