When My Daughter Noticed I Was Struggling

A reminder that what we model really does stick

Author

Dad Braids
April 27, 2025

Estimated read time: 2-1/2 min

Happy Sunday, dads!

The other day, I had both kids by myself for a few hours—and everything fell apart. My daughter was extra needy. My baby boy was incredibly fussy. I was behind on lunch. I hadn’t eaten. It was chaos.

Eventually, I lost my cool. I didn’t yell, but I snapped. My tone shifted. My patience disappeared.

Then my daughter walked over and asked, “Dad… are you frustrated?”

It stopped me. I said, “Yeah, honey. I am. Could you tell?” She nodded, then added, “You know what helps me? Taking some deep breaths. Or going outside and getting fresh air.”

It was a real “the student becomes the teacher” moment.

Because as much as we like to think we’ve got it all figured out, the truth is—we’re learning and growing right alongside our kids. They’re teaching us just as much as we’re teaching them.

I asked if she’d take some breaths with me, and we did. When we finished, she asked, “Do you feel better now?”

I said, “Yes. Thank you for helping me.”

In that quiet moment, I was proud of her—and proud of my wife and I, too. The tools we’ve been modeling? They’re landing. She’s learning to notice emotions, regulate, and offer support.

So if you’ve been wondering whether it’s sinking in—the deep breaths, the patience, the second chances—it is.

Keep going.

This week in the club:

🧵 Braid of the Week

Ponytail fundamentals

This one already hit big—it was our most engaged video this week!

Mastering a clean, secure ponytail is the foundation for almost every style you’ll do later.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always.

Keep practicing that tension and smoothing technique—you’re building the real skills that’ll set you up for everything else.

🎙️ Podcast Club

This week’s pick: Aladdin – Disney Storyteller Series

We’re loving this old-school Aladdin storyteller version. It’s a full hour, and my daughter gets so into it—which also means a little bonus downtime for me. The narrator’s voice has this perfect nostalgic ‘90s Unsolved Mysteries vibe that weirdly makes it even better.

Great for quiet time, long drives, or just getting a little extra breathing room during the day.

📚 Book Club

The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

This one’s a family favorite. A silly, brilliant book that gets kids laughing so hard they don’t even realize they’re “reading.”

And the best part? It reminds us that words matter—but sometimes how we say things, the joy we model, matters even more.

Perfect for bedtime, giggles, and connection.

Purchase here:
Bookshop | Amazon

📸 Community Highlight

Huge shoutout to the dads who shared braiding wins this week!

Want to be featured? Drop your photos in #hairdo-flex in our discord

Thanks for being here.

Thanks for being part of the ripple.

From my family to yours—happy braiding.

—Strider

P.S. Got a question, a dad win, or a total fail you want to share? Reply to this email—I’d love to hear it.