Working mom watches daycare live stream—and is in tears about what she sees
For working moms, the morning daycare drop-off can feel like an emotional gut punch. You wave goodbye, head off to work, and spend the day hoping your little one is safe, happy, and well cared for. That’s why one viral TikTok, shared by creator Lauren Pontiff, has hit so many parents straight in the heart.
With 4.8 million views and counting, the video captures a moment so pure it has parents everywhere reaching for the tissues. Pontiff’s toddler, Lilly Kate, takes her first steps at daycare—but the real tearjerker? Her caregiver, Shikira, reacts like a proud auntie at a preschool graduation, arms wide open, cheering with everything she’s got.
The emotional rollercoaster of daycare life
Like so many parents, Pontiff wrestles with the guilt of missing big moments while juggling work. When she got a message from Shikira about Lilly Kate’s milestone, she immediately checked the daycare’s live feed.
“The first time I watched it, I was so happy and in shock that she walked that far,” Pontiff told Newsweek. “But the second time, I couldn’t stop watching how proud and excited Shikira was for my little girl. I had tears in my eyes seeing her reaction. It made not being there so worth it, seeing how she had the biggest cheerleader cheering Lilly on.”
And let’s be real—finding this kind of love and support in childcare isn’t just lucky. It’s necessary. But it’s also really, really expensive.
Related: Viral babysitter debate sparks concern—here’s how to find safer, last-minute childcare
The wild ride of daycare costs
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, childcare prices range from $5,357 for school-age home-based care in small counties to $17,171 for infant center-based care in very large counties. And that’s just one kid. If you’ve got two or three? You might be paying more than your mortgage. Prices swing wildly depending on where you live—big cities often see costs soaring past $30,000 per year—and don’t even get us started on infant care vs. preschool pricing.
Meanwhile, nearly 60% of children under five are in some form of regular childcare, according to the Census Bureau. That means millions of parents are facing this financial and emotional tightrope walk every single day.
Related: Tennessee’s child care costs just passed college tuition—and it’s happening nationwide
The internet reacts: ‘We need more daycare workers like her’
Shikira’s reaction has turned her into the daycare hero moms didn’t know they needed. The comments section of Pontiff’s video quickly filled with emotional responses:
“The type of daycare worker all places need!!” – @marandaellis1
“Imagine leaving for work knowing this is the type of love your kid is getting ”
�� �� ❤ – @nukeandnetta
“That’s how you know you picked the right daycare! She loves your baby like she’s hers ”
�� – @lindsscar03
“Someone give this woman a raise!” – @epaola.1
Pontiff herself couldn’t agree more. She shared that Shikira has been working three jobs to support herself after losing her mother, yet still shows up to work every day with a smile and the biggest heart for these kids.
A village worth celebrating
This video is more than just an adorable moment—it’s a reminder of just how important childcare workers are in the lives of families. While working parents hustle to provide, caregivers like Shikira step in with love, support, and the kind of encouragement that makes missing those big milestones a little easier to bear.
Pontiff hopes her video reassures other moms who struggle with working-parent guilt. “I hope this shows working moms that their babies are loved and cared for,” she told Newsweek. “It truly does take a village to raise our babies.”
So here’s to the daycare workers who love our babies like their own, the moms making impossible choices every day, and the viral moments that remind us we’re all in this together.
Sources:
Childcare Costs By State. Self. Childcare Costs By State.
New Childcare Data Shows Prices Are Untenable for Families. U.S. Department of Labor Blog. New Childcare Data Shows Prices Are Untenable for Families.
