okay I wanna talk about this.
When Bruce got Dick, he was inexperienced when it came to children, he tried his best to be a protective parent, but not a loving father. He was cautious not to replace John, and in the process, accidentally withheld love from him.
Bruce loved Jason. he loved Dick too, but not the same. Jason's father was a bad person and his mother obviously couldn't take care of him. He had more experience from his first time, but Jason was his. He was Jason's dad and Jason was his son.
After all that happened, Tim was sort of sidelined, Bruce was hesitant to let himself love through his grief, partly because, selfishly, he didn't want to lose anyone he loved again, secondly he didn't want to erase Jack Drakes (non-existent) position as his father, and third, he didn't want Tim to bond with him and get that "savior complex" his kids most often get when they are around him too long.
Bruce wasn't all back together when Cass came into his life, but he had been softened again by Tims new permanent residency because he had to be there for him, and now, Cass, a manipulated, conditioned, traumatized girl had found her way to Gotham, only to be taken in by her target. And eventually I think she gets to be on the same level as Jason
And just as Bruce had almost gotten it all back together, had put all of his parenting experience to use, was ready for anything that came his way, Damian fell out of the sky in a ball of fire. Completely different than anyone else Bruce had dealt with. And good golly, it was probably pretty flipping difficult. But eventually, it got better.
And as new family members come in, and old ones come back, Love gets stronger, and things get better.
And- HOLY MOLY THIS IS GETTING CORNY YOU GET THE POINT.
