Teacher: “Are you excited to bring your dad to Donuts with Dad?”
Our 6-year-old, Susie: “Can Mommy come instead?”
Teacher (laughing): “Oh? Why Mommy?” Susie: “Because Mommy does all the dad stuff. She fixes my bike, plays catch, and checks for monsters under my bed. Daddy always says he’s tired and needs quiet time. If Mommy comes to Donuts with Dad, she’ll have more fun talking to the other dads, and Daddy can stay home and watch his baseball. That’s nice, right?”
We were walking down the hallway (me, my husband Ryan, and my FIL) when we heard her voice from the classroom. She hadn’t seen us yet. We FROZE. Susie ran into my arms like nothing had happened.
Ryan was stiff and pale. Then suddenly my FIL knelt down and said: “Susie. you’re absolutely right.”
Susie blinked, confused. “About what?”
He smiled gently and ruffled her hair. “About your mommy being a superhero. But you know what else? Sometimes dads don’t realize they’ve put on their invisible capes backwards.”
She giggled. “That sounds silly!”
“Yeah,” he chuckled, “dads can be a little silly sometimes. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love you with our whole hearts. It just means we need little reminders from smart girls like you.”
Ryan still hadn’t said a word.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he crouched down beside his dad and took Susie’s tiny hand. His eyes were watery.
“Susie,” he said softly, “I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry.”
She tilted her head. “It’s okay, Daddy. You’re just always so tired.”
“I know,” he nodded. “And that’s something I’m going to change. You and Mommy deserve more than just quiet-time Dad. I want to be the bike-fixing, catch-playing, monster-hunting Dad too.”
Susie grinned. “Yay! Then can we eat donuts together AND check for monsters tonight?”
He laughed through tears. “Deal.”
And that’s how “Donuts with Dad” became “Donuts with My Heroes” at Susie’s school the next week. Because sometimes being a parent means showing up… even if you’ve been missing for a while.
And sometimes, it takes a child’s honesty to light the way back home.