Dad Off to Work Looks Back at House—Unprepared for What He Sees in Window

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A new father heading off to work was stopped in his tracks by an unexpected sight at one of the upstairs windows of his family home.
Though parenting comes with its own unique set of challenges, Ian McNamara and his wife Jessica from Cincinnati, Ohio, feel "blessed" to have their daughter Dahlia, who is due to turn 1 later this month, in their lives.
"Raising our daughter has made me love my wife more than I ever thought, and the exhilarating challenge has brought us closer together," McNamara told Newsweek. "We've also prioritized working together side-by-side and not in 'shifts,' knowing that having a strong relationship is the best thing we can do for our baby."
Unfortunately, McNamara's work as a lawyer means he spends five days a week and even some Saturdays away from his family and often leaves before Dahlia even wakes up for the day.
McNamara wouldn't change anything about his job. "I have an enriching and stimulating career that has a real impact on my community, and for that I'm grateful," he said. But that doesn't mean he likes being away from his wife and daughter for so long. "There is still a pit in my stomach leaving my family behind every day," McNamara said.
Becoming a parent can be a great motivator in the world of work. In 2024, a study released by KPMG revealed 76 percent of working parents believe becoming a mom or dad had boosted their drive to succeed in the workplace.
To McNamara, however, there is a "crushing irony" to the fact that, in order for him to support and provide for his family, he must leave them behind at home. "I have to be at work away from the people I love most in the world, most every day, for the majority of the day," he said.
It's a situation that has already seen him miss many of Dahlia's "firsts." "I've already missed her first words, the first time she rolled over, the first time she crawled, and the first time she stood up on her own," McNamara said. "I know I'll likely miss her first steps, when she decides to brave them. That's the hardest part, knowing how many cherished memories I'll have to simply hear about."
But while McNamara can't always be with his wife and daughter, they remain in his heart and his thoughts throughout the day.
It's a feeling that is reciprocated as a video, filmed early on the morning of Thursday, June 5, posted to his TikTok @tinkandtank demonstrates.
McNamara remembers it like "any other day" beginning with him quietly getting ready for work before sneaking out of the house. As he left, turning back to catch one more look at what he was leaving behind, McNamara spotted something. "I shut the front door, but noticed the blinds of the nursery were open," he said. "Thinking that was odd, I walked to my car and looked back."
In a strange way, McNamara wishes he had never looked back. If he hadn't, he would not have seen his daughter looking out of the window at her father preparing to leave for the day. "I felt my heart in my throat," he said. "I saw her little face staring back at me, hanging onto her crib. I even saw her little mouth moving as if she were speaking. It took all of my strength to simply turn to my car."
Eager to capture the moment, McNamara hit record on his phone before turning back to look one last time. "Sure enough, she was still looking down at me," he said. "I wondered about how many fathers go to work for the little faces in the window," McNamara said. "At that moment, as an ambitious young man beginning his legal career, it was clear to me at that moment that it doesn't matter as much to mean something to everybody... it's far more important to mean everything to somebody."
Ian McNamara caught sight of something outside his house.
Ian McNamara caught sight of something outside his house.
TikTok/tinkandtank
He thought of his own father, often away with work, the joy he felt as a boy to see him return and, with age, the realization of what his dad's career meant for his family.
"My siblings and I have been able to pursue our passions, strengths, and interests because of the sacrifices my Dad made," McNamara said. "I believe in my heart, as a result, I am a better father because of it. "
McNamara didn't expect the video to go viral. To him and his wife, the TinkandTank account is about creating a "virtual scrapbook" of their lives together as a family. The fact this clip has been watched 18 million times has left him stunned.
To him, the video is a tribute to "those who work for the little faces in the window" and a message of love to Dahlia. "I wanted to capture a moment that was hard for me as a father, to remind my little daughter someday that I love her more than she'll ever know," McNamara said. "That I, as so many mothers and fathers do, must trade my presence for her peace."