When my 7-year-old daughter came home in tears, she told me her teacher had said, “Your dad must regret having you.” I was outraged and immediately went to confront the teacher. But instead of reacting, she calmly asked if I’d checked my daughter’s bag. Then she showed me a crumpled sheet of paper filled with the words “I hate my dad,” written over and over in my daughter’s handwriting.
She explained this wasn’t an isolated incident—my daughter had been writing similar things in class constantly. At home, we found more pages filled with the same painful words directed at me, my wife, and her siblings.
We were heartbroken. We’d always raised her with love, so we turned to a psychologist for help. After several sessions, we learned she wasn’t troubled—she was a deeply emotional and creative child who lacked a way to express herself.
Following the psychologist’s advice, we enrolled her in painting classes. She thrived. Today, she’s an art major in college, and our relationship is stronger than ever. What once looked like anger turned out to be a need for creative expression.