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Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He’s There Alone

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One of the hardest and most rewarding things about parenting must be sending your child off to college. Hard because it’s time to accept that they are fully grown up, responsible adults now, and they don’t need you anymore (theoretically at least). Rewarding because you have done a great job raising a great kid who is now ready to step out alone into the world and make something of themselves.

This heartfelt post by proud dad Bud perfectly captures the bittersweet moments of seeing your children fly the coop, as that precious and deep bond necessarily loosens a little, to allow them to stand on their own two feet.

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Bud and his boys had a cherished weekly tradition of hitting up the local Dairy Queen for some ice cream after dinner. A solid bit of bonding time between a father and his sons – something that they all loved doing together.

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

As the boys grew and gradually headed off to college, the final picture shows Bud alone at their table. As proud as he is to see his sons grow into responsible and successful young men, he still feels a pang of sadness that things will never be the same again and those precious moments will now be few and far between.

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It goes by so quickly, doesn’t it?

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

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Image credits: BrooksBarber

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Image credits: BrooksBarber

Brooks, one of Bud’s sons, would later upload his dad’s post onto his Twitter page along with the caption “Why did my dad have to go this hard on Insta and why am I crying in Nashville right now?”

He also gave a short update to the over 1 million people who liked and shared the tweet, assuring them that the tradition is far from over. “To give everyone some peace of mind, my dad and I have an incredible relationship and yes my little brothers and I will be heading back to DQ with pops soon.”

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Here’s how people reacted to the short yet heartfelt little tale

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

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Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

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Once A Week This Dad And His Three Sons Used To Visit DQ As A Tradition, But Now He's There Alone

I guess the moral of the story here is to cherish every moment of raising your kids – although the days can be long and you can have your ups and downs, ultimately you will miss them when they are gone! (Also kids – go visit your damn parents!)

Ilona Baliūnaitė

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

James Caunt

James is a Bored Panda reporter who graduated with a BA in Peace And Conflict Studies and an MA in African Affairs. Before Bored Panda, he was an English teacher and also travelled a lot, doing odd jobs from beer-slinging to brickie's labourer and freelance journalism along the way. James loves covering stories about social and environmental issues and prefers to highlight the positive things that unite us, rather than petty internet squabbles about fictional characters. James is the grumpy, contradictory one who thinks that Bored Panda, due to its large audience, has a social responsibility to inspire and inform its readers with interesting issues and entertaining, well-researched stories. Let's do our bit to make our little corner of the internet a smarter, more truthful and less angry place!

James is a Bored Panda reporter who graduated with a BA in Peace And Conflict Studies and an MA in African Affairs. Before Bored Panda, he was an English teacher and also travelled a lot, doing odd jobs from beer-slinging to brickie's labourer and freelance journalism along the way. James loves covering stories about social and environmental issues and prefers to highlight the positive things that unite us, rather than petty internet squabbles about fictional characters. James is the grumpy, contradictory one who thinks that Bored Panda, due to its large audience, has a social responsibility to inspire and inform its readers with interesting issues and entertaining, well-researched stories. Let's do our bit to make our little corner of the internet a smarter, more truthful and less angry place!

What do you think ?

Sasy 5 years ago

The tweet about the Irish man buying 4 then 3 beers... instant tears, for nothing, wellplayed damnit.

8points

Ben Dover 5 years ago

tempus fugit

3points

Steve Cruz 5 years ago

I'm relieved that nothing tragic happened to the boys.

2points

kurisutofu 5 years ago

Yeah, when I saw the title I was like "please be a story about them going away to live their lives and not a story about a mass shooting where he lost all of them!". Phew.

1point

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Sasy 5 years ago

The tweet about the Irish man buying 4 then 3 beers... instant tears, for nothing, wellplayed damnit.

8points

Ben Dover 5 years ago

tempus fugit

3points

Steve Cruz 5 years ago

I'm relieved that nothing tragic happened to the boys.

2points

kurisutofu 5 years ago

Yeah, when I saw the title I was like "please be a story about them going away to live their lives and not a story about a mass shooting where he lost all of them!". Phew.

1point

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