I've been dealing with pretty bad anxiety lately and it keeps circling back to whether I'm doing right by my kids. Like I'll be at work and suddenly think about something I said to my son yesterday and wonder if it messed him up somehow. My wife says I'm overthinking it but I can't shut it off. Anyone else struggle with this? How do you manage the spiral?
This anxiety has been eating me up too. What helps is remembering that my kids don't need a perfect dad - they need their dad. Mess ups and all. You're enough.
New dad here and this hits different for me right now. The anxiety spirals are real, especially when you're sleep deprived. Have you talked to anyone about it or tried anything that helps? I'm thinking I might need to do the same.
Man, I feel this hard. I'm out there coaching soccer on weekends and still catch myself wondering if I'm missing something at home. But here's the thing - the fact that you're anxious about it means you care, and your kids feel that. You're probably doing way better than you think.
The anxiety spiral is real. But here's the thing - the fact that you're even asking this question means you probably give way more of a crap than the average dad. You're doing it. Some days are messy and that's okay.
The anxiety about being good enough usually means you care enough to keep trying. That's half the battle right there. Bad dads don't sit around worrying about being better. You're probably doing fine.
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All the time man. Especially after a rough day where I yelled or felt impatient. But I've learned that my kids don't need perfect dad. They need present dad, and that's what you're being by showing up and trying.