One thing you discover when you become a parent is that no parent is perfect. From the start, we are flying by the seat of our pants trying to figure out how to best care for the wee one in our care, and as the oh-so-true cliche goes, they don't come with a manual. Apparently, the same is true for cats. A compilation of cat moms, purportedly on their first time around as mothers, is making the rounds, partly because it's hilarious and partly because it's painfully relatable. While we humans don't tend to suddenly thwap our babies for no apparent reason, we do accidentally hurt them, blame the wrong kid for a misdeed, overreact, and more on occasion. I mean, I never inadvertently dropped my baby into a garbage can, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that some mom has at some point. Watch: @myfunnycats25 Cat’s first time being a mom ? ?‍⬛?#cat #cats #funnycats #funnyvideos #pets #funnyvideo Thankfully, like kids, kittens are resilient and these moms and their questionable maternal instincts had people cackling. Naturally, the comments are gold:"Call cps cat protective services.""She just threw that baby away. ?""Do the 9 lives start before or after parenting?""Okay that last one though…with the smothering & the eye-twitching…us mums can all empathize with that one." Mama cats don't always have the gentlest instincts.Photo credit: Canva"The poor kittens in the white box are clearly used to it. 'Yep that's my mom.'""They grew up in the 80s…they will be fine.""Being raised by a cat is an experience.""I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying I do any of this. But I am saying I understand." Another relatable cat mom video shows the opposing instinct that we all share: to protect our babies from anything that might harm them. I may have accidentally given my baby a black eye when I was carrying her and leaned over too close to the fireplace mantle corner once, but I would also wrestle an angry bear to protect her. Check out these mama bear—or mama cat, rather—instincts in action: @vandreleipioli Mom is not playing ❤️‍?#funnyvideos #pet #fypツ #cutecat #catsoftiktok #kitty #funnyanimals #catlover #catmom Again, the comments are spot on."That first one 'don't you fat shame my baby!'""Mama cats are either super sweet about their babies or absolutely vicious about them lmao there’s no in between.""Cats do not play when it comes to their babies ????.""They say mama bear buuuut mama cat should be a thing too. them cats ain't playin when it comes to they kids js." Cat moms can get overwhelmed, too.Photo credit: CanvaOn the other hand, some people shared that they had deadbeat—or at the very least exhausted—cat moms:"Meanwhile my momma cat would drop her kids off with me and dip. She did NOT want to watch them kids all the time.""When my cat had kittens every time I came back from school she was like 'finally... take these baby's PLEASE.'"Another thing moms of various species share is the instinct to do something when our babies cry. Research shows that human mothers' brains have a specific, universal response to babies crying that those who aren't mothers don't, and it appears mama cats aren't much different. Watch this mama cat come running from far away when she hears her kitten's mewing (and be sure to stay for the entertaining end): - YouTube youtube.com Priscilla wants us to know that mama cats may be mamas, but they're still cats and will not be told what to do."You're not for the streets Priscilla Had me dying. Backtalk meow. ?""The amount of sass that Pricilla’s meow had was incredible.""'You’re not for the streets Priscilla.' 'No, the streets are for me.'""? called her back like “You have a child at home maam.""Their sense of hearing is amazing! It’s on the level of a superhero with superhero powers! She heard her baby’s squeal all the way down there! Goes to show you, when you call them and they don’t come, it’s because they don’t feel like it!"Yup. Here's to all the moms who would step in front of a train for their babies but who also fall far short of perfect parents every day. We see you, no matter your species.

Here's the thing: even the worst chocolate, at least for a chocolate-lover, is usually tolerable. Obviously, taste is subjective and there are plenty of people who actually prefer American chocolate over its European counterpart.That said, an American on Reddit posted a pretty heavy statement on the subreddit r/CasualEurope: "European Chocolate has ruined me." They write, "I always heard online that Europeans hated American chocolate, saying that it tastes of bile. I ignored such things, to me it always tasted fine. Then along came an opportunity, 6 months of working in Denmark. It just so happens that my work had a chocolate jar, every day after lunch I'd have two pieces, tasted good, never thought much of it." - YouTube www.youtube.com This takes a turn. They continue, "That was, until today. I'm back home for the holidays, my mom put out a candy dish of Hershey's kisses. Don't mind if I do. But as the chocolate melted on my tongue I knew something was off. The distinct taste of vomit. I had escaped the matrix; my eyes now open to the truth. Is this a blessing? A curse? I myself don't even know. The only truth I do know is that American chocolate will never taste the same."The comment section is riddled with explanations, and they seem to know their chocolate. One explains, "European chocolates are required by law to have at least 14% dry milk solids while the US only requires 12%. European chocolate is also slightly richer because it's required to have at least 3.5% milk fat. In the US, the minimum is 3.39%. European chocolate ALSO has a higher requirement for cocoa content — aka the ingredient that gives bars their deep, chocolaty flavor. These differences might not seem so big, but taken together, they add up."But they're not done. "Also worth noting? When it comes to the American chocolate standard-bearer (hi, Hershey's), some say the biggest perceived difference in chocolate quality might come from its use of butyric acid — which makes chocolate last longer on shelves but gives it a 'tangy' flavor that many Europeans find totally off-putting." One even asks, "Is that why some chocolate BURNS?" - YouTube www.youtube.com "Tangy" is a nice way to put it. In a recent piece for The Takeout on Yahoo! Life, author Moriah House asks, "Why do so many Europeans hate Hershey's chocolate?" House notes, "By and large, the consensus among European (and generally non-American) Hershey's reviewers seems to be that it tastes more like sawdust than chocolate, or less generously, that it tastes like vomit. This might sound unnecessarily harsh, but there are some legitimate reasons that Hershey's bars may be an acquired taste."While, obviously, Hershey's recipes are kept under lock and key, House insists there's evidence which "suggests that Hershey's chocolate contains butyric acid, a compound that is also found in, well, vomit. Before you get too grossed out, butyric acid is also found in parmesan cheese and many other things that many people find delicious." Of fascinating note, it's also pointed out that perhaps Americans (and everyone worldwide) don't notice an off-putting taste or smell because of the nostalgia factor. In other words, we're just used to it. "The taste-memory connection should not be underestimated—studies have shown that comfort food is more related to memory than actual flavor. Considering that chocolate is a highly emotional and nostalgic food, the sweet memories associated with your childhood favorite chocolate probably have a not insignificant impact on how you perceive its flavor." - YouTube www.youtube.com There are, of course, other reasons the chocolate tastes different: sugar and fat content, and surprisingly, where the cocoa beans themselves are sourced. On GourmetBouquet.com, they explain, "American chocolatiers tend to use beans from South America, while Europeans, such as those in Great Britain, often use beans from West Africa instead."While plenty of people have chimed in to say they in fact love American chocolate, the Europeans got a backup with this from this Redditor Down Under: "Mate, I'm here to tell you it's not just Europeans who don't like American chocolate. Us Aussies hate it too. And our chocolate (at least the mass-produced, supermarket stuff) isn't the greatest by a long shot!"

It's hard to write convincingly outside of your lived experience, especially when it comes to gender. Whether it's comfortable to admit or not, there are a lot of fundamental differences between men and women. We're raised differently, socialized different, and view the world is wildly unique ways. And that's to say nothing of our many, many physiological differences.Most famously, you've heard the jokes and seen the brutal examples of "men writing women." There's even a whole subreddit dedicated to the worst instances found from books in the wild. One hallmark? There's usually a weird fixation on their physical appearance. The old joke/meme goes, "Cassandra woke up to the rays of the sun streaming through the slats on her blinds, cascading over her naked chest. She stretched, her breasts lifting with her arms as she greeted the sun. She rolled out of the bed and put on a shirt, her nipples prominently showing through her thin fabric. She breasted boobily towards the stairs, and titted downwards."You get the idea.But let it be known that it can also be hard for women to write convincing male characters! The male psyche is just so complex, so multi-faceted, such an enigma, that it can be difficult to truly capture without walking a mile in our shoes. OK, maybe that's not exactly it, but let's have an honest conversation about the last time you saw a male character in a romance novel awkwardly "adjust" himself—a phenomenon all guys are familiar with. Probably not very often, right?A recent Reddit thread posed the question: "What's a telltale sign that a male character was written by a woman?"Hundreds of users chimed in with their thoughts and opinions and dead giveaways, and the responses are laugh-out-loud funny and wickedly accurate. Here are a few of the best observations:1. Only "she" gets him."She's the only one who gets to see his vulnerable side, which only consists of two things, a traumatic past and his inability to live if he ever loses her," a user wrote. Who wants to fix this bad boy? Giphy 2. He's the absolute worst. No, wait, he's simply misunderstood."He's a total bastard... but with a heart of gold that she will help him discover," someone added.3. He effortlessly handles her frazzled, panicky freak-outs."When a female character is communicating badly, but he understands her anyway," another said. These hunks will never, ever give up on love. Giphy 4. He has in-depth conversations with friends about love, emotions, and the things they fear."For me, it’s most obvious when male characters are talking to each other. Men just don’t communicate the same way that most women in my life tend to," a guy suggested.5. He could have anyone, but he just can't get her off his mind."Guy has literally everything(money, looks, daring badboy) and suddenly chooses the mundane blank canvass main character. He singularly and inexplicably becomes obsessed with her after seeing her once at [insert random place]" someone observed.6. The burning. So much burning."His touch or his stare burns into the heroine," another user said. His piercing eyes will burn straight into you. Giphy 7. He's an open book, or the biggest jerk on the planet."He's either an incredibly emotionally open and gentle man or the most annoying asshole you'll ever meet," someone wrote.8. If he's a good guy, he never gets his timing wrong."He gets the timing of his behaviors just right for the FMC [Female Main Character]. He's aggressive at the right time for her and vulnerable at the right time for her. Even his apparent missteps just make him more attractive to her," another user added.9. He's cold and distant, but only because he's afraid of how much he loves her."They're super handsome, but cold and distant the entire time, but then save the day and secretly have always loved the main character," someone commented.10. He is an enigma."Capable but humble, Affectionate but distant, Your pleasure is his pleasure," someone succinctly added.11. He's hardworking and successful, but always seems to be free for a hang."He will also be handsome, perfectly fit, very rich, travels all the time, but still somehow has all the free time in the world to be with her all day," a user wrote.12. His natural musk is magnificent."When it’s repeatedly mentioned that he smells like a plant and a weather element. Pine and snow. Cedar and rain. Oak and sunlight," a commenter observed. He smelled like cedar and rain. Giphy 13. He is a thinly-veiled takedown of all men everywhere."One I've noticed is male villains who are obviously meant to be allegorical critiques of sexist men. They're often painfully badly written and give the vibe that the author has not ever actually met a human, sexist or otherwise," someone said.14. He growls, in a good way."When he growls or snarls [or makes other animal sounds]," another guy added.15. He may have psychic abilities."He's a 'mind reader' towards others and just 'knows" what they want without the need to communicate clearly. ... He can read minds and knows what she wants without her being up front about it," someone suggested.16. He's the goodest good-guy that ever good-guyed."He's a family man who works 60 hours a week, loves family activities and spending time with the kids. He supports his wife in her career. He's also super jacked because he lifts. Apparently, he doesn't need sleep and days have 30 hours." He spends all his waking hours working and with the family, but still has a six-pack. Giphy 17. He's a man of few words, but his brain never stops chattering."The inner dialogue is off. Too many words," someone summed up.The truth is, it's hard for writers to "win" no matter what they do. Men that write vulnerable, soft, feminine female characters will be criticized for stereotyping. If they write them tough and a little crass, they're just writing a 'male fantasy.' Too quirky and impulsive and you've created the dreaded Manic Pixie Dream Girl.The same is true for female writers. Make your men too brutish and simple and you're playing into the stereotypes. Too sensitive and emotionally-intelligent and you're "setting the bar too high."We have to remember that a lot of what we read and enjoy on-screen is meant to be escapism. A lot of the teasing criticisms above are pulled from the pages of romance novels, which are meant to be a fantasy. They're primarily written for women, so it's fun to imagine a hunky bad boy with a soft-gooey center that only you can access. Similarly, men love fantasy stories where they get to imagine themselves as the hero meeting a distressed damsel who loves them exactly the way they are.It's all just a bit of fun, and it can also be a lot of fun for astute readers when well-meaning authors don't quite hit the mark.

Moving into a retirement community is a big life transition for many senior citizens. Making the choice to downsize and move into a retirement home is not an easy one that can come with many unknowns. In an Reddit forum, member @common_grounder posed the question: "Anyone who's downsized and moved into a retirement community, what's the adjustment been like for you?" They continued, "Has it been hard giving up your former life and belongings? Is a more simplified existence comforting to you? Has being around lots of people who are also old been a net positive or net negative?"Older people who have made the transition into a retirement community shared their real and honest experiences for those considering making the move. These are 16 of their most informative and impactful responses: The Villages Dancing GIF by Magnolia Pictures Giphy "I've been in an Independent Living Community for 2 years. I was having some health issues and I needed a place that had on duty staff. I downsized twice. My wife and I downsized from a 3 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom Apartment. My wife developed Vascular Dementia the year before the Pandemic. Eventually she went into hospice and after my 3rd hip surgery in 18 months I moved into Independent Living. My 1st year here my bride of 39 years past on from complications of the Vascular Dementia. When I first got here I participated with some of the outing and events. We get 2 meals a day and I used to do dinner with the same group daily. The Presidential election changed that. I loved the people I sat with. However I was crushed that so many of my older peers voted against their interests. I just turned 70 on D-Day. On the average I'm a "youngster" here. Before the election I constantly helped residents conquer their smartphones be it iphone or Android. Now I order lunch and dinner for me to pick up and eat alone in my apartment. I only venture out now for Dr's appointments and the occasional family outing . I guess more than any thing I miss my bride of 39 years, 44 together. I'm looking forward that my 29 year old son is getting married in August to a wonderful woman and their future looks bright. I'm grateful technology allows me to talk, text and facetime people I care about. At my age, I don't have many long time friends still on this plane of existence. Even when I downsized to this one bedroom Apartment I still have too much stuff including Heirloom China in my living room for my son that been here 2 years. Oh I almost forgot. We have a happy hour on Wednesday afternoon. I always go and get a vodka tonic and finger food. I was told by my parents to never drink alone. Do that one drink a week is me not drinking alone." —@sapotts61"I live in a retirement community and I like it a lot. No exterior maintenance, lots of activities and amenities. Beautifully landscaped grounds and great views from my home. Being around similarly aged people is nice too. I really can’t think of a negative. But the quality of the communities vary. Do your homework before taking the plunge." —@Entire-Garage-1902"My wife and I did it 11 years ago. We sold our 4 bedroom 3 bath 2 story house and moved into a 2 bedroom 2 bath single level house in a 55 and better community. It’s been terrific! We have a resort like pool next to the clubhouse and gym. There are tennis and pickle ball courts, gas grills, a big charcoal grill, sauna and spa. It’s a quiet, safe, well kept neighborhood with friendly neighbors." —@8amteetime GIF by Stellify Media Giphy "One month into assisted living. I think it’s going to be fine. Just another life transition like college, being on my own, getting married, having kids, building a career, moving into a bigger showplace house, etc. Just in reverse - everything getting smaller and simpler. Downsizing has been very challenging, getting rid of so many objects that still mean something to us, but won’t mean anything to our kids, and there’s not enough space in our 950 sq ft apartment. Having the staff do all the cooking - food has been quite good! - cleaning, and managing my medications, has certainly simplified our lives. And freed up time for my wife to do things she chooses, not just things she must. Moved to a different state where we knew no one, except our sons and their families, so we’re meeting a lot of new people. Haven’t really clicked with anyone yet, but have a half dozen people we can join for meals in the dining room. Yeah, adjustment is going fine." —@dnhs47"I (64M) wasn’t ready for it and my wife and I are moving out. I miss seeing kids and families." —@MacDaddy654321"It's a very difficult thing. It sounds simple, correct. But it's what you make of it in your new life. I used to do warranty work for brand new modular homes. Many are doing just that...downsizing. While working, you wind up chatting with many. The stories would run the whole gamut, from ecstatic to downright miserable. My takeaway if you can afford it was maybe try a couple of years' lease/rent before committing. Sit on any s to get a feel for it first. It was quite heart-wrenching at times. Should have, could have. There's mental factors to think of. Your circle of friends may change. Someone other than you could be in charge of your property. Suddenly, there's not a whole lot you can use those tools on anymore, etc. It's a tough thing to do." —@xgrader Old Lady Fight GIF by BDHCollective Giphy "We are UPSIZING when move to a retirement community." —@FootHikerUtah"We upsized into a 55+ community. Sometimes I miss the age diversity with neighbors but my husband and I are 64, pretty active with previously established friendships, part time jobs, and our family. We like that there is a clubhouse with book clubs, game nights, community dinners and a lovely swimming pool. I feel like it’s a home where we can age in place for as long as possible." —@Competitive-Ice2956"I am almost 70. I have downsized hugely. I lived in a retirement community for 4 years from 61 to 65 I hated it!" —@Direct_Ad2289"We’ve been in an over 55 community 8 yrs. I love my little house, all on one floor, lots of storage. It’s a bit lonely when our snow bird neighbors go home for the summer, but the grocery store is less crowded. We’ve had several neighbors die recently, but that’s why they call this Gods waiting room. It’s also worrisome to see neighbors having physical or dementia like issues. We aren’t into the pool scene or golf, but we love the indoor walking track. The entertainment shows are a hassle, gotta get those tickets months in advance. We tried a few day long bus trips but their prices are way too high now. Our community is over 40 yrs old and pre 2020 we had thriving crafts, cards, wood, metal, auto, photo clubs….people in charge of those kind of drifted away during the lockdown and a lot of knowledge and organizational skills to run those programs were lost. It’s very quiet here, most neighbors keep their homes very tidy. I’m in a single family home, I have yearly membership dues but no HOA…those are running around $300 a month. We have a great Facebook page that helps us all stay connected and compare notes. All in all I have zero qualms about leaving my old life." —@Adrift715"2/2 1400 sq ft villa. It was hard deciding what to keep and what to get rid of at first, but in the end, it was liberating. I love the fact that we can just lock the door and leave without having to worry about outside maintenance." —@RowdyRumRunner homer simpson episode 10 GIF Giphy "I’m in a 55 and over community. It’s a very active community, dances at least 2 per month, bingo on Sunday, movies on Thursday, exercise classes at least 3 per day including yoga, karaoke, cards, swimming…I could go on but you get the drift. No obligation to attend any of the activities but they are available. No meals, this is independent living. I’m really happy here, best choice I made after selling my house. Downside for some is living with rules, some people don’t like picking up after their dogs or speed limits or whatever, my place isn’t super controlling but any rules are too much for some people." —@Kitchen-Fee-5114"I like it, being on my own I didn’t want a house with all the maintenance. I have a small apartment so I had to get rid of a lot of stuff, that can be hard but I did it. Where I live there is a lot of activities if you are interested, but it’s independent living and some people like that and some don’t. I have made friends, play cards and always have something to do if I’m bored. One of the things you don’t think of is that you meet people and then they die. That is something that can be hard to deal with." —@Birdy304 Aging Golden Girls GIF by All Better Giphy "I upsized when I moved to a retirement community - my Manhattan apartment was 440 square feet, and my car was in a garage two miles away. Here in Connecticut, I've got 1500 square feet plus a basement and garage. I've got more stuff than ever." —@vinyl1earthlink"We downsized from our home we lived in for 35 years to a tiny home (399 sq ft) three years ago. While the community is not age restricted, 95% of the people are retired and at least 65. We live on a lake so I get to fish as much as I want. Wife enjoys a bunch of activities such as water aerobics, arts and crafts and dancing. We travel the park in a golf cart. It’s takes minutes to get from one activity to the next. Overall we love it." —@Dicedlr711vegas

We do our best to teach our kids everything they need to handle what life throws at them, but sometimes they are simply born with the right instincts. When four-year-old Kyndal Bradley saw her daycare teacher collapse due to a seizure, leaving the entire classroom alone without an adult, she knew exactly what to do. Rather than freezing up or crying, she immediately went to get help. Without this fast action, her teacher would have been in serious trouble—as in, a life or death situation. But luckily paramedics arrived in time to take the teacher to the hospital. As reported by WSMV Nashville, Taylor Moore, Kyndal’s mom, had no idea of this brave feat until she went to pick her little girl up that afternoon. “They were like, ‘She’s our hero for the day,’ and I’m kind of looking like, what happened?” Moore shared. Understandably, this news was unexpected. Though Moore had been teaching Kyndal a few basics, like her phone number and home address, she “never thought to introduce what to do if an emergency arises, so it was a shock to me to see that she knew exactly what to do in a situation like that.” At the same time, Moore told WSMV that Kyndal has a natural "nurturing spirit,” and is always taking care of her fellow classmates, so in some ways, it’s not that much of a surprise. Regardless, Moore is “very proud” of how Kyndal handled the situation. And how’s this for heartwarming? When asked if there’s anything she’d like her recovering teacher to know, Kyndal simply said, “I love you.” What pure sweetness! - YouTube www.youtube.com Down in the comments, viewers also hailed Kyndal a hero. “I have epilepsy, that little girl is so brave. I know adults who are petrified by the thought of a seizure occurring near them. She’s gonna be a caretaker of some sort when she grows up. Good job baby. Keep up the good work, keep helping people in need.”“Great job mom. What an amazing little girl you have.”“What a great example of great parenting! Teaching this precious little girl to be nurturing and caring to others! Her caring and concern for the needs of those around her and her mom teaching her emergency skills amazing! This little lady is a little hero !!! God bless her and her mom for teaching her to care and what to do in an emergency!!!”“What a heartfelt story!! This is what the world needed to hear because of the chaotic times that we are in. Not only is she beautiful and quick on her feet, but she is very intelligent.”Moore hopes that this moment acts as a reminder for parents to “not underestimate” how their own littles might fare in a crisis, and to start teaching them skills sooner rather than later. “They’re little, but they may be our saviors, so they need to know how to react.”Preparing kids for emergencies A child dialing 911Photo credit: CanvaIn most emergency situations involving kids, a major skill to learn is how to successfully handle a 911 call, even when nerves are at play. That means making sure they know how to give their phone number and address correctly (just like Moore taught Kyndal), to state whether someone is ill or hurt, and to know if they need to leave the area before calling (in the case of a fire, for example). In this day and age, it’s also super important that they know how to unlock a mobile phone and dial on it. It’s also vital for kids to understand how to recognize when a medical emergency might be happening, whether it be a person collapsing, like in Kyndal’s story, or simply gasping for air. On the preventative maintenance side, families can do emergency planning together, including bringing the children in on creating emergency kits and doing practice runs. And, as Moore said, it's equally crucial to trust that kids will know what to do with the lessons we try to bestow onto them.

Xennials are those born from 1977 to 1983, and sandwiched between Gen X and Millennials. Xennials grew up with Boomer or older Gen X parents who they claim may have led with harshness (and some toxic parenting traits) that they are trying to correct.In a Reddit Xennial forum, member @Montawked shared: "My 8 [year-old] didn't brush her teeth last night, so there was no dessert tonight. I warned her yesterday, natural consequences and all, but she made her choice. Tonight she is bawling about it," she wrote.She continued to share, "I said, 'I know you're upset, but is this something to cry about?' My inner voice said, 'I'll give you something to cry about' WHOA. HOLD UP. Subconscious messaging from my boomer parents popping in! I would NEVER say this to my kids. Wtf were they thinking? Shared with my hubby, and he said his folks said that and 'I brought you into this world....' Cheers to us breaking the cycle."The poignant moment touched other Xennial parents who resonated with her on how they are healing generational parenting wounds in their own families, and inspired conversation between them about their experiences. These are 15 of the most compelling responses from Xennial parents. Happy Sound Of Music GIF by The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization Giphy "My kids recently saw spanking of children in a movie and were really confused, I had to explain it and they thought it was a wild concept." —@miuzzo"I tell my son 'I love you' more times in a day than my father said that to me my entire life." —@andy_nony_mouse"My kids KNOW they’re safe with me, they know I’ll always have their back. I can’t recall ever having that feeling of safety as a child." —@HeslopDC Season 1 Nod GIF by SHOWTIME Giphy "My mom said both. When my dad used the 'I brought you into this world line', you would think he drop kicked a puppy. Suddenly she was quizzing him on our birthdays and how long every delivery took and trying to get him to even be able to say what hospital we were born in. My dad was at all of our births. He drove. He was there the whole time. He’s him, and he couldn’t even remember what planet it was on, let alone what hospital. After he ran away because he couldn’t answer even what order we were born in, she looked at us and said 'never let anyone take your story from you. It’s yours. You’re mine. You’re my story. You’re part of his story, you ARE my Story.' And that was it. Every time someone says their father said it, I remember that moment. I can’t imagine any other father having the audacity to say they brought anyone into the world — they didn’t. The woman did." —@TangledUpPuppeteer"My dad never said that but he did say 'your mother should have eaten you while your bones were still soft.' Which I always found hilarious." —@geriatric_tatertot"I definitely got the 'something to cry about' bit from my dad, which usually did include the ass whooping it implied. My mom would occasionally go for wordplay, like if I was asking for a pop she might raise a fist and say 'give you a pop alright!' but with her it was always just a joke." —@Fackrid Spanish Latina GIF by BuzzFeed Giphy "I think 'something to cry about' was my dad too, and mom would say 'wait til your dad gets home' although she also spanked us if she had a paddle for it. She used her hand sometimes too but “couldn’t do it hard enough” then." —@PrismInTheDark"My mom said both to me along with telling me that's what she had me for when I complained about having to empty her ashtray. It's amazing she doesn't understand why we aren't close." —@SuspiciousCranberry6"I was going to knocked into next week. We actually played a game where my older sister knocked me into next week and I would pretend to be all confused." —@idontknowhowaboutyou Dont Make Me Come Over There In Trouble GIF Giphy "My mom used to say 'you’re cruisin for a bruisin'." —@Holmes221bBSt"My kid is being raised very very differently than how I was." —@sidvictorious"Having kids, that whole line 'this is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you.' Oh that is so not true, that’s not how anger works. I get wound up too. Time out is as much for them as it is for me." —@gnrlgumby kaitlin olson mickey GIF by The Mick Giphy "Don’t forget 'because I said so!' I’m staying away from that one and actually explaining the 'why.' Works so much better." —@esmerelda_b"My brain still recites the stuff I heard as a child but I would never say it to my own kids. I’m revolted at even hearing my inner voice say it. I heard that the first thought you have is based on your conditioning and the follow up thought is who you really are. This resonates with me. The conditioning is hard core." —@HeslopDC"I struggle with this too. My youngest also has some emotional reactions that my wife and I find to be extreme relative to their stimulus. Crying over Fortnite. Crying over being asked some questions. Crying over every little thing. It is exhausting as a parent. I try to to carefully say, 'it's okay to cry, but is this really something that we need to be this upset about'? I hope I am finding the right balance compared the belt-to-ass up ringing I got." —@Rockdad37

The holidays are supposed to be a time for enjoying special moments with family, but often they become a source of stress. Traveling, navigating familial relationships and tensions, talking politics at the dinner table, and handling the all-encompassing issue of "presents" can wear down even the most patient and even-keeled person. It can be especially challenging for parents with young kids who are expected to travel long distances in the name of "family togetherness."A TikTok video posted by @carrerasfam is going viral, with over 300,000 views, because so many millennial parents can relate to the frustration of grandparents having unrealistic expectations related to visiting with the kids.In the satirical video, a husband stages a conversation with his "practically retired" baby boomer dad, in which he explains politely but firmly that he’s not taking his 3 young kids on a 400-mile drive to their house for the holidays.Carerras Fam is a popular TikTok page about “all things postpartum and mamahood.” Together, the mom and dad share funny skits and slices of their life with three little ones.The husband opens the conversation with his dad by explaining all the inconveniences of taking 3 young kids on a long road trip. “I know you want us to drive down for the holidays, but it's kinda ridiculous that you want me to pack my 3 kids with their portable beds with my clothes, their clothes, the formula, everything that goes on with raising 3 kids and having them feel comfortable. Drive down for over four hours just so that we could spend some time in your house?” the husband says while absurdist music plays in the background. @carrerasfam Sorry it’s just so much work. But you’re welcome to visit us #millennial #millennials #parents #parenting #parentsontiktok #boomers #millennials It’s obviously inconvenient for the couple to pack up their kids and drive 4 hours, but it’s also unsafe because the house is not baby-proof. "I'm gonna have to run around, make sure that they don't break any of your stuff, and which you will 'take care of them,'” the husband continues using sarcastic air quotes. Most parents eventually realize that visiting with the kids does not equate to getting help with them — no, it means chasing them around frantically yourself until it's time to leave.The dad brings up another great point: His parents are in good health, so why don’t they drive to their house? “You could visit. You don't have little kids,” the dad continues. “You don't have anything going on."Why is it that every time I have to make the effort for you, yet you can't do the most basic thing for me?” All parents feel like this when it comes to spending time with the grands. Giphy It’s clear from the phone call the dad understands that traveling with the kids and staying in a house that isn’t correctly set up for young kids will make the holiday a struggle. Instead of making memories, they’ll most likely be running around bent over trying to save their kids from breaking something or hanging out at Target buying electrical socket plugs and a bottle brush because they left theirs at home. What's especially frustrating is the pressure and expectations. Parents are often guilted for not wanting to pack up the the kids and travel, even though it's not hard to see why they hate it so much.The video struck a chord with many millennial parents. Nearly 500,000 people watched the clip with hundreds and hundreds pouring in to vent their own similar frustrations. @carrerasfam Something needs to change #parenting #parents “First holiday with a kid… parents are confused why I won’t drive 9 hours with a 3mnth old for Christmas,” too_many_catz writes. “The ‘not baby proofed’ part hit my soullllllll. It’s so stressful having to chase your kids around and ask to close doors, move pictures, block stairs, etc. And nobody takes you seriously!" OhHeyItsIndy added.It’s also expensive for young families to travel. “Add to it they want us to spend money on gas, airfare, etc. when we live paycheck to paycheck and rent while they own homes and live comfortably off a pension,” another user wrote."My mom asked me to drive 13 hours with our 2 month old…she doesn’t work and has flight points," one mom added.This one hit hard: “They always act like you're asking the world of them, yet they will willingly go on any other vacation that they choose,” Mackenzie Byrne wrote."They can never make the trip for us but they can make them trips to Europe and cruises to the Caribbean," another user noted.TX Travel Chick may have hit the nail on the head with her explanation for why boomer parents expect their children to road trip it to their house for the holidays. “Because we are used to following their orders!!! REVOLT,” she wrote. See ya next year, grandpa Giphy Ultimately, it would be interesting to learn why boomer parents want to inconvenience their kids when it would be much easier for them to take a trip to see them, especially if they can afford a hotel. One wonders if they are being entitled or if they’ve forgotten how hard it is to travel with young kids. In some cases, it's a little more complicated — many baby boomer grandparents are still working and have less time and resources than previous generations did to help with the kids."Yeah, not this time," the dad sums up in the video. "I think for the holidays I'm just gonna stay in and relax."It's a hilarious and relatable video, but ultimately, it's a skit. The power of boomer-grandparent guilt remains undefeated in many households, so the smart money says the Carreras family sucked it up and traveled for the holidays despite their annoyance. Here's hoping that together, we can eventually break the generational curse when our kids become parents one day.This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

"What is good is it?"

A pioneering soundscape.