“I’m not feeling in the mood right now but I am aware that every moment is precious and pushing through this momentary feeling will result in a far greater feeling of happiness for both me and my child into our future when the opportunities to just play together become few and far between.”
Sometimes you have to look past the choice of words to see the message being conveyed. The point wasn’t that they were dreading playing with their child, it was that despite other factors in their life, they wanted to cherish the moment. And that is the wholesome message you think it is.
Taking in the best moments while you can (startrek.website)