This is Daily Dadspeak—daily reflections on becoming a dad, while still growing up myself. You can find the full mini-pod audio list here.
My child needed love and approval. But I reacted with distraction and irritation. Again.
Have you ever realized that the way you responded to your child could have been better? Have you ever felt regret for not being there when your child needed you?
If so, congratulations. You’re making progress.
Every time you notice that your reaction could have been better, you’ve taken a step forward. Because now you’ll be a little more aware the next time you’re in a similar situation.
The real problem occurs when you don’t realize or acknowledge that you could have responded differently. Because then there’s no opportunity for course correction. You’re just reinforcing automatic behavioral loops.
Parenting is hard. And it’s easy to get down on ourselves as parents when we realize we’ve messed up.
But guess what? Fucking up is part of parenting. It’s part of life.
You can’t go backwards. But you can learn from your awareness.
So the next time you catch yourself acting in a way you regret—whether in the moment or after the fact—be a little gentler on yourself. At least you’ve recognized you have room for improvement.
That’s a big step toward becoming a better parent, and a better you.
→ Another good reference point for becoming a better you: your partner. Here’s what to ask them.
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