A mother named Vanessa, who posts as @xoxo.nessalovelyn on TikTok, posted a video about her son’s first day at preschool. He was excited to start, but he found it hard to make friends. The video has drawn more than 1.7 million likes, and the comments are full of support from people who remember what it feels like to be left out.
Vanessa said her son had been looking forward to starting school for days. He wore his new Spider-Man backpack for several days straight, hoping to meet new friends. He kept telling his mom, “Mommy, I’m so excited to make friends.”
Watching Him Try
On the first day, Vanessa got back to school early so she could watch him play. She saw him go up to a number of children and try to join in their games. He wanted to start conversations, but he had trouble connecting with them.
Finally, he managed to play with another child who caught his eye. That interaction did not go well. Then Vanessa watched him walk over to the swings, where he struggled to climb on. She wanted to step in and help, but she held back because she felt it was important for him to work through the situation on his own.
“He finally gets on this swing, and he just looks so sad,” she said.
A Hard Fall
The day got worse. Her son later fell while playing and lost his shoe, and no one noticed or helped him. After school, Vanessa spoke with the teacher about how the day had gone.
The teacher had asked students whether they felt happy or sad that day. Her son was the only one who chose sad.
When he got home, he was upset. He did not speak for a few minutes, and then he told his mom that he liked his teacher but was disappointed that he hadn’t made any friends. “I just feel so bad as a mom,” she said, adding that now she is worried he might be left out or even bullied.
Autism and Speech Therapy
Vanessa said her son has high-functioning autism and receives speech therapy.
What the Comments Say
The comments on the video are full of people who have felt the same way. One person wrote, “I would LOVE to be his friend.” Another commenter reassured the mom that her son now has hundreds of thousands of online supporters, following the video’s reach.
Some viewers recommended that parents create opportunities for children to meet and interact through playdates and group activities. One commenter said they urge their child to go over and talk to classmates who are playing by themselves, and hope that their child will always learn how to include others.
Some viewers mentioned their own experiences in childhood when they had felt isolated at school. One of them said that the situation brought back memories of their own difficulties.
Learning to Navigate Alone
Vanessa said it was painful to watch. But she acknowledged that learning to navigate difficult moments independently is part of growing up.
That is the hardest part of this story. A mother watches her child struggle and wants to fix it, but she knows she cannot. The video captures that tension — excitement, disappointment, worry, and the quiet sadness of watching someone else’s hard day.
Why People Respond
The video has struck a nerve because it names a common fear. Many people have felt left out at school, and many parents worry that their children will feel the same way. The video gives that worry a face and a name.
The response shows that people want to help. They want to be his friend, online at least. They want to reassure the mom that her son is not alone, even when he feels like he is.
Comparing Reactions
| Reaction | Detail |
|---|---|
| Commenter’s offer of friendship | “I would LOVE to be his friend” |
| Commenter’s note on supporters | Hundreds of thousands of online supporters |
| Commenter’s advice on playdates | Create opportunities through playdates and group activities |
| Commenter’s advice on talking to classmates | Urge child to go over and talk to classmates playing by themselves |
What Comes Next
The video does not end with a solution. What it does offer is a moment of connection — a mother sharing her worry, and strangers reaching out to ease it.
That is the power of social media at its best. A mother records a hard day, and a community responds with kindness.
The video has made a lonely moment a shared one, and it has turned a worry into a conversation.
The support is real, even if it is digital. For a child who had a hard day, seeing that people care can make a difference.
Vanessa’s son may not have made friends on his first day. But he has a mother who watches over him, and he has hundreds of thousands of people who want to be his friend. That is a start.
See the video the story is built around at The Daily Dot.
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