Remember the days where you used to fake being sick to stay home from school? Those were some of the greatest days, because you got the liberty of spending the day on your own without having to actually feel bad. But there was something more special, and rarer, than a successful call out from school. The best days were when your parents were on board and you played hooky together, eliminating any feeling of guilt because you knew an adult had your back. When writer Nicole Cliffe tweeted her endorsement of parents sharing that kind of special moment with their children, she was surprised at what a strong response she received.
Plenty of people shared the day that stuck out in their memories — when mom or dad bailed them out of school for a day. It turned into a sweet conversation about the ways parents who were able to do things like that for their kids made them feel special. Many were also sure to show appreciation and respect for parents whose circumstances didn't allow them to do things like that, and the ways they achieved an equally special tradition with their kids. So many people are opening up about the difficult feelings and situations they dealt with in the past that these fond memories truly provide the pick-me-up we can all use now and again.
Writer Nicole Cliffe began by calling for parents to, when possible, take a half-day off work and surprise their kids by picking them up from school early to spend a special day together.
Now some people might argue that doing something like that is irresponsible or that it sets a bad example for your kids. Nicole had her reasons for making the suggestion.
She discussed the tendency for kids to remember the bad things and the things that don't really matter. Since that's the way kids' memories work, making the effort for there to be some good, stand-out memories once in a while can't hurt if you have the means to, Nicole reasons.
Many people replied with fond memories of how their parents would let them take a day off when they were having a bad day, or as a whole special occasion unto itself.
One mom even shared photos from a recent time she kept her kids home to do something fun together.
Sometimes, it takes doing something that throws the rule book all the way out the window to make things really unforgettable.
Some people shared wonderful experiences involving their parents that provided them comfort and still stands out in adulthood, like this woman whose mother let her throw an avocado at a wall when the woman was stressed out as a teen.
Another shining moment a lot of people bonded over were times that they were wronged and their parents stood up for them or proved they had their back.
Let's not forget the cool parents who gave us their blessing (and sometimes an alibi) to take off school for the premiere of something awesome, like this person's Star Wars experience.
Nicole also made an important distinction, one that hit home for her personally. She said that parents who aren't able to do these things shouldn't feel bad because they have plenty of equally special ways to show their kids how much they care. She even points out that her mom wasn't able to do things.
One mom who wasn't able to do this for her own children takes comfort in how grateful her children are for their childhood despite that, and even does what she can to provide special experiences for her grandchildren.
A few people even shared their memories of going to work with their parents, which was equally cool if you were a kid.
Nicole didn't expect so many people to react so emotionally when she first tweeted her thoughts on the subject, but she's glad they did.
Even though we all come out of childhood with certain feelings on certain situations, it's great that everyone can come together and recognize a time when their parents went above and beyond and made them feel special.
