My kid asked why I was crying

Jan 4·1 min read

6yo walked in on me in the garage yesterday while I was having what I'd call a breakdown. Nothing specific happened, just a wave of everything hitting at once. He asked if I was okay and I almost lied but... I just told him "Dad's sad today." He sat with me for like 10 minutes and didn't say much. My partner found us and helped me inside. I'm sharing this because I used to think I had to hide this stuff from my kids, but maybe they deserve to see that their dad is human too.

6 comments376 views

Comments(6)

TTrevor L.New DadJan 4

How did you handle it when he asked? That's the hard part I always struggle with knowing what to say.

BBrandonNew DadJan 5

If you're having regular breakdowns maybe it's time to talk to someone? No shame in getting some support, especially when you've got kids depending on you.

BBen H.RegularJan 5

That's a tough moment man. I had something similar happen with my 7yo and I just told him that sometimes adults have big feelings too and that it was okay. Seemed to help.

TTony L.RegularJan 5

The fact that you're worried about this shows you care about doing right by him. Kids are more resilient than we think and they handle these moments better when we're real with them.

DDanny R.RegularJan 6

You're not alone in this. A lot of us dads go through rough patches and pretending everything's fine all the time just makes it worse. Being honest with your kid about emotions is actually really healthy.

NNathanNew DadJan 6

My son asked me something similar last month and I just said sometimes people feel sad and that's normal. He seemed to accept that and we moved on. Let me know if you want to talk more about it.