Tacoma dad teaches heartwarming lesson with bag of oranges

Tom Sullivan can’t remember how the tradition started, but he’s been peeling oranges for his daughter Meg since kindergarten.

“It really was just me showing her I’m going to take the time to do stuff. As a parent, you do a lot of big things, but to me it’s also about doing little things, and that was just one of the little silly things that I did,” Sullivan told The Ron and Don Show.

But on Meg’s last day as a senior at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma, she woke up to a surprise — a bag full of unpeeled oranges, with the message, “It’s time, Baby Girl” with a sad face drawn on the bag.

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Meg tweeted a photo of the bag to remember the moment – and it made national headlines.

“It was featured on the Today Show which is crazy … at my own graduation people were screaming ‘There’s the orange girl!’ and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,'” Meg said.

Tom says the decision to let Meg peel her own oranges didn’t come easy.

“I just thought it was funny … because I had been harassed about it – peeling oranges for my 16, 17, and 18 year old daughter. But part of it was absolutely, this is what it’s going to be like. This is the next chapter. I’m not going to be around to do these things – and peeling oranges is one of them.”

Meg is attending Grand Canyon University in Phoenix to study criminal justice in the fall.

She says she’s ready, but nervous.

“Some days I’m really sad to leave … but most days I’m just really excited to start this new chapter in my life.”

Tom says he is still dealing with the fact that his baby girl is heading to college, but he thinks she’s ready.

“Knowing who my daughter is, she’s responsible, she’s always made great choices. She’s smart, she’s independent and so sending her out …  really, it’s easy. She’s going to be great.”