My 7-year-old daughter came home crying. Her teacher had told her, “Your dad must regret having you.” Furious, I stormed into the school—only to be handed a note she’d brought in her lunchbox. It was in my handwriting: “Some days I wish I never had her. I can’t do this anymore.”

My heart sank. I had written it weeks earlier during a breakdown—late at night, overwhelmed by bills, double shifts, and the pain of my ex moving away. I never meant for her to see it.

That night, I watched her sleep and promised myself I’d change. I arranged a school meeting and knelt beside her. “That note wasn’t about you. It was about me—struggling to be the dad you deserve.”

She whispered, “Do you really wish you didn’t have me?”

“No,” I cried. “You’re the best thing in my life.”

Since then, I’ve started therapy, taken a break from my second job, and asked for help. Maren leaves me notes now: “You got this, Dad!”

One read: “My dad makes mistakes. But he always tries again.”

Lesson: Our kids don’t need perfect parents. They need us—honest, present, and willing to try again. Especially when it’s messy.