When we think of "parenting" we usually think of the years from birth to college age, when kids become legal adults and many start fleeing the nest. It's not like there's a magic switch that gets flipped at 18 that suddenly makes kids not need their parents anymore, but the young adult years are a time when people grow into their independence, taking on the responsibilities and challenges of adulthood gradually but surely. But what happens after that? Once kids are grown and flown, what role to parents play? They're not rulemakers or final authorities anymore, and they certainly aren't having to make sure basic needs are being met, but that doesn't mean their parenting years are over. A video from a mom named Hannah shows what supportie, active parenting looks like with fully adult children, and it's a beautiful example of the way parent-child relationships ideally shift over time. "My parents could write a manual on how to practically love your adult children," wrote Hannah Cases of @hannahwiththelipstick. "I was feeling overwhelmed and this was their response."As she sits outside with a blanket around her shoulders and a warm mug in her hand, Hannah's parents are shown playing with her child, cooking some soup, organizing and cleaning and otherwise taking some of the load off her shoulders. "Your adult children still need you," she wrote. @hannahwiththelipstick I think this is what people mean when they say “it takes a village”. ? If your kids are all grown up just remember, they still need you. We might say “I’m fine” or struggle to ask for what we need but the truth is everyone needs help sometimes and the support of loving parents / grandparents has the power to change everything. My parents are a constant reminder of what it looks like to practically love the people around you and put action behind the words “I love you”. I love differently because of having parents like them and living three minutes away from each other has been the biggest blessing. I know a lot of people don’t have parents who are able to help or the relationship might be strained but blood isn’t what makes someone family and I encourage you to seek out a village and remember that it’s okay to ask for help sometimes. ?? #ittakesavillage #myvillage #familyiseverything #ittakesavillagetoraiseachild #grandparentgoals #parentgoals #loveyouradultchildren #grandparentslove #parentslove In the caption of the video, she expanded her thoughts:"I think this is what people mean when they say 'it takes a village.' ? If your kids are all grown up just remember, they still need you. We might say 'I’m fine' or struggle to ask for what we need but the truth is everyone needs help sometimes and the support of loving parents / grandparents has the power to change everything. My parents are a constant reminder of what it looks like to practically love the people around you and put action behind the words 'I love you.' I love differently because of having parents like them and living three minutes away from each other has been the biggest blessing. I know a lot of people don’t have parents who are able to help or the relationship might be strained but blood isn’t what makes someone family and I encourage you to seek out a village and remember that it’s okay to ask for help sometimes. ??"It's true that not everyone has parents or a relationship with their parents that would give them this kind of support, but that doesn't mean people aren't desperate for it. "Honestly seeing this inspires me to be this parent… I pray one day I can create a space this loving for my daughter. I wish every family had this. The world would be such a better, more healthy place.""Such a gift. I wish we all had parents like this. ?""100000000x this!!!Arguably we need you more than ever, now!We crave independence when we are young, and family/support as we grow our own. ❤️❤️❤️❤️""I really wish my mother was capable of this kind of love and support, but unfortunately many of us don’t have this… count yourself blessed if you do!! ❤️""You are very blessed to have them ❤️ myself and my husband’s parents don’t ever come around for us or our 2 kiddos and it’s very sad. We have no village except our good friends.""All I get when I tell my mom I’m struggling is ‘I remember those days.’ Happy for people who have this support but also jealous ? But someday I will be there for my grown kids with whatever they need.""I hope I get the opportunity to show up for my adult babies and their babies like this someday.""My parents are like this and I’m SO thankful. My mom showed up Monday with a coffee for me. Today both kids have swim class. My dad tags along, and every Wednesday he brings us breakfast. Little things like that, that just make it a little easier on me. My parents live 6 minutes away and I tell them all the time I couldn’t do it without them!""We live 15 away from my in-laws. Once a week, my Mother-in-law does one on one time with my two kids. Since the kiddos will nap during the time it’s not their turn with their mimi, it really ends up being such a wonderful break for me. It really does take a village!""I tell my parents all the time that I still need my mommy and daddy lol it sounds silly, but it’s so true! I’m so thankful they live one street over and are always available at the drop of a hat! ❤️"Though it's sad to see in the comments how many people don't have this kind of support, it's also a good reminder to be there for one another when and how we can be. There's no substitute for loving and supportive parents, but any friend or family member who has the time and inclination can help fill that role when they see there's a need. It's always good to see positive examples of healthy relationships, both to know what's possible and to inspire us to be the people—the village—we want someone to be for us. You can follow Hannah Cases on Instagram and TikTok.

There is likely not a single adult that doesn't know that living in New York City is ridiculously expensive. It's been expensive since before there was a Carrie Bradshaw refusing to let go of her rent controlled apartment and the prices in the late 90s show "Sex and the City" were much lower than current day. Most people are not expecting reasonable rent for reasonable sized apartments in one of the most expensive cities in the world.What people likely weren't expecting was how expensive an apartment the size of a walk in closet would cost. That's not an exaggeration, the micro apartments in New York city are so small that it would take someone three to four steps to make it to the other side. But somehow the space accommodates a bed, which doubles as a couch, a bathroom and what they're labeling as a kitchen.Seeing the micro apartments empty makes it difficult to imagine how someone would live in such a small place. Quincy Weirts, a dog groomer in NYC wanted to give his family and friends a tour of his new micro apartment which unintentionally ends up satisfying the curiosity of strangers after he uploaded it on social media. barcelona lego GIF by MakeSpace Giphy From the start of the video it's evident that the apartment is much smaller than one would expect. Weirts is standing in the middle of the apartment and sits down onto his futon pointing to the front door and other areas around the room. A friend is sitting on the floor directly in front of the door as there doesn't appear to be anywhere else they can sit. Just a couple steps from the front door is the kitchen space that sits right outside the bathroom door.The kitchen has a small sink that also doubles as the counter space and two burners to cook with and no oven. There's a micro-fridge that fits in the space under the burners. Surprisingly the bathroom isn't much smaller than a half bathroom that you'd find in just about any small house or apartment. While the apartment lacks some serious storage space and the only closet is blocked by the bed, it does seem to have everything a college kid or single adult needs to live contently in the city. Season 5 Ifc GIF by Portlandia Giphy The video has over 2.5 million views leading to comments from people fascinated by the tiny living space and the extraordinary price point. And while some were worried about the dog not having enough space, Weirts assured viewers that his dog goes on multiple walks a day and goes to work with him daily. Once everyone got over the shock of the price tag for the micro apartment, people were quick to jump in with ideas to help with functional decorations to add storage space. @realboyclub #Microstudio #smallspaces #storagesolutions #microapartment #nyc #nycapartment #nycapartmenttour #apartmenttour #tinyhouse #tinyhome ♬ Mode Silence - Muet, Mode Silencieux, Calme, Chut Pour Iphone - Sonnerie Silencieux Someone offered a solution for Weirts not having enough space to hang his television saying, "Get a projector and watch tv on the brick wall across the ally."Another suggests, "Get rid of extra. Like keep 2 mugs, 2 cups etc. store all the kitchen stuff above the cabinet. I think being more minimalist would really improve the way it looks and feels."One person offers ideas for making more space, "Storage on the back of the bathroom door for spices, cooking utensils etc and then a cover for the stove so it can be used as a counter top." @realboyclub sorry I'm a rambler!!! I can't help it it!!! ♬ 10 minutes, meditation, sleep, mindfulness, night(951759) - Gloveity Someone else thinks the tiny apartment videos should become a regular thing, "So hear me out… make this a series. Let us watch you make it your cozy home! I’m super excited for you!"Of course there were people very focused on the price compared to what you get, but the man shares that he's happy with the apartment. He was recently accepted into Columbia University and wanted an apartment within his budget near the college and the micro apartment fit his needs perfectly. Weirts is dedicated to making his home feel cozy and now he has an unexpected audience ready to come along on his journey.

Since many families live states away from each other, they rely heavily on social media to post updates for far away family members. You get a new job, you share a smiling selfie announcing the news. You kid's soccer team just made the championships, you snap an amazing shot showing their excitement and hit upload. It feels like a harmless way to stay connected and if you're diligent about privacy settings and keeping your friends list down to only family and really close friends, it's usually fine.But everyone's pages aren't locked down like a vault in the back of a bank, and sometimes people we once loved become strangers that no longer feel safe. There are also instances of influencers sharing family photos or cute pictures of their kids to help their followers feel connected to their lives. But it's been proven that as technology continues to advance and people with cruel intentions gain access to private details, nefarious things can happen to good people. Currently there's a picture of a woman and her son going around social media. The photos looks completely harmless and likely were originally giving an update to friends or followers but the caption that now accompanies the picture suggests an incestuous desire on the mother's part. The content is so disturbing that it has gone viral across multiple social media platforms with people across the globe lambasting the mother. Internet Twitter GIF by Achievement Hunter Giphy It immediately activates people's protection response to see a parent speak that way about their child causing most people to comment and share without doing any further research. Jae Sprint saw this going down online and decided to do a reverse image search and warn people of the dangers associated with these sorts of posts."What you're seeing there is a post of a mother who posted her child and basically said that she's intimately in love with her kid and how if it was another life they'd be together, like physically," he says before explaining the issue. "Guys, when you see like these crazy, outrageous, rage bait posts like this and all you see is selfies of people, please do a quick reverse image search on this. I looked her up, it's not even her. Some random person created an account just to completely slander and defame this woman." Angry Fire GIF by Gerbert! Giphy Sprint explains that he's seen this happen to a lot of people and it can have extreme consequences to those whose pictures are being used. At the beginning of the video he says people have lost their jobs, friends and more over these fake posts that many times they have no idea exist. "Guys, if you see stand still images of people and just a bunch of crazy rage bait, you never actually see any videos of that person, please do some research because you're going to ruin this woman's life," he pleads. @jae_sprint This could ruin someone ♬ original sound - Jae Sprint The picture the account comes from is fairly new and that photo with the upsetting content is the first video uploaded. There are only three videos uploaded to that page and they are all just still images with music behind them, no actual videos of the people in the photos. When clicking on the tagged accounts of her "children," they are also new accounts with one to three videos that only feature still images set to music. There doesn't seem to be a real person behind the accounts which proves Sprint's assessment is likely correct. People were thankful that he pointed this information out with someone saying, "I got the “ick” so quick, then the judgement without any second thought. Reacting on emotion. Thanks for the reality check! We all need it." Disgusted Paris Hilton GIF Giphy Another person writes, "This is awesome to bring awareness & serve as a cautionary reminder. People hear/see something & automatically react w/ out investigating or actually looking into. I think many, myself included has been guilty of this at one point or another honestly.""Wow! Never entered my mind anyone would ever do this! Guess I need to remove my rose colored glasses," someone shares."That poor woman. Do better people, that could be any of us too. That’s scary AF," one person chimes in.It is scary and with the rise of AI, there may be more of this sort of thing popping up but Sprint's reminder to research before reacting when something makes you angry online is an important reminder. Hopefully, this woman and any other person dealing with this is able to get it remedied quickly.

Few children’s books are as deeply ingrained into the collective millennial psyche as “Rainbow Fish.” After all, what’s not to love about those oh-so sparkling rainbow scales and heartwarming lesson about how sharing leads to happiness far better than selfishness will. Only, according to some…that’s not the story’s lesson.In a video posted to his TikTok, Fifth-grade teacher Mr. Vương admitted that while the illustrations were, in fact, great, and the author probably had “good intentions, he still “didn’t like” the story behind this award-winning classic.For those who never read the book, or perhaps forgotten, Vương explains that at the beginning, “Rainbow Fish is full of himself because when all the other fish wanted to play with him, he sort of swam past them and thought he was better. Then one of the fish asked for one of his scales and he refuses.” This is where Vương feels the book missed the mark, since the book depicts drawing a boundary to be Rainbow Fish’s character flaw (more on that later). “In my opinion, I think he has the right to do that because he doesn't have to give up part of himself or anybody,” Vương.The real flaw, Vương argues, “was that he was not humble.” @teamvuong Poor Rainbow Fish. #teachersoftiktok #teachersfollowteachers #teachertok #literacy #therainbowfish #readaloud ♬ original sound - Mr. Vương Vương goes on to say that in the book, when Rainbow Fish said no, all the other fish decided not to play with him, which “made it more about how all the fish didn't accept him because he didn't give up his scales rather than them responding to his stuck-up behavior.”Also in the book—the wise Octopus advises that Rainbow Fish overcome his pride and give up all but one of his scales to the other fish. He might no longer be the most beautiful fish in the sea, but he is finally happy. Thus bringing in the moral of the story of sacrificing vanity for peace. “So he got acceptance…when he gave up parts of who he was…” Vương declares matter-of-factly. Vương’s hot take seemed to resonate with a few other adults who thought the Rainbow Fish had lost its luster over time. ““Rereading it as an adult now, it made me angry. Little fish has the audacity to ask for a shiny scale, Rainbow Fish says no, so little fish goes and bad mouths him to all the other fish so they all turn on him and only become his friends when he gives up a part of himself,” one viewer wrote.“I feel like the book had more of a ‘sharing is caring’ moral and just carried out the message in a weird way with the scales” another said. One person even quipped, “…and now I know where I learned to be a people pleaser from. Thanks FYP.”But still…the holographics scales are pretty neat…right? *cries in millennial*It’s worth noting that regardless of his own personal opinion of the book, Mr. Vương still uses it to “teach about how to think critically about themes.”“I opened up with what the theme was and then I read the story without telling them my opinion,” he says. “Then the kids made all these connections themselves and some of them looked at it through the lens of, ‘Oh it's selfishness.’ And some of them were like, ‘Wait, is he buying his friends?’”Not only that, but the class had “really good discussions” about transactional relationships, as well as dissecting what the author's original intent might have been. They will also be creating their own alternate endings, “where the theme is not that you gotta, you know, pay for your friends,” as the last part of their assignment. While not everyone might share Vương’s opinions on this kid’s book, we can probably all agree on his stance that “just because it has an award-winning sticker on it, it does not make it top-notch.”This article originally appeared in August

It seems like only yesterday a millennial was a college kid that baby boomers chided for being entitled and Gen Xers thought were way too sincere and needed to learn how to take a joke. Today, the oldest millennials, those born around 1980, have hit their 40s and have lived long enough to have some serious regrets.They also have enough experience to take some pride in decisions that, in hindsight, were the right moves. The good news is that at 40 there is still plenty of time to learn from our successes and failures to set ourselves up for a great second half of life. These lessons are also valuable to the Gen Zers coming up who can avoid the pitfalls of the older generation.A Reddit user who has since deleted their profile asked millennials nearing 40 “what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?” and they received more than 2,200 responses. The biggest regrets these millennials have are being flippant about their health and not saving enough money when they were younger.They also realized that the carefree days of youth are fleeting and impossible to get back. So they should have spent less time working and more time enjoying themselves. Many also lamented that they should have taken their education more seriously in their 20s so they have more opportunities now.The responses to this thread are bittersweet. It's tough hearing people come to grips with their regrets but the realizations are also opportunities to grow. Hopefully, some younger people will read this thread and take the advice to heart.Here are 21 of the most powerful responses to the question: “Millennials of Reddit now nearing your 40s, what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?”1."Not taking care of my hearing, not even 35 and going deaf." — Kusanagi88112."Not getting healthy earlier." — zombiearchivist3."Staying too long at a job in my 20s, just because it was safe and easy. When I finally got the motivation to leave, ended up with an almost 50% pay boost." — Hrekires4. "Thinking that I could and should put myself on the back burner for anything and anyone else." — lenalilly2275."Smoking and not dealing with my shit the right way." — Allenrw36."Pining after the wrong person." — runikepisteme7."I turned 40 this year and just started liking who I am. Why the fuck did it take 40 years for self acceptance?" — guscallee8."Take care of your fucking back. Lift with your knees. Sure it's rad when you grab a fridge by yourself and lift it in the back of a moving truck unaided, but one day that shit is going to have consequences that won't just magically go away by resting and "taking it easy" for a week." — GuyTallman9."I wish I spent more time with my dad while I had the chance." — CharlieChooper10."I'm 37. I absolutely could have taken better care of my body, but I'm in relatively good health. I'm starting to realize how important it is to maintain my health. I do also think I drank far too much in my 20 and early 30's. I'm trying to rectify that now, but it's hard. So that I guess." — dartastic11."I'm not sure if people have experienced the same but when I entered my 30s I became convinced I was rapidly running out of time. Rather than using that as motivation I let it paralyze me with indecision because I "couldn't afford to make the wrong choice." Consequently, I'm now 39 and, though I've had great things happen in my 30s, I regret spending so much time worrying and so little time committing to a course of action." — tomwaste12."Work to live, don’t live to work. You have half your working life after you turn 40 but only 20-25 years to really live it up before the responsibilities become heavy and your joints start to ache. Live life. Really LIVE it. Experience as much you can. Every sensation, sight, sound, touch. Be open. Be brave. Live your first few decades in the fast lane. You have the rest of your life to take it easy, when you have no choice." — MrDundee66613."I should have paid more attention to my parents telling me to save money and less attention when they were teaching me about purity culture." — Arkie_MTB14."If I could tell my 18 year old self one thing, it would be to save 10% of every paycheck I ever got." — PutAForkInHim15."Thinking that I have time to do everything I want only to find myself loosing time, and the endless energy I used to have in order to purse them." — ezZiioFTW16."Not wearing sunscreen." — blueboxreddress17."Not recognizing the importance of work/life balance earlier in life. My late teens, all 20's, and early 30's were spent pulling 60-100+hr weeks because I thought it was what was required to succeed. How wrong I was. Others stabbed me in the back and reaped the reward.1.) Putting work first for too long. Work is my #1 priority during work hours now. After quitting time, I don't think about it (much) anymore. I don't vent to my wife or friends about it anymore either.2.) Investing more into fast cars than solid long-term investments. Sure, it was fun, but I could have made bookoos more had I put that towards less-fun investments.3.) Not using PTO and just waiting for the payout. All those years, missed. I'm in my mid 30's and I didn't actually have a real vacation until 3 years ago.4.) Not realizing that "the good guy" often loses. Just because you're morally justified doesn't mean you're going to win. Just because there's a number to call doesn't mean anyone will actually help you. Just because "law" exists, doesn't mean people follow it, enforce it, or create justice. The world is dog eat dog and cynicism can be healthy in moderate doses." — [Deleted]18."When you get out of college, keep your friends. No matter how hard it is. Hold on to them." — mpssss2219."I imagine these are kinda universal:Not getting fit and healthyAssuming I'd be offered proper guidance on how to achieve my goalsAssuming higher education would help me achieve my goalsSpending far too long caring what people thinkNot taking risks that might better my life when I was younger and had nothing to loseStaying in relationships too long after they were clearly done." — katapultperson20."Always ask for more pay. Starting, yearly, before leaving, whatever. Get that money." — SensibleReply21."Spending too much time in front of a screen and not enough enjoying life." — BellaPadellaThis article originally appeared two years ago.

Menstrual taboos are as old as time and found across cultures. They've been used to separate women from men physically — menstrual huts are still a thing — and socially, by creating the perception that a natural bodily function is a sign of weakness. Even in today's world women are deemed unfit for positions of power because some men actually believe they won't be able to handle stressful situations while mensurating."Menstruation is an opening for attack: a mark of shame, a sign of weakness, an argument to keep women out of positions of power,' Colin Schultz writes in Popular Science. The big problem with menstrual taboos is the way that males are educated on the subject leaves them with a patchwork of ideas that don't necessarily add up to the whole picture. First, there's the information they get from growing up with women in the house.Then, there are the cryptic descriptions of menstruation seen in advertising and the cold, scientific way the topic is taught in sex education."Boys' early learning about menstruation is haphazard," a 2011 study published in the Journal of Family Issues reads. "The mysterious nature of what happens to girls contributes to a gap in boys' knowledge about female bodies and to some negative views about girls."Unfortunately, the gaps in the average man's understanding of a complex female health issue can put women in a difficult position. Whether it's denying them positions of power or a failure to understand their discomfort.That's why it's so important for men to become better educated about menstruation.A group of women on TikTok are helping the men in their lives better understand the subject by showing them how tampons work on the inside of their bodies by dousing them in water. They call it the Boyfriend Challenge. Some of the guys' reactions are clearly over-the-top, but it's also obvious that many of them have no idea how tampons function.A video by the Demery family has gone viral attracting nearly eight million views. It's fun to watch, but it also shows men how tampons function and what women go through during their monthly cycle. @thedemeryfamily22 His reaction is priceless? #cutecouple #pregnant #prego #viral #InLove #couplegoals #trend #tampon ♬ original sound - Kolby&Jas❤️ Rachel's man just uttered the phrase "vagina parachute." @mrshillery829 Of course I had to make my husband do this! I will forever call tampons “vagina parachutes”! LMAO!! #tamponchallenge #husbandpranks #funny #fyp ♬ original sound - Rachel Hillery Paulina's man was completely flummoxed by the inner workings of a tampon. "You've been carrying this like, inside of you?" he asks. "The whole day?" @paulinat showing him how a tampôn works? @fabioguerrrraa ♬ original sound - Pau Torres This guy thinks it's "like a butterfly." @amanialzubi showing my boyfriend how a tampon works ??❤️ ( @originalisrael ) #comedy #couple #couplegoals #foryou #trend #tiktok ♬ original sound - amani Ryley just blew her BFF's mind. @thekelleyfamily lmaoooo why ?? #tamponchallenge #trend #hilariouscomedy #couple #married #foryoupage #fyp #xyzbca ♬ Quirky - Oleg Kirilkov This guy was amazed by the absorbancy.Let's hope this challenge gave some men out there a better understanding of what women go through every month and a little more sympathy for the women in their lives.Hopefully it also makes them feel a little more comfortable around period products and inspires them to pick up the correct box of tampons next time they're at the grocery store.This article originally appeared three years ago.

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