Mom's adorable back-to-school tradition with her son goes viral

Typically, the fall is that time of year when parents start saying goodbye to their kids and send them off to school every morning. Many parents cherish this time, reflecting on memories of years past, while also enjoying a moment to breathe and perhaps deep clean the house for the first time in months.

For some parents, school is a godsend, a chance to breathe, and finally deep clean the house. But it's also hard to see your child grow up right before your eyes.

Other parents commemorate the new school year by insisting on photographing their kids in their first-day outfits. But a few years ago, Carina Cansino, a mom from Dallas, Texas, had a different idea for her son Gus, who just started kindergarten that year.

She posted this pic of Gus in a giant t-shirt that says "Class of 2032" on it — the year he will graduate high school. "Let's begin the first year of elementary," she wrote on Twitter.

On the back of the shirt, there's a space for every grade where Gus can put his handprint. Carina wrote on Twitter, "The concept is that every year on the first day we take a picture of him in it and by his senior year he will fit in the shirt and we'll get to go through every school year photo and watch his growth." How adorable is that?

This is such a good idea. You can already tell how his handprint has grown since last year. Carina's tweet went viral, garnering over 31,000 retweets and nearly 200,000 likes. People really connected with this idea.

"I've never wanted to see someone grow so bad," @wesGholden wrote. "Remind me of this tweet in 12 years. We're all gonna wanna see this progress," @Mason_Drobnick sent out to a bot that will remind you of a tweet whenever you tell it to. Others set reminders on their phone for the same day in 2032 to make sure they remember to check Gus's progress.

People everywhere were immediately invested in Gus's journey. For good measure, Carina shared photos of Gus from the previous year, the first year he wore the t-shirt and his first official day at preschool. And let me tell you, they are adorable.

Little Gus has already grown up so much! He's taller in this year's picture, and he's lost a few of his front teeth along the way. When that last 12th-grade handprint space is filled, this shirt will truly be a sight to see!

Enough people asked where they could get the shirt that Carina decided to make and sell them herself. She's in the process of setting that up now. Carina told Insider, "I wanted something that my son and I could enjoy not just now, but when he becomes an adult. I'm a sucker for keepsakes and sentimental valuables, so I know this would be perfect. I know one day we'll both look back at all the photos and cherish all the great memories. It's the best part of being a mom."

Hold on, I've been cutting onions, clearly. Let me just wipe these onion-tears out of my eyes. Carina told Insider that along with the t-shirt, she started a journal for him that she plans to give to him when he graduates high school. In it, she shares "stories, memories, and hardships" they have overcome.

On Twitter, Carina explains that she became a mom when she was 15 years old and was a single mom for many years. She has started a YouTube channel to share her story and "inspire other young women to be and do better and keep striving." 

"I was a teen mom, and my son has been my drive for all my accomplishments," Carina told Insider. "I want him to see how much of a blessing [he's been] to me."

This article was originally published on July 2, 2020. It has since been updated.