Innocent child breaking into tears after spotting family in the crowd shows how much support matters

A parent's presence can have a huge influence on a kid's childhood. Knowing that someone will be there for you no matter what you do is a big reassurance. But to "be there" is one of a parent's most important roles. This does not entail attending every dinner or school event. Parents can work full-time, part-time, or constantly (especially single parents). Whatever your situation with work/life balance, there are still ways to consistently be there in a child's life. Some very specific thoughts will be communicated by being present. The importance of showing up can be seen in a video on Reddit where a little girl looks around for her family during a rehearsal and when she does spot them, she breaks down into tears. 

Initially, while standing a line with her mates, she randomly looks around for her family and upon finding them she breaks character and gives the sweetest smile ever. However, in a matter of seconds, the smile fades into a cry because she was overwhelmed and emotional by the presence of her family who came to watch her perform. She rubs her face to stop crying and to smile for the cameras but the adorable little girl's reaction to her family in the crowd is something that, perhaps many of us can resonate with. Especially when we were kids and we wanted our parents to come and watch us perform. 

Reddit users commented under this video with similar stories from their experiences and some with encouraging comments. One person penned: My daughter just did the same thing at her first dance recital. She didn't see us during her dance, but at the end when all the kids came out on stage to bow she saw us and yelled "that's my mommy and daddy!" She was smiling so big, I'm so glad I was able to sit in the front row." Another said: "This is why it's so important to show up. She will always remember that." School recitals and functions can be obnoxiously long and cheesy but your child feels like a rockstar on that stage. When you make the effort of going and attending an event a priority, it can show them that they matter to you.

Another instance with a similar scenario is that of an adopted 2-year-old when she spots her mom during a school concert. In a TikTok video, Amaris Traversy and her preschool mates can be seen performing on a stage while wearing paper crowns and singing along to their teacher. Amaris can't seem to focus on anything besides her mother Genevieve Traversy, who is watching the Thanksgiving celebration from the audience. In the footage, she can be heard mouthing "my mommy." In the caption, Traversy said: "Instead of singing, she kept pointing at me  saying, 'My Mommy.' Traversy spoke to TODAY saying, "I felt like that was the moment she realized I wasn’t going anywhere. I’m going to cry just thinking about it." 

She would "flinch" if anybody tried to be in close proximity. Her mother said, "She’d never drank out of a cup before and she had a lot of fears — like she was terrified of taking baths and she didn't like to be touched. She liked to bite." Amaris was a newborn when she was placed in foster care. She was put with Traversy, her husband, Shawn, and their four children when she was 18 months old. When she first arrived at their house she was anxious and extremely terrified of people. But gradually with the love and support from her parents, Amaris became more comfortable. This heartwarming video moved many TikTok users. One person wrote: "She is so happy to have a mom she wants everyone to know," to which Traversy replied, "She has been growing and thriving beautifully."