Zoe's story, "Removed," has been seen by millions of people. It was previously shared by my amazing Upworthy colleague Laura Willard. We got just a tiny taste of what it was like for kids in foster care, right after being removed. Specifically, a little girl named Zoe and her little brother Benaiah. My wife and I, foster parents for the past year, even shared the original with our adoption worker, who passed it along to the entire agency and, then, it took off like wildfire among those people as well.This is part 2 of that story, and it hits hard. (Yes, the video's on the long side at about 20 minutes. But it's worth the watch to the end.) She describes her life as a cycle, interrupted by a tornado. She's a foster child. I don't think I need to say any more.So ... let's accompany that with 9 uncomfortable — but enlightening — facts below. There are only nine bolded, but within those headers, there are several more facts.1. There are an estimated 400,000 kids in foster care right now.Some are awaiting adoption. Some will go back to their parents. Others will age out or, sometimes, run away.2. Foster kids can suffer from PTSD at almost two times the rate of returning veterans.And PTSD can mimic a lot of other mental illnesses, and it can manifest as nightmares, flashbacks, fight-or-flee responses, anger outbursts, and hyper-vigilance (being on "red alert" at all times), among other symptoms.3. The average age of a foster child is 9 years old.They're just on that edge of childhood, and chances are, it's been a pretty messed up childhood at that. Trauma does that.4. About half of all foster kids are in non-relative foster homes.8% are in institutions, 6% are in group homes, and only 4% are in pre-adoptive homes. Read that again — only 4% are in pre-adoptive homes.5. Some of foster children experience multiple placements. In some cases, eight or more.That's eight homes that they move into — and out of. And just consider ... that means they lose not just adults and other kids with whom they are establishing a bond, but friends, schoolmates, pets.6. The average foster child remains in the system for almost two years before being reunited with their biological parents, adopted, aging out, or other outcomes.8% of them remain in foster care for over five years. Of the 238,000 foster kids who left the system in 2013, about half were reunited with parents or primary caregivers, 21% were adopted, 15% went to live with a relative or other guardian, and 10% were emancipated (aged out).7. In 2013, more than 23,000 young people aged out of foster care with no permanent family to end up with.And if you add that up, year after year, hundreds of thousands of foster youth will have aged out of the system. What does that look like? "You're 18. You've got no place to live and no family. Good luck — buh-bye now!" One-quarter of former foster kids experience homelessness within four years of exiting the system.8. Foster "alumni" (those who have been in foster homes and either adopted, returned to parents, or aged out) are likely to suffer serious mental health consequences.They are four-five times more likely to be hospitalized for attempting suicide and five-eight times more likely to be hospitalized for serious psychiatric disorders in their teens.Based on that set of statistics alone, it's in the public's interest (ignoring, for a second, the interests of those kids) to help them through their lot in life and spend resources making it all work much better for everybody before it gets to that point. Right?So there's a lot to be angry about in this whole messed up situation. But this next thing? My blood boils.What's one of the biggest risk factors in families whose children are placed in foster care?Your guess?Cruelty?Drugs?Sexual abuse?Neglect?The answer is ...9. PovertyTogether with homelessness and unemployment, it's a main contributing factor. It happens all the time. The fact that it's far easier for a parent to be accused and investigated for neglect or abuse because of simple things like lack of access to a vehicle, or a working refrigerator, or the ability to get a kid to a doctor's appointment — that has a lot to do with this. Tie that to the link between drug abuse and poverty and between poverty and child abuse ... well, you can see where this is going.And in a country where one-third of children are living in poverty (hint: the good ol' U.S. of A.), imagine how that affects the number of kids being removed and placed into foster care.I'll end this with a bit of hope through my story.My kids went through something a lot like the kids in the clip above before they came to live with us. We've been through the ringer in ways that we're going to have to talk about one day because it's not just that the kids have been challenging — they have — it's that the system itself has been more challenging.The entire system — from agencies to government entities to social workers to even the schools — seems like it's designed to fail these kids and the families who are attempting to help. It's almost designed not to work. There, I said it.But that doesn't mean we won't fight to make it better for everybody. We most definitely will.As for us, we're just a few weeks away from becoming the legal parents to these kids, and we're extremely happy to be right here, making it happen. And they seem quite happy to be our kids. Along the way, we fell in love with them, and we can't imagine life without them.But to be totally honest ... if we'd have known how hard it was going to be when we started this journey, and if we could somehow turn back the clock and NOT do it ... well, would we have actually gone forward with the process?I take that back. I won't be totally honest here. I will simply let you decide.Here are some places to help, if you're so inclined.AdoptUsKids.org is a place to start if you're considering fostering or adopting.My Stuff Bags is a really cool and inexpensive way to help foster kids by gifting them actual luggage, duffel bags, and more, so that they don't travel from home to home with garbage bags for their belongings — or nothing at all.CASA for Children offers legal help and advocates for foster kids through a network of volunteers.This story was written by Brandon Weber and originally appeared on 07.17.15

The first gummy bears were created in the 1920s by Hans Riegel, owner of the Haribo candy company in Bonn, Germany. Since, gummy candies have become popular worldwide and evolved to take the shapes of fish, sour patch kids, frogs, worms, and just about anything a clever candy maker can imagine. But unlike the popular Disney '80s "Gummi Bears" cartoon, these sweet little guys don't come from a hollow tree in the forest. Sadly, their creation is a bit more terrifying.In the video below, Belgian filmmaker Alina Kneepkens shows how the colorful snacks you bought at the movie theater actually began as pigskin. Yes, an NFL football and a gummy bear have the same humble beginnings. But if you're a vegan or vegetarian, there's no need to worry; there are candy manufacturers that make gummy bears out of agar and pectin so you can enjoy these fruity delights minus the swine skin.Now, you know you want to sing along to this tune.This article originally appeared on 9.3.21

Singer Ariana Grande and "Saturday Night Live" cast member Pete Davidson were dating back in May of 2018.Neither star had confirmed the relationship outright, but their reps weren't pushing back on reports claiming the two had linked up either. The singer and comedian's playful interactions on Instagram certainly suggested to fans the romance was budding.While many celebrated the news, it inevitably came with a side of backlash too. Some of the criticism, however, crossed an unfortunate line.Trolls began pointing to Davidson's history of mental illness to suggest he couldn't be in a healthy relationship.The comedian felt it necessary to shut that down. Fast. "Normally, I wouldn't comment on something like this cause like, fuck you," Davidson wrote in a note he shared to his Instagram story. "But [I've] been hearing a lot of 'people with BPD [Borderline Personality Disorder] can't be in relationships' talk. I just wanna let you know that's not true."Davidson said he was diagnosed with BPD in 2016 after having lived through a "nightmare" year that involved rehab and grappling with the ups and downs of diagnosis. The comedian has also spoken openly about living with depression."Just because someone has a mental illness does not mean they can't be happy and in a relationship," Davidson wrote. "It also doesn't mean that person makes the relationship toxic."After noting there are many life-changing treatments available for people like him, Davidson emphasized the importance of combating stigmas associated with mental illness."I just think it's fucked up to stigmatize people as crazy and say that they are unable to do stuff that anyone can do," he wrote. "It's not their fault and it's the wrong way for people to look at things." See on Instagram Davidson has been praised by mental health advocates for using his celebrity to humanize his illnesses — and poking fun at himself along the way.In one "SNL" segment that aired shortly after he went public with his diagnoses, the comedian spoke candidly about his mental illness with "Weekend Update" host Colin Jost."If you're in the cast of a late-night comedy show, it might help if they, you know, do more of your comedy sketches," Davidson joked about ways others can help him get through his dark times. "I was born depressed, but it might make me feel better if I was on TV more."Like many comedians, Davidson often uses brash and cringeworthy lines as a form of therapy to overcome trauma. His father died on 9/11, for instance, and the comedian's folded the devastating loss into his routine with a comedic spin. Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it certainly can help. Davidson ended his message on Instagram clarifying why he decided to speak up in the first place."I'm simply writing this because I want everyone out there who has an illness to know that it's not true [that you can't be mentally ill and be in a relationship] and that anyone who says that is ill and full of shit," he wrote. "Mental illness is not a joke; it's a real thing." "For all those struggling I want you to know that I love you and I understand you and it is going to be OK," Davidson concluded. "That's all. Love to everyone else."This story originally appeared on 05.25.18

American "Bluey" fans have enjoyed nearly full access to the entire lineup of the popular Australian kids' show since it started streaming on Disney +, with one notable exception: Season 2, Episode 13, also known as "Dad Baby." The "Dad Baby" episode has attained legendary status in the "Bluey" world, with U.S. audiences wondering what could possibly have caused Disney to choose not to include it on its streaming service. Now, thanks to the official "Bluey" YouTube account sharing the full episode for free, we can all find out. The 7-minute episode, which you can view below, was uploaded to YouTube on May 1, 2024 and has received more than 6 million views in five days. Comments on the video are turned off, but people have been discussing the censorship of "Dad Baby" on social media with a resounding reaction of "Huh? Why?" While childbirth might be seen by some as a touchy subject, most viewers agree that there's nothing in the "Dad Baby" episode that feels questionable or inappropriate for young children. In short, the kids are playing pretend with their dad, Bandit, who puts on a baby carrier and carries Bluey's younger sister around as if he were pregnant. There's an ongoing bit with Bandit acting as if being pregnant is a walk in the park, while actually feeling the strains and pains of carrying an extra person around. Ultimately, he ends up "giving birth" with the help of a neighbor, in the family's backyard blow-up pool. It's all very silly and quite hilarious. It's also an accurate portrayal of how kids actually play in the real world. One of the things fans love about "Bluey" is the way the parents go along with their kids' imaginary play, sometimes going to ridiculous lengths to act out their make-believe storylines. This episode might stretch those lengths a tad bit, but not more than some other "Bluey" episodes. Watch and judge for yourself:The comments are turned off on the YouTube upload, but people have been discussing it on social media with comments such as these:"That was an absolutely adorable episode thank you for sharing it with us. Idk why it’s banned, but I’m glad I got to watch it.""I cackled so hard at this episode. I couldn't believe they kept it off disney plus.""i work in a nursery every day for my 10 year + career i have seen all children play pretend pregnant boys and girls ... its just something kids do(it aint a new thing i promise you xD) n this episode is just a dad joining in his kids play!"""One of my family’s favorite episodes! My 10y/o to 4y/o were in tears laughing the first time we saw it thinking of when I was pregnant with their little sister/brother (who are now 3y/o and 1y/o).""America is so backwards, it sensors/removes/bans things on a children’s program that are nothing to worry about but then they allow guns in real life!!! How does that make sense?? This episode has aired on cebeebies (a toddlers tv channel in the uk) many times and is on the uk disney+. I honestly don't see the problem with this episode."Disney has apparently never explicitly stated why "Dad Baby" was censored from the lineup, so people naturally gravitate toward their own theories. Perhaps it's a tad too close to sex education? Maybe it's showing a man being pregnant? Maybe it's the visual of a dog lying with its legs spread in a pool while "giving birth," even though no body parts are even shown? Maybe it's our societal squeamishness about childbirth in general? Whatever the reason, people seem to disagree that there's anything worth censoring in this episode and are thankful that they're now able to see it. As one of the top streaming shows, "Bluey" has built an enormous loyal fan base of all ages, and for them (ahem, us), even one missing episode is one too many.

Coming out stories can be filled with joy or pain depending on the support a person feels from their family and friends. There are some people in the LGBTQ+ community that have never had to come out, though that seems to be a rarity. That may be changing in the future for younger generations, however, as each generation is generally more socially liberal than the generations before them.The current parents giving birth and raising young children are millennials and older Gen Zers. Both of these generations get a lot a flack for how social justice-oriented and emotionally aware they are, so it would make sense that their children would experience different social norms. Emmaline Carroll Southwell recently uploaded a video of her explaining what coming out means to her young Gen Alpha kids. Coming out is a term used to describe when a member of the LGBTQ community tells people in their lives that they're LGBTQ for the first time. This is a concept that Southwell's children don't comprehend as being necessary, so she tries to fill in the blanks for them."In some families, cultures and religions, you're not allowed to be gay," Southwell says as her kids immediately chime in with a surprised, "What? Why?" before she continues. "Yes, and so there is the term 'coming out,' [it] applies to people who need to come out to their families to let them know, 'I'm gay.'"One of the kids in the backseat asks, "But why do they have to tell them?" They seem to be genuinely confused on why that would be important information to share with families. The mom explains that some families disown their children or have other negative reactions. Her children remain shocked throughout the entire conversation not understanding how who someone loves could cause a negative response from their family members. Commenters praise the mom and expressed hope for the future."Awww the babies. This actually made me hopeful for future generations," one person writes."You made my day, as a gay man and teacher, more hopeful. Blessed be you and your kids," another says."I absolutely love seeing your conversations with your children. They’re so so intelligent and caring and kind. You’re doing the best job mama," someone shares."From someone who was disowned by their family, thank you for making your family a safe place for all love," a commenter reveals."Making it clear from the start that it’s more than ok to be who you are is my favorite parenting style," another person praises. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emmaline Carroll Southwell (@emmalinecarrollsouthwell) This mom's open conversation with her children is giving people a much needed dose of hope and seems to be providing a little healing for some. Maybe in the future far fewer people will find themselves needing to come out to their families and simply know they'll be loved for who they are.

Nearly 300 years ago, Benjamin Franklin gave us the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Oddly enough, he was talking about fire safety in that instance, but it holds true for health as well. It's arguably better to proactively prevent a problem than to wait for a crisis you have to fix.It's taken a while—and there's still a ways to go, especially when it comes to insurance coverage—but disease prevention has caught on in the physical health world. We don't just treat illness when it comes; we know we need to proactively maintain good physical health. We have PSAs about eating a heart-healthy diet and exercising regularly to prevent heart disease. We have dieticians and nutritionists who research what foods our bodies need (and need to avoid) to function at their best. We consume calcium to prevent osteoporosis and wear sunscreen to ward off skin cancer. We talk about the importance of sleep to let our bodies repair themselves. Kids learn about physical health maintenance and disease prevention in health classes, and they should. Why don't we teach mental health maintenance the same way? For sure, the dramatic rise in mental health awareness and education in the past decade or two has been extraordinary, fulfilling a long-neglected need. People are far more aware, accepting and understanding of mental health issues than in the past, and we've come a long way in removing the stigma of mental illness.But our approach to mental health awareness and education is still largely reactive. "If you struggle with anxiety/depression/etc. it's okay to seek help and here's where to find it" is the most common messaging. And that's great—a huge step up from "Suck it up, buttercup. If you need therapy, you're a psycho." It's good that we've normalized going to therapy if you have a mental health issue, and it's good that we've reduced the shame of taking medication to manage mental health disorders. However, as a parent whose kids have struggled with various degrees of anxiety, I think we need a more proactive approach—one that focuses on mental health maintenance and provides tools that might prevent disorders from spinning out of control in the first place. When I started taking my daughter to therapy for a debilitating anxiety disorder, I was surprised to find out how much I didn't know about how anxiety actually functions. I knew the basics of the "fight, flight or freeze" response and I knew anxiety meant that instinctual survival system was overreacting. What I didn't know was that the logical approaches my husband and I had tried to calm that system in our daughter were actually making her anxiety worse.Thanks to her therapist, we learned all about the amygdala (the brain's fear center), what it responds to and what it doesn't. My daughter learned to recognize the cues that her anxiety was in its early stages, like a snowball starting to roll down a mountain, and how to manage it before it became a thundering avalanche. We learned that our repeated reassurances that everything was fine actually reinforced her anxiety instead of alleviating it, which is totally counterintuitive. My daughter learned how to talk to her brain when it told her something she feared was going to happen. Instead of saying, "No, that bad thing isn't going to happen," (the amygdala really hates being told it's wrong), she learned to say things like, "Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong—let's wait 10 minutes and see what happens." That small difference in language inside her own head made a world of difference. Literally life-changing. I don't have an anxiety disorder, but sitting in on her therapy sessions helped me learn a ton about how brains work in general. And it definitely helped me be better able to help my children. In every session, I kept wondering, "Why have I not learned these things before? Why do they not teach us about managing thoughts and feelings in school?" We all have brains. Most of us struggle with our brains misbehaving sometimes. One in three adults will deal with an anxiety disorder in their life, and many more will experience fear or worry that doesn't rise to the level of a full-fledge disorder, so isn't "How to manage the amygdala" something all of us should learn?Imagine if we started developing skills and tools to manage our brains at a young age instead of waiting for mental health disorders to develop before learning them. Schools started down that road with social-emotional learning (SEL), which teaches teaches kids about recognizing their emotions and manage them with breathing exercises and the like, but SEL unfortunately got wrapped up in the craze over curriculum and has been banned in some states. But we don't need that large of a curriculum umbrella for simply teaching kids how their brains work. This is basic health information. Maybe people worry that proven mindfulness techniques will turn too woo woo or something, but there's plenty of evidence-based, research-backed, non-controversial tools we can share to manage and maintain our mental health. And I'd argue such knowledge is far more useful to the average person than, say, knowing how to factor quadratic equations. I have personally witnessed how passing on the strategies we learned with my daughter to her younger siblings helped them learn to manage their own anxiety so much earlier. Could we have prevented my daughter's anxiety disorder completely? I doubt it—some of us are genetically hardwired with certain tendencies. But I do think we could have prevented it from becoming debilitating if we had known from the start how to navigate what her brain was doing, saving her years of anguish and frustration. While we can't necessarily prevent mental health disorders, we can set people up with a much fuller mental health toolbox a lot earlier than we do. We all benefit from understanding our own thoughts and feelings, and the idea that we should all learn more about how our brains work is…well, a no-brainer. Of course we need to treat disorders when they occur, but let's get proactive in how we manage mental health as well. With mental health issues reaching epidemic levels, it could only help.

Kindness is simple. But in our complicated world, it’s easy to forget. That’s why we have catchy little words of wisdom, like “do unto others” or “be the change you’d like to see in the world,” to help us remember the power of connecting to our hearts and each other. These proverbs might resonate differently, depending on an individual’s values, but ultimately they all say the same thing: choose to be a good person. And honestly, whatever rhyme gets us there is a good one. Recently, user MeringueOne7397 asked the Reddit community: “What is an unwritten rule that you always follow?” and the responses are a brilliant example of this concept. While some answers are perhaps a bit more poetic, others are completely mundane. But they all point towards a path that includes compassion. Check out 17 of the best ones, and see if you might want to incorporate a few yourself.1. “If you make the mess, you clean it up.”2. “Let people off the train before you get on.”3. “Be hesitant to take criticism from people you wouldn't go to for advice.”4. “Never answer a ‘stupid’ question like it's a stupid question. There's a reason the person didn't know, didn't get it or misunderstood. Not knowing information is not stupid.”5. “When walking down the sidewalk, phone is in my pocket. If I need to look at it -- move aside then take out the phone.”6. “Always be polite. I don't care what I'm doing or what kind of a day I've had. I always make sure to say 'hey how are you?' And 'thank you, have a nice day' whenever I talk to people like shop assistants. Politeness is so underrated in general.”7. “Don't cheat. Let vehicles merge. Be kind.”8. “Always be nice to everyone you can, you never know when you will need help from someone.”9. “If someone has headphones in, don't try to talk to them.”10. “Assume someone is just venting, and offer comfort and listening unless they specifically ask for advice. ask if they want advice if you have any to give.unsolicited advice can often come off the wrong way.”11. “When driving, wave when someone lets you over.”12. “You don't call people after 9:00 Unless they specifically said that you could or it is an emergency.”13. “Waving to the person behind who let you into traffic…I will not quit doing it. Basic good manners.”14. “Never blindly accept statements as true, even if they are from people you trust. Not because they are lying to you, but oftentimes people just make mistakes or are bad communicators.”“15. Don't make fun of things people can't control i.e. their teeth, their laugh, etc. You could be giving someone a lifelong complex and insecurity that can have untold emotional damage.”16. “Treat others as I want to be treated. Assume benign intent (until proved otherwise).”…and last but certainly not least…17. “Put your damn cart in the collection area after grocery shopping.”

Studies show that after the death of a spouse, getting a divorce is the second most stressful life event a person can have. It’s even worse than going to jail or losing one’s job.Going through a divorce can be incredibly stressful because it involves significant changes in nearly every aspect of life. The process can feel overwhelming, from emotional upheaval and legal complexities to financial adjustments and parenting challenges. It often means redefining personal identity and future plans, which requires time, patience and support from loved ones to navigate successfully.However, there can be many positive sides to getting a divorce, the biggest being able to get away from someone who is causing you grief. It can also be a means of escaping a tough financial situation or distancing yourself from toxic in-laws.Getting divorced can also open the door for some much-needed personal change.A Redditor who goes by BondEmilyBond asked divorced people on the AskReddit subforum, “What's the most surprising thing you learned from getting divorced?” Many people were happily surprised by some of the lessons they learned from getting divorced and the positive outcomes they never expected.While the post could have easily turned dour, many shared that getting a divorce allowed them to grow in ways they never expected. The separation was also an opportunity for many of their spouses to grow as well.Here are 13 of the “most surprising” things people learned from getting a divorce.1. "The person you married is not the same person you divorce." — Royal_Arachnid_2295"Very true! One thing I learned getting divorced fairly young (33) was that we only have one life, you have to make sure you’re happy. Marriage was not the partnership I expected, especially after having kids. I was doing the majority of the household work while also doing the majority of the childcare and working full time. I suddenly realized this couldn’t be the rest of my life. And things are so much better now." — Klopije2. Sometimes, everyone needs to change"How I DID need to change certain parts of myself and my life, but I was not the entire problem in our marriage." — Ughfinethisusername3. "I expected to be heartbroken but mostly just felt relieved." — Oddwithoutend"What is worst than being alone? Wishing you were alone." — AnnatoniaMac"When the time came for me to spend my first night in my shi**y apartment, I unlocked the door, walked in, sat down on my couch, turned on my TV and then it hit me: No matter what I did that night, nobody was going to yell at me. And I felt so much relief in that moment, I was free and I didn't even realize that I hadn't been. I came to love that shitty apartment. My daughter and I lived there for three years (she's with me 50% of the time) and those were three of the happiest years of my life." — Spcoalpresense4. You're never completely rid of your ex"Not from my experience, but having children with your ex means you're not really rid of them, ever. They will always be around unless the children choose to remove themselves from their lives at some point. That includes the extended family, too, so it's a package deal at every event. It's not like they magically go away after the kids turn 18, though you do get to deal with them a little less." — Magicrowantree"This is true, but I learned that it's much, much, much easier to be divorced with kids than it is to be unhappily married with kids." — Rusty01235. "I felt even more lonely when I was married." — bunbunzinlove"First husband and I went to see 'The Misfits,' the 1961 Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable movie at the vintage movie house. At the very beginning, she's getting a Nevada divorce, and tells her husband: 'If I'm going to be alone, I want to be by myself.' He doesn't realize it, but that was a turning point in our marriage; that line floored me." — Flahdgal6. Lawyers are expensive"Sometimes you have to pay them to be able to communicate with someone you’re not able to communicate with." — Youngest_Syndrome_78"Your lawyer is as expensive as your relationship was terrible/you or your ex is stubborn." — Youngest_Syndrome_787. Being alone is freedom"How content I could be on my own. Never having to compromise throughout the mundane moments because you are living alone is very freeing." — Independent_Sunshine"You know what I feel when I walk into my small divorce apartment? Peace! Blessed peace. No one's criticizing me. I'm not responsible for someone else's disappointing life choices. I am not his rage sponge, anymore. Goodbye, McMansion in the suburbs. Don't miss you." — Kit33998. The stress can be unbearable"You can almost die from grief and disappointment." — HeartofGold48"During one of our last fights, I fainted, fell backward on the concrete floor, and got a concussion and MRI. Apparently, stress can do that. The physical impact of divorce is something I never expected." — Haunting_Cattle21389. True love is awesome"Pretty much how awesome life can be with a caring, kind, supportive spouse. I had no idea how bad I had it until the old one abandoned ship, and I met the true love of my life." — Relax-Enjoy"This is so true. If you’ve been in an emotionally abusive relationship for a long time, experiencing real love is just astounding." — InactiveUser24710. Unhealthy can be normalized"You know, I remember at one point in my marriage thinking 'I guess this is just how it works.' After being unhappy for so long, it just seemed like the normal. But I've definitely found out that no, it's not how it works! A relationship can be happy and supportive, without you feeling like you have to do all the work!" — Anothercrockett"Same. I put my emotional and physical needs on a shelf, just chalking it up as 'my lot'. The rest of my life was great (kids, family, friends, house, money, pool)... It wasn't until she dropped the D-word on me at the beginning of the year that I let my feelings of neglect out." — IBSeanB11. You're more attractive than you thought"How many men I knew that wanted to date me lol." — OK_Acanthistta5022"My current partner also had this realization. The moment her separation became public then certain 'friends' were circling. She was still of the opinion that women can have truly platonic male friends, which they can, but the majority I believe have other motives." — LordBiscuits12. Couples are great at putting on a facade"When I got a divorce, it turns out it was the beginning of a spree of divorces in my neighborhood among my friends. In a 2 year period, 5 couples I knew in my neighborhood got divorces. All of them, to a tee, were couples that I thought were very happily married. It sparked a lot of frank and open conversations among me and my newly-divorced friends about marriage, relationships and goings-on that I had never had before. Turns out I was living a really dull and sheltered life. I was astonished at how much infidelity was going on, for example. There were shenanigans going on everywhere. ... So the takeaway for me was, couples can be very good at putting on a fake front of happiness." — framptal_tromwibbler13. You can still be friends"You can still be mates. It's not all 'burn your ex to the ground' sh**e. It is perfectly possible to get on with everyone (including in-laws). Sometimes marriages just do not work out." — CarpetGripperRod"Plus, the new partner can actually be pretty ace! She’s wonderful to my kids and has always treated me with nothing but love and respect. My kids come first and I can’t see any downside to them having more love in their lives." — Substantial-Land-248

For nearly two decades, people have been enjoying "Got Talent" competitions all over the world, inspired by the first "America's Got Talent" in 2006. And thanks to social media and YouTube, we can enjoy the most memorable auditions over and over again. For instance, this one from Taryn Charles on the 2024 season of "Britain's Got Talent."Charles is a music teacher who works with special needs kids. She even brought one of her students and her parent to be part of the audience during her audition. When the judges asked why she wanted to be on "Britain's Got Talent," Charles said, "I love to make people smile and I think my voice is alright." Talk about an understatement. As she stands waiting for the music to start, she shakes her hand by her side a few times, clearly getting some nerves out. But as soon as she starts to sing the first line, "Looking out on the morning rain, I used to feel so uninspired…" it's clear from her rich, raspy voice and easy stage presence that she's got something special.And it only gets better from there. "(You Make Me Feel Like a) Natural Woman" was written by singer-songwriter Carole King, then famously covered by Aretha Franklin, which is a hard act to follow. But Charles knocked it out of the park, blowing away the audience and judges alike. In fact, the performance earned her not one but two standing ovations and inspired judge Bruno Tonioli to smash the Golden Buzzer button before the judges even began to offer their feedback. Watch:What makes this performance especially memorable is how humble and unassuming Charles is before and after her knock-out performance. If you didn't watch til the very end, you may have missed her hilariously real, "I think I've wet myself," which only makes her even more endearing. "WOW I was blown away with her angelic and powerful voice," wrote one commenter. "And yet she is so humble and has a beautiful soul. Plus, I have never in my life seen a double standing ovation, she so deserves a golden buzzer, wishing her the best success." "This is how you do an audition, stunning tone to her voice.....if anyone deserves a chance it's this lady......BOOM!!" wrote another."This was so inspirational. Taryn I am in tears," shared another. "I know what it feels like to struggle with self-worth. You are a mirror to show me that that those people are not always right. You are phenomenally gifted and you have an amazing career as a professional singer ahead of you! Blessings!"Talent competition judges often warn contestants about the challenge of singing songs done by big vocal divas, and we've seen singers attempt to sing the likes of Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey and fall flat. It's not easy to sing an iconic song most people associate with Aretha Franklin—the Queen of Soul and Rolling Stone's #1 singer of all time—and have any hope of impressing people. And yet, Taryn Charles managed to make the song her own and wow everyone in the process with her unique voice. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this humble music teacher as she makes her way through the "Britain's Got Talent" gauntlet. Heck of a way to kick it off.

The term "gentle parenting" popped onto the scene in the past few years. Many people still view it as a new style of parenting, but it's been around for a long time—there just didn't used to be a pop culture name attached to it. Gentle parenting is generally when a parent considers how to speak and interact with their children, with the emphasis on them being a full person who is learning to navigate the world. Parents who use this method attempt to hear their children out, offering options and not using harsh tones or language, focusing on age-appropriate development in their approach. Some people view this style of parenting as permissive and can't imagine how a child will develop into a functioning member of society without punishments and rewards for behaviors.One woman has the answer to that question, taking it to social media so others can see. Noor Elanss created a video sharing that she was gentle parented as a child, and some of her revelations may surprise a few people. The woman starts the video explaining, "I'm an immigrant child who was gentle parented and as an adult, I'm vibing. I'm so happy to be alive. If there's one thing that I think really distinguished my parents is that they were kind. They were so kind to me."Noor credits her parents' gentle parenting style with her confidence today, "Never once have I walked into a room thinking, 'do I deserve to be here' cause growing up my parents always told me how proud they were of me and that I could accomplish anything that I wanted to." She goes on to list other examples of how she was parented showing up in her daily life, but one of the biggest takeaways from her video has to do with her self talk. Noor says that because her parents were so kind to her while shaping her inner voice that she speaks to herself kindly. Commenters were taken aback by the video writing messages of hope as well as disbelief. @noor.elanss so blessed to have learned kindness at a young age ? ♬ original sound - Noor El ✨ "This is refreshing to see. I see a lot of people's take on gentle parenting and they assume their children will grow up entitled. I gentle parent," one person writes."Is this a skit??" I've never heard someone actually say this before. This is all I wish for my daughter and children in the future Mashalla [God has willed it]," another says."Like I technically knew this existed...but I still cannot BELIEVE that this is some people's real life," someone reveals.