The internet is going crazy over an uplifting footage of a dad helping his frightened young daughter learn a skateboarding trick, according to Upworthy.
In a now-viral video clip on social media platform Instagram, dad Robert is caught off guard when his five-year-old daughter Aubrin falls hard on a mini ramp that the two of them built together.
Some fathers may have overreacted to that kind of fall but not Robert. The 36-year-old remained calm as he asked his daughter if the fall scared or hurt her. Aubrin, visibly shaken by the fall, replied that it hurt.
Robert gives daughter some uplifting words after her fall
After the young girl caught her breath, Robert praised her for her amazing drop-in, a skateboarding technique that requires a rider to keep their body weight forward as they roll down.
With the ramp incident still fresh in her mind, Aubrin asked her dad, "What if I fall again?" She said that she was kind of scared. Nevertheless, she made it clear to her dad that she wanted to do it.
Robert told Aubrin that sometimes it is scary doing hard things, and it is totally up to her whether she wants to give it (another) go right now. When his daughter shared that she was scared, Robert reminded her that she did not have to do this.
Aubrin was determined to complete the trick, though, declaring to her father that she wanted to do this. She repeatedly tried as Robert watched, her dad ready to swoop in and catch her if another fall happened.
Robert told her daughter that he thought it was amazing that after that fall, she managed to get up and work through her fear. Aubrin nailed the move by the end of the video. Robert and Aubrin then celebrated the latter's achievement with their secret handshake, according to Inspiremore.
The message is clear, and that is dads have to do better
One person commented that she wished all kids had dads like Robert and experiences like this where they feel held in safety while trying out new challenging things. The user praised Robert, calling him a treasure.
Robert, an architect in the state of Washington, believes the video resonates with many people for several reasons. Robert, who requested that his last name be withheld to protect his family's privacy, told TODAY Parents that it is a classic comeback story of falling and getting back up to try again, which everyone has encountered in their own lives.
The proud father said he had been inundated with messages from both men and women telling him they wish they'd had present and encouraging dads. For Robert, the message is clear; they have to do better. He added that their actions during this crucial and short period have lasting effects on their children that ripple through future families and generations.
