Dad cries after dropping son at first day of school — and his wife can’t help but burst into laughter

Isaiah Harper’s first day of school was a big deal for his family. His parents, Mary and Samajee Harper, from Las Vegas, had a whirlwind of emotions leading up to that moment.

Mary, a kindergarten teacher herself, expected to be emotional. Still, she didn’t anticipate seeing her husband, Sam, getting teary-eyed too.

Three-year-old Isaiah was so excited about his first day of school. They had planned for both of them to drop off Isaiah together on a day that worked for everyone. 

He practiced saying his teacher’s name and reviewed the rules with his parents.

Mary felt a lump in her throat as she helped him get ready, and to her surprise, Sam was feeling the same way.

In a video that went viral on TikTok, Mary couldn’t help but laugh as Sam struggled to hold back tears while saying goodbye to Isaiah.

Sam, trying to keep it together, admitted that he never thought he’d feel so emotional. The hardest part for him was when Isaiah looked back at them as they left.

“I thought I was gonna be cool, bruh,” Sam said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Mary laughed at the unexpected events, grateful for the comic relief amidst the tears.

“I was crying, but then my husband started crying so hard that it made me laugh,” Mary wrote on the clip.

Even after they left Isaiah with his teacher, Sam couldn’t stop crying, TODAY noted.

“Everything was fine until I said, ‘Isaiah, Mommy and Daddy are leaving now,'” she recalls. “And that’s when he gives us the saddest face I’ve ever seen. Then he starts crying those silent tears.”

Mary said she hugged Isaiah, crying and expecting her husband to comfort her. But as she looked at him, he was already crying.

Mary and Sam quickly looked through a small window to see Isaiah as they left.

“His teacher was holding and consoling him, so I felt a million times better, but Sam, not so much,” she says. “He kept going, ‘I’m not OK. I’m not OK.’ It was so sad but also hilarious.”

Mary, who enjoys documenting moments for social media, started recording their emotional goodbye. She didn’t expect Sam to be so overwhelmed, but she found it endearing and funny.

“It was so cute but also so funny, so I couldn’t help but start laughing at both of us being so emotional,” she said.

Throughout the day, Mary and Sam hoped Isaiah was adjusting well to his new environment. When Isaiah returned home, he was excited and eager to share stories about his day.

He loved playing on the playground and meeting his new teacher. Hearing about Isaiah’s positive experiences made Mary and Sam feel reassured.

As the weeks went by, drop-offs became easier for the family. Isaiah seemed to be settling into preschool just fine, and Mary cherished the updates and pictures sent by the school throughout the day.

Reflecting on their experience, Mary and Sam have some advice for other parents facing the same milestone.

They emphasize the importance of researching the school and teachers, communicating with them, and talking to your child about their day.

While the first day may be emotional, they assure other parents that it does get easier with time.

Following their first day of school drama, Isaiah wakes up excitedly, eager to head to school and share his adventures with his parents.

Mary loves seeing the bond he’s formed with his teacher and the friendships he’s making.

As an only child, Isaiah is blossoming in the social environment of preschool, and Mary couldn’t be happier.

Watch Mary and Sam’s touching but hilarious moment during their son’s first day of school below:

@marymoniharp Bro i am weakkkkk #fyp #foryou #viral #trending #funny #husbandwifecomedy #husbandcrying #firstdayofpreschool ♬ original sound – Mary Mo Harper