Dad Tests Parenting Tip From Internet 14 Years Ago, Results Blow Him Away

Newsweek

20 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A dad is going viral after sharing a simple parenting tip he "stole," which made his daughter cry 14 years later.
In a post on Reddit, u/MYSTERees77 said he had read a comment on the discussion platform how they had received a book called Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss at their high school graduation.
The original poster, who did not share any of the names in his family, loved the idea and started the tradition behind the scenes with his then-4-year-old daughter.
Stock photo: A woman smiles at her graduation outdoors.
Stock photo: A woman smiles at her graduation outdoors.
PeopleImages
This week, as his daughter graduated high school at the top of her class, decorated with awards, her parents finally presented her with the book—now filled with handwritten messages from every one of her teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade.
"At first, [she] thought it was just the book, with the first two pages being recently written notes by her mother and I," the father told Newsweek.
"It wasn't until the third page or so that she realized it wasn't just recent teachers, but all her teachers that she started to cry," the dad said. "Then she started laughing when reading some of her favorite teachers' comments."
The father said that they had a couple of close calls when it came to keeping the book a secret.
"We were lucky that some of their friends had parents who were teachers in the school," he said. "They also went to small public schools where the teachers were all very involved, so getting in touch with their teachers has always been easy. My wife would put it in a manilla envelope and send it to the office."
The book even traveled across the world with the family, as the children spent a year living abroad in Austria.
"Their teachers in Austria, although they only knew them for a year, had a great sense of the kind of kids they were," the father said.
Reflecting on the past 14 years, he added that it made him realize how fast time goes, especially as a parent.
"It seemed like only a couple of years ago that I saw a post on Reddit, you blink and they're grown," the dad said. "But, for my daughter's journey, it's been her whole life. And you can see that spunky, delightful, smart little girl with a bob at 4 being the same core person throughout, minus the bob."
To those inspired to start the tradition themselves, the father advised parents to start early and be organized.
"Inform their teacher at the beginning of the year when you first meet them," he said. "And, most importantly, talk to your kids' teachers!"