Your son with a speech issue. Your daughter who got in serious trouble. Your kid who needs some special accommodations at school. Your kid who developed late…or early. The rare genetic disorder. The teenager looking for love in the wrong places. The twenty-something, soon to be a thirty-something who just still has not figured it out.

These are the things that keep us up as parents. This is the news we dread. What makes us think, “Why me?” Or “What did we do to deserve this?” And “Are they going to be ok?”

While these questions are perfectly fair and it would be wonderful if someone could answer them for you, the reality is that they can’t—not besides, “Because. Because that’s just how it worked out.”

So what’s a better question?

How about: What is this teaching me? Or better still, “What are they learning from this—and from how I am handling it?” Because there is so much to learn, always, in everything—in even the worst experiences. Especially as a parent.

This is teaching us strength. It’s teaching us patience. It’s teaching us acceptance. Most of all though, it’s teaching us to be present, not to spiral—because someone else is counting on us, because someone small and scared needs us. They need us to be the adult right now. They need us to love and support them. They need us to encourage and inspire them.

They need us to show them how to navigate life’s challenges with resilience and courage. They learn these vital coping skills not from their own struggles, but by watching how we handle adversity. So let’s face difficulties with wisdom and strength. Let’s demonstrate that setbacks are opportunities for growth—both for them and for us.

P.S. In this recent Daily Dad video, we shared parenting insights from experts, authors, and fellow parents including Matthew McConaughey, Dr. Becky Kennedy, Casey Neistat, and more! Head here to watch, and be sure to subscribe to the Daily Dad YouTube channel for more parenting wisdom today.