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Daughter surprises her dad with 'prized possession' he sold 30 years ago to help the family

The moment he realizes what the gift is 🥲

@lindseyswagmom/TikTok

This daughter knew exactly what to get her dad for Secret Santa


Many people dream of somehow being able to pay their parents back for the sacrifices made for them during childhood. Whether that’s something physical, like paying off their mortgage, or simply being the best version of ourselves to make them absolutely proud.

For Lindsay Moore, it was finding a “prized possession” her dad once gave up to help the family, and returning it to him once again.

Moore still vividly remembers being only seven years old when she saw her father walk into a comic book store to sell a Dan Marino rookie football card from his first season with the Miami Dolphins.

In a now-viral TikTok, Moore’s father is seen reliving this memory as he holds onto a Christmas bag and a family member reads a card out loud.

"Money was tight, so you were selling your most prized possession – at least I viewed it as that," Moore wrote. "I felt your sacrifice and it taught me that I would do whatever necessary to ensure my future family never needed anything. It was a lesson that has stuck with me since that moment."

It was also the moment she became “determined” to pay her father back. Cut to thirty years later, and her father is her Secret Santa. It was the perfect opportunity to fulfill that promise.

"I will never be able to fully repay that debt," her note continued. "Seven-year-old me would be so elated to see that I finally fulfilled that promise I made to myself. Thank you for everything."

As he listened, Moore’s dad began tearing up. Sure enough, he opened his gift to see it was the cherished card he sold all those years ago.

The video concludes as Moore and her father enjoy a warm embrace.

@lindseyswagmom

Im not crying, you’re crying

♬ original sound - Lindsey Moore

The sweet exchange certainly struck a chord online.

“When he started crying I LOST IT,” one person wrote.

Another added, “Something about bringing a grown man to tears always gets me.”

A few parents shared their own stories of sacrificing prized possessions.

“As someone who has sold his prized Gretzky rookie to provide for his kids, I appreciate and respect this a lot,” commented one person.

“Just had to sell my signature MacKinnon jersey to pay bills. Sucked so much but kid comes first,” echoed another.

On the flip side, some shared their one experience of getting to repay their parents. One wrote:

“I got to do this for my mom last year. She won a [Dolce & Gabbana] purse one year at work and sold it to buy my prom dress and never thought twice. She never [got] name brand anything. So this year I took her to get her very first name brand fancy hand bag or her picking, my treat.”

But perhaps the best comment belonged to this person, who astutely pointed out: “The card wasn't the real gift to him. It was hearing his impact on you. Priceless.”

We might not all get to reclaim what our parents sacrificed. And that’s okay. There are so many other ways to share just how much of a positive impact they made on our lives. Even saying how much we appreciate them can be an invaluable reward. Yes. Really.


This article originally appeared on 12.23.23

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fatherhood
Fatherhood

Dad gives his daughter a 'pick a card' adventure and her choices were adorable

Best. Night. Ever.

Photo by Jonas Kakaroto on Unsplash
man siting with girl on focus photography

Have you seen those “pick a card date nights” floating around on TikTok?

It’s usually reserved for romantic couples, and shows one partner picking from two pieces of paper labeled with different activities like “picnic in the park” or “dinner and a movie.” They won’t be able to see what’s on the card until they choose, and it’s always fun to see their reaction after the fact … especially when they accidentally pick a chore. Yeah, some partners go there.

One dad decided to take the idea and add his own twist—taking his young daughter out on their own "pick a card" adventure. Absolute cuteness ensued.

Joshua Chavez first presented his daughter, Indie, cards, which read “shopping spree at Target,” and “trip to Disney World.” Indie chose the former.

In case you were thinking, ah man, poor thing missed out on Disney, Indie is seen jumping up and down with excitement after realizing new toys are in store. So I think she’s fine.

Next thing we know, the pair are seen cruising through the toy aisle, Indie’s kiddie-sized shopping cart already filled to the brim.

Next, it was between sushi or Starbucks. Sushi won. Indie gasps, elated, and then we see the pair noshing happily.

Finally it’s between a tea party or a spa night. Indie chose a spa night—complete with foot rubs, cucumbers on the eyes … the whole shebang. Dad joined in too. Too stinkin’ cute.

@thechavezfamilyy The best date of my life 🤎 #dadsoftiktok #momsoftiktok ♬ Half the Man - Jennifer Smestad

“The best date of my life,” the father wrote in his caption.

The video, posted by Madison Chavez, mama of the family, quickly rose to 4.3 million views on TikTok. People not only loved the pure sweetness of it all, but also how this dad was stepping up in a big way for his little girl.

Here are just a few things people are saying:

“Brought a tear to my eye thinking about my daughter. Good to see positive fatherhood.”

“She will remember this for the rest of her life.”

“From the girls who never got this, thank you sir. That’s one lucky baby!”

“Bro, you are the epitome of what a man should be. That is so beautiful. I can truly see you love your daughter like Iove mine. Thank you for showing.”

“Cherish the moment, they grow up so fast.”


It’s no secret that the relationship we share with our parents during early childhood can have a profound and lasting effect on our adult lives. This dad understands that the bond between a father and his daughter is an important one to foster. And, as he has demonstrated, even the simplest activities can create positive core memories. No dad is perfect, but putting in real effort can make a world of difference in a child’s life.

Here's to more daddy-daughter "pick a card" adventures!


This article originally appeared on 1.7.23

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parenting
Family

Dad and tween daughter show how their family 'co-sleeps' together

Their viral video has people debating when co-sleeping should end.

@deal_family/TikTok

Co-sleeping asa family might not be mainstream anymore, but it was once totally the norm.

Like virtually any aspect of parenting, co-sleeping, aka bed sharing, can be a bit of a controversial topic.

Sleeping together as a singular family unit is a much older practice, dating as far back as the Medieval Era—when sleeping separately was both unsafe and unattainable for most.

Today, it is generally recommended to have children sleeping on their own by the age of five, although plenty of parents will still share a bed with their 12 to 13-year-olds from time to time. In other words, there are no hard and fast rules—though many have strong opinions.

And while it certainly isn’t mainstream anymore, some families opt for the more classic sleeping approach.

Take the Deal family, for example.

In a video posted to TikTok, Brandon Deal and his 12-year-old daughter, McKenzi, show their unconventional sleeping layout.

“When people find out that we're a co-sleeping family, they think we all pile up on one bed. That is not the case,” Brandon says, explaining that he, his wife Megan, and their smaller daughter Sarah Grace share a king size bed, while McKenzi sleeps in her own twin size bed placed at the foot of the king-sized bed.

@deal_family Anyone else co-sleep?? #cosleeping #familygoals #parentsoftiktok ♬ original sound - The Deal Family

Brandon asks his daughter why she sleeps in the twin bed in their bedroom, to which she replies, “I don't know, it's a little safer.” It’s unclear if she means sleeping in her own bed feels safer (lest she be whacked by three other pairs of feet) or that sleeping in the room with her family feels safer.

Brandon then says that when Sarah Grace potentially becomes “too big” to share the bed with her parents, that she’ll also get her own twin sized bed.

It wasn’t long before the clip received thousands of views on TikTok, with viewers sharing their bafflement at the arrangement.

“I can barely handle co-sleeping with my husband,” one person wrote.

Others were totally on board with the idea, even sharing their own co-sleeping stories.

One person commented, "You keep co-sleeping until those kiddos decide to sleep in their own beds ♥️”

Another added “We co-slept with our oldest til 12, our son til 10. We lived remote in the woods, my kids are grown and amazing keep doing you guys❤❤🙏.”

Still, others feared that the enmeshment could cause codependency issues long term, and get in the way of parents maintaining intimacy.

One person wrote, “As a child I know how safe it feels to sleep with your parents, but as a married woman I realize how important it is to not let my kids sleep w us.”

And while there’s perhaps validity coming from both sides of this argument, most behavioral experts would agree that neither choice is necessarily superior to the other. As James McKenna, PhD, an anthropologist specializing both in sleep behavior and infancy development says, "location is not as important as relationships—how parents build attachment and love.”

The Deal’s sleep strategy might not be suitable for others, but they have customized a plan that seems to work for them. May every family have the freedom and information they need to do the same.


This article originally appeared on 11.3.23

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parenting
Family

Dad aims to make pumping 'fun' for his wife and he 100% succeeds

This is what a healthy partnership looks like.

@dadnamedryan/TikTok

More dad like this, please.

“Breast pumping” and “fun” are not two words that seem to go together. “Exhausting,” “tedious” and even “lonely” are adjectives nursing moms would more likely use to describe the activity. “Awkward” and “embarrassing” could also be thrown into the mix, given how society often treats breastfeeding moms like tacky, amoral exhibitionists when they have to do their milking in public.

But one husband made it his mission to make breast pumping an enjoyable, stress-free experience for his wife, and it has people positively swooning.

In Ryan Ploof (@dadnamedryan)’s TikTok video, we see the doting dad up at 7am and giving his child milk from a previous pump (helping his wife catch as many extra zzz’s as possible).

He then organizes the remaining serving of milk, preps the pumping machine, and presents said machine to his wife—now on the couch—along with a gift wrapped present. Seriously, may we all get a gift wrapped present the day we have to do something unpleasant.

Then, then! Ploof bakes banana muffin for breakfast—maybe a little burnt, but it’s the thought that counts—and serves up some hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. Later in the day he will continue serving up handmade treats—chocolate covered strawberries. And for each pumping session he takes it upon himself to carefully package the milk into servings.

Watch:

@dadnamedryan I mean it cant be fun #newdad #dad #baby #newborn #minivlog #parent #boydad #parents ♬ original sound - DadNamedRyan

Talk about making someone feel loved and supported.

Millions tuned in to watch Ploof’s video, and were completely taken aback by his enthusiasm to actually participate in what’s normally a responsibility moms seem to take on solo.

“I wish pumping was seen as a family task instead of just a ‘me’ task omg,” the top comment read.

Meanwhile, another person wrote, “I’m telling you, so many women do not get this. BF is a lonely journey for many. Good job, dad.”

One person even joked that Ploof was “written by a woman.”

It’s important to give Ploof credit for not just showing up to help with breastfeeding. He has several videos showing him shopping, sprucing up the house, cooking. One day he even surprised his wife with a day trip to the salon while he took the kids to a trampoline park.
@dadnamedryan I mean it cant be fun #newdad #dad #baby #newborn #minivlog #parent #boydad #parents ♬ original sound - DadNamedRyan

While yes, it would be nice to see Ploof’s acts of service and think nothing of it, since this should be the standard for dads, it is nonetheless heartening to see through videos like his that a mindset shift is 100% happening. And there are probably more dedicated fathers like him than we give credit to. Either way, seeing it in action helps add a little inspiration into the world.

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