A Cuban mother living in Spain shared on TikTok the anguish she felt leaving her eight-month-old daughter at daycare for the first time, in a video that captures one of the most challenging moments of parenting for any immigrant parent.
Susana Aguiar, known on social media as "Susy de Cuba" (@susana_aguiar), filmed the clip from outside the educational center while waiting for her baby's first solo session to finish. The video was posted on September 9 and garnered 86 "likes" and 40 comments from other parents who related to the situation.
During the first two days of the adaptation week, Monday and Tuesday, Susy and her husband stayed in the classroom with the little girl, the teacher, and the other children. The baby integrated without much difficulty. But on Wednesday, the time for the real separation arrived: the little girl would stay alone in the classroom for one hour, from 9:45 to 10:45 in the morning.
"As a mother, she can't help but feel a lump in her throat," the TikToker confessed in the video, also describing "the tightness in her chest" she felt upon leaving. Despite this, she acknowledged her trust in the center: "We've been told it's a very good daycare; we've heard great things about it."
Both parents decided to stay outside waiting throughout the entire session, without going home.
An additional element weighed on Susy's mind: her daughter, born at the end of December, was classified in the one to two-year-old group, alongside children from January and February who are already walking. "My little girl doesn't fall into the baby category; she falls into 1-2, and that adds to my concerns because she will be with kids who are already walking," she explained.
Separation anxiety is a common reaction during childhood development and can appear with particular intensity during the first year of life. For this reason, adapting to daycare can become a challenging process for both the baby and the parents.
Despite the anguish, Susy found reasons to be grateful. "I am very thankful to be in a country where I have complete faith in the education they will provide," she said.
The Cuban woman is not the first to share this type of experience: another Cuban mother broke down in tears after leaving her daughter at school for the first time, in a video that also sparked a wave of solidarity on social media.
Susy had already starred in previous viral moments, such as when she found an item in a Spanish store that reminded her of Cuba for just 72 cents, a video that surpassed 43,500 views.
The clip ended with a message of support for those going through the same process: "Trust, trust that everything will be alright and that this is just another stage we have to overcome."
Filed under: