Been home on paternity leave for the last 6 weeks and honestly it's been amazing spending time with my daughter. Now I have to go back and I'm dreading it. Not because of work but because I'm gonna miss so much. My wife is doing daycare but still. Does this guilt ever go away? Or do you just get used to it?
I'm going through this same thing right now actually. Those 6 weeks go by so fast and then you realize you have to hand the baby off. It's normal to feel guilty but honestly you'll find your rhythm back at work and it gets easier.
This is real. I remember going back after my first was born and I felt like I was abandoning my kid even though logically I knew that wasn't true. Give it a couple weeks and the guilt fades a bit. You're doing great.
Man, I felt this so much when I went back. But here's the thing - being a present dad when you ARE home matters more than being home 24/7. You're gonna be a better parent with some adult interaction and your own routine back.
Dude I'm still on leave and dreading this conversation with myself in a couple weeks. How are you handling the financial part - was the time worth it even knowing you'd have to go back?
That guilt is real man. I went back after 8 weeks and felt like I was abandoning my son. But here's the thing - you're showing him what work looks like, what providing looks like. Your kid will see that. And those 6 weeks? That's a gift he'll feel forever.
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Going back is tough but you've got this. The key is making the time you DO have count. I block off my mornings before work - even 15 minutes with the kids makes a difference. It gets easier after the first week.