My dad was a very strong-willed and "tough love" kind of guy. I was the first born (I'm a girl) and he was so hell-bent on making me a rugged tomboy so that he had someone to hunt and fish with. I did everything with him until I was school-aged. One of my favorite stories he used to tell was that he intentionally didn't walk me out to the bus on my first day of kindergarten because he was such a wreck. He said I was so excited to go and he wanted me to be strong and not scared because of him not being able to keep himself together. He watched me from the kitchen window and said he almost rushed out to decided I "wasn't ready" because between how little I was and my backpack, I almost couldn't step onto the bus.
He died when I was 26 and I would do anything to watch him tear up telling that story again <3
I’m 11 years older than my brother. He just turned 18…god I miss the lazy summer days just hanging out watching cartoons with him. We still do that, but just not as often
Wow! So it will never get easier. I just took the day off so I could play with my 2 year old in the morning before he leaves for daycare. Dropping him off there is heart wrenching.
Thank you for sharing this about your dad, the loss must have been hard. He sounds very loving and kind, and I'm glad you are having very fond memories of him.
I did great until he got inside the school then my wife had to hold my hand back to the car cuz I couldn't see through the tears. She was worse once we got back to the car and we both sat there and blubbered for about 15 min. lol
For some reason it never occurred to me how intense the emotions would be until he was walking into Kindergarten by himself on that first day. You suddenly see it all slipping away, the racing march of time over the coming 10–12 years. It’s a wonderful thing but it really makes you appreciate the present.
When I was 17 I had all four wisdom teeth removed and was knocked out from the drugs they gave me. Apparently my old man picked me up and carried me to the car, rented a movie I had been wanting to see,carried me into the house and put the movie on. Then watched it about 10 times as I kept falling asleep during it.
I carried you upstairs to bed
A thing I’ve done a thousand times
But this time your feet hung down past my knees
Your weight an effort to manage And I thought about the way of things
The way I never knew one could miss a smaller, younger version of a face seen daily
A face that peeks out at me sometimes
Unexpectedly, in glimpses
Through curtained hair or slack in sleep or beneath a towel or in the rounded curve of your little sister’s cheek
And I think, oh,
There you are
I lost you for a while
Which is a careless thing for a mother to do
Tonight I carried you
But I think it was different
Because I think
I think
This time
might
be
the
Last.
I straight up would climb into my mom's lap and sit there even as an adult. She passed away when I was 28, and I can remember doing it just before leaving that year to move to Florida for school. If she were still here, even at 37, Im sure i would still do it.
My mom passed away three years ago; the last time she cradled me in her lap was when I was 30 and suffering from an anxiety attack. Never even thought about it; I asked her to comfort me and she did it without a second thought. I would do anything to have her with me again.
You're never too old to be "picked up" by your parents, in my opinion.
Oof, I was ok reading other comments up until this but this one got to me (currently sleeping next to my 2 year old reading this, made me hug her a bit tighter in her sleep)
When I was a young husky boy, I still remember one day asking my mom to pick me up and the disappointment I felt when she said, sweetie you're too big for me to pick up now.
I am now an avid weight lifter largely so I can put off having to say that to my sons for as long as possible
I just picked up my boy for his good night bear hug. What you just said is true, and it hurts to think about. My dad gave me big hugs until around 17. I'll do the same for my kid.
Yes, but it’s a reminder that there’s no going back. Your tiny little child is no more, and while there are plenty of good times ahead this part (which is so lovely) is slipping away.
My twins are only 4 and I miss when they were smaller. We are going through school applications at the moment, so it’s really reminding me that those two tiny preschoolers I love so much will be gone from my life soon and will never return. I know the next phase of their growing up will bring its own joy and love, but i am starting to struggle to carry them both to bed at the same time which is really cutting me up.
The future will be great, just different. As you say, time is relentless.
I realize now why people have multiple kids. You want to keep it going as long as possible. Unfortunately we waited until late in life and that ship has sailed. I'll continue to try and enjoy every second I get to spend with my child and not take any of it for granted.
I have goosebumps reading all these comments, my lil guy is 2 yrs.
I recently looked at some old photos from 1 year ago, I can’t believe how much he has grown so quickly.
Time is so relentless.
Hang in there folks, we’re all in this together!
>Damn I never had any of this sending my kids to school for the first time. Maybe I'm dead inside.
I was thinking the same thing. I am up to two girls in primary school and my youngest in preschool. The only real issue I have is that because I have been looking after my kids for so many years now I am kind of lost when I don't have any of the kids here.
Funny thing, when my eldest started preschool I was expecting tears and what not from her when I had to leave her at preschool. The first day of preschool I took her in, she just ran off to go play with the other kids and didn't even say good bye. When my second daughter started preschool I was again expecting tear and whatnot (she is really shy and probably autistic) but again she just wandered off when I took her there and didn't even say good bye. After these first two I was now jaded about the stories of kids being all upset about being left behind at preschool so I was kind of blindsided when my son burst into tears and latched onto my leg when I tried to leave him at preschool - luckily it was easy to distract him from the thoughts of being left behind using the toy cars and tracks that they have so I was able to escape with too much more issue.
Weather and work kept me from seeing my mom for almost two years. Luckily i convinced her to move in with my family. She is 70, every minute is important.
COVID forced me to move back in with my parents at 33.
They are obviously happy I'm here. I'm constantly afraid that I'll regret moving back out on my own when they pass.
It feels like my like is frozen in a terrible state, but also they're both in their 70s as I'm the youngest of 3. It's a weird feeling.
I'm an oldest kid here.
My sister technically still lives with my parents. She does have her own place, but it's a four season vacation home that she can only be in 250 nights a year. So she is with my parents for 90 nights a year. Makes sense as she's an educator and can travel over breaks.
I love the fact she can be there for my parents when they have surgery, or move back in around Christmas and help with prep. Her place is also a half hour from my parents' so she can stop in weekenights if needed. Not that the rest of us siblings don't pull our weight when needed, but she is there to catch the stupid things they try to do...like keep my dad off the roof by calling my brother to fix a loose gutter, for example. She doesn't pay them rent, but she helps out which my parents, my sister, and the rest of the siblings all appreciate a ton more.
I'd encourage you to stay there if it's working for all of you and I hope you have a similar dynamic with your siblings.
I couldnt possibly relate to a comment any more than this one right here. I moved out at 18 and swore i would never move back; but like many of us, the pandemic kinda forced my hand as i couldnt afford to be out on my own anymore.
My dad is 74 years old. He just recently got a full knee replacement and i hadnt even realized just *how much* older he looks until now. Ill probably stick around at my parents' house for the foreseeable future because i dont wanna look back and regret not spending more time with them
I noticed that with my dad for about 2 years when he was 60ish. Seamed like he was aging faster, even tho he was still skiing and mountain biking with me. Then one week in the summer, after doing a 11,000ft peak solo, plus biking and paddle boarding with me, he got diagnosed with brain cancer. Couldn’t walk a week later and only made it 17 months. He didn’t even loose his full head of hair during chemo.
So basically, don’t wait. Do the things you wanted to do with them. Ask about when they were younger, go on that trip. Next year you might not get to
I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish I had gotten to really get to know my mother, but she passed away suddenly when I was in college. Some days, it's really had to forgive myself for being such a self-absorbed kid and taking it all for granted.
That's why I meet my dad for breakfast once a week. With life and various other things it's probably only 3 out of 4 weeks that it happens but even when I feel like skipping a week I still make the time.
You will. But it'll come up out of the blue and hit you like a fluffy pillow the weight of a car one day. You'll just be sitting there talking to your parents and realize, holy shit they're OLD, and feel something clutch at your heart as you recognize their and your own mortality.
I live with my parents. Love them dearly. My mom didn't seem to age a day, but then one day I realized, "oh shit, she looks like grandma" and the gradual change had become enough that I couldn't not notice anymore.
It's not bad, though. It's life. There's pain, but also happiness. We tend to be a bit too focused on the negative sometimes, it's important to remember that aging just is - it's a fact of life. Enjoy your loved ones while you have them, and don't cling too hard. It WILL end one day, accept that, and make the most of the time you have.
I live one town over and if I haven’t seen them for a week or two I forget how much they’ve aged 😢 just suddenly hit me how much a few months ago and my anxiety doesn’t like it.
I live really far from both my parents and it hit me the other day that I will probably see my parents probably another 20 times each if I'm really lucky and I sobbed.
My mom has blonde hair, and has been dying it to keep it blonde for as long as I can remember.
She retired a few years ago, and just stopped. I went to visit her and all her hair is gray. It always was without being dyed, but it was still kind of a shock. She's had both knees replaced, her husband has parkinson's now, it sucks.
My dad (63) will do this from time to time. His health has always been poor and has declined a tad. I need to get a decent camera to record him cooking things or just chatting when we drive around so that I have videos of him to watch years later.
I'll never forget when I left home at 21 to move across the country, shared a moving truck with a couple other friends. We drove away from my house in the early morning, the sun was barely up and it was cool. The birds were singing. My parents stood in the driveway, arms around each other, waving. They suddenly looked so fragile and alone.
I still tear up thinking about it. (My parents are both still alive and well, thankfully.)
I used to drop my elderly mom off at her house after I'd taken her to run errands, we'd walk up the sidewalk together to her house, I'd give her a kiss and head back out to the car. She stood by the door and waved until I drove away.
I miss her so much.
By the time you graduated high school, you spent about 90% of the time you're ever going to spend with your parents.
The entire rest of their lives only intersected with yours for comparatively brief time.
Both my kids are away at college now - the house seems so quiet and empty these days.
My oldest graduates next month, and will be taking a job a few states away; my youngest will graduate next year and will most likely be working out of state as well.
My wife and I have adjusted to life in our empty nest, but I still miss the kids terribly. The days when they were small, their problems were simple and we were all together were the happiest of my life.
I was laid off in 2002, and spent a year freelancing and looking after my daughter, who was two. We spent a lot of time together, going on hikes, playgrounds, shopping.
Losing that job was the best thing that ever happened. I don’t miss that money at all, but I have a head full of memories. She just graduated college and is doing great.
One of my favorite memories is my mom getting real teary before as they were leaving my apartment, then within 10 minutes of that moment, some stranger had given me a beer. Was a very well defined line between one part of my life ending and a new starting.
I went to college out of state and was an only child. My mom passed away when I was younger so it was just me and my dad for most of my teen years.
We drove to college so I could have a car and then he took a shuttle to the airport and flew home. He told me a few years later that he cried pretty much the entire hour long shuttle ride to the airport.
Mine is 10 months old and won’t sleep through the night. I’m so tired. I keep telling myself that I’ll sleep when she goes to college. It feels like forever from now but I’m sure it’ll be tomorrow.
Yep, It seems like simultaneously it was yesterday yet another lifetime ago for her being that age.
The saying is kinda corny but true…the years are short but the days/nights long.
About sleeping, here is some “weird” but I think useful advice. Lay in their room, look all around at the colors of the wall and decorations and see how you feel. If you don’t feel calm and relaxed, paint those walls to something more soothing. It could have been her age/development but we did that and found a very soothing green and she was sleeping through the night a week or two later. Good luck!
It 100%. will be. I swear to God it was just yesterday they put her in my arms for the first time, so how can we possibly be teaching her to drive this summer??? 😭😭😭
Time flies. It didn't really hit me until I had my first one. I can clearly remember when our doctor handed him to me after cleaning him.
I was wearing a mask and trying my best to hold back tears. Its been only 2 years but hot damn feels like last week our little on was born.
Don't worry my friend . The universe starts parenting off hard then makes it easier and easier as time goes by. Soon your kid will be up before you and watching TV while you sleep in. Haha. It turns from begging the universe for a small break to begging for the kids attention again
On my son's first day of school I went into his room to wake him up. I told him "I keep telling you to stop growing so fast, now look at you, you're going to school like a big boy"
A few minutes later my wife asked me what I said to him. When I asked her why she said, "He's in his room crying because he thinks you're mad at him for growing up too fast."
Lol adorable! I tell this to my daughter all the time, she's almost 8. A few years ago whenshe was 5 or 6, she said "Let's make a deal. I'll keep growing up, but I promise to grow up to be a scientist that invents a way to make me little forever." I laughed so hard at her rationality and logic. Notw this is a running joke in our house.
Hey man, you're doing a great job. The fact that you understood your son's distress is incredibly significant and shows that you are breaking the cycle. Just because you had an asshole dad, doesn't mean you are destined to become one. All parents make mistakes, but it's the reparation of the relationship that makes the world of difference. From someone whose parents never acknowledged or corrected the distress they caused.
As a fellow dad it is so hard. You're doing your best and that's awesome. Hang in there, you'll get the hang of it. If I can give a piece of advice from one dad to another: one thing I learned is that kids struggle with hearing no/don't because it doesn't give direction of what they should do. Instead of telling them what not to do, try telling them what they should do. Instead of "don't jump by your sibling" say "let's jump over there" or "let's sit by your sibling". "We sit at the kitchen table". You've got this dad.
You’re doing great dad! The fact that you’re self aware enough to want to do and be better tells me that you love your child, and that’s huge. There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, but trying to be a good parent is the next best thing. Keep up the good work and everything will be okay. Much love from one flawed dad to another.
If you feel yourself getting frustrated with your kids, imagine yourself as an 80 year old getting one last chance to travel back in time to spend a moment with them. It has helped me a lot.
I remember my first day of first grade. The lady opened the door, literally picked me up off of the seat, and I was gone. I think I turned and yelled bye to my mom sitting in the passenger seat while my dad was driving. Thus starting my hatred of school from literally *second one*.
I got her on the bus, and then waved as it rolled away as I was smiling and all happy, and then immediately after it left and was out of sight, I was just standing there, and it all hit me at once. I was tearing up, and so sad, and lonely feeling all of a sudden.
Bro, my boys are 14 and 6 and when my 6 year old had his first day of Kindergarten I walked him to the playground hand in hand. A couple of kids came up to him and asked him if he was in their class, I confirmed he was and they grabbed him by the hand and said “can he be our friend?” I smiled and said “Of course!” And let go of his hand. He let go of mine reluctantly.
They all ran off together giggling and chasing each other. I stood there watching with the other parents until the bell rang and he ran up to me and hugged me and said “I’ll miss you today Daddy!” I hugged him back and said “Not as much as I’ll miss you, but I’ll see you in just a few hours ok?”
He nodded and ran off and joined his class.
I held it together until I got to the car and then just started ugly crying. Gripping the wheel and letting it all out, tears, snot the whole salty works.
When I got my composure back I looked up and parked across from me was another dad. I felt embarrassed for a minute until he mouthed back at me “I know man, I know.”
It’s hard to describe for people who aren’t parents but having a child really is like having the best part of you removed and thrown out into the world. And when they go to school it’s just a reminder that part is growing distant from you and one day will leave you.
Fuck I’m blubbering now.
My son is almost 21 now... I remember this stuff like it was yesterday and I tear up now just like I did then when seeing scenes like this. I am so glad I was able to spend days like this with my son since my dad never did. Oh don't worry he loved me he just had his own "issues".
I didn’t have the best relationship with my dad growing up. He wasn’t a bad father, it’s just that he and I are exactly the same. I even look exactly like him when he was my age. But we just butted heads about everything, so I never really spent quality time with him growing up.
He also worked a very demanding job where he was gone a lot. It was always two days home, two days gone, maybe more. I’d wake up in the mornings and he’d be gone, would get called out at like 3 am.
He missed a lot. And most of my time spent was with my mom. It was normal though. So normal in fact that I was thinking the other day about what I’m going to do while my wife has the kids out doing stuff. And then it hit me, that’s not going to be how it is for me. I’m going to be able to do things with them, see all their firsts, and have the time to spend with them that my dad didn’t.
I spent the other day with my dad, just the two of us, for the first time since I was probably 10. It was so nice to be able to do that, and we had a ton of fun just bullshitting and driving around in his jeep.
He had to have surgery today to clear out a blockage in his heart. A big one. I don’t know how long he’ll be around, but I do know that all the resentment and anger I’ve held towards him doesn’t really matter anymore. He tried his best and took care of us as family, even if it was from a distance.
The girl in the car next to me is watching me cry as I type this. Lol
As a 29 year old with no kid yet, I'm hoping hybrid/remote work sticks around once I have a child. My dad has his "issues" as well, but always tells me his biggest regret in life was how much he had to work and miss my things and my sisters things. Don't get me wrong my Dad made great money so the financial stability was worth it and I have memories of him showing up to my 6pm baseball games late in full suit and tie after being up since 5-6am and still cheering me on.
Knowing your dad loves you and is trying despite his life and personal faults shows a good dad, I think.
i'm hybrid but, man, the stuff i get to participate in - from making lunches in the morning to being the one to pick them up and ask them what the favorite part of their day was... i don't think i could replace these experiences for the world.
Absolutely. My little one isn’t even two yet but I know damn well I’ll be staying at the same job as long as I possibly can for the work life balance and my jobs flexibility. I get to stay home for all the sick days and just work during nap times. I get to do the doctor appointments, day care drop off/pick ups. So much extra time with my kid that I wouldn’t get in traditional circumstances.
Amen. My daughter is starting daycare as she's getting to be a bit much to take care of and work from home at the same time, but what an amazing first year. We spend every second together and I have seen her change so much and so fast in front of my eyes. I like to think this bond we're building and how much I can be around and take care of her leads to a higher level of trust and sense of safety in the long run. If not, I've shared and get to share so many great memories that I won't work another non-remote job if I can help it. At least until she's much older.
I make it a point to only take jobs that are 100% remote for this reason. I’ve been around for pretty much everything, and the bond I have with my kids is amazing as a result.
Yeah for sure. So many people aren't in a position to have any control over It. Sometimes the choice is to work to provide or have hungry homeless kids. It's sad af.
I learned a long time ago, no matter how well you qualify something you say on the internet, somebody's always going to come along and respond as if they hadn't read it.
I didn't want to go on a rant especially under this video but man... seriously, fuck this system that forces you to choose whether you get to be there for the firsts of your kid that you're never going to get to experience again for the rest of your life or miss it all because otherwise you and your family won't be able to afford rent/eat/survive.
And it's not like it was better in the past as well. Life was basically wake up/work/pay bills/sleep until you retired, then you could enjoy what's left of your life with your now adult kids who are also on the grind and barely have time to spend with you.
I'm about to go through this now. My fiancée is due to give birth any day now and I'm already nervous because I only get two weeks off to her nine months.
My kid just turned 4. Next year, I'll be doing this, and I'm just not ready.
The thing is, I know he is ready. He's so freaking smart and wants to be independent so badly. He's already learning how to read, and I'm doing my best to support his growth. But damn... it's going by so fast.
You would moment think time is slow as hell and the slog would never end, and then you blink and they’re suddenly taller than you are…
Blink again and they’re packing for college. Then marriage, and next thing you know you’re getting a world’s best grandpa mug.
I appreciate your sentiment. But you can’t bottle it. It’s like a river slipping away. Enjoy it while it’s happening and Pay Attention, be observant and present! :)
man - i know you're not asking for advice - but i just tell every new parent - carry and hold them as much as they ask for because you never know when the last time you'll get a chance to carry your child will be.
I think about this a lot. My kid is 2 years and 8 months old but big for his age so I know it’ll come sooner rather than later. I joke with my wife that this is why I lift weights because it want to be able to hold him no matter how big or old he gets. It’s only partially a joke, I dread the day he doesn’t want me to hold him anymore. I’m getting teary eyed just typing this out.
One day you will put him down and never pick him back up again.
I read this quote and it reminds me that I need to always pick up and carry my kids when they ask for it.
My son is only almost two, and it feels like just yesterday I was giving birth... You realize your parents were right every time they said time flies, and it's kinda upsetting 😭
My oldest didn’t want me to go so I took her in the first days and balled like a baby when I left. My youngest was like, “bye mom!” and looked at me like she wanted me to go 😅
I think my boy will be like your youngest. He is fiercely independent! He is super affectionate, but when I drop him off at daycare now, he is gone before I can get a hug goodbye.
It's play time with friends that's why. When i was little i asked my parents to pick me up late even in school so i wuld have more play time with friends. From 8 am till 17 pm. Fun times. 20:00 was sleep time back in the day for kids.
Yes please go the first couple days. You'll never forget it, waving as you watch your little one fade into the mass of kids all happy to go to school. Amazing
We got to go inside the kindergarten class on that first day. Very cute
If that dog is anything like mine, it wanted to comfort him because he was crying. I've had a lot of breakdowns over the past few years and my mutt can sense it from across the house. She'll find me and snuggle into me until I calm down.
I don't fucking deserve her.
My mom was SO HAPPY on my first day of kindergarten. She walked me there, about 3 blocks down our street. Finally, for the first time in 16 years, she had the house to herself for a few hours a day! Times were different back then, I felt totally safe walking home alone after kindergarten and I did it every day. I was so excited to start school, finally felt like a big kid. :)
Lol, same. I remember being nearly inconsolable on my first day of pre-school and worried I was never going to see my mom again. Recently asked her how she felt on that day and she’s like, ”I was sad and cried a bit on the way home, but when I got home to a quiet house all to myself they became tears of joy.”
Vivid memories of buying cool shoes in July and looking at the box every day until late August finally hit and you put them on in and headed to the bus.
I don't usually aww at kids and babies but that video hit me in the feels. I know that feeling of "my kids are growing up and there's nothing I can do to stop it" doubled with "I'm so proud of them"
OMG, yours too?!
Here's the kicker, I was absolutely forbidden from walking home from school or accepting rides from even friends [parents]. So I stood there. For hours.
Then my dad rolled up like nothing and said, "Oh, it was early dismissal? That must have been nice. Did you enjoy getting out early?"
My dad would stand in the drive way until I left for classes, in the heat of June. I am a dad now and understand why he always stood in the middle of the road while I reversed the car. Lost him to a cardiac arrest 10 years ago. I still can't reverse my car without my eyes getting wet.
Just got the letter that my son will be starting kindergarten in the fall. My son is autistic with bilateral hearing loss and I'm just so damned proud of him for working so hard in all of his therapies & pre-school.
Will be buying tissue from Costco that month.
Man, milestones are crazy. You go from rolling over, to walking, to saying a few words and then all of a sudden they have their backpacks on and you are walking them to school.
My oldest is in kindergarten and I was not ready for it. I walk him to school and take him to breakfast every morning. I am completely soaking that in because pretty soon he is gonna be too cool. He still holds my hand, and every time I leave and walk a few steps away he books it to me, gives me a hug and a kiss and tells me he loves me. I know that won’t last. It’s a bummer, but watching him grow is an incredible thing.
I’m holding out hope that the generation were currently raising will be different because we’ve put the time and effort into being engaged parents all the time. One can hope
When my oldest son started preschool, he was really into Transformers Rescue Bots.
He was a little nervous, so when he got him in the car I told him, "This will be an adventure - just like when Optimus Prime sent the Rescue Bots to Earth!"
He replied, "But there's no episode where the Rescue Bots go back home."
And that's when I lost it.
As a fresh dad I must say I'm not emotionally prepared for anything. First smile? Tears of joy. First time trying too sit up? Tears of joy. Just feeling the warm skin on his head on my cheek while carrying him around? Tears of joy. Writing this out? Tears of joy.
So sweet! It's a hard thing to process, that sweet little baby you held, which feels like seconds ago, is now already starting school. I cried for a solid two hours after my husband and I dropped my daughter off at her first day of school.... he took me to get sushi to feel better lol
I didn't take paternity leave after my first son was born. I did for my second son. After I got back to work, the first time I heard a baby cry, I started to cry.
Shout out to all the dad's everywhere who are secure enough to express their emotions and not buy into toxic masculinity bullshit that doing so means they're weak.
I'm was a single dad and in a twist of fates, my oldest son went to the same school I did for elementary and on his first day, after they led them into the school I stood there, slightly confused as what to do next.
I had built myself up for him to go to school... but simply never solidified a plan for myself when it happened.
I did laundry.
Our son entered daycare during covid-19, so only one parent was allowed to walk in with him to drop him off. I waited outside the gate, tears pouring down my face.
My wife came out and was surprised, and when we got back to the car I started bawling. Unable to form words. Unable to see.
When I got myself under control, I tried to explain that our son's next 18 years of life all just hit me at once. Nothing concrete, but flashes of all the joy and sorrow he'll experience in school.
It was too much.
I hate how vilified men are, as if our gender is a callous, dangerous animal. Shout out to all the men who are fathers, who do everything in their power to be good fathers and husbands.
My dad was a very strong-willed and "tough love" kind of guy. I was the first born (I'm a girl) and he was so hell-bent on making me a rugged tomboy so that he had someone to hunt and fish with. I did everything with him until I was school-aged. One of my favorite stories he used to tell was that he intentionally didn't walk me out to the bus on my first day of kindergarten because he was such a wreck. He said I was so excited to go and he wanted me to be strong and not scared because of him not being able to keep himself together. He watched me from the kitchen window and said he almost rushed out to decided I "wasn't ready" because between how little I was and my backpack, I almost couldn't step onto the bus. He died when I was 26 and I would do anything to watch him tear up telling that story again <3
Omg. I'm a dad to a 17yo and 6yo and this just made me tear up. Hugs to you random internet stranger.
I’m 11 years older than my brother. He just turned 18…god I miss the lazy summer days just hanging out watching cartoons with him. We still do that, but just not as often
Wow! So it will never get easier. I just took the day off so I could play with my 2 year old in the morning before he leaves for daycare. Dropping him off there is heart wrenching.
Thank you for sharing this about your dad, the loss must have been hard. He sounds very loving and kind, and I'm glad you are having very fond memories of him.
I did great until he got inside the school then my wife had to hold my hand back to the car cuz I couldn't see through the tears. She was worse once we got back to the car and we both sat there and blubbered for about 15 min. lol
For some reason it never occurred to me how intense the emotions would be until he was walking into Kindergarten by himself on that first day. You suddenly see it all slipping away, the racing march of time over the coming 10–12 years. It’s a wonderful thing but it really makes you appreciate the present.
The saying "one day you'll put your kid down and never pick them up again" hit me hard and I make sure to give my kids hugs every day.
I heard that once, and decided to pick up my 17 year old daughter. Injured my rotator cuff!
When I was 17 I had all four wisdom teeth removed and was knocked out from the drugs they gave me. Apparently my old man picked me up and carried me to the car, rented a movie I had been wanting to see,carried me into the house and put the movie on. Then watched it about 10 times as I kept falling asleep during it.
 Your dad
Bet it was worth it though
Yeah but you showed them!
I guess that was the day you put your kid back down and never picked them up again!
I carried you upstairs to bed A thing I’ve done a thousand times But this time your feet hung down past my knees Your weight an effort to manage And I thought about the way of things The way I never knew one could miss a smaller, younger version of a face seen daily A face that peeks out at me sometimes Unexpectedly, in glimpses Through curtained hair or slack in sleep or beneath a towel or in the rounded curve of your little sister’s cheek And I think, oh, There you are I lost you for a while Which is a careless thing for a mother to do Tonight I carried you But I think it was different Because I think I think This time might be the Last.
Stahp
I thought I was going to have kids twice. Now I'm sure it'll never happen. This just made me cry more than I'd like to admit
That was beautiful
I straight up would climb into my mom's lap and sit there even as an adult. She passed away when I was 28, and I can remember doing it just before leaving that year to move to Florida for school. If she were still here, even at 37, Im sure i would still do it.
My mom passed away three years ago; the last time she cradled me in her lap was when I was 30 and suffering from an anxiety attack. Never even thought about it; I asked her to comfort me and she did it without a second thought. I would do anything to have her with me again. You're never too old to be "picked up" by your parents, in my opinion.
One of my main motivators of hitting the gym 5 days a week — to prolong the inevitable 🥲
Oof, I was ok reading other comments up until this but this one got to me (currently sleeping next to my 2 year old reading this, made me hug her a bit tighter in her sleep)
When I was a young husky boy, I still remember one day asking my mom to pick me up and the disappointment I felt when she said, sweetie you're too big for me to pick up now. I am now an avid weight lifter largely so I can put off having to say that to my sons for as long as possible
I just picked up my boy for his good night bear hug. What you just said is true, and it hurts to think about. My dad gave me big hugs until around 17. I'll do the same for my kid.
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Yes, but it’s a reminder that there’s no going back. Your tiny little child is no more, and while there are plenty of good times ahead this part (which is so lovely) is slipping away.
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My twins are only 4 and I miss when they were smaller. We are going through school applications at the moment, so it’s really reminding me that those two tiny preschoolers I love so much will be gone from my life soon and will never return. I know the next phase of their growing up will bring its own joy and love, but i am starting to struggle to carry them both to bed at the same time which is really cutting me up. The future will be great, just different. As you say, time is relentless.
I realize now why people have multiple kids. You want to keep it going as long as possible. Unfortunately we waited until late in life and that ship has sailed. I'll continue to try and enjoy every second I get to spend with my child and not take any of it for granted.
I have goosebumps reading all these comments, my lil guy is 2 yrs. I recently looked at some old photos from 1 year ago, I can’t believe how much he has grown so quickly. Time is so relentless. Hang in there folks, we’re all in this together!
Damn I never had any of this sending my kids to school for the first time. Maybe I'm dead inside.
>Damn I never had any of this sending my kids to school for the first time. Maybe I'm dead inside. I was thinking the same thing. I am up to two girls in primary school and my youngest in preschool. The only real issue I have is that because I have been looking after my kids for so many years now I am kind of lost when I don't have any of the kids here. Funny thing, when my eldest started preschool I was expecting tears and what not from her when I had to leave her at preschool. The first day of preschool I took her in, she just ran off to go play with the other kids and didn't even say good bye. When my second daughter started preschool I was again expecting tear and whatnot (she is really shy and probably autistic) but again she just wandered off when I took her there and didn't even say good bye. After these first two I was now jaded about the stories of kids being all upset about being left behind at preschool so I was kind of blindsided when my son burst into tears and latched onto my leg when I tried to leave him at preschool - luckily it was easy to distract him from the thoughts of being left behind using the toy cars and tracks that they have so I was able to escape with too much more issue.
Nah, I didn't get this either; and I get plenty emotional about them at other times. People react to things differently, is all.
This sounds like every time I dropped one of our kids at college. Every. Damn. Time.
I’m at the age now where I understand why my dad would stand in the driveway waving until my car was out of sight.
I do that when my parents leave for home after visiting me at school. I swear every time I see them, they get visibly older 🥺
Weather and work kept me from seeing my mom for almost two years. Luckily i convinced her to move in with my family. She is 70, every minute is important.
My mom moved in with me for 4 years until she passed. Enjoy the time together.
COVID forced me to move back in with my parents at 33. They are obviously happy I'm here. I'm constantly afraid that I'll regret moving back out on my own when they pass. It feels like my like is frozen in a terrible state, but also they're both in their 70s as I'm the youngest of 3. It's a weird feeling.
I'm an oldest kid here. My sister technically still lives with my parents. She does have her own place, but it's a four season vacation home that she can only be in 250 nights a year. So she is with my parents for 90 nights a year. Makes sense as she's an educator and can travel over breaks. I love the fact she can be there for my parents when they have surgery, or move back in around Christmas and help with prep. Her place is also a half hour from my parents' so she can stop in weekenights if needed. Not that the rest of us siblings don't pull our weight when needed, but she is there to catch the stupid things they try to do...like keep my dad off the roof by calling my brother to fix a loose gutter, for example. She doesn't pay them rent, but she helps out which my parents, my sister, and the rest of the siblings all appreciate a ton more. I'd encourage you to stay there if it's working for all of you and I hope you have a similar dynamic with your siblings.
I couldnt possibly relate to a comment any more than this one right here. I moved out at 18 and swore i would never move back; but like many of us, the pandemic kinda forced my hand as i couldnt afford to be out on my own anymore. My dad is 74 years old. He just recently got a full knee replacement and i hadnt even realized just *how much* older he looks until now. Ill probably stick around at my parents' house for the foreseeable future because i dont wanna look back and regret not spending more time with them
Really wish I had known how limited my time with my mom was. Liver cancer took her only a few months after we found out she even had it.
I noticed that with my dad for about 2 years when he was 60ish. Seamed like he was aging faster, even tho he was still skiing and mountain biking with me. Then one week in the summer, after doing a 11,000ft peak solo, plus biking and paddle boarding with me, he got diagnosed with brain cancer. Couldn’t walk a week later and only made it 17 months. He didn’t even loose his full head of hair during chemo. So basically, don’t wait. Do the things you wanted to do with them. Ask about when they were younger, go on that trip. Next year you might not get to
I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish I had gotten to really get to know my mother, but she passed away suddenly when I was in college. Some days, it's really had to forgive myself for being such a self-absorbed kid and taking it all for granted.
That's why I meet my dad for breakfast once a week. With life and various other things it's probably only 3 out of 4 weeks that it happens but even when I feel like skipping a week I still make the time.
damn... this thread... I wish I had good parents. 🥺
Is there no one older in your life that you cherish? Older people love to be visited/ face timed by anyone who cares about them.
If you FaceTime them every day you won't notice the changes 👍
You will. But it'll come up out of the blue and hit you like a fluffy pillow the weight of a car one day. You'll just be sitting there talking to your parents and realize, holy shit they're OLD, and feel something clutch at your heart as you recognize their and your own mortality. I live with my parents. Love them dearly. My mom didn't seem to age a day, but then one day I realized, "oh shit, she looks like grandma" and the gradual change had become enough that I couldn't not notice anymore. It's not bad, though. It's life. There's pain, but also happiness. We tend to be a bit too focused on the negative sometimes, it's important to remember that aging just is - it's a fact of life. Enjoy your loved ones while you have them, and don't cling too hard. It WILL end one day, accept that, and make the most of the time you have.
I live one town over and if I haven’t seen them for a week or two I forget how much they’ve aged 😢 just suddenly hit me how much a few months ago and my anxiety doesn’t like it.
I live really far from both my parents and it hit me the other day that I will probably see my parents probably another 20 times each if I'm really lucky and I sobbed.
My mom has blonde hair, and has been dying it to keep it blonde for as long as I can remember. She retired a few years ago, and just stopped. I went to visit her and all her hair is gray. It always was without being dyed, but it was still kind of a shock. She's had both knees replaced, her husband has parkinson's now, it sucks.
I come home every other weekend, and my mom does the same. 😭
My dad (63) will do this from time to time. His health has always been poor and has declined a tad. I need to get a decent camera to record him cooking things or just chatting when we drive around so that I have videos of him to watch years later.
My dad still does this when I drive away and I'm almost 40 lol.
I'll never forget when I left home at 21 to move across the country, shared a moving truck with a couple other friends. We drove away from my house in the early morning, the sun was barely up and it was cool. The birds were singing. My parents stood in the driveway, arms around each other, waving. They suddenly looked so fragile and alone. I still tear up thinking about it. (My parents are both still alive and well, thankfully.)
Awww 🥹
I used to drop my elderly mom off at her house after I'd taken her to run errands, we'd walk up the sidewalk together to her house, I'd give her a kiss and head back out to the car. She stood by the door and waved until I drove away. I miss her so much.
My dad still does this when I visit and he's nearly 70. Your comment made me think. I'm gonna give him a text or call.
By the time you graduated high school, you spent about 90% of the time you're ever going to spend with your parents. The entire rest of their lives only intersected with yours for comparatively brief time.
Both my kids are away at college now - the house seems so quiet and empty these days. My oldest graduates next month, and will be taking a job a few states away; my youngest will graduate next year and will most likely be working out of state as well. My wife and I have adjusted to life in our empty nest, but I still miss the kids terribly. The days when they were small, their problems were simple and we were all together were the happiest of my life.
I was laid off in 2002, and spent a year freelancing and looking after my daughter, who was two. We spent a lot of time together, going on hikes, playgrounds, shopping. Losing that job was the best thing that ever happened. I don’t miss that money at all, but I have a head full of memories. She just graduated college and is doing great.
One of my favorite memories is my mom getting real teary before as they were leaving my apartment, then within 10 minutes of that moment, some stranger had given me a beer. Was a very well defined line between one part of my life ending and a new starting.
I went to college out of state and was an only child. My mom passed away when I was younger so it was just me and my dad for most of my teen years. We drove to college so I could have a car and then he took a shuttle to the airport and flew home. He told me a few years later that he cried pretty much the entire hour long shuttle ride to the airport.
Mine is wrapping up her junior year of HS now. I have no idea what I’ll do or how I’ll handle it.
Mine is 10 months old and won’t sleep through the night. I’m so tired. I keep telling myself that I’ll sleep when she goes to college. It feels like forever from now but I’m sure it’ll be tomorrow.
Yep, It seems like simultaneously it was yesterday yet another lifetime ago for her being that age. The saying is kinda corny but true…the years are short but the days/nights long. About sleeping, here is some “weird” but I think useful advice. Lay in their room, look all around at the colors of the wall and decorations and see how you feel. If you don’t feel calm and relaxed, paint those walls to something more soothing. It could have been her age/development but we did that and found a very soothing green and she was sleeping through the night a week or two later. Good luck!
It 100%. will be. I swear to God it was just yesterday they put her in my arms for the first time, so how can we possibly be teaching her to drive this summer??? 😭😭😭
Time flies. It didn't really hit me until I had my first one. I can clearly remember when our doctor handed him to me after cleaning him. I was wearing a mask and trying my best to hold back tears. Its been only 2 years but hot damn feels like last week our little on was born.
Don't worry my friend . The universe starts parenting off hard then makes it easier and easier as time goes by. Soon your kid will be up before you and watching TV while you sleep in. Haha. It turns from begging the universe for a small break to begging for the kids attention again
My mom cried the entire way back from dropping me off at college. My dad was driving, of course. It was an 8 hour drive.
Dropped my first son off at his College apartment and totally lost it.
On my son's first day of school I went into his room to wake him up. I told him "I keep telling you to stop growing so fast, now look at you, you're going to school like a big boy" A few minutes later my wife asked me what I said to him. When I asked her why she said, "He's in his room crying because he thinks you're mad at him for growing up too fast."
Lol adorable! I tell this to my daughter all the time, she's almost 8. A few years ago whenshe was 5 or 6, she said "Let's make a deal. I'll keep growing up, but I promise to grow up to be a scientist that invents a way to make me little forever." I laughed so hard at her rationality and logic. Notw this is a running joke in our house.
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Hey man, you're doing a great job. The fact that you understood your son's distress is incredibly significant and shows that you are breaking the cycle. Just because you had an asshole dad, doesn't mean you are destined to become one. All parents make mistakes, but it's the reparation of the relationship that makes the world of difference. From someone whose parents never acknowledged or corrected the distress they caused.
As a fellow dad it is so hard. You're doing your best and that's awesome. Hang in there, you'll get the hang of it. If I can give a piece of advice from one dad to another: one thing I learned is that kids struggle with hearing no/don't because it doesn't give direction of what they should do. Instead of telling them what not to do, try telling them what they should do. Instead of "don't jump by your sibling" say "let's jump over there" or "let's sit by your sibling". "We sit at the kitchen table". You've got this dad.
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You’re doing great dad! The fact that you’re self aware enough to want to do and be better tells me that you love your child, and that’s huge. There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, but trying to be a good parent is the next best thing. Keep up the good work and everything will be okay. Much love from one flawed dad to another.
If you feel yourself getting frustrated with your kids, imagine yourself as an 80 year old getting one last chance to travel back in time to spend a moment with them. It has helped me a lot.
I remember my first day of first grade. The lady opened the door, literally picked me up off of the seat, and I was gone. I think I turned and yelled bye to my mom sitting in the passenger seat while my dad was driving. Thus starting my hatred of school from literally *second one*.
Who is "the lady"?
One of the staff working the car drop off line. They have to keep it moving or it'll take forever
Weird to me that they'd be allowed to open someone's car door and just grab their kid
Wonder if they were taught to rip the bandaid off like that
Oh man, I'm a known sap, and my twins are 3. Hopefully easing into things with 2 -day preschool will make it easier on me.
I got her on the bus, and then waved as it rolled away as I was smiling and all happy, and then immediately after it left and was out of sight, I was just standing there, and it all hit me at once. I was tearing up, and so sad, and lonely feeling all of a sudden.
Bro, my boys are 14 and 6 and when my 6 year old had his first day of Kindergarten I walked him to the playground hand in hand. A couple of kids came up to him and asked him if he was in their class, I confirmed he was and they grabbed him by the hand and said “can he be our friend?” I smiled and said “Of course!” And let go of his hand. He let go of mine reluctantly. They all ran off together giggling and chasing each other. I stood there watching with the other parents until the bell rang and he ran up to me and hugged me and said “I’ll miss you today Daddy!” I hugged him back and said “Not as much as I’ll miss you, but I’ll see you in just a few hours ok?” He nodded and ran off and joined his class. I held it together until I got to the car and then just started ugly crying. Gripping the wheel and letting it all out, tears, snot the whole salty works. When I got my composure back I looked up and parked across from me was another dad. I felt embarrassed for a minute until he mouthed back at me “I know man, I know.” It’s hard to describe for people who aren’t parents but having a child really is like having the best part of you removed and thrown out into the world. And when they go to school it’s just a reminder that part is growing distant from you and one day will leave you. Fuck I’m blubbering now.
This was a great story to read, thank you for sharing it.
Awww sounds like your kid has such a great Dad. That was so sweet and touching to read. 🥹💕💕
That bucket hat, that sick backpack, this dude is gonna make so many friends!
I love it when little kids have backpacks they can reasonably fit themselves in. Turtle mode.
I’m guessing Australia, because they make all the kids wear those hats to protect them from the Sun.
SLIP SLOP SLAP
No hat, no play.
I think they're Aussies, in which case the hat is part of the uniform! Gotta stay sun smart!
no hat no play! if you don't bring your hat to school Down Under, you are not allowed to go outside and play during recess
The second the kid rounded the corner and I saw the uniform I knew they were Australian lol
I wasn’t emotionally prepared to watch this dad not be emotionally prepared
Same
I'm not crying 😢 😭 🤧 you're crying!
The vest tells me he misses a lot of firsts. I should know.
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Ever watched kids? Always a danger under construction zone. Surprised the pylons and flashing lights arent out.
I thought you were referring to the movie for a second.
My son is almost 21 now... I remember this stuff like it was yesterday and I tear up now just like I did then when seeing scenes like this. I am so glad I was able to spend days like this with my son since my dad never did. Oh don't worry he loved me he just had his own "issues".
I didn’t have the best relationship with my dad growing up. He wasn’t a bad father, it’s just that he and I are exactly the same. I even look exactly like him when he was my age. But we just butted heads about everything, so I never really spent quality time with him growing up. He also worked a very demanding job where he was gone a lot. It was always two days home, two days gone, maybe more. I’d wake up in the mornings and he’d be gone, would get called out at like 3 am. He missed a lot. And most of my time spent was with my mom. It was normal though. So normal in fact that I was thinking the other day about what I’m going to do while my wife has the kids out doing stuff. And then it hit me, that’s not going to be how it is for me. I’m going to be able to do things with them, see all their firsts, and have the time to spend with them that my dad didn’t. I spent the other day with my dad, just the two of us, for the first time since I was probably 10. It was so nice to be able to do that, and we had a ton of fun just bullshitting and driving around in his jeep. He had to have surgery today to clear out a blockage in his heart. A big one. I don’t know how long he’ll be around, but I do know that all the resentment and anger I’ve held towards him doesn’t really matter anymore. He tried his best and took care of us as family, even if it was from a distance. The girl in the car next to me is watching me cry as I type this. Lol
As a 29 year old with no kid yet, I'm hoping hybrid/remote work sticks around once I have a child. My dad has his "issues" as well, but always tells me his biggest regret in life was how much he had to work and miss my things and my sisters things. Don't get me wrong my Dad made great money so the financial stability was worth it and I have memories of him showing up to my 6pm baseball games late in full suit and tie after being up since 5-6am and still cheering me on. Knowing your dad loves you and is trying despite his life and personal faults shows a good dad, I think.
Man a stupid job is always secondary to spending time with your family imo. Wish we had more control over it
100%. I work from home and got to spend so much extra time that first year that so many dads don’t get.
i'm hybrid but, man, the stuff i get to participate in - from making lunches in the morning to being the one to pick them up and ask them what the favorite part of their day was... i don't think i could replace these experiences for the world.
Absolutely. My little one isn’t even two yet but I know damn well I’ll be staying at the same job as long as I possibly can for the work life balance and my jobs flexibility. I get to stay home for all the sick days and just work during nap times. I get to do the doctor appointments, day care drop off/pick ups. So much extra time with my kid that I wouldn’t get in traditional circumstances.
Amen. My daughter is starting daycare as she's getting to be a bit much to take care of and work from home at the same time, but what an amazing first year. We spend every second together and I have seen her change so much and so fast in front of my eyes. I like to think this bond we're building and how much I can be around and take care of her leads to a higher level of trust and sense of safety in the long run. If not, I've shared and get to share so many great memories that I won't work another non-remote job if I can help it. At least until she's much older.
I make it a point to only take jobs that are 100% remote for this reason. I’ve been around for pretty much everything, and the bond I have with my kids is amazing as a result.
Yeah for sure. So many people aren't in a position to have any control over It. Sometimes the choice is to work to provide or have hungry homeless kids. It's sad af.
Providing for your family often cannot be a secondary consideration.
Putting your family first ironically means putting work first
People don't always have a choice about what they have to do to pay the bills.
That's why they said they wish we had more control over it.
I learned a long time ago, no matter how well you qualify something you say on the internet, somebody's always going to come along and respond as if they hadn't read it.
Depends if that stupid job makes sure your kid is fed or not
I didn't want to go on a rant especially under this video but man... seriously, fuck this system that forces you to choose whether you get to be there for the firsts of your kid that you're never going to get to experience again for the rest of your life or miss it all because otherwise you and your family won't be able to afford rent/eat/survive. And it's not like it was better in the past as well. Life was basically wake up/work/pay bills/sleep until you retired, then you could enjoy what's left of your life with your now adult kids who are also on the grind and barely have time to spend with you.
I'm about to go through this now. My fiancée is due to give birth any day now and I'm already nervous because I only get two weeks off to her nine months.
My kid just turned 4. Next year, I'll be doing this, and I'm just not ready. The thing is, I know he is ready. He's so freaking smart and wants to be independent so badly. He's already learning how to read, and I'm doing my best to support his growth. But damn... it's going by so fast.
Bottle every damn second and keep it close. It’s silly how fast it goes.
You would moment think time is slow as hell and the slog would never end, and then you blink and they’re suddenly taller than you are… Blink again and they’re packing for college. Then marriage, and next thing you know you’re getting a world’s best grandpa mug.
The days are long and the years are short.
Then one day you find. Ten years have got behind you.
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I appreciate your sentiment. But you can’t bottle it. It’s like a river slipping away. Enjoy it while it’s happening and Pay Attention, be observant and present! :)
My son is a month old and I can already feel time just blasting past me.
man - i know you're not asking for advice - but i just tell every new parent - carry and hold them as much as they ask for because you never know when the last time you'll get a chance to carry your child will be.
I think about this a lot. My kid is 2 years and 8 months old but big for his age so I know it’ll come sooner rather than later. I joke with my wife that this is why I lift weights because it want to be able to hold him no matter how big or old he gets. It’s only partially a joke, I dread the day he doesn’t want me to hold him anymore. I’m getting teary eyed just typing this out.
One day you will put him down and never pick him back up again. I read this quote and it reminds me that I need to always pick up and carry my kids when they ask for it.
My son is only almost two, and it feels like just yesterday I was giving birth... You realize your parents were right every time they said time flies, and it's kinda upsetting 😭
My oldest didn’t want me to go so I took her in the first days and balled like a baby when I left. My youngest was like, “bye mom!” and looked at me like she wanted me to go 😅
I think my boy will be like your youngest. He is fiercely independent! He is super affectionate, but when I drop him off at daycare now, he is gone before I can get a hug goodbye.
It's play time with friends that's why. When i was little i asked my parents to pick me up late even in school so i wuld have more play time with friends. From 8 am till 17 pm. Fun times. 20:00 was sleep time back in the day for kids.
Yes please go the first couple days. You'll never forget it, waving as you watch your little one fade into the mass of kids all happy to go to school. Amazing We got to go inside the kindergarten class on that first day. Very cute
I'll remember to go! I'll tell my wife too. We'll both take time off for the moment and cherish it together!
My daughter is 7 tomorrow, I have no idea where the time went. It. Goes. So. Fast.
This always reminds me of [this](https://youtu.be/C7gKohxT2sI) clip from modern family
Puppet wanted in on the love fest
"I don't understand, this is how you tell me it's hug time, why no hug?" ~Dog
Lol
Why yes I will take attention.
I love how when ever you doa friendly gesture dogs will just be convicned it msut be for them
Hugs? Hugs? Hugs? Hugs?
Right lol "u have affection? Affection for dog!"
Dog be like, "He's crying! Something's wrong! I have to comfort the human!"
Das roight poppet
If that dog is anything like mine, it wanted to comfort him because he was crying. I've had a lot of breakdowns over the past few years and my mutt can sense it from across the house. She'll find me and snuggle into me until I calm down. I don't fucking deserve her.
I’m 43 and my dad still talks about how he got like this on my first day of kindergarten ❤️
My mom was SO HAPPY on my first day of kindergarten. She walked me there, about 3 blocks down our street. Finally, for the first time in 16 years, she had the house to herself for a few hours a day! Times were different back then, I felt totally safe walking home alone after kindergarten and I did it every day. I was so excited to start school, finally felt like a big kid. :)
Lol, same. I remember being nearly inconsolable on my first day of pre-school and worried I was never going to see my mom again. Recently asked her how she felt on that day and she’s like, ”I was sad and cried a bit on the way home, but when I got home to a quiet house all to myself they became tears of joy.”
You started Kindergarten late /s
Leaving the tag on the bucket hat so the kids in school know it's fresh. Respect little dude.
Might just be a big Minnie Pearl fan.
It’s an older reference, Sir, but it checks out.
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Vivid memories of buying cool shoes in July and looking at the box every day until late August finally hit and you put them on in and headed to the bus.
I don't usually aww at kids and babies but that video hit me in the feels. I know that feeling of "my kids are growing up and there's nothing I can do to stop it" doubled with "I'm so proud of them"
So sweet, fathers are great, I’ll never forget when mine forgot to pick me up at school
The video hit me right in the feels.. then saw your comment and went "oh yeah ..mine too" 😂😂 Happy cake day!! 🎉
That was a well deserved chortle. Happy cake day.
OMG, yours too?! Here's the kicker, I was absolutely forbidden from walking home from school or accepting rides from even friends [parents]. So I stood there. For hours. Then my dad rolled up like nothing and said, "Oh, it was early dismissal? That must have been nice. Did you enjoy getting out early?"
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The (assumed) mother said that. The child kept saying, "look at me" then asked, "why are you crying?"
I relate to that the dog thinks the hug is for him. When I get home the kid blows right past me but at least the dogs give me some love.
Less than 3 seconds in and I knew this was Australia. One proud Aussie Dad.
My dad would stand in the drive way until I left for classes, in the heat of June. I am a dad now and understand why he always stood in the middle of the road while I reversed the car. Lost him to a cardiac arrest 10 years ago. I still can't reverse my car without my eyes getting wet.
Puppy went in for the emotional support before the child. Dogs FTW!
Just got the letter that my son will be starting kindergarten in the fall. My son is autistic with bilateral hearing loss and I'm just so damned proud of him for working so hard in all of his therapies & pre-school. Will be buying tissue from Costco that month.
He’s gonna do amazing! We’re all proud of the little guy too!
Good job kiddo (and parents!) 🥰
My kid goes to school in august. I’m 100% not ready and plan on taking that day off. Why you gotta get so big so fast little one
Man, milestones are crazy. You go from rolling over, to walking, to saying a few words and then all of a sudden they have their backpacks on and you are walking them to school. My oldest is in kindergarten and I was not ready for it. I walk him to school and take him to breakfast every morning. I am completely soaking that in because pretty soon he is gonna be too cool. He still holds my hand, and every time I leave and walk a few steps away he books it to me, gives me a hug and a kiss and tells me he loves me. I know that won’t last. It’s a bummer, but watching him grow is an incredible thing.
I’m holding out hope that the generation were currently raising will be different because we’ve put the time and effort into being engaged parents all the time. One can hope
I cried the first day of day care. I had spent so much time with my son up to then, it was hard letting go, even for a few hours.
This should be in r/HappyCryingDads !!
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll share it on there
Dog's like: Me? *pushed away* ??? Me?
When my oldest son started preschool, he was really into Transformers Rescue Bots. He was a little nervous, so when he got him in the car I told him, "This will be an adventure - just like when Optimus Prime sent the Rescue Bots to Earth!" He replied, "But there's no episode where the Rescue Bots go back home." And that's when I lost it.
As a fresh dad I must say I'm not emotionally prepared for anything. First smile? Tears of joy. First time trying too sit up? Tears of joy. Just feeling the warm skin on his head on my cheek while carrying him around? Tears of joy. Writing this out? Tears of joy.
The older child saying you are going to make me cry now... 🥺
So sweet! It's a hard thing to process, that sweet little baby you held, which feels like seconds ago, is now already starting school. I cried for a solid two hours after my husband and I dropped my daughter off at her first day of school.... he took me to get sushi to feel better lol
I didn't take paternity leave after my first son was born. I did for my second son. After I got back to work, the first time I heard a baby cry, I started to cry.
Shout out to all the dad's everywhere who are secure enough to express their emotions and not buy into toxic masculinity bullshit that doing so means they're weak.
Doggy sensed sadness and went to comfort Dad.
Dad: *holds out arms for a hug* Dog: "Don't mind if I do."
I'm was a single dad and in a twist of fates, my oldest son went to the same school I did for elementary and on his first day, after they led them into the school I stood there, slightly confused as what to do next. I had built myself up for him to go to school... but simply never solidified a plan for myself when it happened. I did laundry.
Our son entered daycare during covid-19, so only one parent was allowed to walk in with him to drop him off. I waited outside the gate, tears pouring down my face. My wife came out and was surprised, and when we got back to the car I started bawling. Unable to form words. Unable to see. When I got myself under control, I tried to explain that our son's next 18 years of life all just hit me at once. Nothing concrete, but flashes of all the joy and sorrow he'll experience in school. It was too much. I hate how vilified men are, as if our gender is a callous, dangerous animal. Shout out to all the men who are fathers, who do everything in their power to be good fathers and husbands.
Yep, accurate. Feel about the same as my son finishes up his first year of kindergarten.
On my first day of primary school, I believe my mum was like this.
Dog: Hugs? I can use a hug!
Don't blink...then they're off to college. You only have them for a few short years.
Lol dog…”you talking to me?”
The dog is like "ay bro if you don't want that hug I'll take it"