It's been said countless times, but teachers really are the best and bravest of us all. Anyone who has spent time surrounded by kids, trying to help them learn while managing the countless crises that can occur when hundreds of immature humans are put together in one place, knows that teaching encompasses so much more than just academic instruction. Teachers serve as mentors, counselors, nurses, mediators and sometimes even security guards.That's why a middle school teacher who thought there was a fight happening in her classroom ran full speed toward it—in a dress and heels, no less. A TikTok video shared by @lilythern shows a teacher sprinting down a school hallway with an overlay of text that reads, "This middle school teacher thought she was running to break up a fight." As she runs into the classroom, she sees a couple of dozen students gathered in a tight circle and shouting. The teacher immediately starts pushing her way through the outside of the circle, yelling, "Hey! Break it up! Break it up!" But there is no breaking up to be had. In fact, what she finds is the exact opposite. As the students part to let her through, we see some of them holding up signs and smiling. Then we see a man down on one knee. Watch: @lilythern #fyp #touchingmoment #middleschoolersbelike #loveit How fast was that adrenaline switch from fight-or-flight to genuine joy? Seriously, the fearlessness with which she ran into that room is as heartening as the proposal itself. People in the comments loved it:"She is so strong. She was running towards the chaos to stop it with her bare hands. What a fighter. This is the best proposal ever.""That was the 'Not in my school!' run! ????""Fearless teachers are the ones that deserve the most respect.""Don’t marry her, she has to join the Avengers."The students were clearly thrilled to be a part of the sweet proposal, and the teacher's immediate and enthusiastic "yes" made it all that much sweeter. Definitely a moment none of these students—or their teacher—will ever forget. This article originally appeared on 4.12.23

Hey there, millennials! Welcome to the "Holy crapoly, I have real-life memories from 20 years ago!" club. It's a strangely disorienting milestone to reach when you find yourself starting sentences with "When I was young…" or "Back in my day…" isn't it?Your Gen X elders have been here for a while, but even we have moments of incredulously calculating how the heck we've arrived at this place. Time is a tricky little jokester, isn't he?To highlight how much has changed for middle-aged folks since we were young, a user on Reddit asked people born before 1990 what useless skills they possess that nobody has a need for anymore. It's both a hilarious trip down memory lane and a time capsule of life pre-Y2K. (Do kids these days even know what Y2K was? Gracious.)If you're down for some good-old-days nostalgia, check out people's responses:Ask Reddit Question: People born before 1990, what trivial skill do you possess that no one uses anymore?Making brown paper bag book covers"I can cover a textbook with a brown paper bag." — sourwaterbugOh goodness yes. And there was always that one girl in class who had the art of the brown paper bag book cover perfected. (They're probably Pinterest influencers now.)Folding a map—and knowing where to find a map"I can re-fold a map correctly." —JungleZac"Man remember actually using maps…I had an atlas with the road system in my car to navigate other states during road trips. Crazy." – jagua_hakuHow did we ever figure out how to get anywhere before GPS and Google Maps? (Two-inch thick road atlases in our car and stopping at gas stations to buy local maps while traveling, that's how. Positively primitive.)Memorizing phone numbers and answering the house phoneFor real, though, kids these days don't even know. "Remembering phone numbers." — greatmilliondog"Not only that, having to speak to your friend's parents for a few minutes when you call their house." — Logical_Area_5552"How to take a message when the person they want to talk to isn't there." — Amoori_A_SploogeHow about dialing on a rotary phone, using a pay phone and making (or taking) a collect call?The skillful phone shoulder hold"Using your shoulder to hold a telephone up to your ear while doing multiple other things at once. Now, the phones are so damned small I drop them." – Regular_Sample_5197"100 ft phone cords ?" – mrch1ck3nn"I got in sooooo much trouble for stretching the phone cord into the bathroom for some privacy. Accidentally clotheslined Grandma ? She laughed about it but Mom was pissed!" – AffectionateBite3827Knowing the exact name of every Crayola color because we only had so many"I know what the color “goldenrod” is." — ImAmazedBaybee"That and burnt sienna were the crayolas of choice." — Signiference"Cornflower would like a word." — cps12345The art of the mixed tape—especially from the radioI don't think kids these days fully grasp how revolutionary Spotify and the like are for those of us who spent hours in front of the radio with our cassette tape recorder queued up at just the right spot waiting for the song we wanted to record to come one. And they will never, ever know the frustration of the DJ yapping right up until the lyrics start."Record to tape from the radio. Trying to make sure to not get the DJ/presenter talking sh-t or an ad" – Gankstajam"'Shut up, shut up, shut up!!! I'm trying to record my song!!!'" – tearsonurcheek"Haha yeah and trying to tell others so they don't make random noise or knock on the door.How about making cassette-based mix tapes, trying to figure out to the second, how many and which types of songs in which order, that would still fit perfectly on the length of tape per side.People who make digital recordings do not have to worry about 'running out of tape.'Having the first side be tempting enough that they'd flip the other side to continue listening. That's before continual playback machines existed. Had to flip the cassette." – CrunchyTeaTimeAnd there were many more, from rewinding a cassette tape with a pencil to writing in cursive to tearing the sides off of printer paper without tearing the paper itself. (Oh and of course the ability to count out change and understand what you're supposed to do if something costs $9.91 and someone hands you $10.01.)Gotta love it when the things that used to be totally normal now sound like historic artifacts found in a museum. Kind of makes you wonder what normal things from today we'll be laughing about in another 20 or 30 years. This article originally appeared on 6.22.23

When a couple has their first child, they start out with the greatest of intentions and expectations. The child will only eat organic food. They will never watch TV or have screen time and will always stay clean.But soon, reality sets in and if they have more kids, they'll probably be raised with a lot less attention. As a result, first-born kids turn out a bit differently than their younger siblings."Rules are a bit more rigid, attention and validation is directed and somewhat excessive," Niro Feliciano, LCSW, a psychotherapist and anxiety specialist, told Parents. "As a result, firstborns tend to be leaders, high achievers, people-pleasing, rule-following and conscientious, several of the qualities that tend to predict success."However, it’s not just laziness that makes parents change their M.O. As parents gain experience, they learn not to sweat the small stuff and to have a bit more faith in their children.Tova Leigh is a writer and performer who creates funny sketches on TikTok about parenting and feminism. To point out the differences between new and veteran moms she made a series of funny sketches with fellow mom Riona O Connor.In the first video, the two mothers deal with fighting children. The new mommy uses a sweet voice and quietly suggests, “Oh honey, no, no fighting, sweetie. Gentle hands” to the brawling kids. When that doesn't work, the veteran mother screams, “We said stop fighting!” @tova_leigh We’re all doing a great job, some of us just do it a little louder (or with a hose) ? which one are you?! with @rionaoconnor_ #fyp #funny #parenting #momsoftiktok The video must have hit a nerve with parents everywhere because it went viral, racking up more than 3 million views. "As a mum of 5… this is 100% accurate," Lora Bora wrote in the comments. Kira agreed saying, "I got 4…. And I felt this in my soul."While the video was funny, it should also provide some comfort to young mothers who feel overwhelmed by the pressure to be perfect. As blogger Constance Hall points out, the need to be perfect can rob us of precious time with our kids."We are only half present for them all of the time due to the constant pressure to have everything perfect,” Hall wrote in a viral Facebook post. “To go to the gym, answer that email, pay that bill, cook that organic kale, blend it, get it into a patty so no one knows it's kale, get to the doctors.... Make the kids lunches cos if you order them again you will be JUDGED!”In the second video, the two mothers have very different approaches to making a puree. @tova_leigh We’re all doing a great job, some of us just do it with a happy meal ? which one are you? With @rionaoconnor_ #funny #fyp #momlife In a third video, the two parents express their Christmas spirit in very different ways. @tova_leigh #ad AD We are all doing a great job, some of us just do it with less Christmas spirit ? Which one are you?! Did you recognise any of the lines? They are all from our favorite movies available on @SkyTV this Christmas. What's your favorite? With the amazing @rionaoconnor_ TAG A FRIEND #ChristmasOnSky #fyp #funny #momlife #momsontiktok #newmomvsveteranmom #ad Kids grow up fast and if you blink an eye, you just may miss it. So regardless if you’re a new mom or a veteran mom, take a page out of these mothers’ books, relax a bit and have fun being a parent. Your kids will probably forget your vegan kale puree, but they’ll always remember the time you spent just being present. This article originally appeared on 05.18.22

There are few more fulfilling hobbies than having a love of books.Reading isn't just a great way to have a good time. Reading increases brain connectivity, makes people more empathetic, reduces depression symptoms, improves vocabulary, and may even cause you to live longer.It's a huge benefit for a child's development as well. According to Parent.com, reading "stimulates the side of the brain that helps with mental imagery, understanding, and language processing, and that brain activity."Sure beats wasting time playing video games.Thirteen-year-old Callum Manning wanted to share his love of reading with the world, so he created an Instagram account where he posted photos of the books he's read. It started with a post about Stephen King's "The Shining.""So I guess I'm going to start this account off with one of my favourite books, Callum wrote. "This book was the first book I read in 1 day. And I was like 10. So yeah it scared me." See on Instagram He would go on to fill his pages with books such as "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "1984" by George Orwell, and current classics such as "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin and "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. RowlingKids Callum's age can be exceptionally cruel. A group of them created a group chat where they bullied him for his love of books and then invited him to join. After subjecting him to emotional abuse, they kicked him out of the chat."I don't tend to cry that often but I think that was the first time in a while I've actually cried," Callum told PA Media.His older sister, Ellis Landreth, was understandably upset about the cruelty, so she tweeted about the group chat, hoping about "20 or 30 of my friends [would] like a few of his posts or follow him or give him some words of encouragement."Her tweet would go viral, receiving over 180,000 likes. Can\u2019t believe how awful kids are. My little brothers made an Instagram reviewing and talking about books and kids in his new school have seen it and have created a group chat calling him a creep slagging him off about it and added him to it so he could see pic.twitter.com/wuuj2XlO34 — Ellis (@Ellis) 1582972178 She was bombarded by responses from people who wanted to support her brother.I think the love from all around the world has probably let him know he isn't alone. But all the interesting people I know were once considered weird kids with books. Including me.— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 2, 2020 I've followed him and dropped him a little message but I'd love to buy him a book or send him over an amazon gift card - I'm sure he has a lot of books on the way but please DM me if there's any book he doesn't have ?— beffy (@beffybadbelly) March 1, 2020 Just a few hours after the tweet, Callum received thousands of followers on his page. In just three days, he's up to nearly 400,000 followers. He's also received countless messages of support through the page.English novelist Matt Haig sent Callum a collection of books, adding: "Hey let's all follow Cals Book Account on Instagram and show him some support." A book store near Manning's home in northeast England promised him a book on the house.Callum's story was shared on Instagram by authors Caroline Kepnes and Malorie Blackman.The teenager received over 15,000 messages in his DMs. "He's absolutely overwhelmed," Landreth told CNN. "He can't even get through all his DMs."Callum's mother is over the moon about the response. "She's so happy people are spreading positive messages about these issues," Landreth said. "No matter how small some things seem, they can stick with kids forever."This article originally appeared on 03.04.20

A group of 105 homeless people gathered at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.Each of them was given a disposable camera and told to take pictures that represent "my London." The photos were entered in an annual contest run by London-based nonprofit Cafe Art, which gives homeless artists the chance to have their work displayed around the city and, for some of the photographers who participate in the yearly challenge, in a print calendar."Some people have had experience, and others have never picked up a camera before," said Paul Ryan, co-director of Cafe Art.The program, Ryan explained, includes mentorship and training from professional volunteers at the Royal Photographic Society, including winners of the contest from previous years, many of whom are ultimately inducted into the society.The goal of the challenge is to help participants gain the confidence to get back on the job market, search for housing, re-engage with their social circles, or even activate dormant skills."I really enjoyed it. And I started to get involved in my art again, which I'd left for years," a 2015 participant said in a video for the organization's Kickstarter campaign.These are 11 of the top vote-getters from this year's contest:1. Ella Sullivan — "Heart Bike Rack"2. Alana Del Valle — "London Bus with Sculpture"3. Beatrice — "Out of the Blue"4. Laz Ozerden — "What Now?"5. Leo Shaul — "The Coffee Roaster"6. Christopher McTavish — "St. Paul's in Reflection"7. Hugh Gary — "London Calling"8. Keith Norris — "Watching Mannequin"9. Siliana — "After the Rain"10. Saffron Saidi — "Graffiti Area"11. Jackie Cook — "Underground Exit"Ryan, who has been developing the program for seven years, said that while there's no one-size-fits-all solution for individuals who are homeless, for some who are too used to being "knocked back," the experience of seeing their work on display or in print — and of success — can be invaluable."Everyone is helped in a different way, to get up to the next step in whatever way they need to."This article originally appeared on 08.17.16

Belinda Hankins and her 13-year-old daughter, Bella, seem to have a great relationship, one that is often played out over text message.Sure they play around like most teens and parents do, but in between the joking and stealing of desserts, they're incredibly open and honest with each other. This is key, especially since Melinda is a single parent and thus is the designated teacher of "the ways of the world." But, wow, she is a champ at doing just that in the chillest way possible. Of course, it helps having an incredibly self-aware daughter who has grown up knowing she can be super real with her mom.Case in point, this truly epic text exchange took place over the weekend while Bella was hunting for tampons at the store. Here's how Belinda introduced it on Facebook:"THIS was the highlight of my parenting week. Sending my 13-year-old daughter into the store for (whispers) 'feminine hygiene products,' and having the following text exchange."Let's give this the fanfare it deserves.Act 1: The "right" aisle.Every woman, whether she's 13 or 30 has said or thought "THEY'RE NOT HERRREEEEEE" while standing in an aisle, desperately searching for period products. It's like they're trying to make it a scavenger hunt for which we did not sign up.Act 2: Everything is a lie.Act 3: Success! Well, sort of.That's right, Bella. Vagina, like Voldemort, is a word some people refuse to invoke because they're terrified what great, untamed powers doing so might unleash.Act 4: The truth.Only a truly great mom could put this in such a way that inspires laughter and fist-pumping agreement at the same time.Act 5: Smash the patriarchy!A brilliant conclusion, mom/daughter solidarity AND an accurate map that illustrates what women encounter on a daily basis? If this exchange were a stage play, it would receive five stars.And many others have agreed; the Facebook post has already been shared over 57,000 times in just two days.So hip-hip-hooray for moms like Belinda who are candid with their kids on issues big and small and teach them how to be strong using humor and real talk.The more hilarious conversations like Belinda's and Bella's about vaginas and the patriarchy that there are in the world, the better.This article originally appeared on 09.14.16

Being married is like being half of a two-headed monster. It's impossible to avoid regular disagreements when you're bound to another person for the rest of your life.Even the perfect marriage (if there was such a thing) would have its daily frustrations. Funnily enough, most fights aren't caused by big decisions but the simple, day-to-day questions, such as "What do you want for dinner?"; "Are we free Friday night?"; and "What movie do you want to see?”Here are some hilarious tweets that just about every married couple will understand.This article originally appeared on 09.06.17

A few nights ago, I was sitting in a dark theater — popcorn in hand and tears leaking down my face — embarrassingly bent out of a shape from a movie trailer. Fred Rogers was to blame.The whimsical theme song to "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" concluded a short but powerfully nostalgic preview for the new documentary about the soft-spoken star, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" And yeah, I'd morphed into a teary-eyed hot mess in a matter of seconds. A question popped into my queer little brain right then, though, and I'm not entirely sure why:Could Rogers have quietly been a homophobe?He was a religious dude who grew up in a wildly different era than today. It's a toxic combination that, if we're overgeneralizing and I reflect on my personal experience, tends to produce the worst kinds of homophobes. Had the former Presbyterian minister been as saintly to queers like me as he'd been to seemingly everyone else? I needed answers! So I went searching.But first, let it be known that I respect Rogers and cherish the mark his big-hearted series left on me and generations past; I certainly wasn't looking for justifications to write a "Mister Rogers" hit piece. In a dark and dreary world, Rogers was a reliably bright light, and I wanted whatever I discovered to confirm my suspicions that the beloved children's advocate was a benevolent force for good — and nothing else.But one thing I've come to learn as a jaded gay man is that the more flawless a fave of mine seems to be, the harder they fall from the high pedestal I've placed them on once their shortcomings inevitably air. Rogers could very well be the latest victim of my hero-worshipping, I warned myself, opening a Google tab with a preemptive cringe.Here are the two big things I discovered:1. Rogers' unfaltering kindness and compassion certainly extended to the LGBTQ community.Rogers didn't go on the record with specific opinions about LGBTQ people or the matters that affect them (at least from what I could find). But others have reported their experiences with him on the topic. By putting those puzzle pieces together, I would confidently argue that Rogers saw the humanity in LGBTQ people. He didn't let his faith box him into any certain ideology regarding gay people or their rights. Michael G. Long, who authored the biographical "Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Countercultural Mister Rogers," noted Rogers' church in Pittsburgh was and continues to be inclusive to the LGBTQ community. Rogers' widow, Joanne, has said her husband had close friends who were gay, according to Slate.He also stood strong against outside pressures to use his platform to condemn same-gender relationships, according to Vox's Todd VanDerWerff. Panning homosexuality likely would have been applauded by many parents tuning in, as mainstream America widely embraced homophobic attitudes throughout much of Rogers' reign. But doing such a thing on-air never felt right to the sweater-loving saint. "He felt everybody was, in some way, a reflection of God," VanDerWerff wrote.2. But Rogers wasn't immune to the backward views society has held of queer people. While Rogers hired and befriended Francois Clemmons — a gay man who played Officer Clemmons in the series for 25 years — he didn't necessarily want the show associated with Clemmons' sexual orientation, either. After word got back to Rogers that Clemmons had been spotted in a gay bar, Rogers asked the actor to avoid such venues, fearful Clemmons' sexuality would bring negative attention to the show. "It was not a personal statement of how he felt about me," Clemmons assured UU World in 2016, noting the two remained close friends. "It had to do with the economics of the show."Rogers urged him to stay in the closet, believing Clemmons' sexuality may alienate viewers. He encouraged him to marry a woman, too. Clemmons did — and the relationship ended in divorce a few years later.It's difficult to reconcile the harmful actions of an icon who lived in a different time. I wish Rogers had addressed Clemmons' predicament differently, of course. I wish he'd celebrated Clemmons' queerness on screen and off and allowed the actor to sashay his way on stage one trailblazing episode, rainbow flag held high.But that's the thing: The rainbow flag wasn't associated with LGBTQ pride when Clemmons considered leaving the closet, because LGBTQ pride wasn't even a thing in those pre-Stonewall days (at least in the mainstream). It's not reasonable for me to expect a straight, cisgender man — even a superhero like Rogers — to possess a visionary moral compass and will to champion queer rights half a century before same-gender marriage even became normalized. Rogers was extraordinary — but he wasn't a social justice clairvoyant.Mister Rogers' empathetic nature pushed him, and his viewers, to be bold and continually grow in wonderful ways. It's what has helped enshrine my appreciation for him and his show.He adored kids and relentlessly fought for their wellbeing. His show regularly took on important and tough topics, like racism, the messiness of divorce, and the importance of inclusion. In many ways, Rogers was well ahead of his time, boldly pushing boundaries in the right directions. Even on queer issues, Rogers evolved as time went on.As Long wrote for HuffPost in 2014, Rogers' perspective on Clemmons' sexuality shifted throughout the years: "Rogers evidently believed Clemmons would tank his career had he come out as a gay man in the late 1960s. But — and this is a crucial point — Rogers later revised his counsel to his younger friend. As countless gays came out more publicly following the Stonewall uprising, Rogers even urged Clemmons to enter into a longterm and stable gay relationship. And he always warmly welcomed Clemmons’ gay friends whenever they visited the television set in Pittsburgh."I can't speak for Mister Rogers, of course. But he was the one who always told me, "I like you just the way you are." If he were around today, I'd like to think queer kids would feel right at home in his neighborhood, too.Watch the trailer (that made me cry) for "Won't You Be My Neightbor?" below:This article was written by Robbie Couch and originally appeared on 06.07.18

Odds are you’ve heard Wally de Backer, aka Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” It’s the Australian musician’s biggest commercial hit, selling more than 20 million copies since its release in 2011, making it one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. Not to mention it inspired several amazing covers, which you might have also stumbled upon.The music video, in its poignant simplicity, is every bit as iconic.Gotye stands naked facing the camera, as featured singer Kimbra faces him. As they sing, they are slowly “painted” into and out of the background of geometric shapes using stop motion animation. There’s a very Wes Anderson feel to it that adds so much to the story told in the song, making it all the more memorable. All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment.All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment. Netherland based dance troupe CDK recently went viral for their highly stylized movement performance to the well known art pop ballad. As thousands of viewers were quick to note, it’s not just the incredible dance moves that make this performance so captivating. It’s a killer combination of choreography, camerawork and costumes that make the piece impossible to turn away from. “This is pure art,” one person wrote. While another added, “I think I’m going to watch it everyday for the rest of my life.” Take a look for yourself:CDK - Somebody That I Used To Know by GotyeThis group is clearly at the top of their game, by how easy they make it all look (like, I've already convinced myself that I can pull off those moves). But what’s more evident is that they enjoy what they’re doing to the nth degree.To find even more of CDK's performances, follow them on Instagram. Fun fact #1: Gotye allows small independent projects, like student films—and probably this dance piece—to use his music free of charge. "If someone wants to use it commercially I look at what the budget is and the creativity of the project," he said, according to News.com.Fun fact #2: CDK isn't the only group to have recently breathed new life into the song. A few weeks ago, an electronic remix of the song titled "Somebody (2024)," created by electronic music producers Chris Lake, Fisher, and Sante Sansone, debuted. Much like it's predecessor, "Somebody (2024) is topping the charts. This article originally appeared on 3.6.24

The beginnings of something heavier. The post The band Dave Navarro called “The Beatles” of heavy metal first appeared on Far Out Magazine.