It's a heavy burden to carry.

The birth rate in the U.S. has steadily declined since the Great Recession. Between 2007 and 2023‚ it has decreased by nearly 23%. In 1950‚ the average American woman had 3 children. Now‚ she has only 1.6‚ which is drastically lower than the replacement rate of 2.1.The dropping birthrate has many worried that it will upend government programs because there won’t be enough young people to work and pay taxes to support older people on Social Security and Medicare.Faith Hill from The Atlantic recently illustrated another problem with the declining birthrate in the U.S. and Europe that no one talks about: the decline of cousins. “If everyone hypothetically went from having five kids to having four kids‚ that would mean one less sibling for each child‚” Hill wrote‚ quoting demographer Sha Jiang. “But it would yield a much bigger decrease in first cousins: Instead of a child having four aunts or uncles who each have five kids—20 cousins—they would have three aunts or uncles who each have four kids‚ for a total of 12.”Further‚ only about 6% of adult cousins live in the same U.S. census tract. The rest are about 237 miles apart.TikToker Miriam Tinney‚ who curates interesting stories she finds online‚ shared the news in a video that has over 3.7 million views.What do you think?  @miriam_tinny What do you think? #family #cousins #relationships #siblings #theatlantic Psychologists believe cousins play an essential role in families because even though they are relations‚ the emotional bonds with them may not be as tight. "Cousins‚ extended family‚ allow psychological distance that immediate family cannot‚" relationship therapist Larry Shushansky told The Chicago Tribune. "Relationships with cousins afford a certain space‚ a certain independence‚ that allows us to have different kinds of experiences with them.”"They can be a source of balance … affording the closeness and common bond that exists in families‚ as well as the psychological distance that is one step removed from the dependency that causes anxiety and conflict within immediate [family members]‚” Shushansky continued.This unique position in the family allows cousins to take on various roles. Your cousin can be a mentor‚ friend‚ acquaintance‚ partner in crime at family functions or someone who helps you understand your extended family.A cousin may not be the family member who lends you a kidney‚ but they can be the person who helps you mend fences with a sibling or allows you to cut loose at a family gathering because neither of you fears the other's judgment."Without cousins‚ who will my kids go smoke with on the cousin walk at Thanksgiving?" Rebeccaversonx commented on Tinny's video. "I’m ethnic sooooooo cousins are basically another set of siblings‚" Viv added."I don't think they surveyed POC because cousins in non-white families are usually super close‚" Britty added.Given that cousins can have a significant role in our lives‚ Hill is right to lament the loss of the important‚ if not necessarily vital‚ relationship.“A cousin-sparse future‚ then‚ could be a greater loss than people might recognize‚” Hill wrote. “It might also make the relationship that much more important: With fewer of them around‚ cousins may need to depend on one another even more. Families are shrinking—but that doesn’t mean they need to come apart.”

Few things evoke a visceral comfort response in people of all ages like the colorful characters of Sesame Street. Millions of us grew up with Elmo‚ Big Bird‚ Bert &; Ernie‚ Grover‚ Oscar the Grouch and the rest‚ and have nothing but warm‚ positive memories associated with them.So when Elmo asked all the grownups on X to how they were doing‚ it triggered a deluge that spoke to people's need to share their mental and emotional struggles as well as the safe place Sesame Street has been for generations. It all began with a simple question: "Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?"Elmo surely did not expect thousands upon thousands of people to dump their emotional loads on him like they were in a therapy session‚ but that's exactly what happened. @elmo Elmo we are tired — (@) Not only did people respond that they were tired—a common refrain—but they also shared about the deaths of loved ones‚ their relationship struggles‚ jobs they'd been laid off from‚ their feelings of despair and depression. Clearly‚ some people needed a place to put their woes‚ and who better to receive them than a beloved childhood character who we know understands and accepts us unconditionally? To Sesame Street's credit‚ they handled the trauma dump as best a fictional world filled with fictional characters possibly could. After the initial post's impact‚ Elmo posted‚ "Wow! Elmo is glad he asked! Elmo learned that it is important to ask a friend how they are doing. Elmo will check in again soon‚ friends! Elmo loves you." Elmo added the hashtag #EmotionalWellBeing.And then the other Sesame Street characters started chiming in. — (@) One by one‚ all perfectly in character‚ the Sesame Street crew showed up on their respective accounts to offer their support‚ all using the #EmotionalWellBeing hashtag. "I'm here if you ever need a shoulder to lean on. I'll make us both a warm cup of tea‚" wrote Bert. "If you need some cheering up‚ let me know! I love making others smile‚" wrote Ernie."Me here to talk it out whenever you want. Me will also supply cookies‚" wrote Cookie Monster."I‚ Grover‚ am here to be a good listener whenever you need it‚" wrote Grover.Even Oscar the Grouch weighed in with some honesty and support. "I'm not great at listening to other share their big feelings‚ but my worm Slimey is. You should talk with him if you ever need to chat." Yes‚ it's silly. But it's also not‚ because Sesame Street truly has been a lifeline for countless kids who found solace‚ support and celebration of themselves in those beloved characters‚ sometimes even more than they found at home. — (@) The main Sesame Street account also shared a link to mental health resources. But the wave of support and words of kindness and understanding didn't stay confined to Sesame Street. All kinds of big accounts‚ from NASA and the United Nations to Xbox and Verizon—even the President of the United States himself—weighed in with gratitude for Elmo checking in and reminders that we're all making our way through this life together. @elmo Thanks for checking in @Elmo. Reminding you all that you are made of star stuff. \u2728 — (@) Does it get more wholesome than NASA reminding us we're made of stardust? I know how hard it is some days to sweep the clouds away and get to sunnier days.\n\nOur friend Elmo is right: We have to be there for each other‚ offer our help to a neighbor in need‚ and above all else‚ ask for help when we need it.\n\nEven though it's hard‚ you're never alone. — (@) The entire phenomenon was a testament to the enduring influence of Sesame Street‚ but also a good reminder to check in with people once in a while. You never know who might need to offload some emotional weight‚ and as cathartic as it might feel to drop it all on a beloved icon like Elmo‚ nothing compares to a real-life friend who offers a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. Thank you for the inspiration‚ Sesame Street creators. Still managing to nurture the children within us‚ all these years later.

Financial literacy is one of the most essential life skills determining someone’s future success and mental and physical well-being. However‚ only 17% of American students must pass just one semester of a financial literacy-based class to graduate.This development flies in the face of public opinion on the topic. A recent poll found that 88% of Americans wish they had been taught financial literacy in school. The same number said their state should require either a semester or year-long personal finance course for graduation.A teacher in Charlotte‚ North Carolina‚ has taken that problem to heart and is giving her 3rd-grade class rigorous‚ hands-on lessons on the importance of personal finance.Shelby Lattimore‚ a math and science teacher at Renaissance West STEAM Academy‚ gives her students jobs in the classroom and they pay differently depending on how hard the students work. “We have a teacher assistant‚ line leader‚ door holder‚ recess basket‚ lunch basket. We have a cleanup crew‚” Lattimore said. @shelby_thatsmee Hard Life Lessons in 3rd Grade‚ my students had to pay rent for the first time! Year Two of collecting classroom rent and it is still the best feeling ever! #rent #money #teacher Every month‚ they must pay her “rent” for use of their desks and chairs‚ just like their parents have to do. And just like in the real world‚ rent just went up. It was $5 and now it’s $7.The kids are allowed to use their money for rewards‚ so they have to consider whether to spend or save every month. “They get paid twice a week and then they have to pay rent once a month‚ just like me‚” Lattimore told WCCBCharlotte.“Parents from my class are thanking me because a lot of them do live check to check‚ and they were never taught to think of money‚ long term‚” said Lattimore.Lattimore believes that teaching financial literacy is especially important in her classroom and surrounding community.“Charlotte is known for generational poverty‚” Lattimore told NBC News. “A lot of my students of color‚ Hispanic‚ Black‚ whatever it may be‚ they see their parents‚ they see their guardian‚ they see their grandmothers‚ grandfathers‚ whatever‚ may be living check to check. They see the money management of not thinking long term necessarily and the consequences of it.”"It gives you a life lesson on how money is‚" a female student told WCNC.The average adult only correctly answers 48% of the questions on the 2023 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index‚ a test that measures financial knowledge. Those numbers were lower for Black (34%) and Hispanic people (38%) who took the test.Students and parents love Mrs. Lattimore‚ but she’s also found a significant following on TikTok‚ where over 890‚000 users follow her posts. The videos are simple. Lattimore sits at her desk and teaches lessons to her students.A video where she explained the ins and outs of personal hygiene has received nearly 20 million views. "As a child growing up being neglected‚ you are going to be remembered as their favorite teacher‚" Gigi wrote in the comments. "So glad you’re teaching them. Some kids don’t have this at home‚" Brinley added. @shelby_thatsmee Replying to @Ms.L Pt.2 I never thought I’d have to brush my teeth in front of my entire class but we are here…. #hygieneproducts #teeth #teacher “It’s organic. You know‚ they see the relationship that that me and my kids have built together and I think that’s why the following is amazing‚” Lattimore told WCCBCharlotte.

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