Twin soldiers surprise little brother at school

By
Monica Pop
-

Being deployed means being away from your family and many times missing lots of important events such as birthdays, weddings, and gatherings. Military members love their job so much that they simply learn how to come to terms with these types of drawbacks their profession imposes on them. What gives them strength to endure those long months of deployment is the joy that the reunions bring. Yes, every member of the army awaits those encounters with their family and friends with anticipation.

An eight-year old boy from Stewartville, Minnesota knows what is feels like to be away from someone you love. His two twin brothers are in the army and this young gentleman misses them really badly. There is no one he can have fun with while at home, no one to prank him and tell him jokes. He would spend every minute of every day around his big heroes, and now he feels lonely and is looking forward to their next meeting. But what he doesn’t know is that the reunion will take place sooner than he expected.

The brothers got a permission to get home for the holidays and both of them though it would be great if they keep it a secret from their little brother and give him the surprise of his life. They did tell their parents about the arrival, and got some help from the school staff too.

The boy was at school and never in his wildest dreams could he imagine the day would turn into one he would never forget. As the brothers and their mother arrived at the school, they headed towards the boy’s classroom. The mother made sure she got everything on tape as she was certain this reunion would be something the siblings would cherish forever. One of the brothers opened the door and the teacher said, “Look, who’s here!” That’s when all the students turned their heads around, including the boy. His soldier brother greeted him with the words, “Hi buddy.” The boy couldn’t contain his excitement and rushed towards his big brother and gave him a big hug. He couldn’t get off his arms when the other soldier entered and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll just wait my turn.”

People are taking their time to comment how these brothers’ reunion is the best and sweetest thing they’ve seen. It’s touching and emotional, and reminds us about the importance of the family.

The boy’s classmates were also surprised and a bit shocked, but they say how they loved the surprise and are happy for their friend who got to see his brothers after so long.

You can take a look at the emotional moment in the video below. You may have to grab some tissues, just in case you start crying as we did.

Mom responds to rude note after parking in handicap spot

By
Nicole
-

Justine Van Den Borne is a wife and a mother from Melbourne, Australia. At the age of 35 she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, in short MS, and since then her life has changed drastically. She has to struggle with this illness on daily basis.

The illness has several different symptoms. Some days she feels just fine, like every other healthy person. However, most of the days are real struggle. Sometimes she feels numb and extreme fatigue. In addition, she has problems with vision and slurred speech.

All of these things made the Australian authorities to issue her a handicap parking pass, among the other things. The idea was to make her life easier, but sometimes people make sure she has not easy functioning.

One day, she took her daughter, started the car and drove to the local shopping centre. Since she got the parking pass from the authorities, she pared in the handicap spot and they were ready to have some fun and quality time together. But, someone shocked her by leaving her a rude message.

That day she was feeling well and the expected good day turned out to be a very unpleasant one. Someone left a message on her car saying:

“Did you forget your wheelchair???”

People, obviously, started judging due to the parking spot. The woman on first glance looks very normal to all of us, but we have no idea what kind of pain and problems she is facing with. These kinds of things make her feel even more depressed.

Upon arriving home, she opened her Facebook  page and wrote:

“To person that left this on my car last week at Mitcham Shopping Centre – I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was 35. 

Not just MS but the worst one that never goes away and is slowly crippling my life. 

My kids have had to deal with things that kids shouldn’t ever have to deal with and all of our futures are forever changed. On the day you saw me I was having a good day, I was walking with my daughter, unaided, having a nice day. 

Thank you for ruining that.”

“You made me feel like people were looking at me, the exact way I feel when I can’t walk properly. I am sick of people like yourself abusing me on my good days for using a facility I am entitled to. 

A disability doesn’t always mean a person has to be wheelchair bound but lucky for you I one day will be. 

Right now my focus is to walk into my best friends wedding next September and not have to be pushed. I will be 42. Before you ruin another person’s day remember you don’t know everything and just because you can’t see it it doesn’t mean a person isn’t struggling to put one foot in front of the other.”

This message reached a lot of people in the world. Her post was spread throughout the world. Hopefully, this will help us understand what these people are struggling with and instead of hurting them, we may help them and support them.

Why her controversial parenting technique is raising eyebrows

By
Nicole
-

Nowadays, breastfeeding is one of those topics that results with countless of debates. Depending on the people involved in the debates, the opinions regarding the breastfeeding differ. Some support it, some prefer bottles, and some are totally indifferent on people’s opinions regarding it.

The story that comes from the UK is about breastfeeding and the debate that resulted from the story itself. However, this is in no way a normal breastfeeding story, but a very controversial interview that was published in the British newspapers.

Miira Dawson is a mother of two kids. She loves them a lot, she is very protective towards them and she is parenting them in a very unusual way.

Miira’s interview was published in The Daily Mail. The mother, at the age of 36, has got a 5-year old daughter and 2-year old son. What is strange about the way she is parenting them is the breastfeeding. She plans to breastfeed them until they reach the age of 10. She says:

“I think it is a lovely thing for a baby to grow up and remember being breastfed, as not many people would be able to say this,” Miira says. “Plus, there are all of the health and IQ benefits.”

She also explains that the their bonding, i.e. the relationship between the older child and the mother, is going to be even stronger. The mother goes on by explaining that the relationship between them is healthy and normal.

“She’s never had a blanket or dummy (pacifier) so that is her equivalent,” Miira says. “I’m sure if I could detach my boob and just give it to her, she would be extremely happy.”

However, breastfeeding is not the only thing that’s unusual. The mother and the two kids sleep together in one bed. The son and the daughter are sleeping with their mother, while their father Jim is comfortable in another bed in another bedroom.

“Naturally I feel left out when it comes to the sleeping situation,” Jim laments. “I feel like it restricts mine and the children’s time together and it doesn’t give me the chance to do things that I would like to, such as reading bedtime stories.”

Experts’ opinion on extended breastfeeding

This story resulted with different opinions. Many are against that unusual parenting style, while some support the mother. Nevertheless, the scientific community has not found anything wrong regarding the extended breastfeeding.

Tightly connected to this issue is the publication of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). These experts say that the natural weaning age for humans is from 2 to 7 years-old.

They even go further. The experts say that the long breastfeeding process decrease the chances of breast cancer. What’s more, the experts say that the child who has been breastfed for longer period has better immunity against contracting illnesses.

Interesting! The majority of the people find Miira’s parenting style very strange and not ‘normal’. However, after reading the experts’ opinions, maybe that’s not that strange after all. What’s you opinion?

Mom bans mother who smokes from touching baby

By
Monica Pop
-

Passive smoking and its negative lasting effects on non-smokers is something many people are already aware of. No matter if you don’t smoke yourself, being around people who do and inhaling the smoke may affect one’s health. This is the reason why people should avoid places where smoking is allowed and forbid friends or family members to smoke inside their home.

Recently, however, one mother-to-be raised the question of the health consequences of third-hand smoking. This is something not many are aware of, but it’s there, and it’s real.

Third-hand smoking are the chemical residuals of tobacco smoke that remain on clothes, fabric, furniture, and even walls. The smoke can also be found in any place where someone lights a cigarette. You are probably familiar with that unpleasant scent when entering a place where smoking is allowed. Unfortunately, it sticks with your skin and hair even after you leave.

“Thirdhand smoke clings to clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces long after smoking has stopped. The residue from thirdhand smoke builds up on surfaces over time,” M.D. J Taylor Hays wrote on MayoClinic.

A study about the effects of third-hand smoking had been done on mice and the results are likely to be more or less the same for us humans. It was reported how the group of rodents affected showed increased level of stress, molecular damage, and inflammatory diseases. Some even showed signs of hyperinsulinemia.

The studies that are expected to give clearer image of the consequences this has on humans are still ongoing, but people are still advised third-hand smoke should be avoided as much as possible.

“People are exposed to these chemicals by touching contaminated surfaces or breathing in the off-gassing from these surfaces,” Hays added. “This residue is thought to react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix including cancer-causing compounds, posing a potential health hazard to nonsmokers — especially children.”

Learning about the damage this is likely to cause, the mother-to-be was determined to keep her child out of the hands of the heavy smokers, including her mother-in-law, unless they shower and change clothes after smoking. This may sound as a ridiculous request, but she says she does it for her bundle’s of joy well-being.

She wrote a letter to Slate’s Care asking for advice on how to tell her mother-in-law about their decision. She said she was aware her husband’s mother may be offended by her request, but her child’s health is what she is most concerned for.

“I am expecting my first baby soon,” she wrote. “When the baby is born, my in-laws will be coming for a visit. My mother-in-law is a heavy smoker. I’m not worried about her smoking in front of my child, but after researching thirdhand smoke, I am very concerned about her holding the baby after she has had a cigarette. My husband and I have decided that after she smokes, she needs to shower and change her clothes before she can pick up the baby.”

The columnist’s initial though was that this mother was simply overreacting, but after doing a research, he changed his opinion and wrote how he believes the future mother has all the right to ask from smokers to stay away from the little one, unless as she states above, they change clothes and take a shower first.

At the end of the day, this woman is just a mother concerned for her offspring, and no one should get offended for her trying to keep the baby safe.

While children are in the process of growing, their immune system is still weak and they are likely to suffer the consequences of passive, as well as third-hand smoking more than the adults. When a baby comes close to a smoker, they get contaminated by that person’s skin and clothes themselves.

Researchers and doctors are urging people, especially parents, to learn more about the damage third-hand smoking causes and do their best to keep their children as little exposed as possible.

Airline employee serenades mother of fallen soldier on flight

By
Nicole
-

Travelling, especially for more than 10 hours, can be tiring and annoying. However, sometimes people do things that may make us laugh or mark the day as a quite memorable one. The passengers of a flight to Louisville were pleasantly surprised by what had happened on the plane.

Thanks to Sean Warren and his camera, we can all see what really happened on the place. He was travelling to Louisville and since he wanted to spend the rest of the flight in peace, he was listening to music. However, a message announced by the cabin interrupted his comfort.

The person who made the announcement was Scott Wirt. He is an operations agents at the Southwest Airlines. His message was very emotional as a matter of fact. He told the passengers that among them there is a mother of a son who died on duty on 25 July 2018.

The mother, Debbie was on her way to attend a ceremony in her son’s honour. He graduated from Jeffersontown High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Debbie’s son was called Tylor Edenhofer.

In Tyler’s honour Scott did something very touching. He started singing You ‘Raise Me Up’. This song, especially the performance, deeply touched the passengers and brought everyone to tears.

Sean Warren was among ‘the Scott’s audience’. He saw the performance and heard the singing. He immediately started recording the event and the video ended on-line. This was not the first on-line video of Scott, though.

Sean posted the video on his Facebook page. The video was an instant hit and reached more than 110,000 views. The comments are wonderful. Many expressed their gratitude of sharing the video, but also honoured Tyler’s dedication to serve the country.

Scott’s contribution to Tyler’s honouring is great, especially to Tyler’s mother. Since her son meant the world to her, these kinds of gestures remind her that people may not forget her son and his work.

Undoubtedly all people on the plane were deeply touched. We are sure they will remember this day for the rest of their lives.

Child complains about babysitter, so husband installs a hidden camera and discovers shocking footage

By
Monica Pop
-

When Desiree LeBlanc who is a child welfare officer had to get back to work after she gave birth to a baby girl, she tried hard to find the best person she could trust her daughter to.

After carefully considering all the options, she decided she would feel most comfortable with leaving her baby in the care of 28-year-old Christina Williamson. LeBlanc recalls her first meeting with this babysitter, and says how the place was very neat and there were a bunch of toys around. Christina’s home also had a big garden where the kids could have fun when the weather would be nice.

Once LeBlanc’s daughter started attending Christina’s home daycare, this mother was even more convinced she made the right choice as the babysitter seemed to be taking great care of the kids. Whenever there was an incident of any kind, the parents would be given details. LeBlanc says how there were times when she was told how her daughter accidentally scratched herself and she would also receive pictures to see how serious it was. This spoke of Christina as a caring person.

One day, however, this all changed, and what LeBlanc learned left her outraged.

Her supervisor told her to go and pick her daughter from daycare and advised her not to speak to Christina while doing so. LeBlanc didn’t know what was going on, but she did as she was told.

Later, she learned the dreadful truth about what was going on behind closed doors. The way this babysitter treated the kids she was supposed to take care of is cruel and unacceptable.

Cristina’s mi*treatment of the children was discovered by her own husband who set up cameras around the house after one of the kids, an 8-year-old boy, told him how there was “unusual treatment of the kids by Christina.” After he checked the footage, he immediately reported his soon to be ex-wife to the police.

KCCI News reported how the kids were aggressively pushed and screamed at. This babysitter from hell could be seen forcefully holding them face-down and stuffing their mouths with clothes to prevent them from crying.

The footage also showed how she would leave a 5-month-old baby at home all alone during several occasions.

Thankfully, Christina was sentenced to 5 years in prison and she won’t be able to hurt any other child ever again. News Channel KCCI Des Moines 8 reported how none of the kids have shown lasting effect from the way they were treated.

This story just shows how cautious parents should be when choosing a babysitter.

Proceed with caution: The video below contains strong images.

Granddaughter dances with grandfather with Alzheimer’s

By
Monica Pop
-

According to the Alzheimer Association, around 5.8 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2019. This condition is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. The sad reality is that there is no cure and the treatment options are limited.

This cruel disease affects person’s memory and changes the way they act and think, eventually causing difficulties doing even the simplest of tasks. The family members and those around the person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are also affected. They are forced to see how their loved ones forget of all the beautiful memories they shared together and have a hard time remembering who the people they spent their life with are.

A woman named Rachel knows the struggle and the pain of looking after someone with Alzheimer’s all too well.

Her loving grandpa was diagnosed with the illness a few years ago, and she’s the one who provides him with round the clock care. Watching him getting even worse over time, this caring granddaughter does everything in her power to make the 93-year-old man’s days more fun and more enjoyable. She even says how she loves being there for him, as he’s the person she loves the most. Rachel doesn’t find it difficult to prepare her grandpa’s meals, clean his house, or take him out for a walk. She’s indeed the best granddaughter this man could ever ask for.

This time, Rachel did something different for him. She made his eyes shine by inviting him to dance with her.

She didn’t really know whether he remembers any of the moves or his favorite music, but she was willing to make him smile, and he was willing to try. The outcome is an amazing and unique experience Rachel would always keep close to her heart. To her surprise, her grandpa could keep up with the beat and it looked like he was having the best time of his life.

The video of these two dancing together was shared on YouTube and many people agree how it’s the sweetest thing they’ve seen all day.

The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is unlike any other. Everyone knows how the grandmas and grandpas would do anything for their children’s children, but this video proves that many times grandkids would do the same.

Rachel can’t contain her smile as she knows how moments like this are really special. And as the elderly man’s condition is getting worse every day, they don’t really have a lot of time ahead in order to enjoy this much many times. Luckily, the video will be there to remind Rachel of the fun time once her grandpa is no longer able to dance again.

Many of the people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s end up at nursing homes, as there is no one who can take care of them at home. Those who are lucky enough, however, to have someone like Rachel by their side spend their final days in the comfort of their place.

Rachel will never stop taking care of her grandpa. She knows she is the one who can ease his days and the occasional smiles she gets from him are enough thank you for all the hard work she does.

We hope they will have many more opportunities to dance together.

Take a look at the lovely video below.

Toddler paralyzed, left with permanent brain damage after eating a slice of raw apple at daycare

By
Monica Pop
-

The life of the Renata family from New Zealand turned upside down and changed forever after they got a call from the daycare on that fatal day. Marama was alerted how one of her twins, 22-month-old Neihana was given CPR after he chocked on a slice of raw, peeled apple. All this mother prayed for while driving to the hospital was for her little boy to be alright.

Unfortunately, the news were bad. Neihana was diagnosed with permanent brain damage. He was left without oxygen for certain amount of time which led to cardiac arrest. The boy was placed in intensive care and was unresponsive for days. He survived, but was left with hypoxic brain injury and cerebral palsy, which prevented him from walking or talking ever again.

Neihana needed round the clock care and his mother quit her job in order to be able to take care of him. This was all very devastating and sad.

“Neihana needs constant care. He needs help with everything,” explains Marama.

“We got told that we basically have a boy that can breathe,” said the child’s father, Wi Renata. “He could open his eyes but there was nothing there. He could just breathe.”

This incident raised the question about the food served at daycare and kindergartens. The Little Lights Early Learning Centre in Rotorua serve little children solid food such as apple slices knowing kids are likely to choke from the pieces. And this is really concerning.

“THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT COULD CHOKE TOMORROW AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN,” SAID MARAMA.

“I FEEL FRUSTRATED, ABSOLUTELY FRUSTRATED. NOTHING IS BEING DONE WHEN SOMETHING CAN BE DONE,” SAID WI.

Sweet little Neihana has made progress, and despite his condition, he never lost the smile on his face. His sister makes him company every day and he enjoys seeing her around.

Neihana Renata with his twin sister

“It makes me feel good knowing that I can see him laughing,” says Wi.

“He has made a lot of progress since the accident and is a generally smiley boy but he is severely disabled and can’t walk, talk, roll,” Marama told Australian news.

“A lot of effort is put into maintaining normal body alignment and muscle length,” she explains.

The Ministry of Health in New Zealand took matters in their hands and issued warning for the daycare centers to cook foods such as apples, carrots, and celery. They expect every educational institution of this type to follow the guidelines regarding food they published. Wi Renata believes this recommendations are great but the government should enforce them, otherwise there won’t be any results.

After thorough investigation, Work Safe, a health and safety regulator determined how the daycare followed all legal guidelines, including having a person trained in first aid. The only thing they failed at was offering sliced food to such young children. A failure which resulted with a toddler being left permanently disabled.

However, another investigation done by the Child Forum questions the way the first aid was provided. Apparently, a staff member tried pulling the piece of apple using their fingers, which could easily resulted in pushing it even further, reports Sarah Alexander.

Alexander also speaks of the fact that daycare doesn’t provide parents with enough information on the type of food their kids are served. She also says how incidents such as the one that involved Neihana are rarely reported so many moms and dads are not aware that it ever took place.

“THERE IS NO RECORD THAT THIS INCIDENT EVER OCCURED. PARENTS MAY LEAVE THEIR CHILD AT A SERVICE NONE THE WISER AS TO WHAT ITS HISTORY HAS BEEN,” SAID ALEXANDER.

“Why isn’t the Ministry warning parents? There is potential for their child to be served food that is high risk of choking. To me, this is a serious breach of trust,” she continued.

The incident took place in May 2016, but it went public just recently. The daycare changed their food menu only a year after.

Marama says she doesn’t blame the daycare, but as a doctor, she would have approached a chocking child differently.

Below is the whole story and some of Marama’s advice.

We pray for Neihana to get better over time.

1...749750751...877Page 750 of 877