Man Shares His Emotional Reaction To Hearing His 8-Year-Old Stepdaughter Call Him 'Dad' For The First Time
"Just made my heart melt to know she called me Dad."
YouTube; Instagram A family shared a clip of a heartwarming moment between a stepfather and his stepdaughter that left many viewers equally as emotional.
Shane and his wife, Liana, are content creators who share moments from their lives with their followers, including creating videos alongside their three children. While most of the videos they make on their YouTube channel consist of humorous content such as prank videos, Shane and Liana decided to share an intimate moment that happened between them and their child.
He revealed his emotional reaction to hearing his stepdaughter call him 'dad' for the first time.
In a YouTube video from August 2020, Liana and her daughter, London, 8, decided to work together to surprise Shane with London's desire to call him her dad. At the start of the video, both Liana and London explained that Shane has been in London's life since she was 2 years old.
London hadn't met her biological dad until she was 5, and he was only briefly in her life before leaving altogether. So, for most of her life, Shane has been a father figure and provided London with the amount of love that a father would have for their child.
Setting up the camera in the car, Liana and London decided to reveal to Shane that London now considered him to be a true father to her, despite not being biologically related. As Shane got into the car, Liana, sitting in the backseat, simply asked him, "Hi Dad, how was your day?"
Shocked at London's words, Shane quickly turned around to look at the 8-year-old. "Did you just call me Dad?" he asked her, to which London happily chirped that she did. Putting his hand over his heart, Shane began to get choked up.
"Just made my heart melt to know she called me Dad," Shane added. His wife, Liana, explained that London had come to her a few times about wanting to call Shane "Dad," and the two decided to surprise him knowing how happy he would be to hear that.
Speaking directly to London, Shane told her that he loved her, and knowing that she looked to him as a father had made his day before the two shared a hug. Shane and London's relationship shows the importance of stepparents being able to form healthy bonds with their stepchildren.
A positive relationship between stepparents and stepchildren can contribute to stronger family dynamics. When everyone in the family feels connected, respected, and valued, it creates a harmonious and cohesive environment. A healthy bond can also alleviate feelings of confusion, loss, and insecurity, contributing to a child's overall emotional well-being.
In the comments section, many viewers were equally moved by the sweet moment between Shane and London.
"It takes a strong-willed mature man to care of another man's child, and for you to take that responsibility shows the kind of man you are, Shane! You definitely deserve that title!" one YouTube user wrote.
Another user added, "This was so beautiful. I cried. From all of us girls who grew up without our fathers, thank you for being there for that lovely little lady. It's so important."
"Even a child can recognize a real man, a good man. Your presence in this child’s life is priceless, fathers are invaluable and that you accept and love this child as your own, is the greatest gift in her young life," a third user chimed in. "You can tell that she adores you, you are important to her."
By stepparents choosing to invest in building strong relationships with their step-children, they can contribute to the overall happiness and success of their blended families, as Shane has done with London and Liana.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.