Since the beginning of time, it’s probably safe to say that many parents are simply exhausted as they navigate child-rearing. It’s a delicate dance between being a helicopter parent and being checked out. And for some, that anxiety and restlessness can linger for a good portion of their child’s life. A parenting concept from well over half a century ago might be changing that once more. British pediatrician and psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott coined the phrase “good enough” parenting when he hypothesized that it was perhaps okay for parents to let their children, within healthy boundaries, learn important lessons on their own. The gist is that instead of attempting to oversee every single portion of a child’s life, a parent can step back and show up in ways that will ultimately guide them to a (hopefully) better outcome. Kids learn from our mistakes Dr. Ramani Durvasula (who simply goes by Dr. Ramani online) describes the notion succinctly in an interview clip with MedCircle. Here, she explains how vital it is for children to learn certain life lessons on their own. “We only need to be good enough. If we get it right every time… our kids learn from our mistakes. Every so often it takes us too long to soothe them. That’s when they learn to soothe themselves. We need to do ‘just enough’ mistakes so that they learn to do things by themselves.” In a 2016 piece for Psychology Today, author Marilyn Wedge, P.h.D. explains the idea evolves after infancy. “In discussing the mother (or other caretaker’s) adaptation to the needs of the baby, Winnicott thought that the ‘good enough mother’ starts out with an almost complete adaptation to her baby’s needs. She is entirely devoted to the baby and quickly sees to his every need. She sacrifices her own sleep and her own needs to fulfill the needs of her infant.” Not perfect but ‘good enough’ She notes that this can change as the baby gets older. “As time goes by, however, the mother allows the infant to experience small amounts of frustration. She is empathetic and caring but does not immediately rush to the baby’s every cry. Of course, at first the time limit to this frustration must be very short. She may allow the baby to cry for a few minutes before her nighttime feeding, but only for a few minutes. She is not “perfect,” but she is “good enough” in that the child only feels a slight amount of frustration.” @herdotie The “good enough parent” ⁠ ⁠ Seán Moncrieff joins his daughter Keelin as the first guest on Mother season 3.⁠ ⁠ @kee_mon and her father discuss why letting go of parenting expectations can be one the hardest challenges faced by parents.⁠ ⁠ Other themes explored include generational differences in parenting, the epiphany of first-time parental love, his role as a father in her life, and much more.⁠ ⁠ This is one episode you won’t want to miss! Tune in wherever you get your podcasts ⁠ ⁠ #keelinmoncrieff #seanmoncrieff #parenting #mother ♬ original sound – Herdotie – Herdotie Attunement Fiona Yassin, family psychotherapist and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, shared her view of the idea of attunement with Upworthy: “For parents, it can be helpful to step away from the idea of getting parenting ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ In mental health, we often talk about ‘good enough’ parenting, which has attunement at its core. This means being present for our children, noticing their needs, and responding in a way that helps them feel seen and supported. Children don’t need flawless caregivers, but they do need caregivers who’re reliably responsive.” She adds how important it is that parents give themselves some grace. “It’s impossible to attune 100% of the time, but as parents we want to be looking to attune to our child’s needs for a good chunk of time. It’s also really important for parents to understand that small ruptures, missed cues, or moments of misattunement are not failures; they’re part of being human. What matters for parents here is how we repair from those moments and model to a child that relationships can stretch and recover.” Avoid passing down anxiety Alli Spotts-DeLazzer (LMFT, LPCC, CEDS-C) was excited to speak to Upworthy about the concept. “So happy ‘good enough parenting’ is in the spotlight here! I’ve been preaching this ‘good enough’ concept and the mutual growth that can come from it for years now—as a marriage and family therapist and lead author of My Child Has an Eating Disorder. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The School of Life (@theschooloflifelondon) In trying to do things perfectly, parents may unintentionally pass down more anxiety and lack of self-trust than they realize. The growth is in the ruptures, the repairs, and the role modeling of the messiness of life and how it gets handled—sometimes beautifully and other times in ways that feel poor. In a world where perfection narratives and images are pushed daily on social media, it takes courage to sit in the mess and make it meaningful. If you want to support resilience in kids, this seems like an empowering direction for parenting to move toward. Even more important, it can reduce polarization and allow more room for nuance, humanity, and growth.” The post New study finds that ‘good enough’ parenting seems to be making a comeback and why that’s absolutely okay appeared first on Upworthy.

Period education can be an awkward topic for parents to tackle, but not for Payal Desai’s husband, Hiren. The mom of two boys caught a sweet conversation between Hiren and their sons about menstruation as they brushed their teeth together. His understanding tone and explanation of what women experience during their periods is being celebrated by fellow moms and viewers. “My husband reminding our boys that there is no shame (only empathy) in periods,” she captioned the video. @payalforstyle A monthly dose of #periodeducation from dad #fyp #dadofboys #dad #periodpositive ♬ crying into a pillow – i don’t like mirrors Dad explains periods to sons In the video, Hiren is chatting with his two sons as he begins to explain what periods are like for women. “I cut my finger yesterday and I needed a Band-Aid. Imagine what…Mom can’t put a Band-Aid on her vagina,” he says. One of the boys asks, “Isn’t that why there’s pads?” Hiren responds, “The pads absorb the blood, but it doesn’t make the pain go away. I’m sorry, but my little cut is not like what happens to Mom. So that’s why we have more sympathy and empathy for Mom. Like, be nice to her.” He then explains more about what is going on in a woman’s body during her period. “Mom’s hormones are impacted from her period, then the pain in the body…all kinds of things. It’s not just, ‘Oh no, some blood came out’,” he adds. Finally, Hiren tells the boys that it’s important to understand periods because one day they may have a partner who goes through menstruation, and that they need to be empathetic. “You’re gonna have a partner, and if it’s a woman, you’re gonna have to deal with that. Or you’re gonna have friends that are girls, and they’re gonna go through this,” he says. “Or classmates or teammates or partners. There’s one week a month when Mom wakes up and her body is telling her, ‘This is painful.'” Payal shares her thoughts In an interview with Upworthy, Payal explained why the talk Hiren had with their boys is important. “I’d want folks to know that in our home we aim to raise our boys with respect for themselves and deep empathy for others,” she says. “I wasn’t surprised to overhear my husband having this talk with them, which is part of ongoing conversations on how we can all show up for each other in times of need.” She also explained that she hopes it will help encourage other boy dads and moms to talk with their sons about periods. “On the topic of periods and menstruation, I think parents raising boys have a unique opportunity to help lift stigma that lead to misogyny and intolerance. We can raise boys to be a safe and understanding spaces for the women in their lives by being transparent—it’s biology after all!” Viewers respond Many viewers shared their support for Hiren’s chat with their sons, and shared their thoughts in the comments: “That man was MEANT to be a father, especially to young men! .” “This is the greenest flag of green flags that has ever flagged. You and those boys are very lucky.” “Imagine…. if ALL boys were parented this way. Just imagine …….” “THE INCLUSIVITY IN HIS LANGUAGE ” “This is what secure masculinity looks like.” “Now we all know why you married this man. No mansplaining just an actual conversation with his son. Your son’s are going to be able to feel comfortable and confident going to him for any advice without being made to feel ashamed. We need the Green flag guy.” The post Dad is praised for his patient explanation of their mom’s period to his two young sons appeared first on Upworthy.

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) recently interviewed 100 centenarians, or people who have lived to the ripe age of 100. Fascinatingly, 100-year-olds feel younger than ever. The report reveals that the average centenarian only “feels” about 68. It’s a number that’s dropping dramatically. In 2015, when UHC conducted a similar survey, the average respondent said they felt 79. That’s incredible. What that ultimately means is that these folks can teach us an awful lot about how to live both a long and joyful life, how to feel decades younger, and how to keep living life to the fullest into our 100s and beyond. Here are some of their secrets: 1. Staying up-to-date on tech keeps you young You might think of centenarians clinging to their rotary phones and the vinyl record players they had long before they were “cool.” You’d be wrong. UHC found that 100-year-olds are experimenting with ChatGPT and other AI—around 27% of them. And a stunning 40% of them regularly play video games. 2. A strong body can go the distance Centenarians have changed their approach to longevity in the past decade. Compared to 2015, far more respondents today are doing regular strength training and monitoring their diet. Overall, they’re more active in almost every way. A higher percentage of 100-year-olds are doing cardio, gardening, and even meditating or practicing intentional stress relief. Meditation jumped from 29% of centenarians to 42% today. “Staying active keeps my heart strong, mind sharp, body moving, spirit high, and health steady every day,” one said. The only activity that declined was walking and hiking, and only by a small margin. But these busy seniors had to find the time to hit the gym somewhere. 3. Finding humor in daily life is the best medicine It’s one thing when Joe Schmoe says “laughter is the best medicine.” It’s another when some of our oldest citizens are living proof that it’s true. It might be reading between the lines, but the cranky and miserly don’t seem as likely to make it to 100. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they laugh often and find that having a sense of humor comes easily to them. “A good belly laugh can make you feel better than any pill, I’ll tell you that,” one said. 4. There’s something to look forward to at every age One of the most interesting questions asked of the participants was about their “best decade.” The answers from the 100 centenarians, who’ve lived through and seen it all, reveal that there’s so much good to find in every season of life. Life doesn’t go downhill after a certain age; you just have to learn to appreciate what it has to offer. Your 20s are for freedom and exploration. Your 30s and 40s are all about family. Your 50s and 60s are the best for community and friendship. Your 70s and beyond are about finding contentment and joy in the simple things. Even in the harder decades, the centenarians now have the perspective to know there was always light at the end of the tunnel: “I’d tell myself to embrace every messy moment because it all works out in the end. I really needed to hear that in my late teens when everything felt like such a big deal.” 5. “Feeling old” has nothing to do with age and is sometimes out of your control Fascinatingly, the respondents were asked when they first started to “feel old.” Their answers had nothing to do with a specific age. It came down to the moments: giving up driving, the death of a spouse, and moving out of a beloved home and into a smaller place where they could age. There’s something peaceful about that. Some things may be in your control—keeping your body and mind sharp can delay certain events. Others are completely out of your control. But the overarching theme is that there’s no reason to fear a number. 6. Family and friends are key to survival Being isolated and lonely is devastating for your health and longevity. Seventy-eight percent of the seniors in this report, thriving at the age of 100, credit a big part of their vigor to regularly spending time with friends and family. “They are everything to me. I try to spend as much time with my family as I can,” one of the 100-year-olds said. “Life is short; you never know when it’ll be the last day.” 7. The advice they’d give their younger selves is what we all need to hear Centenarians say the secret to happiness is really no secret at all. It’s mind-numbingly simple: Don’t worry so much. Spend time with your loved ones. Move your body. Be true to yourself. The difference is that these 100-year-olds have the wisdom and urgency to really mean it. Don’t wait until you’re their age to start living like you know you should. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get,” one said, referring to getting a promotion at work, but more generally, anything you truly want. In other words, go for it. The overall trends identified in the report are surprising and hopeful. In 10 years, our centenarians will likely be even more focused on their physical and mental health, finding even more joy in their lives as they age, and, through it all, feeling younger than ever. We can learn a lot from watching what they’re doing right. The post 100 people who’ve lived to 100 were asked the secret to a long, happy life. Here are their answers. appeared first on Upworthy.

Which lane do you choose at the grocery store? To your left, the self-checkout area: a collection of blinking, beeping, whirring, computer-speaking machines with bright LED screens and audible prompts to “please select a payment type.” To your right, a single lane with a human cashier…and a line that snakes into the next aisle and out of sight. A person using the self-checkout at a grocery store. Photo credit: Canva You look down. You have six things; the math is obvious. The kiosks will be faster. But somehow, you and your little basket find yourselves at the back of that winding line. What’s going on here? If you have ever steered your cart away from self-checkout, even when it is the faster, more efficient option, you are not alone. It may seem like a simple preference on paper: You’re either a “kiosk person” or a “not-kiosk person.” Optimized or old-school. But for many shoppers, that choice is rooted in a human desire for connection and emotional safety, and a small, stubborn refusal to do more work under cameras. A ritual quietly disappears Within a single generation, grocery shopping moved from “you hand your stuff to a person” to “you become the person.” For most of the 20th century, buying groceries meant interacting with at least one other human: You chose the lane, loaded items onto the belt, and handed your entire life—cloves of garlic, wine that costs $2, strawberry ice cream, tissues infused with lotion and  Vicks VapoRub—to another person. They scanned, bagged, and told you, “Have a good night.” Today, 40% of checkout lanes at major U.S. grocery chains are self-checkout. They are everywhere: In 2026, 96% of grocery stores in the U.S. offered self-checkout technology, while 86% of consumers claim to use it. You scan. You bag. You look up codes for organic green onions. You do all this on camera, with a disembodied voice ready to tell you about an “unexpected item in the bagging area.” There was a time when a “full-service checkout” meant that someone else—a trained professional—handled everything. They asked about your day, made sure that egg cartons never wound up at the bottom of your bag, and sometimes carried everything out to your car. It felt like being taken care of. Self-checkout machines didn’t just replace a series of tasks. They erased the human at the end of a grocery trip. The importance of “weak ties” So, you avoid self-checkout lines. Psychologists say a few different things are going on here. Researchers use the term “weak ties” for the small, casual relationships we maintain with people we don’t know well: the kind cashier who always smiles, the guy behind the fish counter who saves his best salmon for you, and the bus driver who recognizes your face even if they don’t know your name. Weak-tie connections make you feel important in the world. Photo credit: Canva Brief, ordinary, easy to overlook—and, for many people, irreplaceable. Toni Antonucci, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, explained the significance to the Daily Mail: Weak ties are “somebody who makes you feel important in their world—somebody who makes you feel human.” When self-checkout replaces the cashier, it eliminates one of the last reliably recurring weak-tie interactions in many people’s daily lives.  Studies on social connectedness show that these fleeting moments play an important role in our day-to-day lives and measurably improve our mood and sense of belonging, particularly for people who otherwise move through their days in relative isolation. Imagine the person who works from home or whose apartment falls quiet by 9 a.m. When that cashier remembers something they mentioned weeks ago, they experience the “weak-tie connection.” It’s not friendship. But on certain days, it’s the only exchange that reminds them they exist outside their apartment. It’s a microdose of belonging: proof that they still live in the minds of others. When habits don’t meet expectations Researchers who study checkout behavior note that many shoppers—particularly older ones—carry a strong expectation that being served by a person is simply part of what it means to be a customer. It is not entitlement in the pejorative sense. It is a social contract that made sense for decades: You bring items to the cashier, and they handle the transaction. When a kiosk breaks that contract and hands the transaction back to you, it is not just inconvenient; it feels like a small breach in the way the world works. If you have spent 50 years handing your groceries to a human, your nervous system quietly codes that as “how this is supposed to work.” A touch screen, no matter how “user-friendly,” does not feel like a convenient feature. It makes many older shoppers ask, “Wait, why am I suddenly doing this part myself?” “These systems aren’t really about innovation or collaboration between companies and consumers,” said Mathieu Lajante, a business management professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. “They’re about maximizing profits while weakening social norms of reciprocity and responsibility.” Layer tech anxiety on top of that—worrying about “doing it wrong,” getting stuck in the bag selection menu, holding up the line—and the kiosk feels antagonistic. It is an intrusion into a ritual they have followed for decades. “Am I supposed to be doing this? Really?” People who do not like self-checkout often hold a strong sense of how labor should work. They remember when a grocery trip included a checker, a bagger, and sometimes even someone who walked your cart out. In their mental contract, paying for groceries includes paying for human help: people who do the things you’re bad at, like the game of Jenga happening in your brown paper bag. Handing that job to a machine—and, by extension, back to them—can feel like a tiny erosion of what they’re owed as a customer. When they say, “I’m not doing that—that’s not my job,” it’s not “self-entitlement” or brattiness: it’s a fairness instinct kicking in. They’re refusing to do unpaid work. All the small stuff in between Research shows that people who prefer human lanes are often at least partly extroverted: They get energy from small talk, feel safer in familiar social scripts, and like the feeling of being known in their regular spots. Even if they’re shy in other areas of life, the grocery line gives them a structured stage where they know their role and the beats. And for some, there’s a softer motive: protection. They want to preserve human workers and, by extension, a way of life. They’ve watched their local supermarket cut hours, close lanes, and replace faces with screens. Choosing a cashier feels like a tiny act of solidarity: “If I keep standing here, maybe this job doesn’t disappear as fast.” 3 big reasons you might be right Then there are the people who see that same setup—self-checkout kiosks to the left, a single checkout lane, and a long line to the right—and make the opposite call. @idanabada Self checkout store in LAX. The future is here! #ai #lax #store #shopping #cheetos #doritos ♬ original sound – Idan Abada You know them: the person who snakes past the full‑service lanes and beelines for the one open machine. They move at their own pace, bag their groceries the way they like (frozen together, produce on top, no smashed bread), and skip the part where they talk to a stranger. They can buy late‑night junk food, an embarrassing product, or six cans of cat food and wine without bracing for a comment. “When you’re at a cashier register, the cashier sees everything you purchase. When you’re at self-checkout, you can control what others see, so you might be more likely to buy embarrassing items.” – Becca Taylor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Plenty of introverts and people with social anxiety describe kiosks this way. They don’t hate people; they have a limited social battery, and they’d rather use it for work, friends, kids, or a long Lyft ride to the airport. A machine that lets them coast through in near‑silence feels like mercy. 1. You’re doing unpaid labor Here’s where the research complicates the convenience story. Across four separate experiments, researchers found that shoppers using self-checkout felt less rewarded, less satisfied, and less likely to return compared to those who used a staffed lane. According to these studies, when you do everything—scan, bag, troubleshoot—this extra effort can shrink the feeling of reward. That means dollars saved and loyalty points don’t hit the same when you’ve had to work for them. You feel like you’re owed something. Are you doing labor at the self-checkout lane? Photo credit: Canva Santiago Gallino, a professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, states this plainly: “For retailers, it’s a combination of cutting labor and adding flexibility. It’s not to make checkout more efficient. They are basically transferring the labor to the customer.” Self-checkout didn’t show up because shoppers begged for more chores; it showed up because it lets stores shift paid labor onto us without lowering prices. We didn’t vote for fewer workers; we voted for the only thing the store put in front of us. 2. It’s possible you’re being watched while you work Self-checkout stations rely on a kind of slightly menacing, almost dystopian level of ambient suspicion: overhead cameras, weight sensors that double-check every bag, pop-ups that demand an attendant’s key before you can move on. AI-based loss-prevention systems increasingly use computer vision and facial recognition to flag suspected shoplifting. Retailers say this is necessary—theft occurs at a much higher rate at kiosks than traditional lanes—but the solution includes treating everyone like suspects. When you use a self-checkout kiosk, you can see yourself on a little security screen in the corner. So can their security team, and they’re watching closely. Psychologists would call this a fairness gap: doing more work while being trusted less. Investigations have found that these cameras and the AI systems running them mis‑flag people of color more often, which makes every beep feel a little more loaded. “AI technologies frequently mirror existing inequalities as they are developed by individuals in environments lacking diversity, which prevents the technology from being fair. If the same stereotypes that are used to profile Black individuals in daily interactions are integrated into algorithms, the resulting facial recognition systems will perpetuate those stereotypes as a human would.” – Shaun Harper, Forbes 3. The plight of the kiosk keeper Meanwhile, the workers who once stood at a single lane are now sent to babysit the self-checkout kiosks, responsible for eight machines at once. They half‑jog from flashing light to flashing light while a walkie‑talkie crackles in their ear and apologize for errors they didn’t cause. Helper and hall monitor, all in one fluorescent vest. The employee who runs the self-checkout corral holds an impossible dual role: be warm, be helpful, and also watch for theft while fielding the frustration of kiosk users who all think their machine is broken. Research from the Harvard Shift Project, which surveyed tens of thousands of service-sector employees, found that stores with self-checkouts were more likely to be chronically understaffed and that understaffing drove higher rates of customer hostility aimed at the employees who remained. So, what’s your choice? Photo credit: Canva What’s really at stake at the checkout lane Let’s be clear: self-checkout lanes aren’t evil. But when we reduce everything to “convenience,” we miss what’s really at stake. That little fork in the floor—screens on one side, a person on the other—has become one of the everyday places where we decide how much work, how much watching, and how little conversation we’re willing to accept in exchange for speed. The post Why some shoppers avoid self-checkout (even when it’s faster), according to psychologists appeared first on Upworthy.

Nadia Dubceac is known to many in social media circles as a fitness guru with an edgy twist. Her dark hair, Gothic eye makeup, black fingernails, and often dark attire (even while working out) exemplify a traditional “goth chick,” with extra impressive muscles. But don’t let her tough-looking exterior fool you. On a recent social media post, she shared a clip of herself with a tiny bee resting gently on her finger. “If you’ve been following my stories, you know I have a pet bee. Her name is Beebee. I call her Bee Bug.” View this post on Instagram She explains how they met. “I found her almost exactly two months ago, lying on her back outside, probably dying. And I’ve seen a lot of videos of people reviving bees by giving them sugar and water. And I was like, ‘ya know what? Maybe she just needs a little sugar.’” She then adds, perhaps referring to a slight buzzing from the bee, “She’s getting zoomies.” Dubceac then shares the story of how the two become fast friends. “So, long story short, I bring her inside. I had a bouquet of flowers that I put her in. I kind of just gave her sugar and water, thinking I’ll help replenish her, and she can go about her day and live a long, happy life.” This whole time, the bee has been walking around her hand. We then see Beebee crawling into the circle made between her fingers and her thumb. “She’s doing her favorite activity right now,” Dubceac explains. “I make a little cave for her to burrow in and she loves it in here. She can be in here all day.” Dubceac’s love of creatures made it feel impossible to leave Beebee to fend for herself. “Obviously, as an empath, there was no way I could put her back outside, knowing she’s unable to fly. So here we are. It’s been two months and she has been spoiled rotten.” We then get a shot of Beebee prancing through white flowers with bright yellow pollen at their centers. “She gets everything she wants. It has been really fun getting to know her little personality. I know it’s crazy, but I swear she has one!” As for the logistics, they have a firm routine. “I feed her around 12 and then again once I come home from the gym. And then again while I’m having dinner. So she does have an internal clock. She knows.” We then see her buzzing around a small habitat, not unlike a playpen. “She is a carpenter bee, so she obviously loves wood. I bought her a little wood house. She has a bonsai tree. She has this little mushroom that her godmother has given to her. And yes, she has a godmother.” In a scary moment, Beebee jumps off Dubceac’s hand, but she finds her safely on the ground. “Please,” she says directly to her. “You’re so little and fragile. Stop doing that!” The video cuts to Dubceac’s cat, so she adds, “I obviously do buy her flowers, as long as they’re cat safe. And yes, I do have a cat. He knows not to mess with her and obviously they’re separated.” She then addresses a thought many viewers might have, saying, “Now you may be wondering, what do I feed her?” She pulls out a square of pollen. “She eats a big, fat block of pollen. All of this just for her. I just wet a little piece so it can be nice and soft for her. And bees also need water, so that’s my way of keeping her hydrated.” Having spent the last couple of months with Beebee, she notes, “I think bees are a lot more intelligent than we give them credit for. They recognize faces. She will reach for me when she wants to be held. Oftentimes, I’ll find her running around in panic until I pick her up. And she finds a nice, little cozy spot on my hand to take a little nap. And it’s the cutest thing ever. I think she’s actually pretty cozy right now. My favorite thing she does? When she naps, she will put her little antennas go down. And it’s the cutest f—ing thing ever. She also loves a good nap on this window sill, especially when I lay the blanket down for her. Watching her groom is so fascinating. I have studied her entire routine. So yeah, that’s my little Beebee. She’s sending you the best energy ever.” There were tens of thousands of supporters in the comment section on Instagram. One person writes, “Dear universe, when I die, please let me come back as an alt girl’s pet bee.” Another shares their personal experience, writing, “During Covid lockdown, there was a carpenter bee that visited me every day for months. He would hang outside with me for hours! And when I went inside, he would hover in the windows, following me around the house. One day, he came by with a girlfriend and I hope they lived happily ever after!” A few had understandable questions. One asked, “They have a four-week lifespan. How is it 2 months?” Dubceac answered, “Female carpenter bees live up to 3 years.” To this, another commenter answers, in part: “Thank you for taking such care of her!” In a ThoughtCo “profile” piece on carpenter bees, entomology expert Debbie Hadley writes that they are “quite harmless and excellent pollinators.” She also adds this tidbit: “Carpenter bees practice buzz pollination, an active method of collecting pollen grains. When it lands on a flower, the bee uses its thoracic muscles to produce sound waves that shake the pollen loose.” As to whether sugar, water, or sugar water is safe to give to bees, some experts claim it depends on the situation. Beevive.com suggests first checking to see if the bee can fly, as Dubceac did. Then, if possible, offer a flower solution first. “If the flower method fails, sugar water is needed. The RSPB (a conservation charity) suggests getting a small container or spoon and offering two tablespoons of granulated white sugar to one tablespoon of water.” She wouldn’t be the first to keep a bee as a pet. According to Apis Cera, a company that makes beeswax candles, a woman from the United Kingdom once had a special bee friendship. On their website, they shared, “Fiona Presly, a library assistant from Inverness, rescued a buff-tailed, or large earth, bumblebee queen that had been born without wings and was struggling to survive. Over the next few months, the two appeared to develop a special bond. Bee, as Presly named the insect, would even ‘cuddle’ and seemed to be ‘house-trained.’ Indeed, caring for the bumblebee has had a profound impact on how Presly thinks of insects.” Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem. It probably goes without saying that we shouldn’t just capture them or remove them from their natural habitat. But should a bee get hurt, as Beebee did, providing them a safe place to live out their time can be a wonderfully kind and rewarding thing to do for the bee and their human. The post Goth woman rescues a flightless carpenter bee and gives it the most heartwarmingly wonderful life appeared first on Upworthy.