For the Dads Doing Their Best With What They’ve Got
By Nurse Dad
She made the dance team.
I didn’t realize what that meant at first. I thought it was just another fun class, another sticker on her little ballet shoes. But no—this was the team. The competition team. The big leagues for 7-year-olds.
And when the bill came, my stomach sank.
The costumes.
The weekend comps.
The travel.
The time.
We sat down, did the math, shifted bills around, cut where we could…
And still came up short.
We couldn’t afford it.
And it gutted me.
You Want to Give Them Everything
As a dad, there’s this quiet pressure we carry—
To provide.
To support.
To say yes when their eyes light up.
But sometimes, no matter how hard you work… the answer is still no.
No to the dance team.
No to the summer camp.
No to soccer, or music, or art class.
Because food comes first.
Because rent comes first.
Because three kids and one on the way means every dollar has to stretch farther than it should.
I Felt Like I Failed Her
I watched her tie up her shoes for practice one day, not knowing it would be one of her last times.
I had to sit her down and explain that we just couldn’t make it work right now.
And I braced for the tears, the heartbreak, the resentment.
But she just nodded.
She said, “It’s okay, Daddy. It was getting really hard anyway.”
Then she hugged me and asked what was for dinner.
She wasn’t crushed.
I was.
But Maybe… Just Maybe… She’s Okay Because I Am
Maybe it’s not about the trophies or the travel or the fancy team jacket.
Maybe what she really needs is what I am giving her:
- A safe home
- A dad who shows up
- A family who loves her
- The space to dream again later
She still dances.
In the living room. In the kitchen.
And every time she twirls in socks across the floor, I’m reminded:
Joy doesn’t always wear a uniform.
To the Dads Who Are Stretching Every Dollar
You’re not alone.
You’re not selfish.
You’re not a failure.
You’re a father doing math late at night, wondering how to be fair to all your kids.
You’re trying to say yes when you can—but holding the line when you can’t.
You’re making choices no one sees, and sacrifices your kids may never fully understand…
But one day they might.
And they’ll know you didn’t fail them.
You protected them.
You taught them that love doesn’t come with price tags.
And that showing up means more than paying up.
We See You
To the dad who can only afford camp for one kid…
To the dad who skips meals to keep the fridge full…
To the dad who wants to give his child the world, but can barely afford the basics:
You’re doing better than you think.
And your kids?
They’re watching.
And they know—
They’ve got a good one.
#AskNurseDad | #ForTheDadsDoingTheirBest
Share your story in the comments or pass this to another dad who needs to hear it. Let’s lift each other up—we’re all in this together.