Since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted workplaces worldwide, there has been a greater push for improved work-life balance and many companies are taking notice. The exciting thing is that when companies become more flexible, their employees become happier and more productive.It’s a win-win for all involved. Rob Dance, the CEO of ROCK, a technology consulting company in the UK, recently went viral for posting about his approach to work-life balance on Instagram. What, at first, appeared to be a CEO reprimanding his employees revealed a boss who knows how to get the best out of is team by treating them like adults.The post was of Dance holding a whiteboard that reads:Things I’m sick of hearing from my employees:- Can I leave early today- I’ll be late in the morning- My child is sick, can I rush off- I’ve got a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, is that okay- I’m going to be late back from lunch, I’ve got some things to sort.I don’t care.I hired you for a job and I fully TRUST you to get it done.I don’t need you to account for every single hour.Times have changed, and the workplace is different these days.People are sick of being treated like children.All that should matter is that everyone is happy, and that the work gets done. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob Dance (@robdanceofficial) He also shared his advice for companies on how to treat their employees. “Treat your staff like adults. That’s it, that’s the big secret,” he wrote. “Give them autonomy. Respect that they have lives outside of work. Don’t gaslight them into being grateful for not being fired every day.” Because in the end, the only thing that matters is if they get the job done. “Output should always trump hours,” he concluded.Upworthy contacted Dance, who explained why managers still hesitate to treat their employees like adults.“Many bosses don't trust their employees and keep extremely close tabs on them because of past experiences and a desire for control. They might believe that micromanaging ensures productivity and prevents issues,” he told Upworthy. “Additionally, the pressure to meet business targets can drive bosses to monitor employees obsessively, thinking it will lead to better outcomes. This approach, however, only undermines trust and destroys morale in the workplace. It creates a toxic environment where employees feel undervalued and stressed, leading to higher turnover rates and decreased overall performance. Instead of fostering a culture of accountability and growth, this behavior only promotes fear and resentment.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob Dance (@robdanceofficial) Dance says that technology has helped drive demand for improved work-life balance.“Mobile technology definitely started to blur the lines between one’s professional and personal life, making it tough to switch off from work,” he told Upworthy. “As a millennial leader, I've always valued work-life harmony for my staff, helping them to achieve both flexibility and finding purpose in their work.” The ROCK CEO also has advice for employees who’d like to gain their employer’s trust.“Always deliver quality work and aim to meet or exceed expectations. Keep communication lines open by regularly updating your manager on your progress, challenges, and successes,” he told Upworthy. “Take the initiative to go beyond basic requirements, showing your willingness to contribute more. Act with integrity by always being honest and ethical. Seek honest feedback and make tangible improvements based on it, demonstrating your commitment to growth. Finally, a big one is building positive relationships with everyone you work with, as strong connections are what help to build real trust.”

Kids can be amazingly empathetic people, many of them doing what they can to help others in need unprompted. Homelessness has been an increasing issue across America and some kids have taken small steps to try to help when they can. Kids are seen doing things like volunteering at a soup kitchen with their family, handing out personal hygiene kits and even making sandwiches in their own kitchen to give out. One kid has been noticing a growing homeless population and wanting to lend a helping hand, but every time he encountered someone without a home, he had no money. But Kelvin Ellis didn't stop the desire of wanting to help so the next time he came across a man that appeared homeless, he was excited that this time he had a dollar in his pocket. Kelvin, who is 9-years-old spotted a houseless person standing in the corner of a restaurant and knew it was his chance. The boy approached the man who was standing with his eyes closed and held out the only money he had–a dollar bill. But to Kelvin's surprise, the man refused the kind gesture and instead bought him breakfast because it turned out the man wasn't homeless at all.Matthew Busbice, the man standing in the corner, was simply doing his morning devotional prayer after having to leave his apartment in a rush when the building's fire alarm went off. The man stepped across the street to the coffee shop after it was confirmed to be a false alarm at his building. That's where Kelvin spotted him and attempted to give charity to Busbice, a multimillionaire.Busbice launched and owns several brands and outdoor companies with his family. The multimillionaire also starred in two popular reality television shows with his family, Country Bucks on A&E and Wildgame Nation on Outdoor Channel. His money and niche fame didn't stop him from chatting with Kelvin over breakfast while the little boy's dad was at the eye doctor. "You gave the only money in your pocket to me and thinking I was a homeless man, and that speaks volumes of your character and what this generation that's coming up. If their more like Kelvin and they're going to give, they're going to be filled with joy, they're going to be happy. They're going to change the community then change the parish and change the state, and they can change the world," Busbice tells WBRZ 2.Kelvin didn't expect to make a friend that day, but he did. You can see how Busbice repaid the little boy's kind gesture below. This article originally appeared on 4.25.24

Parents have no problem admitting that their children did not arrive with an instruction manual. Sure, there are books, articles, and people who tout themselves as parenting experts giving advice but there's no one size approach to parenting that gets stuffed in your diaper bag when leaving the hospital. Instead we rely on the proverbial village to help parents figure it out and if there's no village...well...guessing has solved many parenting dilemmas. But even if parents have the best intentions, some parents are fighting battles that impair their ability to properly care for their children. Be it addiction, mental health conditions or lack of resources, some things override the parental switch that's supposed to flip once you find out a child is on the way. Unfortunately, children born in those circumstances carry the scars well into adulthood. Actor and comedian D'Lai recently shared a tear-filled podcast episode discussing how having an absent father growing up continues to impact his life as an adult. In the podcast video uploaded to social media, D'Lai explains that his mother was killed when he was just nine months old and was raised by his grandmother due to his father's absence. At the age of 12, the man was essentially left to care for himself after his grandmother passed away. His tragic beginnings didn't stop him from continuing his education, playing sports and trying to better his life but his father's presence was still missing. D'Lai shares that at 17 his father explains that his addiction to drugs kept him out of his life, "I needed some answers from him as to why he's absent. His explanation was, he was on drugs. He was wild and doing his thing. I get that, cool. But at some point you have to mature and you say okay, let me be a father to this guy." As the video goes on, D'Lai shares that after learning his father was planning out his funeral and last wishes, he realized he hasn't healed from the parental absence. The interview quickly took an emotional turn after that revelation causing the adult son to say through tears, "he was supposed to be there." D'Lai has a good relationship with his own sons despite still struggling to connect with his father. It's clear that reliving the instances of broken promises and missed milestones is extremely painful even with all of the personal successes that he's had. The absence of his father during celebratory moments was felt. The vulnerability D'Lai shows during the podcast has others sharing their gratitude for his willingness to be so exposed publicly. Some viewers shared their own experiences with having an absent father, showing just how important it is for fathers to be an involved parent. "This proves enough of how big of man you became, Thank you for sharing your truth, the strength and vulnerability . This what makes us men," one person writes. One man writes in part, "Here I was scrolling watching cute animal videos and things being smushed by a machine then I see this and it transported me back to being a kid having similar experiences. I remember when I graduated high school not a single member of my family was there. My mom wanted to be there but my uncle was working late and couldn’t bring her. I was crushed man. I watched everybody else smile and lock eyes with their family in the crowd while walking across the stage. My baseball team/coaches were there but it wasn’t the same. Sh*t broke me so f**kin bad man I cried in the bathroom right before walking on stage n graduating with honors. Took me so long to process and cope with that feeling of loneliness. My whole childhood I needed my Dad man, it’s so hard for a woman to raise a man and teach him how to be a man. She did the best she could. D, I cried so hard when you said “Look at what I’ve become! Why do you still not want to be a part of my life?” I had to come to terms that some of our Dads had horrible Dads and no one to teach them how to be different or break the cycle. But I swear to God I will give my Kids my all. I’ll be there for every achievement or to catch you when you fall." "It takes an immense amount of strength for a man to share his pain and be vulnerable with others. This is going to help heal yourself and others more then u know," another commenter shares. "You just healed and saved some lives sharing. Love," someone says. The video undeniably struck a chord with many people, providing a space for others to share their own pain, comfort those who need it and wish others well. Hopefully by sharing his story more people with absent parents will begin their own healing process.

The way humans learn language in early childhood is a fascinating thing. You don't have to directly teach a baby how to talk—they learn through immersion and observation, deriving meaning through repetition, context, facial expressions and body language. Learning to talk isn't just learning how to form sounds into words. It's also learning how to communicate within a social structure, which starts with the family and community. Even two people who speak the same language will have differences in how they communicate, from slang to hand gestures to accent, based on where and with whom they live.And nowhere is that more apparent than in a viral video of a Liverpool mom having a "conversation" with her baby.The video shows a woman lying on a bed, chatting with a baby who doesn't want to go to sleep. Their back-and-forth includes the woman explaining that the baby has had a bottle and a diaper change and is now supposed to go to sleep, while the baby argues back in 99% gibberish—but with a clear Scouse accent (the British accent associated with Liverpool, England).Watch the video from @iamcustardpot on TikTok: @iamcustardpot Cutie patoooootie!! #scousetiktok #fyp #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp People were surprised and delighted at how well you could hear the accent come through even though the baby was just babbling. "A baby scouse accent is killing me??""Gibberish in a Scouse accent is my new favourite ??""bro mastered the scouse accent but no words ??""This is the most adorable Scouse accent ever ??""Scouse accent with no actual words is elite.""The scouse accent is more important than words.?""For anyone wondering about why she’s got a scouse accent, babies mimic intonation and sounds before they learn words ?"That last commenter is right. As child development expert Dan Wuori explained in a post on X, this video is a perfect example of how elements of a baby's language develops long before they are able to form coherent words. "Do babies develop accents even before they can speak conventionally? The short answer is yes… and these linguistic markers begin even sooner than you might think," wrote Wuori. "Other than “no” he doesn’t speak a single conventional word, but listen to how the rhythm and intonation of his vocalizations mirror those to which he is exposed daily. As hearing becomes functional during the third trimester, infants are exposed to the distinct patterns of their mothers’ native language—with studies suggesting newborns can already distinguish (and prefer) what will become their native tongue only hours after birth."Wuori explained that such learning is evidenced even before the babbling stage."Research suggests that even the cries of newborns reflect this preference. That’s right: babies cry with an accent. One major study on the topic showed that French babies cry with a rising intonation, while German infants favor a falling melody—both reflecting the patterns of their native languages. We’re only just beginning to understand the deep learning that begins in utero. It’s just more evidence that the period from prenatal to three is the most critical window in all of human development."By the way, the baby's name is Orla and the woman in the video, Layka, is not Orla's mom but she looks after her sometimes. After the video went viral, Orla got her own TikTok page so people can enjoy hearing her little Scouse babbles and watch her language development as it explodes into real words and sentences. You can follow Orlasworld on TikTok and see more of her chatting with Aunty Layka here: @orlasmama72736 Sick of aunty Layka trying to tell me what to do #scousetiktok #scousebaby #fyp #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp

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