Struggling with feeling like a bad dad

2w ago·1 min read

Keep having this voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough. Yelled at my son yesterday for spilling juice and now I can't stop replaying it. Logically I know I'm doing my best and one moment doesn't define me but the guilt and shame just won't leave. Started having these thoughts more frequently. Thinking about talking to someone but also feeling like I should just be able to handle this myself as a grown man.

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Comments(3)

BBenNew Dad1w ago

Hey man, that voice is a liar. One time losing your patience doesn't make you a bad dad. I yelled at my kids last week and felt terrible about it, but you know what? I apologized, talked to them about it, and we moved on. That's actually good parenting right there. The fact that you're even worried about this tells me you care.

NNate B.Regular1w ago

This hits different when you're running on empty. I work swing shifts and there are nights where I snap at my kids over nothing because I'm exhausted. You gotta take care of yourself too, even if that just means getting a little more sleep when you can. Can't pour from an empty cup.

TTony M.Regular1w ago

The guilt is the worst part. I used to spiral after stuff like that too. What helped me was realizing that my kids don't need a perfect dad, they need a real one. Spilled milk happens, you lost it for a second, now you're here thinking about how to be better. That's literally what good dads do.