Divorcing dad’s brilliant way to stay close to his kids—no matter the distance
Co-parenting and long-distance parenting can feel like a never-ending guilt trip, but one dad from Minnesota just went viral for his creative way of staying in touch with his kids.
Meet Tyler, a dad of three navigating divorce who wanted to maintain a strong bond with his kids, even when they weren’t physically together. When he first moved out of the family home, he struggled with the reality of missing everyday moments—like after-school chats, bedtime stories, and even the little complaints about the day.
His kids, being tech-savvy like most kids today, had already been using Discord to send him messages, but it wasn’t the most consistent setup. That’s when his oldest son suggested using Facebook Messenger Kids—something his friends were already using. Tyler saw the opportunity and ran with it, setting up tablets with the app so all three of his kids could message him anytime.
“My 7-year-old will message me almost every day when he gets home to say hi and chat a bit. It’s super sweet,” Tyler told Newsweek. But what really got him was a message he wasn’t expecting—a simple but deeply meaningful text from his youngest son: “Hi dad. Are. You. At. Work. I love. You.”
“I was over the moon!” Tyler shared. “We had just finished getting that installed a day or two before and then I got that out of the blue. He’s been texting me almost every day. Those types of moments are truly special and I cherish them,” he added.
Related: She saved every text her dad sent—then turned them into something unforgettable
How Tyler’s story went viral
Tyler shared a screenshot of that heartwarming message on Reddit under the username u/sirprichard, and the post exploded with over 28,000 upvotes. Thousands of users resonated with his experience, sharing their own stories of trying to stay connected with kids after separation. Many praised him for prioritizing his children’s emotional well-being, while others reflected on how much harder it was to stay in touch before modern tech made instant messaging so accessible.
“It’s not so much unthinkable 30 years ago as it was inaccessible to most folks,” Tyler reflected. “You could send an email in 1995 and the Internet was just starting to spread, but it was certainly not an easy process. Now with three taps on a tablet, I can be messaging my son. That’s the real amazing part if you ask me.”
Staying close no matter the distance
Tyler found a simple yet effective way to stay close to his kids, showing that small adjustments can make a big difference in long-distance parenting. Staying connected with kids when you’re separated (due to divorce, work, or travel) is key to making them feel loved across the miles. Here are some smart, low-effort ways to keep the bond strong:
Messenger Apps: Like Tyler, set up Messenger Kids or Google Voice for regular check-ins.
Storytime, But Virtual: Apps like Caribu let you read bedtime stories together, even from different time zones.
Video Diaries: Record quick daily video messages using Marco Polo so they can watch whenever they miss you.
Surprise Mail Days: Old-school but gold—mail handwritten letters, fun stickers, or small surprises to keep the connection tangible.
Gaming Together: Hop on Roblox or Minecraft for virtual hangouts that feel effortless and fun.
Countdown Calendars: Use Cozi to track upcoming visits so kids know exactly when they’ll see you next.
You don’t need to be in the same room to be present in your child’s life. Whether it’s a daily text, a silly selfie, or a virtual bedtime story, these small moments add up. As Tyler put it: “It’s a free way to increase communication with your children, and anybody who doesn’t get to see their kids all the time can see how that would be a great thing.”
Divorce, work travel, or any separation doesn’t have to mean emotional distance. With a little creativity (and technology), parents can stay connected in ways that didn’t exist just a decade ago. And honestly? That’s kind of amazing.
Related: The grief of divorce hit me most when it came to sharing custody
