Emotional mom drops baby off for first day of daycare after pandemic in viral TikTok

A lot of us know the heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster of dropping our babies off for their first day of daycare. Whether you take them to a daycare center or leave them at home with a trusted caregiver, there’s nothing easy about leaving them for the first time. And after so many of us have been home with our little ones for nearly 16 months, the heartbreak is even more intense post-pandemic.

One mom’s TikTok documenting her experience as she drops her daughter off for her first day of daycare is going viral because so many of us can relate. The little girl is a toddler, so her mom has likely been with her all day, every day since she was born. This huge milestone is also a huge transition in both the child’s life and the parent’s, and the separation anxiety that the pandemic has instilled in so many families is very, very real.

“I cried for the entire hour in the parking lot, glad it got better with time,” the mom, TikTok user @dramaqueen2829 captioned her video.

Grab a tissue, because the video and the emotional soundtrack will leave you sniffling up a storm.

Some kids and parents may return to “normal” life without missing a beat, but others are going to have a tough time—even if it’s just for that first day of separation. NBC News reports that parents are feeling separation anxiety as their children begin to leave their homes more often for playdates, sports, and other activities.

Sure, we all need a break. And a lot of us have to return to our brick-and-mortar places of employment. But letting go is always hard, no matter what. This emotional, sweet video is a reminder that we can all give ourselves some grace during these small-but-big moments.