My 6-Year-Old Asked Her Teacher, ‘Can Mommy Come to Donuts with Dad Instead? She Does All the Dad Stuff Anyway’

“I’m learning,” he nodded and leaned in to kiss my forehead.

We sat down together at the table, the three of us. Susie insisted we each take turns rating the pancakes out of ten.

Her syrup-heavy masterpiece earned a twelve, of course. Ryan’s too-crispy one got a seven, though he defended it valiantly.

Mine, the only one cooked in peace after the kitchen had calmed, got a perfect ten from both of them.

“The color is perfect, Mommy,” Susie said. “That’s how pancakes should look, Daddy.”

After breakfast, Susie curled up on the couch to watch cartoons, leaving us in the kitchen alone.

Ryan reached for my hand and ran his thumb across the top of it, slow and steady.

“I missed this,” he said. “I missed you.”

“I was always here,” I replied. “I just got…

quieter. I’ve been exhausted, Ryan. It’s been tough holding down the fort by myself.”

“I’m sorry.

I’m so sorry, Nancy,” he smiled sadly. “I thought I was focusing on work. I thought I was doing ‘my part’ but I didn’t realize what I was missing by being so selfish.”

“It’s okay,” I said.

“It really is. But we have to work on this… okay?

We have to do better for Susie.”Continue reading…