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Health


THIS WOMAN'S POWERFUL 'BEFORE AND AFTER' PHOTOS CRUSH MYTHS ABOUT BODY
POSITIVITY

"BODY POSITIVITY IS ABOUT SAYING THAT YOU ARE MORE THAN A BODY AND YOUR
SELF-WORTH IS NOT RELIANT ON YOUR BEAUTY."


Upworthy Staff
06.29.24

@scarrednotscared/Instagram

Upworthy Voices Tyler Gordon S Painting Skills Are Out Of This World!

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MICHELLE ELMAN, A BODY POSITIVITY COACH, HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND
CONFIDENCE IN THEIR OWN SKIN.

After persevering through numerous medical conditions and surgeries in her own
life, Elman realized a few years ago that body positivity wasn't just about size
or weight. Things like scars, birthmarks, and anything else that makes us feel
different of self-conscious have to be a part of the conversation, and she tries
to make the movement accessible to everyone.



Sharing her own journey has been one of her most effective teaching tools.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


IN MAY, SHE SHARED A POST ON INSTAGRAM OF HERSELF TRYING ON A DRESS SHE BOUGHT
FIVE YEARS AGO IN ORDER TO PROVE A POWERFUL POINT.

In the first photo, from 2012 — when she was a size 12, she says — she's wearing
a size 14 dress. In the new photo, she's wearing the same dress, though she says
she normally wears a size 20.

The dress still fit.

> See on Instagram



"NUMBERS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING," she wrote in the post. "So are you really going
to let a change [in] dress size dictate your day? Are you really going to let an
increase in a number affect your mood?"

"A higher dress size doesn't mean: — you are less beautiful — you are less
worthy — you are less lovable — you are a worse human — you are a bad person —
you are a different person AND it doesn't even mean you have a bigger body."


THE VIRAL PHOTO INSPIRED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. WHILE A HUGE MAJORITY OF THE
COMMENTS WERE POSITIVE, THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING BUGGING ELMAN ABOUT THE
RESPONSE.

Not everyone was getting the right message.

"Since the creation of this account, I have always been told I'm beautiful 'for
my size' and I never wanted to talk about it because I thought I was being
pedantic but eventually decided to speak my mind about it," she says in an
email.


SHE DECIDED TO CREATE A FOLLOW-UP POST TO SET A FEW THINGS STRAIGHT ABOUT WHAT
BODY POSITIVITY REALLY MEANS.

In the second post, she took a different approach to the "before and after"
shots we see so often on Instagram. People loved it.



> See on Instagram



In the caption, Elman addresses a couple of things well-meaning people got wrong
about the message she was trying to spread. Some commenters said she looked
"skinnier" in the 2017 photo which, though meant as a compliment, just
reinforces that being skinny is somehow better.

Others said she wasn't fat enough, to which Elman could only scoff.

"If people tell you they are a certain size, believe them," she wrote.


"PEOPLE THINK THAT BODY POSITIVITY IS ABOUT TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT
BIGGER BODIES ARE ATTRACTIVE, EITHER PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY," SHE SAYS.

But that's totally missing the point of what her work is all about.

"If you are still relating your love for your body to society's perception of
beauty," she says, "then you are still reliant on someone else's opinion. Body
positivity is about saying that you are more than a body and your self-worth is
not reliant on your beauty."

Her second post is currently sitting at over 26,500 likes on Instagram — a clear
sign that this is a message many of us desperately needed to hear.

This article originally appeared on 06.08.17






From Your Site Articles
 * Owner of a fitness company posts about self-love. - Upworthy ›
 * Body positivity TikTokker shows why it's hard for obese people to travel -
   Upworthy ›
 * Incredible NASA before-and-after photos - Upworthy ›
 * Nicola Coughlan responds to being called brave at interview - Upworthy ›

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3 ORGANIC RECIPES THAT FEED A FAMILY OF 4 FOR UNDER $7 A SERVING

O ORGANICS IS THE RARE BRAND THAT PROVIDES HIGH-QUALITY FOOD AT AFFORDABLE
PRICES.


Tod Perry
04.25.24

via Becca Tapert/Unsplash

A woman cooking up a nice pot of pasta.

Over the past few years, rising supermarket prices have forced many families to
make compromises on ingredient quality when shopping for meals. A recent study
published by Supermarket News found that 41% of families with children were more
likely to switch to lower-quality groceries to deal with inflation.



By comparison, 29% of people without children have switched to lower-quality
groceries to cope with rising prices.

Despite the current rising costs of groceries, O Organics has enabled families
to consistently enjoy high-quality, organic meals at affordable prices for
nearly two decades. With a focus on great taste and health, O Organics offers an
extensive range of options for budget-conscious consumers.

O Organics launched in 2005 with 150 USDA Certified Organic products but now
offers over 1,500 items, from organic fresh fruits and vegetables to organic
dairy and meats, organic cage-free certified eggs, organic snacks, organic baby
food and more. This gives families the ability to make a broader range of
recipes featuring organic ingredients than ever before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We believe every customer should have access to affordable, organic options
that support healthy lifestyles and diverse shopping preferences,” shared
Jennifer Saenz, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer at Albertsons, one of many
stores where you can find O Organics products. “Over the years, we have made
organic foods more accessible by expanding O Organics to every aisle across our
stores, making it possible for health and budget-conscious families to
incorporate organic food into every meal.”

With some help from our friends at O Organics, Upworthy looked at the vast array
of products available at our local store and created some tasty, affordable and
healthy meals.



Here are 3 meals for a family of 4 that cost $7 and under, per serving. (Note:
prices may vary by location and are calculated before sales tax.)

O Organic’s Tacos and Refried Beans ($6.41 Per Serving)

Few dishes can make a family rush to the dinner table quite like tacos. Here’s a
healthy and affordable way to spice up your family’s Taco Tuesdays.

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 22 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb of O Organics Grass Fed Ground Beef ($7.99)

1 packet O Organics Taco Seasoning ($2.29)

O Organics Mexican-Style Cheese Blend Cheese ($4.79)

O Organics Chunky Salsa ($3.99)



O Organics Taco Shells ($4.29)

1 can of O Organics Refried Beans ($2.29)

Instructions:

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly browned;
remove any excess grease.

2. Add 1 packet of taco seasoning to beef along with water [and cook as
directed].

3. Add taco meat to the shell, top with cheese and salsa as desired.

4. Heat refried beans in a saucepan until cooked through, serve alongside tacos,
top with cheese.

O Organics Mexican-style blend cheese.via O Organics



O Organics Hamburger Stew ($4.53 Per Serving)

Busy parents will love this recipe that allows them to prep in the morning and
then serve a delicious, slow-cooked stew after work.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 7 hours

Total time: 7 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb of O Organics Grass Fed Ground Beef ($7.99)

1 ½ lbs O Organics Gold Potatoes ($4.49)

3 O Organics Carrots ($2.89)

1 tsp onion powder

I can O Organics Tomato Paste ($1.25)



2 cups water

1 yellow onion diced ($1.00)

1 clove garlic ($.50)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano

Instructions:

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly browned;
remove any excess grease.

2. Transfer the cooked beef to a slow cooker with the potatoes, onions, carrots
and garlic.

3. Mix the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning
in a separate bowl.

4. Drizzle the mixed sauce over the ingredients in the slow cooker and mix
thoroughly.



5. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and set it on low for 7 to 8 hours, or
until the potatoes are soft. Dish out into bowls and enjoy!

O Organics baby gold potatoes.via O Organics




O Organics Ground Beef and Pasta Skillet ($4.32 Per Serving)

This one-pan dish is for all Italian lovers who are looking for a saucy, cheesy,
and full-flavored comfort dish that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.



Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Total time: 27 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb of O Organics Grass Fed Ground Beef ($7.99)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 can O Organics Diced Tomatoes ($2.00)

1 can O Organics Tomato Sauce ($2.29)

1 tbsp O Organics Tomato Paste ($1.25)

2 1/4 cups water

2 cups O Organics Rotini Pasta ($3.29)

1 cup O Organics Mozzarella cheese ($4.79)

Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks.

2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder

3. Add tomato paste, sauce and diced tomatoes to the skillet. Stir in water and
bring to a light boil.

4. Add pasta to the skillet, ensuring it is well coated. Cover and cook for
about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Remove the lid, sprinkle with cheese and allow it to cool.

O Organics tomato basil pasta sauce and extra virgin olive oil.via O Organics

From Your Site Articles
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cooking

Joy


GEN X HAS HIT 'THAT STAGE' OF LIFE AND IS NOT HANDLING IT VERY WELL

WE ARE NOT PREPARED FOR SALT-N-PEPA TO REPLACE MICHAEL MCDONALD IN THE WAITING
ROOM AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE, THANKYOUVERYMUCH.


Annie Reneau

Upworthy Staff
06.29.24

The Holderness Family/Facebook

Gen X is eating dinner earlier and earlier. It's happening.












The thing about Gen X being in our 40s and 50s now is that we were never
supposed to get "old." Like, we're the cool, aloof grunge generation of young
tech geniuses. Most of the giants that everyone uses every day—Google, Amazon,
YouTube—came from Gen X. Our generation is both "Friends" and "The Office." We
are, like, relevant, dammit.

And also, our backs hurt, we need reading glasses, our kids are in college and
how in the name of Jennifer Aniston's skincare regimen did we get here?

It's weird to reach the stage when there's no doubt that you aren't young
anymore. Not that Gen X is old—50 is the new 30, you know—but we're definitely
not young. And it seems like every day there's something new that comes along to
shove that fact right in our faces. When did hair start growing out of that
spot? Why do I suddenly hate driving at night? Why is this restaurant so loud?
Does that skin on my arm look…crepey?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



As they so often do, Penn and Kim Holderness from The Holderness Family have
captured the Gen X existential crisis in a video that has us both nodding a long
and laughing out loud. Salt-n-Pepa in the waiting room at the doctor's office?
Uh, no. That's a line we are not ready to cross yet. Nirvana being played on the
Classic Rock station? Nope, not prepared for that, either.

Watch:

Hoo boy, the denial is real, isn't it? We grew up on "Choose Your Own Adventure"
books, for goodness sake, and it's starting to feel like we made a wrong choice
a chapter or two back and suddenly landed our entire generation in a time warp.
This isn't real, is it? Thirty years ago was the 1970s. That's just a Gen X
fact. So what if we've lived long enough for our high school fashions to go out
of style and then back into style and then back out of style again?

Seriously, though, we can either lament our age and stage in life or we can
laugh about it, and people are grateful to the Holdernesses for assisting with
the latter. Gen X fans are also thrilled to see their own experiences being
validated, because at this point, we've all had that moment in the grocery store
or the waiting room when one of our jams came on and we immediately went into a
panic.

"They were playing The Cure in the grocery store and I almost started crying,"
wrote one commenter. "I mean, how 'alternative' can you be if you're being
played in Krogers? You guys are great! Thanks for making us laugh."

"I couldn’t believe it when I heard Bohemian Rhapsody being played in Walmart,"
shared another. "That was edgy in my day."

"I know!!! Bon Jovi at the grocery store!!! That was my clue in!!" added
another.

"Long live Gen Xers! We have to be strong!! We can get through this together!!
#NKOTBmeetsAARP" wrote on commenter.You can find more from the Holderness Family
on their Facebook page, their podcast and their website,
theholdernessfamily.com.




This article originally appeared on 1.28.24





From Your Site Articles
 * 'Top Gun: Maverick' is apparently a total Gen X win and frankly, we deserve
   this ›
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 * Gen Xers reflect on how the Challenger tragedy affected them - Upworthy ›

gen x


P&G
Proctor and Gamble
Joy


NOW'S YOUR CHANCE TO HELP SOMEONE DOING GOOD IN YOUR COMMUNITY WIN $1000 TOWARDS
THE CHARITY OF THEIR CHOICE

UPWORTHY AND P&G ARE BACK WITH THE #ACTSOFGOOD AWARDS.


Heather Wake
04.24.24

Images provided by P&G

Three winners will be selected to receive $1000 donated to the charity of their
choice.

True

Doing good is its own reward, but sometimes recognizing these acts of kindness
helps bring even more good into the world. That’s why we’re excited to partner
with P&G again on the #ActsOfGood Awards.

The #ActsOfGood Awards recognize individuals who actively support their
communities. It could be a rockstar volunteer, an amazing community leader, or
someone who shows up for others in special ways.

Do you know someone in your community doing #ActsOfGood? Nominate them between
April 24th-June 3rdhere.Three winners will receive $1,000 dedicated to the
charity of their choice, plus their story will be highlighted on Upworthy’s
social channels. And yes, it’s totally fine to nominate yourself!

We want to see the good work you’re doing and most of all, we want to help you
make a difference.

While every good deed is meaningful, winners will be selected based on how well
they reflect Upworthy and P&G’s commitment to do #ActsOfGood to help communities
grow.

That means be on the lookout for individuals who:

Strengthen their community

Make a tangible and unique impact

Go above and beyond day-to-day work

The #ActsOfGood Awards are just one part of P&G’s larger mission to help
communities around the world to grow. For generations, P&G has been a force for
growth—making everyday products that people love and trust—while also being a
force for good by giving back to the communities where we live, work, and serve
consumers. This includes serving over 90,000 people affected by emergencies and
disasters through the Tide Loads of Hope mobile laundry program and helping some
of the millions of girls who miss school due to a lack of access to period
products through the Always #EndPeriodPoverty initiative.

Visit upworthy.com/actsofgood and fill out the nomination form for a chance for
you or someone you know to win. It takes less than ten minutes to help someone
make an even bigger impact.

From Your Site Articles
 * 23 years ago he rescued a toddler from a burning building. Now he just met
   the grown man's son. ›
 * Selfless Home Depot employees came together to find a man who lost $700 on
   aisle 22 ›
 * Man returns woman's lost purse to her house and their lovely chat was caught
   on camera ›

best of humanity

Family


DID THIS WOMAN DROP THE GREATEST BREASTFEEDING RESPONSE OF ALL TIME?

ANOTHER WOMAN WAS ATTEMPTING TO PUBLICLY SHAME HER.


Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff
06.30.24

Photo cropped from Facebook page.

Everyone eats sexualized or not.

When it comes to breasts, Americans really have it twisted. We've sexualized
them to such a point we no longer see them for their main purpose: feeding
babies.


This disconnect is so extreme that when women breastfeed their children in
public they are often met with scorn or shame.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Florida mom and anti-circumcision advocate, Ashley Kaidel, isn't having it
anymore.

Not having it.

media1.giphy.com


Kaidel was breastfeeding in an unnamed restaurant when another diner gave her
the stink-eye, just for feeding her child in public. So Kaidel took a photo of
herself staring right back at the shamer and posted it to Facebook. The photo
quickly went viral, receiving over 420,000 likes.

In her post, she explained why she had such a stern look on her face.

"In the picture, it appears I'm staring off into the distance. In reality, I'm
staring into the eyes of a woman staring at me. She is looking at me with
disgust and shaking her head with judgement in an attempt to shame me and
indirectly tell me without words that I am wrong and need to cover myself.”

Kaidel says she breastfeeds in public to reduce the stigma surrounding it.

"I do this for the person that has the mentality 'Boobs are to be covered.
They're for your husbands eyes only. They're intimate. It's a personal/private
thing to feed your baby. Cover up out of respect. My kids don't need to see
that. Walk out of the room' and any other derogatory, close-minded comments and
sentiments alike.”

Then, she cut through all the nonsense surrounding breasts to explain their real
purpose.

"[B]reasts were made to sustain your baby's life before they were made to bring
pleasure to any other man, woman, partner or spouse. Their sole purpose is to
make food and dispense it straight into a baby's mouth. There is nothing weird
about this and there's no difference in me feeding my baby with my breast than
you feeding yourself with a spoon.

Finally, Kaidel had some strong words for the next person who attempts to shame
her for breastfeeding in public.

"No person should be isolated and shunned because they're eating, especially
when you yourself are eating while ridiculing how someone else is eating. Is it
not certainly easier to avert your eyes from a displeasing sight rather than
suggest or demand a mother and child remove themselves from your presence? How
pompous and selfish is this? Just look away. It's simple to do so. No harm done
at all."

via GIPHY

This article originally appeared on 11.24.15




From Your Site Articles
 * Breastfeeding mom fights back after professor 'humiliated' her in ... ›
 * It's Black Breastfeeding Week. Wondering why? One gut-wrenching ... ›
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breastfeeding


Family


WOMAN GOES TO HUGE LENGTHS TO ADOPT HUSBAND'S EX-WIFE'S BABY TO SAVE HIM FROM
FOSTER CARE

SHE HAD LIVED IN FOSTER CARE AND DIDN'T WANT IT FOR THE NEWBORN WITH NO NAME.


Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff
06.28.24

via Christie Werts/TikTok and Christie Werts/TikTok

Christie Werts and her son, Levi












Christie and Wesley Werts have taken the idea of a blended family to the next
level. When the couple fell in love five years ago and married, they brought
together her children, Megan and Vance, and his children, Austin and Dakota.


As of January, the Ohio family has five children after adopting young Levi, 2.
Levi is the son of Wesley’s ex-wife, who passed away four days after the child
was born. The ex-wife had the boy prematurely, at 33 weeks, and died soon after
from drug addiction and complications of COVID-19.

When Levi was born, he was a ward of the state with no first name or birth
certificate.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



“When I heard about Levi, without hesitation, I said we should take him,”
Christie said, according to The Daily Mail, and her reason went far beyond the
fact that the child was the half-brother to two of her recently adopted
children. “I myself was a foster kid and, although for the most part, I had a
great experience, I did not want him going to foster care,” Christie said.

> @cjthemom5
> 
> Replying to @Journey♥️ Yes, they will always know of her and ill be there for
> every emotion good or bad. But im also mom, ive been to every game, every
> doctors appt, sat with them if they needed an ear loved unconditional . I am
> mom also. #adoption #srorytime #siblings #foryou #loveislove

Before the family knew of Levi’s birth, Christie had a recurring dream about a
blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy.

"Before Levi, we had wanted to try to have a child of our own," she told
Newsweek. "I'm in my forties, so we knew that we would probably need fertility
treatment, so I thought let's just think about it and what will be will be."

The problem was that Levi was in Texas, so the family sold their house and moved
to the Lone Star State to go through the arduous adoption process. The situation
was further complicated because Levi’s biological father had parental rights
even though he had substance abuse problems. The family couldn’t move out of
Texas until his rights were legally terminated.

But after a 16-month process, in January 2023, Levi became a legal family
member. Christie understands that adopting her husband’s ex-wife’s baby may seem
unusual to some people. "It's a lot to process for a lot of people, but
honestly, it seems a lot crazier than it was. At the time, it just made sense,"
she said.

> @cjthemom5
> 
> Our adoption is official !!! after 17 months!!! #adoption #son #loveyou
> #ourstory#foryou #fyp

Even though Christie knew in her heart that she must adopt Levi, she wasn’t
without reservations. “'If I said I did not [have concerns beforehand], that
would not be honest,” she told The Daily Mail. “This was different—I was going
to walk into a child I never met and was worried the circumstances would hinder
this instant love. But [...] he stole my heart. I also felt this intense need to
protect him.”

These days, Levi fits right in with the family, and the rest of the kids are
happy to be back to living an everyday life without any caseworkers or
inspections.

“He's great, he is the king of the house! We are all very close. He won't
understand the journey right now, but someday, I will let him know we fought for
him!” Christie said.




This article originally appeared on 8.31.23





From Your Site Articles
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 * Woman films her ex-husband proposing to his girlfriend in refreshingly
   heartwarming TikTok ›
 * If you come from a blended family, these real-life accounts will hit home. ›

adoption

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Pop Culture


BIZARRE OPTICAL ILLUSION HAS PEOPLE EITHER SEEING A CAR DOOR OR THE BEACH

WHAT DO YOU SEE?


Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff
06.30.24

Photos combined from Pixabay.

Car door and the beach.

Ancient sage Obi-Wan Kenobi once remarked, "Your eyes can deceive you, don't
trust them." Well, he's right, kinda.


Our eyes bring in information and it's our brain's job to decipher the image and
determine what we're seeing. But our brains aren't always correct. In fact,
sometimes they can be so wrong we wonder if we are accurately interpreting
reality at all.

After all, our brain can only label things if it knows that they are. If you
lived on a deserted island your whole life and a cow showed up on the beach,
you'd have no idea what to label it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The latest baffling image that's making people across the internet doubt their
senses is a picture tweeted out by Twitter user nayem. "If you can see a beach,
ocean sky, rocks and stars then you are an artist," the comment reads.

But some people who see it also think it looks like a car door. What do you see?

Beach or a rusty door?

via nxyxm / Twitter

If your brain told you the picture is of a lovely evening laying on the beach
then you're definitely an optimist. But, according to the person who posted it,
the photo is of the bottom of a rusted out car door. Not very romantic, is it?

The tweet has since gone viral, earning over 5,000 likes.

via nxym /Twitter

Here's what Twitter users thought about the illusion.

Yum.

via Twitter.

This guy must be hungry.

A clever call back.

via Twitter.

This guy is having flashbacks to 2015.

Knowing the difference through skills.

via Twitter.

Your perception determines your reality.

Drawing skills.

via Twitter.

This guy explains it perfectly.

Boat on the beach.

via Twitter.

This guy has a great imagination.




This article originally appeared on 8.16.21




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comedy


Family


HOW 5 DIABOLICAL PARENTS CALLED THEIR KIDS' BLUFF IN HILARIOUS WAYS

THE NEXT GENERATION IS IN GREAT, IF DIABOLICAL, HANDS.


Upworthy Staff
06.30.24


Photo by Phuong Tran on Unsplash








RECENTLY, BLOGGER JEN HATMAKER HAD A FUNNY CONVERSATION WITH A FRIEND ABOUT
PARENTING:

"My girlfriend told me the greatest story. Apparently her 11-year-old also
wanted to be a grown up this week and, in fact, not only did he treat his
siblings like despised underlings, but when asked what he wanted, he said: 'I
want the authority to be in charge of them and tell them what to do, because
they deserve it!'


Well. My girlfriend and her husband are NOT AT ALL MESSING AROUND with
parenting. Calmly, evenly, they granted his request to be a grown-up for a week
by pulling him out of camp (the underlings still got to go, because they are
'such children') and sending him to work ALL DAY EVERY DAY with his dad. He has
to get up early and shower and make breakfast for everyone. He has to kiss the
underlings before he goes to work and tell them to have a great day and that he
loves them. He has to work on a typing project during his office hours. He only
gets to eat what his dad eats, because eating like a grown-up is not nearly as
fun as eating like a kid.


Want to be an adult? Fine."

Photo via iStock.


HATMAKER'S POST WENT VIRAL, WITH THOUSANDS OF PARENTS CHIMING IN WITH THEIR OWN
STORIES OF TOUGH LOVE, BOTH GIVING AND RECEIVING.

The responses were hilarious, poignant, and a sign that the next generation is
being parented by extremely capable, if not a little bit diabolical, hands.

Here are five of my favorite stories from the comments about
parenting-gone-absolutely-right:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




1. JILL DUFF'S MOM USED AN EMBARRASSING OUTFIT TO TEACH HER SISTER AN IMPORTANT
LESSON:

"My sister was snotty to my Mom. She called her and pretty much demanded, 'Bring
my band uniform to the high school!' She's the one who forgot her uniform in the
first place. Then she told my Mom 'Do not come in the school, that would be so
EMBARRASSING. Just wait for me by my car.'

So my Mom did just that. She stood by my sister's car, in the Texas heat,
WEARING my sister's band uniform. All the kids walking out for the day saw it.

Parenting GOLD."


AND MOM WAS LIKE...


2. JESSICA KLICK GOT HER SONS NEW SHOES ... BUT NOT THE ONES THEY WANTED.

Image via iStock.

"Our 11 and 12 year olds at the time were complaining and whining and being
ungrateful, saying how 'hard their life was.' For boys, the big thing is wearing
those cool Steph Curry shoes and our boys LOVE their Currys!

So after hearing the last complaint my husband went to Walmart to buy white
maypop leather shoes (the kind you see in geriatric centers) and high white
socks. He brought those bad boys home, set them on the boys' dresser, and made
them wear those things everywhere we went. Those devastated boys told us we were
'ruining their lives.'

I may or may not have laughed like a little girl when I dropped them off at
school and watched them do the walk of shame."


3. MARISA RODRIGUEZ BYERS SAYS SHE WISHED HER MOTHER WAS DEAD. AND BOY, DID SHE
REGRET IT.

"I was a wretched, hormonal teenager. At the age of 13 I told my mom, 'I wish
you were dead!' And at that moment, she 'died,' but to me only. (I had younger
sisters).

She completely ignored me, didn't speak at me, didn't look at me, wouldn't cook
for me, set my place at the table, wash my clothes, take me to school, NOTHING.
After 8 days, I broke down in the middle of the night, went to her room,
clutched her tightly while sobbing how sorry I was and how much I loved her and
that I would NEVER say those words again. I'm 41 years old now, I have NEVER
uttered those words or anything remotely like them after that incident."

After tough love, you gotta hug it out.


4. JESSICA HILL GAVE HER DAUGHTER A GOOD SCARE — AND, IN TURN, A NEW
APPRECIATION.

"I was grocery shopping with my three year old when she decided to start
screaming for ice cream. There was no reasoning with her in this hulk-type rage.
I swear she had super human strength as I struggled to get her out of the cart
full of groceries.

I was completely unaware of the two police officers who were witnessing this
wrestling match. She was still hitting, kicking, and screaming when I was
stopped by the police officers in the parking lot. They thought I had abducted
her. This happened long before we had smart phones full of our children's
photos. They tried questioning her but she was still too busy throwing a fit, so
I handed her over. I told them she could ride with them because I really needed
a break and they could follow me home to see her birth certificate, baby book,
etc. They started chuckling as one officer said, 'Spoken like a true mom!' I
think they were more relieved than I was when she finally cried out, 'Mommy?'

The officer handed her back to me while the other went back inside the store to
ensure there wasn't a distraught mother looking for her missing toddler. That
evening my daughter told her dad she almost went to jail because she threw a
fit, and I let her believe it. She didn't throw a fit in public again."


"UHH, MA'AM?"

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.

"I didn't mean to scare her, so after this experience, I wanted to ensure my
daughter had a healthy respect and appreciation for first responders. Today, I'm
happy to say she is highly aware and appreciative of the police, firemen,
paramedics, and military personnel who serve to protect her."


5. ERICA GOODNIGHT TAUGHT HER SON AN INCREDIBLE LESSON THAT HE CARRIES TO THIS
DAY.

Photo by Mike Mozart/Flickr

"My kid was whining over not having anything to play with. So, without a word, I
went to the garage and got a black 50 gallon trash bag and started putting in
all the toys that he obviously didn't even realize were in our home to play
with.

I loaded them AND him into the car and we drove to our local homeless shelter
and gave every. single. toy. in the bag away. To a child who TRULY had nothing.
And you know what? He didn't even cry. His eyes were opened to the ones who have
nothing. He actually enlarged his heart that day. And, we still do it. We still
take toys to kids with nothing at least once a year."

Parent win. Life lesson score.


THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN TEACHING YOUR KIDS A TOUGH LESSON IN A FUNNY WAY AND
ENGAGING IN "HUMILIATION PARENTING."

Making children wear a sign that says, "I sneak boys in at 3 a.m. and disrespect
my parents and grandparents" or otherwise berating them publicly is a good way
to erode trust between the two of you and seriously damage your relationship.

But calling their bluff on a ridiculous demand? Or having a little fun with how
you choose to correct their bad attitude? That's just plain survival.

And that's what parenting is really all about.


YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE HILARIOUS EXCHANGE OVER ON FACEBOOK.

In the meantime, what's your favorite tough-love story?




This article originally appeared on 07.13.16







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