Mom picks daughter up from first day of daycare—unprepared for her reaction

A new mom was curious to see how her toddler daughter would react when she came to collect her from her first day at daycare, but nothing prepared her for what she saw.

When Dre, from Aotearoa, New Zealand, had waved goodbye to her 11-month-old daughter at the doorway to her daycare earlier that day, she had done so with tears in her eyes.

“That first day dropping her off was incredibly emotional for me,” Dre told Newsweek. “I felt so sad and honestly not quite ready to be apart from her so young. I would have loved more time at home, but I had to return to work full-time to provide for my family.”

Leaving aside financial concerns, daycare and other child care services play a necessary role in the lives of new parents, not just in terms of allowing them to return to full-time work, but also in providing often necessary respite.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found regular access to childcare improved sleep and reduced depressive symptoms among new mothers.

But even if there are benefits to these kinds of services, that doesn’t make it any less gut-wrenching for moms like Dre who don’t want to be apart from their children at such young ages. That was part of what made that first day so difficult for her.

“It was such a conflicting feeling—wanting to be with her every moment, but also needing to do what’s necessary to keep life going,” she said.

Thankfully, those looking after her daughter could not have been more helpful. “The daycare was amazing and her teacher was incredibly warm which really helped the transition,” Dre said.

So when it came time to pick-up, Dre no longer felt upset about the idea of being apart from her daughter, but eager to hear how it had gone. “I’d been thinking about her all day—hoping she was settling in okay after a hard drop-off,” she said.

Dre was heartened when she returned to see her daughter happily playing among the rest of the children. Eager to capture the moment for posterity, Dre decided to pick up her phone as she returned and hit record.

“I filmed that moment out of curiosity more than anything,” she said. “I wanted to see how she was doing, and when I saw her happily playing, I thought I’d quietly capture the moment to see her reaction when she realized I’d come back.”

For a brief moment, all was well with mother and child. Dre was happy to see her daughter content, while her 11-month-old was content. But everything changed the minute her daughter looked up and saw mom. 

In a flash, she was bawling her eyes out. Though you couldn’t see it on Dre’s video, it turned out she wasn’t the only one getting emotional either.

“Her reaction made me cry too,” Dre said. “I expected a big smile, but instead she burst into tears the second she saw me—almost like a cry of relief, as if to say, ‘Mom’s back, I’m safe now.’”

Her response made Dre think about how her daughter had likely perceived the day’s events. “At that age, they’re still learning about object permanence, so it was a really emotional reminder of how much they feel, even when they can’t express it yet,” she said.

It was a special moment nonetheless and one Dre felt other parents who had gone through or were going through the same experience with daycare might appreciate watching. So she posted it to her TikTok, @pilates.by.dre where the video quickly went viral, racking up 13.8 million views and counting.

Dre has been surprised at how popular the video has become. She ultimately hopes those watching take away a couple of key considerations from it.

“Leaving your baby at daycare is a huge emotional moment, and no parent makes that choice lightly,” she said. “Our society often pressures mothers to return to work quickly, even when our bodies and babies are still adjusting, and that time at home is so valuable and fleeting.” 

She also hopes it reminds people that raising kids is incredibly challenging for moms “whether at home or at work.” Dre said: “Mothers deserve understanding, respect, and support no matter the path they choose.”