I am feeling pretty worthless right now. I’m a stay at home dad whose son is falling behind and I’m getting too overwhelmed lately to even try to help him some days. I joined the marine corps straight out of high school, and got a job immediately until my wife could move with my to attend college. I haven’t been stationary very long for my entire life, and now that I am, I hate it. I feel like a failure. I’m a bad teacher and at times an inattentive parent.
Heyy @joshandcharlotte,
You’re not a bad parent. I know you think you are because you’re unable to live up to what is expected of you but the thing is before you are anybody…before you are a dad, a marine, a husband, a teacher…you are an individual. Your life has changed dramatically because civilian life isn’t the same as your previous life and it takes time and conscious effort to adapt to it. Again, easier said than done, but please don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re trying and willing to improve, to do better. And that matters more than anything else. I’d suggest that you take one day at a time, and one sphere of your life at a time. Together, it can be overwhelming for anyone.
If you can, try to seek some therapy to adapt to regular life, there would be therapists you specialise in understanding navigating regular life as a marine.
Moreover, you mentioned how being stationary is something you hate. Then make sure you do something to change that and to create a new, active routine for yourself (unless you mean being on land and not sailing)
You could volunteer, join a gym, join a group of runners/cyclists whatever you like. Make sure to take care of yourself, your mood, your well-being because that will play a huge role in being able to cope with all the stress. In general, being a parent is so hard anyway. So remember, you’re doing your best, and that is what matters and you need to take care of yourself in the process of taking care of everyone around you.
🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼
