Toddler saw dad battling depression collapsing on floor and crying for the first time - his response left the dad amazed

Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and even other problems are not the best expertise of kids. Having no idea what it is and how serious it can be, they don’t know how to respond to it or help others going through the same. Nevertheless, the hearts of toddlers are pure and full of love and somehow, some unusual act of theirs manages to work smoothly. A dad, u/TheTaoOfBill on Reddit, shared that he was battling depression for some time and when he couldn't hide it from his 3-year-old son one day, he broke down. However, his toddler, despite witnessing the same for the first time, had a strangely comforting reaction. 

The dad mentioned that he had depression and was on the road to recovery. It was serious and he had been to therapy and on medication for the same. Having one of the “tough” mornings, the dad was unable to be his usual self to his toddler. “This morning I had a breakdown. I was really down on myself and had a lot of self-disgust,” the dad mentioned. He realized that his toddler needed to wipe his nose and had no choice but to pause his breakdown abruptly to help his son. “ I went to get him a wipe and accidentally spilled something on the way. It was the straw that broke the camel's back. I collapsed on the floor and started sobbing,” the dad recalled. 

Being in a helpless state, the dad was bawling his eyes out. He was upset that he couldn’t hide it from his son as he usually does. “Normally I try my best to cry out of my son's view. I don't want him to worry about his dad. I want to be a rock for him. Strong and stable. But at this moment I couldn't help it,” he remarked. His 3-year-old turned his worry into a proud moment with his thoughtful and kind reaction. Despite having no idea of what his dad was going through, the toddler fixed his dad’s bleak moment with his innocence. “When my son noticed me crying, I couldn't have been prouder. He came up to me and said, ‘Why are you crying, Daddy?’ I said through my sobbing, ‘I don't know,’” the dad revealed. 

The little boy immediately showered his father with love and affection to make him feel better. “He gave me as big of a hug as his little arms could and said, ‘It's okay, daddy,’” the man recalled. The boy rushed and got wipes and asked his dad to dry his eyes. “He asked me to blow my nose. I did. He grabbed the tissue from me and said, ‘It's okay, I throw that away for you, Daddy,’” the father recalled. Maybe not much but that simple gesture made all the difference in turning the dad’s day around.

The post added, “I grabbed him and gave him the biggest squeeze. He said, You better now?’ and I said, ‘I'm better now.’” The dad felt “lucky” for having such a thoughtful son, who in all simplicity stayed with him during his shaky moments. People just loved how the son comforted his dad. u/calmdowngreen wrote, “You know, he learned to be that kind, gentle, and loving from you. That’s awesome.” u/she-bro added, “The way he reacted shows that you are teaching him to be a good little dude. It’s okay to cry.”