Three-year-old Bradlee Rae Hayes of Bedford, Texas, is speaking up for ladies worldwide in a hilarious viral video. And, ironically, it has to do with keeping a lid on it — the toilet seat, that is.
In the video, posted to YouTube on September 6, the baffled toddler scolds her father Jeramiah, saying: “How many times do I have to tell you when you put the seat up and I tell you to put it down for me? Why do you keep doing that?”
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It’s an age-old debate (okay, sometimes a downright argument) that has been fueling the battle of the sexes for generations. I mean, it’s easy to put the lid down, right? All men have to do is go to the bathroom, do their business, and then leave the seat the way they found it. The last time we checked, it requires equal effort to lift the seat up than it does to put it down.
And yet, whenever the topic is brought up, every man living in shared households across America expresses the very same sentiment little Hayes’ father does: “Well, I mean, you just got to put it down.”
Right …
Seriously guys, you’re really missing the point on this one. We don’t want to do your dirty work. And, assuming we haven’t just fallen into the toilet at this stage (read: sitting down without checking first), we shouldn’t have to.
Even at 3-years-old, Hayes gets it. And she will not let it fly.
“Listen to me, when you’re done with the potty … you got to put [the seat] down for the girls,” she tells her dad.
You tell him, girl!
So ladies, the next time you enter your bathroom only to be met with a toilet seat that’s been left up by a man in your life, don’t just let it go (or put it down) without a fight. Let’s take a page from this preschooler’s rule book on proper bathroom etiquette and flush out the issue, once and for all.
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I really don’t know where — or how — to begin. I suppose the best place to start this letter is with these three words: I’m so sorry.
Make no mistake: I’m not sorry for my depression. Like any other illness or disease, it’s beyond my control. But I am sorry for how it hurts you.
I am sorry for how it has affected us.
You see, on “bad days,” depression makes me mopey and foggy headed. On those days, my body feels heavy and my mind is either completely overwhelmed or entirely empty. Thinking hurts, moving hurts, and just “being” hurts.
That’s when I turn inward. I pull back and I push away. I curl up on the couch as you are left to play all alone. Of course, you ask for me. Your eyes will lock with mine and you will ask me to be your prince, or your princess. You will want me to play “monster” or “bad guy” with you. Sometimes, you just want me to be your mommy.
“Not now, honey. Not today. Mommy doesn’t feel good,” I say. “Do you understand? Is that okay?”
You then nod and mumble “okay,” but the pain is written across your face. Your sadness is magnified by your silence, and it reverberates long after your little voice fades. I’ve upset you. You are hurt. Once again, I’ve let you down.
Image Source: Kim Zapata
I’m sorry for my temper; my angry fits of screaming, yelling, and shouting. And I’m sorry for my tears; the bawling and crying. The truth is, I “break” a lot. There is usually no reason for it. It’s often misplaced and misguided. Lord knows that a glass of spilled milk shouldn’t enrage me, upset me, and then reduce me to tears. But it can, and it does.
I’m sorry for the fun we’ve failed to have. There are so many steps I haven’t danced with you, songs I haven’t sung to you, and stories I haven’t shared. There have been too many midday naps taken, lunches that were never served, and memories that weren’t made.
I’m sorry you feel responsible for my happiness. I’ve tried, and will continue to try, to explain that you are not the cause of my pain. But I know that you are empathetic, and naturally want to to help others. You want to fix others, and you want to fix me.
I’m sorry for often being snappy and sullen, and then angry and aloof. For being both clingy and distant, and annoyed while apathetic.
I’m sorry if I’ve ever made you feel unwelcome, unwanted, or unloved. That has never been my intention. In fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Even when I seem absent, when I am sick and struggling, I am happy just to be with you. I am happy to have you beside me.
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Depression is complicated disease. It is a confusing disease. And while I am trying to work through it, and want nothing more than to overcome it, sometimes it will win. Sadness will win, and I will be left flailing and failing. I will be left feeling as though I’m drowning.
But, please remember, my moods are not your fault. My thoughts are not your fault. My illness is not your fault. Even when I seem absent, when I am sick and struggling, I am happy just to be with you. I am happy to have you beside me. I have never loved anyone more than I love you. You are my life, and my world.
I know that that when I am crying, shaking, and yelling this is hard to believe, but it’s true. You are the reason I try. You need and deserve a better mom. You deserve the world.
But for now, I just want to say that I’m sorry. I love you, and I’m sorry.
Many children are afraid of the dark or monsters under the bed. But for one little boy, what keeps him up at night is something much scarier.
That’s because 10-year-old Drake Medinger AKA “Stinky Joe” is fighting the battle of his life as he undergoes chemotherapy for Leukemia after being diagnosed in 2012.
Along with a photo originally posted on his Facebook page on February 15 and then shared on Love What Matters, his mom details just how devastating this battle has been on their whole family — and the real, heartbreaking reason why they can’t sleep at night.
Drake is seen standing over a toilet wearing only Pull-Ups. He is clearly in excruciating pain, having just been carried into the bathroom because he is too weak to get out of bed. It is a portrait of childhood cancer — the brutal reality of what this illness does to millions of people around the world every day.
His mother shared it with a powerful message and a disclaimer to everyone who may judge her for broadcasting such a revealing moment: “Life is not always f*cking politically correct and pretty, it is real … Life isn’t pretty, and cancer f*cking destroys a person.”
She continues, explaining the circumstances surrounding the photo and why it was so important for her to spread awareness of the disease.
That morning, Drake had been carried to that bathroom, having been too weak to get out of bed on his own. He is wearing Pull-Ups because “75% of the time he can’t control his bathroom habits.” His once healthy frame is now just skin and bones, as every day is a battle to get him to eat — even just one green bean and a cup of water.
And then there’s the fear, the all-consuming terror that he may not wake the next day.
“This is having your son sleep with you at night because he is afraid of something happening and being alone, and by something I mean dying. This is having middle of the night conversations with a ten year old, asking if he dies will he go to heaven and will he see his dad there and be able to talk and play with him.”
This is what childhood cancer looks like. This is a tiny insight into what it feels like for children like Drake and __parents like his mother.
Since it was shared by Love What matters on February 20, the post has garnered over 300k likes. Cancer affects the lives of millions every day. So for this mother to share what it’s like to walk a day in her footsteps, watching her little boy suffer in his brave fight to survive, pulled at heartstrings worldwide.
“I’m sitting here at work,” writes one Facebook commenter, “Tears just rolling down my face. There is nothing in this world I could say that would even express how much my heart goes out to your family and families like yours.”
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“Your little man is EXACTLY the reason I am running the London marathon,” says another, “… in the the hope it will help to find a cure and further research into childhood cancer.”
And Drake and his mother are not about to give up yet, either.
“This is him, Drake, Stinky Joe, my whole world,” writes his mother. “He is my smile, my love, my heartbeat. He is also my tears, my heart ache, my frowns. He is my life.”
Love What Matters has since set up a special mailbox to collect cards and messages for Drake. You can also personally help contribute to Drake and his family’s fight against cancer here.
When I was a kid, I wanted to adopt all the stray cats in my neighborhood after watching 101 Dalmatians. My imagination was big and my ambition even bigger — the only thing that stopped me were my parents. Fast-forward 30-ish years and I find myself brushing off similarly lofty ideas that my kids come up with on the daily. So when I heard about a 7-year-old boy in Texas who collected 12,000 pounds of food in two weeks to donate to a local pantry, my heart swelled. I was honestly blown away.
Kaden Newton of Rockwall, Texas may only be in 1st grade, but he is also the proud founder of Mac & Cheese & Pancakes, a small but mighty organization that seeks to fill a local pantry with kid-friendly food. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Kaden’s mom, Diana shared:
“Kaden has a wonderful heart. He came to me at 4 years old, while still in preschool, and mentioned that he wanted to start a ‘company’ to feed the poor … So, we appeased his request by pulling some food out of our own kitchen and taking him down to the local food pantry to donate it.”
Image Source: Mac and Cheese Pancakes
After that first donation, Kaden’s enthusiasm for helping the less fortunate only grew, and for three years he insisted on donating more and more food until he came up Mac & Cheese and Pancakes 2016. The outfit may be small, but Kaden and his family are passionate and have already attracted quite a bit of attention for their efforts.
After having a tour of the pantry and spending time donating more food, Kaden noticed that there were young kids just like himself who received the donations, but no kid-friendly foods available.
So he set out to change that — and who better to help identify what kids like to eat than a kid?
Image Source: Mac and Cheese Pancakes
With items being donated at an impressive clip, kids who receive food from the pantry can enjoy regular kid cuisines, such as macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, alphabet shaped pasta, cereal bars, and even pancake mix.
The most beautiful part of this story, though, is that a little kid is proving to the world that you don’t need much more than a little bit of passion and a great idea to help your community. If this 1st-grader with a giant heart from a little town in Texas can help change the world, just imagine what you and your kids can do.
Image source: Mac and Cheese Pancakes
Chatting with Babble, Kaden’s mom shares that as of today, the 7-year-old has received over 11,500 items — or roughly 13,758 pounds of food. What an inspiring kid!
If you want to help Kaden fulfill his wish to fully stock the Mac & Cheese and Pancakes pantry, you can view his wish list and donate directly from Amazon.
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“A Thank You to the Babysitters, from a Mom Who Couldn’t Survive Without You” originally appeared on Laura Harris Writes under the title, “To the Babysitters: You’ve Helped Me More Than You Know,” and was reprinted here with permission.
Image Source: Thinkstock
My two kids are at the babysitter’s today. They’re running around in the watchful and loving care of my friend, Seyly, while I sit in a cafe and type on my laptop, listening to movie soundtracks in my earbuds. This is my one full day outside of the home to work as a freelance writer. My one day to chase my dream.
The rest of the week, I chase my other two little dreams. One has my laugh; the other has his daddy’s. For a long time, I felt guilty about doing something like this for myself. Then, I realized, it really does take a village. You, the babysitters, helped me overcome some pretty difficult stuff, and it’s time I shared my thanks with you.
Soon, I’ll pull into my friend’s driveway, and feel a flutter of excitement at the thought of seeing my children. I’ll open the door and find them both, safe and sound, racing around the house. It’s possible that they’ll react to my entrance by running away and sobbing, but I’ve come to take that as a good sign. They had a good time.
There’s no telling what kind of day my friend had, however. No telling how many bodily excretions she had to smell or wipe up. No telling how much food my kids spilled on her table or floor. I’ve been that sitter, as many of us have, and I just want to say,”Thanks.”
To all the sitters: You’re awesome and you probably don’t get paid enough. Some of you even choose not to get paid at all. You love our kids and keep ’em safe while we, the parents, try to remember the basic functions of adulthood sans babies.
Warriors. The lot of you.
You may think you’re just spreading some peanut butter and jelly on a few slices of bread, or breaking up some cases of sibling rivalry, but you re doing something far greater. You’re giving us, moms, the opportunity to enjoy some time off. It’s kind of a big deal.
I come from a corporate background, punching in at 8:00 AM and out at 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Lunch breaks were an hour long, and I had every weekend and holiday off.
As a stay-at-home mom, my lunch breaks have basically vanished. Weekends and holidays are now my busiest times. I’m on call every night, and am also the primary janitor, in-house chef, chaperone, nurse, and scraped-knee kisser of the house.
And I love it. I would never trade my time at home with the kids to be in a stuffy office.
But, sometimes, I need to recharge. That’s why corporations establish regulations. Truck drivers cannot drive longer than a set number of hours without endangering their safety. We’ve all watched Cars. We know what happens.
Moms don’t have that same built-in regulation, so they have to set those boundaries themselves. Except, we suck at it. We’re fantastic at putting ourselves last, and feeling guilty about any other alternative.
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Here’s just one example. When my kids were two-years-old and one-year-old, they conspired against me. They stopped sleeping. My beautiful babies just stopped sleeping. Sure, my one-year-old would nap in the afternoons, but big sis wasn’t having it at all. She dropped her nap like Kehlani drops a mic.
Both kids took turns waking my husband and I up multiple times each night, whether it was from teething or wanting breakfast at 4:00 AM or just simply crying in our doorway.
Meanwhile, I’d begun my first efforts of freelance writing from home. Sleep deprivation turned my brain into a candle that someone had accidentally left to burn overnight. What was once a cylinder with swirls of intricate, wax designs had become one big blackened lump.
My friend, Nirup, who’s very smart, came up with this powerful breakdown of what happened to me (and what happens to so many other parents): I’d expected the kids to sleep more (or at all). Therefore, my unmet expectations led to disappointment. Disappointment led to discouragement. Discouragement was knocking on the door of depression. I was starting to believe the lie that things would never change. That I should shut my laptop, and toss my writing career in the trash.
Even still, I felt guilty asking for help. I kept thinking, there’s always someone who has it worse than me. What do I have to complain about? After all, I signed up for this, I’d tell myself. I need to be able to handle my own life without help.
Well, guess how well that worked out? So yeah, I got to a breaking point. One day, with weariness in my heart, I finally asked for help. And it turned out to be the best thing I could have done.
I finally addressed by struggle and shattered the glass of silent suffering that I had encased around myself. Turns out, glass is easier to break than you think. My tool of choice was a message I wrote to my husband. That message later became a published article. I’ve now met, and heard, from literally hundreds of moms who have read my story and experienced this same struggle.
In those early days, climbing back towards the light — just those few hours of recharge without feeling any guilt — meant the world to me.
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The second layer of glass was shattered the day I asked for a sitter. In the past, when the kids were with the sitter, I would guiltily load up my schedule with running errands, cleaning the house, and doing “stuff.” Because of this, I never felt recharged when I picked them up. The morning after I broke the silence with my husband, I picked up the phone and asked my mom if she could emergency babysit the kids for the afternoon. She had an opening in her schedule, and a ray of sun peaked through the clouds. I wrote. And then I woke up two hours later.
In those early days, climbing back towards the light — just those few hours of recharge without feeling any guilt — meant the world to me. In fact, once I gave myself permission for one guilt-free morning to myself each week, other changes happened. I soon embraced my daughter’s new afternoon routine by teaching her all about quiet time. We also enjoyed tea parties and coloring together; we even snuggled together on the couch while baby brother napped. Afternoons transformed into a sweet time for the two of us rather than a window of time that I would loathe each day.
I was also able to recognize how few hours my husband was home to help me out or be with the kids. Since he worked such long hours and we lived far from town, he missed nearly every meal and a fair share of good night hugs and kisses. After that conversation, we actively began looking for a house closer to his work and discussed restructuring our weekly commitments to allow more time for family. Translation: I asked for more help with the kids and around the house.
To my fantastic sitters, I close with this: I’m a better mom because of you. Clearly, this thank you is long overdue. You watch the kids, clean up their puke, deal with their attitudes, feed them half your pantry, and change their diapers. Your generosity and love are so appreciated. I’ve become a more positive and balanced person because of your days of baking with them, your play dates together, and those golf cart rides around the yard (yes, dad, I’m looking at you). I’ve been able to launch a part-time writing business, and can now even take turns watching other moms’ little ones from time to time. And that’s truly a win-win for all of us.
If you think what you do is small, just know — from my heart — it’s not. So, thank you.
When Keri Young and her husband, Royce, of New Orleans were told that their baby did not have a brain at their 19-week ultrasound, they broke down in sobs.
And yet, through her tears, Keri’s thoughts moved beyond the heartbreak for her daughter, whom they would later choose to name Eva, and on to how she could honor her baby’s life.
In a devastating and remarkably beautiful post on Facebook, Royce detailed what happened next.
” … literally 30 seconds after our doctor told us our baby doesn’t have a brain, somehow through full body ugly crying, Keri looked up and asked, ‘If I carry her full term, can we donate her organs?’ I remember our doctor putting her hand on Keri’s shoulder and saying, ‘Oh honey, that’s so brave of you to say.’ Like, how nice of you, but come on.”
But knowing the type of woman his wife is, Royce was immediately able to see, and as the doctor would come to realize as well, that Keri meant it. She was 100 percent serious, determined to face the burden of carrying a baby she knew would die, so that another family might have a chance to have their child live.
Standing there at one of the worst moments of his life, Royce also stood witness to the mother of his child’s incredible selflessness.
“I was a spectator to my own life, watching a superhero find her superpowers,” he wrote. “In literally the worst moment of her life, finding out her baby was going to die, it took her less than a minute to think of someone else and how her selflessness could help. It’s one of the most powerful things I’ve ever experienced.”
Royce, a writer for ESPN, penned the long and heartfelt tribute to his wife of eight years to share not only the selfless gift that Keri is offering other families, but to also raise awareness about the plight of families like theirs — and the desperate need for more organ donors.
He shared how going through this journey has opened their family’s eyes to the many incredible children and families on waiting lists for transplants, like an “awesome kid named Jarrius” who needs a liver transplant.
Both Keri and Royce, who are also __parents to a 2-year-old son named Harrison, have been open about their journey with Eva since receiving her diagnosis.
Continuously posting public updates on her Facebook page, Keri now says that their primary motivation for carrying to term is their belief that “this is life” and “everyone deserves it” no matter how brief, but it was the thought of organ donation that gave them something to hold onto in the shock of the early days.
Even before her baby’s ultrasound, Keri had described the emotional process she was going through, detailing how she had become familiar with the issue of how some women are faced with the decision to terminate when faced with a terminal diagnosis.
And although her husband paints a strong and unwavering portrait of his wife’s selfless spirit, Keri admits that to her, the decision to carry to term did not come easily.
She wanted nothing more than to not be in this situation, to not be faced with strangers asking her about her belly, to not have to navigate the difficult emotions their family and friends would have, to not have to think about letting her baby live to so quickly die.
In a similar manner, Royce also shared his struggle to come to terms with the reality of the situation.
“I would definitely change this if I could,” he wrote. “I want my daughter to be perfect. I want her to blow out her candles on her first birthday. I want to watch her bang her head on our coffee table trying to learn to walk. I want her to run up a cell phone bill texting boys. I want to walk her down an aisle. I want to change it all so, so badly. But I can’t. This is our reality. And there’s no stopping it … “
But in the end, Keri says she knew what she had to do. “Eva will have life even though it will be short,” she wrote. “She’ll donate anything she can and do more in her time on earth than I ever will.”
After meeting with a specialist, the couple learned that Eva’s heart valves, along with her kidneys, liver, and possibly pancreas, are eligible for donation and that her lungs can be donated for research.
Despite making a decision that was best for them, Keri and Royce have a long road ahead of them, and they confess that they still have a lot of fear for what will come.
“Will people look at us differently? Will people judge us for what we’ve decided? Will people think we’re doing a brave and courageous thing even though we feel like we’re 2 inches tall? We are now the ‘thoughts and prayers’ people,” Keri posted on Facebook.
Keri says she is not hoping for a miracle and has accepted the reality of her pregnancy. She will endure the hardships of pregnancy, enter a hospital, and meet the daughter who will die in at most, a few days. But the thought that her daughter could be the answer to another family’s prayer is keeping her going through the hard days.
Royce, in turn, is drawing strength from his wife as he prepares to say goodbye to his little girl.
“I’m looking at Keri right now, and I don’t even have to ask. She’s TOUGH. She’s BRAVE. She’s incredible. She’s remarkable. She’s cut from a different cloth, combining wit, beauty, courage, silliness, character and integrity into one spectacular woman. And somehow, she’s my wife. Not that I needed some awful situation like this to actually see all of that, but what it did was make me want to tell everyone else about it.”
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You might know Jillian Harris from her stint as the star of ABC’s The Bachelorette. More recently, she’s been hosting Love It or List It Vancouver (and killing it). She’s the epitome of style, humor, and authenticity — like when she posted the raw postpartum photo of herself in mesh underwear. I mean, that’s the kind of stuff I, as a mother, live for.
I love hearing moms in the media be real about motherhood (who doesn’t?). So when Harris opened up in an Us Weekly interview about the guilt she felt after she stopped breastfeeding her 6-month-old son, Leo, it really struck a chord.
Someone is learning to sit, someone else is learning to chill…. #sundays
A post shared by Jillian Harris (@jillian.harris) on
“When I was, like, two months postpartum, I was blogging about milk supply, and I was so proud that I had that much milk,” Harris told Us Weekly. I remember feeling the exact same way.
My daughter was about 3 months old and I was basically the Trevi Fountain of milk supply. Every time I’d pump a full bottle I would get this feeling of, “Yes! Look at me. I did it! I’m a milk machine.” For me, producing a lot of milk somehow equated to being a good mom. And then, life happened. When my daughter was 5 months old, I came down with the flu and my milk supply sputtered and died. I was heartbroken. What was I doing wrong? I did all of the things. I took the pills and had a pumping schedule. I drank the tea, ate the right foods, I said my prayers, etc. None of it worked and I had to start supplementing with formula. Harris shared a similar experience with Us Weekly,saying:
“We were doing lots of traveling, and I had anxiety about the amount [of milk] I was producing … I was beating myself up over the fact that I should be trying harder, I should be taking more of my lactation pills, I should be drinking more water.”
So the question has to be asked, where does this guilt come from? Why, for some of us, does milk supply equal great parenting? For me, part of it was just mom guilt and emotion. It was a given that I would breastfeed my baby, and when I couldn’t anymore, it rocked my perception of how I would take care of her. Another factor was the judgmental looks I’d receive when friends or even random strangers would excitedly ask the question, “Are you breastfeeding?” When I would share my story of how I got the flu and my milk dried up, it would be met with a dozen suggestions on how to get it back (like I hadn’t tried them all!), or a wordless glance that said I just obviously wasn’t trying hard enough. And of course the bazillion articles and forums about the benefits of breast milk and the supposed horrors of formula didn’t help, either.
The result? More stress. And Harris can relate, too. She noted, “I was always stressed, and I was always saying to [my fiancé], Justin, ‘I have to pump, I have to pump. Nothing is coming out! I’ve got to go! Now I’m late! Now the baby is crying!’” At her fiancé’s suggestion, for both her stress level and baby Leo’s health, they ended up switching to formula. Harris stated that it ultimately made life easier for their family, but that she still feels guilty about her choice. “I still struggle with it,” she said. So did I. For a long time, actually.
But at the end of the day I realized it didn’t matter where the milk was coming from. She was getting fed. I was taking care of her, even if the milk wasn’t coming from my body like I wanted it to.
If a mother is unable to produce any breast milk or for another reason chooses not to breast feed at all, that’s her prerogative. It’s not our right to judge another mother for her choices. Parenting is hard enough, there’s simply no reason to add a heaping supply of guilt, whether it’s self-induced or from others.
We do our best and rest in the fact that we’re taking care of our children in the best possible way we know how, while also taking care of ourselves. So if you have any guilt over milk supply or lack thereof, throw it out the window because you just don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!
h/t: US Weekly
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Kindergartners Deliver Keep a Baby Warm Boxes to Newborns in Need originally appeared on ABC News, and was reprinted with permission.
Image source: Joe Driscoll/Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center
A kindergarten teacher and her class are helping mothers who may struggle to afford necessities for their newborns.
Teacher Gretchen Hertler McInvale leads her students at Spencer Elementary School in Middletown, Connecticut, in assembling boxes of donated necessities for babies and taking them to nearby Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford.
“It starts even with the littlest ones knowing that they can help someone else and they love it,” McInvale told ABC News. “When it’s snowing or rainy the first thing they think of is, ‘A baby gets to go home warm today.’ I just don’t think character could wait to be taught until you’re older. It needs to be taught in the youngest of ages — to be a good person and to give back.”
McInvale gave birth to all three of her children at Saint Francis. She was inspired to start her “Keep a Baby Warm” project after having her daughter, Courtney, at the hospital.
“When I was having my first daughter, the woman next to me, we were in the recovery room and I heard her ask the nurse if she had anything to bring her baby home in,” McInvale recalled. “I felt so bad because I just had this beautiful baby shower and she had nothing new.”
McInvale began gathering baby items to infants born to financially-struggling parents. The project started small with her daughters helping with donations.
Soon, the teacher got her kindergarten students involved. Items are donated by the students’ families, school staff and community members.
Image source: Gretchen Hertler McInvale
This Valentine’s Day, McInvale and her 21 students delivered 30 boxes filled with blankets, onesies, knitted hats, socks, rattles and pacifiers.
The children were even introduced to a newborn through a hospital nursery window during their visit.
“Gretchen McInvale has been doing this for 29 years, and our staff really looks forward to the visit from the children,” said Fiona Phelan, Saint Francis’ media relations manager. “They bring lovely gifts for the newborns, many of which don’t have warm clothes or blankets waiting for them at home. The children are thrilled to be able to be a ‘big’ person and see what it was like to be a baby.”
McInvale is also an author of a book, “Between the Darkness and the Light.” All proceeds from its sales go to the Keep a Baby Warm initiative, McInvale said.
She hopes that one day her daughters will carry on the project for years to come, McInvale said.
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If you’re a parent with a Twitter account, chances are you tweet about your kids — and often. Some of the things we’ve seen (the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly) are just begging to be shared, and who the time for more than 140 characters, anyway? Not us. So here you go — the funniest tweets from __parents on Twitter this week. #YoureWelcome
1. Wishing them all the best.
I love my kids, so it's really too bad that one of them ate my last Cadbury Egg and now has to find a new home.
— Stella G. Maddox (@StellaGMaddox) February 22, 2017
2. At least you speak the same language.
My toddler asking me for help is like when I ask my husband for help but I really just want him to do it.
— Jennifer S. White (@yenniwhite) February 23, 2017
3. The dinnertime struggle is real.
Dinner & a show at my house is 4 singing "It's a Hard Knock Life" because she hates what I've prepared.
— Stacey Sordahl (@DrunkAtThePTA) February 21, 2017
4. Parenthood is definitely not for the weak …
Reasons my 5 year old is mad at me:
I said she couldn’t sleep with rocks and a dental mirror.
— Court (@Discourt) February 24, 2017
5. My, how things have changed.
Before kids: Oh gross, poop, disgusting, can't even look at it! After kids: Yes! None of it got in my mouth that time!#parenthood
— Son Tran (@Soncomedy) February 21, 2017
6. That’s what really counts.
I may not know about parenting, but I know which Instagram filter makes each of my kids look their best.
— Dragging Feeties (@DraggingFeeties) February 24, 2017
7. It’s an acquired skill.
Parenting is really just about not dropping your kid while scrolling your phone.
— Sean Lowe (@SeanLowe09) February 24, 2017
8. So many mind games.
What's it like raising a 3 year old?
Imagine a dinner guest who won't eat anything except the outside of peanuts just to screw with you.
— dadpression (@Dadpression) February 21, 2017
9. Honestly, this kid’s on to something.
4-year-old: I don't want kids. Just dogs.
Me: Why?
4: So I don't have to share my chocolate.
— James Breakwell (@XplodingUnicorn) February 24, 2017
10. Is that how non-parents live?
I wonder what it's like to live in a house that's not one giant junk drawer.
— OneFunnyMummy (@OneFunnyMummy) February 16, 2017
11. Gotcha!
"Goodnight, sweetie," I whispered to my sleeping children, "I put avocado in the pesto and you didn't even notice. Sleep well."
— Jan Moyer (@moyermama) February 24, 2017
12. The real reason we want our kids to go to bed early.
There is nothing in this life that I need more than for my kids to go to sleep so I can eat ice cream for dinner.
— Cray at Home Ma (@cray_at_home_ma) February 23, 2017
13. It’s always a toss-up.
Those moments when it's hard to tell if an intensely staring two-year-old is smitten with you…or filling their pants.
— Kate Hall (@KateWhineHall) February 21, 2017
14. Clearly, we’re all living the dream now …
"When I grow up, I'm going to spend all day playing with a phone." –Me as a kid
— Housewife of Hell (@HousewifeOfHell) February 18, 2017
15. Kids literally do say the darndest things.
7: dad, you remind me of Dumbledore. Me: thanks! 7: but without magic obviously. Or strength. Me: how then? 7: well, you're both old.
— Mike Reynolds (@EverydayGirlDad) February 24, 2017
A few weeks ago, Chelsea Pryce was dealing with something many of us are unfortunately faced with this time of year — a sick kid. The Canadian mom, who is also a doula, is tandem breastfeeding her two children, 2-year-old Osiris, and 3-month-old Hendrix. Osiris was sick, but Hendrix wasn’t, so the mom decided to keep Osiris on one breast and Hendrix on the other so that the two children wouldn’t share germs.
Later that day, when Pryce went to pump, she claims that something quite striking had happened to the appearance of her breastmilk. The milk from the breast that Osiris (her sick child) had been nursing from was noticeably yellow, while the milk from the breast her baby had nursed from was white.
The photo, which Pryce posted on her Facebook page February 2, has now gone viral, with 38K likes and 28K shares to date. Many Facebook users are taking the photo as a testament to the amazing power of breast milk, and how it changes when kids are sick by providing the necessary antibodies and anti-viral agents for their speedy recovery.
As the mom notes in her Facebook post, “each breast produced perfectly tailored milk for each kid.” She then goes on to exclaim what many of us think when we see a photo like hers: “Our bodies are amazing.”
Hell yeah they are. Mom’s bodies are truly amazing, aren’t they?
It is actually well-known that breast milk responds to illness by changing its composition. The popular, evidence-based breastfeeding website Kelly Mom explains how this amazing process works with fascinating detail:
“When you have a contagious illness such as a cold, flu, or other mild virus, your baby was exposed to the illness before you even knew you were sick. Your milk will not transmit your illness to baby, but it does have antibodies in it that are specific to your illness (plus anything else you or baby have been exposed to) — they’ll help prevent baby from getting sick, or if he does get sick, he’ll probably not be as sick as you.”
Pretty astonishing, huh?
The immune response that Kelly Mom describes happens when the mother herself is exposed to a virus — producing her own antibodies to it, and then transmitting them to her baby via breast milk. What isn’t so well-known, though, is if there’s a way that a baby or child could directly tell the breast that he or she is sick, and thereby cause one breast in particular to change composition, as Pryce seems to have witnessed.
There’s a fascinating theory out there that a baby’s saliva might somehow enter the breast and communicate with the mom’s body to fight infection if a baby is sick. But according to Science News, this is still a hypothesis, not clinically proven as of yet.
The closest bit of research that seems to explain Pryce’s experience is a 2013 study published in Clinical & Translational Immunology, that states that both maternal and infant factors cause breast milk to stimulate an immunological response to illness. The study says specifically that illnesses in moms and babies cause a huge spike in the number of leukocyte cells (94 percent out of the total cells in breast milk!). After an illness, the leukocyte concentration goes back to normal levels, according to the study.
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The study also explains that colostrum, the yellow-colored milk that babies receive at birth (known to be high in immune factors) is also incredibly high in leukocytes, but that at 1-2 week postpartum, the level decreases.
All of this is say that something like this might be the reason that the milk that Pryce pumped when her son was sick looked so different from her baby’s milk. That pumped milk sure looks a lot like colostrum, and it does give reason to wonder if the yellow color of the breast milk is a sign that it somehow converted to a colostrum-like substance in reaction to the child’s illness.
Of course, the mechanism of how it happened doesn’t really matter: If the story unfolded as Pryce outlined, it truly is further proof of the incredible powers of breast milk. And perhaps in a few years, the reasons behind something like this will be further uncovered. (After all, scientists have only touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the miracles of breast milk.)
Either way, this photo, and the way that it has caught on should be an inspiration to all of you breastfeeding and pumping moms out there. All that you are doing really does pay off. So major kudos to you all!
Hey Smarty, it’s time to party! Let’s celebrate the 100th day of school.
That was on a Friday. Two weeks ago. Suddenly it’s Tuesday night, and we’re frantically searching for those last-minute, easy-to-make crafts sporting that celebratory 100.
This week, my three-year-old son Noah — like so many other kids around the country — celebrated his first 100 Days of School dressed like a 100-year-old man. And, while the photos were off-the-charts adorable and gained many a Facebook like, the road was paved with more than a few bumps …
Here are the behind-the-scenes thoughts that went racing through my mind:
[En route to the fridge to grab some water before bed] Oh, there’s that adorable “100 Days” flyer. I can’t wait to …
Holy crap, it’s TOMORROW?!
[Runs to phone] p-i-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-.-c-o-m
Perfect, I’ll do this one. A flower pot filled with 100 Dum-Dums. Easy, peasy.
Wait, Noah has 100 Dum-Dums. Then he eats 100 Dum-Dums. What does Noah have now? Cavities. Noah has 100 cavities. Oy, scratch that.
OK, this one. There’s 100 goldfish glued to a paper fishbowl, that’s then glued to construction paper. I’ll take a bellyache over a toothache any day.
Ugh, but we don’t have construction paper. And glue!! So, just the essentials are missing. Well, I’m not running out to the store at this hour. There has to be something else.
[Scrolls through more ideas] No. Nope. Not going to happen.
Got it! He’ll dress like he’s 100.
[Runs to son’s closet] Come on, where are your old fogey sweaters with the elbow patches? How could this be? Our laundry piles are sky-high, and I can’t find … OH!
[Runs to laundry room] OK, this dirty turtleneck looks promising. Nothing says I’m old, cold, weary (and, OK, maybe a little smelly) like a turtleneck.
And those jeans with suspenders that I had bought him for school picture day will go great with this.
But what else? [begins to feel really committed to this mission]
[thinks hard]
“Hey, honey. Do you remember that birthday party we went to last spring where they gave everybody those eyebrows with the glasses as party favors? Do you remember where I put them?”
“… HONEY?”
[Remembers that husband hates that I never throw anything out. Makes mental note to rub this in his face later.]
[Rips through entire house] It has to be somewhere.
[Pulls hair out]
[Has small recollection of putting said party favor in a box labeled ‘PARTY STUFF’ and sticking it in the deep recesses of our hall closet.]
[Runs to hall closet] Happily exclaims, “Honey, I don’t want to say ‘I told you so,’ but … “
Oh wow, what is this coat and hat hanging in the closet? Oh, it’s size 5. Oh, it’s just what we could use!
[Does happy dance]
[Does another happy dance]
Checks to see if there is flour to turn those eyebrows white. Nope, but there’s pancake mix. That will do.
Wow, I somehow pulled this off.
You see, we all get there. One way or another. And once we’ve got 100 Days in the rearview, we realize that it’s not just a milestone for them. It’s a milestone for us, too.
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I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that walking my son down the hallway to his PreK3 class those first few days of school felt a bit like we were walking the plank. Up ahead, you could only hear the shrill sounds of children wailing. Some were just outside the door, hanging onto the legs of __parents who were trying to escape. The children who were sitting at their tables already were just silently sobbing to themselves.
Every day, Noah would look up at me with his big green eyes and plead, “Don’t go.” I’ll admit, I was scared too. Scared of the room, the children’s despair, the idea of leaving him all alone to fend for himself, and the realization that this would be our first of many goodbyes together. But I would catch eyes with a fellow parent and we would go. It will get better, we told ourselves.
And it did.
Every week the children would cry less. They’d hide behind us less. They’d start to show up with brave faces and, eventually, even started to smile.
You see, acknowledging how far they’ve come — how far we’ve all come — is really what 100 Days of School is all about. So while we may freak out about putting together that perfect outfit or school project, let’s be sure to give ourselves a pat on the back (and maybe a celebratory glass of wine or three) when it’s all over.
The Internet is in an uproar over a video of NFL player Jameis Winston telling a classroom of elementary school kids that girls need to “sit down” and “be silent.” Boys on the other hand? They were told to stand up and shout their pride that they can be anything they want if they put their mind to it.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was a special guest at Melrose Elementary School in St. Petersburg, Florida earlier this week, where he delivered a 40-minute long speech meant to empower the kids from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. According to the Tampa Bay Times, __parents and teachers became upset by some of the overtly sexist statements Winston made to the kids.
Bonnie Volland, a speech and language pathologist at Melrose, was one such teacher. Speaking with the Tampa Bay Times, she said:
“We’ve been working so hard with our students giving them hopes and dreams and helping them raise their expectations. In the beginning, it was so good because he was talking about, ‘You can do it!’ and really giving our students a positive message. One of the girls turned around and looked at me and said, ‘I’m strong too,'”
While most of the speech delivered by Winston was, by all accounts, upbeat and inspiring, it was the following statements that many feel are both damaging to young girls to hear and concerning for young boys to be told to copy:
“All my young boys, stand up. The ladies, sit down,” began Winston, “But all my boys, stand up. We strong, right? We strong! We strong, right? All my boys, tell me one time: I can do anything I put my mind to. Now a lot of boys aren’t supposed to be soft-spoken. You know what I’m saying?” He continued, “But the ladies, they’re supposed to be silent, polite, gentle. My men, my men (are) supposed to be strong. I want y’all to tell me what the third rule of life is: I can do anything I put my mind to. Scream it!”
That’s right — Winston was asking the boys to shout, “I can do anything I put my mind to” as the girls sat in silence watching this unfold.
Considering Jameis Winston has a history of aggression toward women, making these statements to a group of elementary school kids is even more troubling. According to Vice Sports, Winston was accused of raping a female student at Florida State University back in 2012, where he was a student athlete before he went on to join the NFL.
While it’s important to note that Winston was never officially charged with a crime, the accusations against him were serious, to say the least. He was sued by his accuser for “sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape.” Eventually, the school settled with the woman after being accused of mishandling her case. She was awarded $950,000, according to the New York Times.
According to The Guardian, the NFL player has since apologized, saying:
“I was making an effort to interact with a young male in the audience who didn’t seem to be paying attention, and I didn’t want to single him out, so I asked all the boys to stand up. During my talk, I used a poor word choice that may have overshadowed that positive message for some.”
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Still, the bottom line is this: We should all be mindful about the language we use to teach kids about gender roles. Gone are the days when girls should be told to sit down and be quiet — and good riddance. Girls are just as strong, smart, and capable as boys, and to be told by a celebrity figure that they are not equal to boys is not only demeaning and potentially damaging (for both boys and girls), but it’s also a step in the wrong direction toward full gender equality.
So to that little girl who told her teacher, “I am strong too,” this author has one thing to say: Darn right you are!
Editor’s Note: Babble participates in affiliate commission programs, including with Amazon, which means that we receive a share of revenue from purchases you make from the links on this page.
Image source: Seth Kastle
There has been an ongoing national movement to break the taboo of mental illness, particularly Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11-20% of veterans who have served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have experienced PTSD. But it’s a tough subject for many people to talk about. That’s why one Kansas father and veteran, Seth Kastle, decided to write a children’s book about his experience with PTSD, as a creative way to explain the condition to his daughters.
Image source: Seth Kastle
Kastle was deployed in 2002 and spent time in Afghanistan and Iraq before returning home to Kansas in 2004. He tells Babble, “When I returned home and began the reintegration process, it was difficult, but I didn’t understand why.” He began to struggle with PTSD, but didn’t know it at the time. It would take several years of struggling in the dark before he realized he needed help, Kastle explains, “The resources that are in place for returning service members didn’t exist then, I didn’t even know what PTSD was.”
Image source: Seth Kastle
But one day, after a hard day at work, he went home, sat down at his kitchen table, and in 30 minutes wrote a story about his struggles that his children could understand. And it was certainly well thought-out. “The book Why Is Dad So Mad? was something that I had in my head for quite a while, but never did anything with,” he says.
Of course creating a book is quite the process, and thanks to his inspiring friend, Kastle made it happen — turning the idea into a published story for kids. “A friend of mine, who was overseas with me on both tours wrote a book about succeeding as a foster child. He was really a big inspiration to me and made me get off my hind end and take the steps to make this happen,” says Kastle.
Image source: Seth Kastle
He was quick to point out that while there are few resources to help dads explain PTSD to kids, there were none for mothers. So, Kastle teamed up with his wife Julia Kastle to publish the book Why Is Mom So Mad. “My wife is also a combat veteran. I actually proposed to her on top of a bunker in Iraq in 2003. We collaborated to write the second book,” he says. “She helped give the book a mother’s perspective.”
Image source: Seth Kastle
The book Why Is Dad So Mad is filled with beautiful illustrations that give a visual depiction of the tough emotions that veteran dads with PTSD experience. Kastle did a brilliant job describing complex and difficult thoughts in a way that young kids can understand and empathize with — including his daughters.
“Reading this book to my daughters was a pretty powerful experience. In the book, I describe the anger from PTSD as a fire inside my chest. After I read it to my oldest daughter, she told me she was sorry I had a fire inside my chest,” he tells Babble. “That is something that will stick with me.”
Image source: Seth Kastle
Books Why Is Dad So Mad and Why Is Mom So Mad are available now on Amazon.
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It’s February. The hustle and bustle of the holidays (and, OK, excuse to consume large quantities of wine and cheese) are well behind us. As such, moms everywhere are now in the throes of keeping their little ones entertained — indoors. And when they aren’t doing this, they are cringing at the thought of bundling them up to leave the house for school drop-offs or grocery store runs.
If your kids are anything like mine, they’ve already started to mutter the dreaded phrase, “I’mmm borrrred,” over and over and over again — probably while standing in front of their mountain of still-new holiday toys. And if you’re anything like me, it’s at this point that you’ll give them some serious side-eye and remind them that it’s never too late to pick up that mountain or donate it all.
The only one who’s not complaining of boredom around here is my little guy. Mostly because he can’t talk (or perhaps can’t be bothered to), and likes to point at things and grunt instead. Trust me, I know the “use your words” routine well, but by Kid No. 3, well … let’s just say, I don’t have much time for it these days.
Even if he was talking though, he wouldn’t tell me he’s bored. He’s neverbored. That’s because my son Nolan has found his favorite toy, and he’s never letting it go. Ever.
While chaos erupts in the house, my son will just watch it all unfold while playing quietly with this toy. He plays with it when we go out in public, as he sits in the car, and even while he drifts off too sleep. I’m serious — he plays with it everywhere.
You see, he was born with his favorite toy; it’s attached to him. And he will stop at nothing to put his hands down his pants to get to it. And I know their affection for each other will only grow stronger.
Having two older girls before our son came along, I was not prepared for this. Like, at all. Sure, I’d heard the stories, and listened to my fellow Boy Moms recount their anecdotes. But, I never fully got it until now. It’s a powerful connection. So much so, that my 6-year-old made this sign to hang in the living room:
Image source: Katy Jackman
In an attempt to pay it forward, here’s a gentle warning for all of you moms and moms-to-be of little boys: One day, sooner than you think, your sweet little angel is going to find his prize possession. And when he does, he will hang on to it like his life depends on it whenever the opportunity presents itself.
He will pull it straight up, and pee all over your freshly cleaned floors. He will grunt and growl at you when you try to pull his hand off of it.
So boy moms, feel free to put the remote control car back on the store shelf when his first birthday rolls around. Save your money for more wine and cheese. After all, you’ve given your son his absolute favorite toy at birth — and it didn’t cost a penny! Plus, here’s one more upside: At least it’s one you don’t have to pick up off your living room floor 15 times a day.
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Editor’s Note: Babble is a part of The Walt Disney Company. Also, Babble participates in affiliate commission programs with Amazon, which means that we receive a share of revenue from purchases you make from the links on this page.
Image source: Babble | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Disney Book Group | Penguin Random House
We can’t reiterate enough how important it is to teach our kids about different cultures in the world. We’re thrilled that February is Black History Month because it gives us the opportunity to teach them about African-American culture. Sure, they obviously know all about President Obama and their school most likely teaches them Rosa Parks’s amazing story, but what about figures like Ella Fitzgerald or Frederick Douglass?
Make learning about history fun for you and your family with these 24 children’s books.
1. Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson
Image source: Disney Book Group
So your little one is resistant to “educational” books at home? Good news, you can easily interest them in learning some history from this amazing book, based on true events. It’s the story of how a steamboat school was created so that a teacher could continue teaching his students despite a law banning African American education. Available now on Amazon, $13.42
2. Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappaport
Image source: Disney Book Group
Part of the Big Words picture book series, Frederick’s Journey dives deep into the life of Frederick Douglass. Your kids will learn about slavery, the struggle for freedom, and the power of words through this easy read. Available now on Amazon, $12.33
3. Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
Image source: Disney Book Group
Shouldn’t kids know why they get an extra day off of school in January? Use this picture book biography to explain the sacrifices made by Martin Luther King, Jr., and why they are still so important to us today. Available now on Amazon, $6.48
4. Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Pinkney
Image source: Disney Book Group
Want to jump-start your kids’ knowledge of African-American culture? Then this book is an excellent place to begin. Sharing stories of men like Jackie Robinson, Frederick Douglass, and even Barack Obama — you can’t lose with a jam-packed book like this. Available now on Amazon, $15.45
5. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford
Image source: Disney Book Group
This book is a tribute to Harriet Tubman. It’s important that our children truly grasp how she led people to freedom through the Underground Railroad, and what it took for her to show such bravery. Available now on Amazon, $12.15
6. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson
Image source: Disney Book Group
The little leaguer in your house will love this story. Written by Kadir Nelson, it explains how the League came to be. It’s incredible tone of voice and oil paintings make it a guaranteed home run for the whole family! Available now on Amazon, $14.29
7. We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song by Debbie Levy
Image source: Disney Book Group
“We Shall Overcome” was the song of the Civil Rights Movement — and now it’s a book! The colorful picture book captures the essence of this important song, while still keeping kids turning the pages to see what happens next. Available now on Amazon, $14.33
8. The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes
Image source: Disney Book Group
The ever-eloquent Langston Hughes has always been know for his poetry. The poem depicted in this picture book was written when Hughes was only 17! While the words themselves will wow, the pictures are just as breathtaking. Available now on Amazon, $0.01
9. Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Image source: Disney Book Group
Introduce your children to the story of Sojourner Truth with this beautiful book. It explains how she escaped slavery, bravely speaking out against what was wrong. You won’t regret adding this story to your shelves. Trust us. Available now on Amazon, $12.07
10. Skin Again by Bell Hooks
Image source: Disney Book Group
The up-and-coming book brings about a new way to discuss race and skin color. It celebrates what makes all of us unique, while helping children understand why every one is beautiful in their own way. Available for pre-order on Amazon, $7.38
11. Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford
Image source: penguin random house
This story features a young girl, Connie, and how the start of the Civil Rights Movement affected her. It takes place with her and her brother witnessing the beginning of the protests — and what it means to them. Not only is this book captivating, but its pages are also beautifully drawn. Available now on Amazon, $5.99
12. Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renée Watson
Image source: penguin random house
In this story, Florence Mills, who had a beautiful singing voice, dedicates her life to inspiring fellow black supporters. You won’t want to put this educational book down. Available now on Amazon, $16.25
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13. Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley
Image source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Are you a fan of organic foods? You’re not the only one! Edna Lewis championed pure ingredients and farm-to-table eating. You’ll love reading this story about nature and food with your kids — it even comes with five kid-friendly recipes to try out! Available now on Amazon, $6.99
14. Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill
Image source: Candlewick
Thanks to La La Land, jazz is making a comeback. What better time to educate your kids about the great Ella Fitzgerald? This book is a bio about Ella, beginning with her childhood all the way to her radio-hit “A-Tisket, A-Tasket.” Available now on Amazon, $15.57
15. What Color Is My World?: The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & Raymond Obstfeld
Image source: Candlewick
Have you ever wondered who created inventions, like the microphone in your cell phone, perhaps? Thanks to basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, you’ll have a source of knowledge to bestow on your kids! Help them learn all about our African-American inventors. Available now on Amazon, $4.98
16. TheWatsons Go to Birmingham — 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Image source: Penguin Random House
Kids will not only relate to the initial plot line of this story — traveling to Grandma’s house. But they will also get the chance to learn all about Alabama in 1963, and the struggles many African-Americans faced during that time. Available now on Amazon, $5.99
17. Firebird by Misty Copeland
Image source: Penguin Random House
Written by the graceful ballerina Misty Copeland, this story will encourage your kids to reach for the stars! And it’s extra perfect for aspiring ballerinas to learn about dance from one of the best. Available now on Amazon, $13.58
18. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull
Image source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Wilma Rudolph’s inspiring story will blow your kids’ minds. When she was 4, polio paralyzed her left leg and she was told that she would never walk again. This book explains how Wilma refused to give up, going on to win three gold medals in the Olympics. Available now on Amazon, $7
19. Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Image source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
This book covers many important and historical African-American women — from Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, to Ella Josephine Baker and Shirley Chisholm. After this read, both you and your kids will be inspired to change the world. Available now on Amazon, $9.99
20. The Bus Ride That Changed History: The Story of Rosa Parks by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Image source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
The story of Rosa Parks is told beside beautiful illustrations, allowing readers to take a ride through history. It’s a must-read for Black History Month. Available now on Amazon, $6.99
21. Mister and Lady Day: Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her by Amy Novesky
Image source: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
While many know Billie Holiday for her music, she was also quite the dog lover! Your kids will enjoy learning about Billie’s life and the special relationship she had with her boxer, Mister. Available now on Amazon, $6.99
22. Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim
Image source: Penguin Random House
This book will teach your kids about Civil Rights leader, John Lewis. As a small boy, he wanted to be a preacher. So it was no surprise that when he was put in charge of his family’s chickens, he turned them into his own congregation! Available now on Amazon, $12.75
23. The Water Princess by Susan Verde
Image source: Penguin Random House
This moving story is inspired by the childhood of supermodel, Georgie Badiel. Growing up in Africa, Badiel and the other girls in her village had to walk miles each day to collect water. This book will both educate your kids, and make them thankful for their easy access to water. Available now on Amazon, $11.89
24. I Am Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer
Image source: Penguin Random House
If you recognize this cover style, it’s because this book is just one in a series of big kid biographies. Your little one will love flipping the pages to learn more about the great Martin Luther King, Jr. Available now on Amazon, $11.69
If you want to know how to nail the power of the first impression, look no further than 7-year-old Chloe Bridgewater. Bridgewater, who lives in Hereford, England, decided she’d like to work at Google. So she wrote a letter beginning with “Dear Google Boss” and asked for a job.
Her father, Andy Bridgewater told USA Today he and his daughter were chatting last week when she asked what he did for a living. “I work as a sales manager for a refrigeration company … which I assume is boring to a 7-year-old,” Andy said.
Image source: Andy Bridgewater
I feel you, Andy. My oldest is 13 and when I asked what she thought I did for a living she said, “Who knows. You are on your computer a lot so I assume something to do with that?” Gee, thanks for showing interest.
Chloe told her dad she’d like to work at Google after seeing images of their offices filled with bean bags, go-karts, and slides. I don’t blame you, Chloe. Who couldn’t use a break from their afternoon meetings for a quick ride on a go-kart? So, Chloe decided to take matters into her own hands, drafting a letter like a seasoned job seeker, pointing out, “My teachers tell my mum and dad I am very good in class and am good at my spelling and reading and my sums.” She also said she “likes computers” but Google be warned, Chloe is also considering employment at a chocolate factory and as an Olympic swimmer, so I’d hire her fast if I were you.
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Chloe also mentions that this is her first job application and has only sent one other letter in her short life to none other than “Father Christmas.”
How absolutely adorable is this?!
I can barely get any of my kids to brush their teeth and change their underwear, let alone begin applying for their dream job. She must have some proud folks.
It looks like she has another fan. Her creativity caught the eye of Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, who wrote the little girl back with words of encouragement. “I think if you keep working hard and following your dreams, you can accomplish everything you set your mind to — from working at Google to swimming in the Olympics,” Pichai said. “I look forward to receiving your job application when you are finished with school!”
my 7 yr old daughter wrote to the boss of Google asking for a job, she's so made up he replied! Thanks @sundarpichai pic.twitter.com/EMuANNHiVc
— Andy Bridgewater (@B21DGY) February 13, 2017
I think everyone could learn from little Chloe: when you want something in life, you just need to ask for it.
Editor’s Note: Babble is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
Image Source: Pley
Back in 2013, Ranan Lachman was prepping his taxes when he came across one expense that made his jaw nearly drop: He’d spent $3,000 on LEGO for his son in just one year. That’s right — three. thousand. dollars.
“That’s CRAZY!” he tells Babble, looking back. “[My son] was 5 years old and had 200+ toys in his closet, yet always wanted to play with new toys. I thought, there must be a better way to give kids exciting toys without breaking the bank.”
It turns out, there was. Lachman’s fleeting thought soon gave way to an exciting idea for his next business venture: an eco-friendly toy library known as Pley. Nearly four years later, Pley has over 500 different toys to rent — including robots that teach kids to code to American Girl dolls to yes, even LEGO.
And the best part? They all arrive at your doorstep, in an eco-friendly cardboard box. Each one is customizable to suit a child’s interests — kids can simply hop on to the Pley website and select the toys they’d like to rent. Then, at the end of the month (once kids have typically had their fill), the toys can be sent back to Pley and turned in for a new box of fun.
Image Source: Pley
And there to ensure each box is truly packed with kid-approved fun are Lachman’s own two children, 9-year-old Tal and 6-year-old Danielle, who test out each and every new sample toy Pley receives. (Is that the world’s coolest job, or what?)
But the concept is also a parent’s dream, for a few reasons. For one, it’s inexpensive — a monthly subscription to Pley costs just $12.99. It also cuts down on clutter, since every new toy shipment means another has just been sent back (thereby decluttering your living-room floor).
“Most families have tons of toys that are collecting dust in the attic,” notes Lachman. “The average child has 248 toys, of which only [about] 10 are used … and [even] more astonishing is that a new toy is played with for [an average of] 12 minutes only! So there is a huge waste which our toy library service tries to solve.”
Pley’s eco-friendly packaging is also waste-free, too: Each shipping box literally transforms into a playable toy. Oh, and then there’s the fact that the toys aren’t just fun, but educational.
“We work with child development experts and toy professors (yes, there is such a title!) to curate the right experiences,” says Lachman. “Soon we’ll be offering a [wider] selection of brands allowing __parents to sign up and get toys that are tailored to their child’s interests, developmental skill, and age.”
Those new brands will include plenty of kid favorites: Pley is currently working with Disney to add new toys from popular lines like Star Wars and Marvel. But first up? The Disney Princess line:
Image Source: Pley
Unlike Pley’s rentable toys, the Disney toys come in “PleyBoxes” which are yours to keep. Each one includes a surprise Disney story, 4-8 figurines, accessories, and what Lachman describes as other “goodies” for kids to play with — all for just $24.99 each.
Kids can choose their Disney Princess “experience,” but are otherwise totally surprised by what’s inside their mystery box.
Image Source: Pley
And if all that hasn’t totally won you over yet, there’s this: For every new member that joins Pley, the company has pledged to donate a toy for a child in need.
An eco-friendly, educational, space-saving toy company that our kids will actually enjoy AND gives back to those in need? It doesn’t get much better than that.
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