Most of us remember picture days at school and how excited we were to get group photos with our classmates. I still have mine from the time I was a student and whenever I see them I recall those fun and careless times.
An 8-year-old girl named Marian Scott won’t be able to see a 3rd grade picture of herself and her classmates years from now because she was denied one.
Apparently, she broke the school’s dress code, in her case the hairstyle code, and was told to wait in the corridor while everyone else was being taken photo of. The reason why made many people mad as they agree that most times school rules and policies are kind of stupid and limit students’ creativity and suppress their self-expression.
Marian was overly excited for the picture day and asked her mom to take her to the hair salon so that she could have a new hairstyle which included a hair cut and some red dyed extensions.
According to Marian’s mom, Latoya Howard, the girl was very pleased with the way she looked and just “couldn’t stop staring at herself in the mirror.”
Marian’s hair for the picture day was nicely and neatly braided in a bun. But when her teachers spotted her new hairstyle, they told Marian that she didn’t look decent and that she couldn’t be part of the photo shooting. They even excluded her from the group photo.
The poor girl was confused because she believed that she would be paid some compliment. Instead, she was told off and left to spend the day all alone while everyone else was having fun and hanged out together.
Marian started crying and couldn’t wait to get home. When she told her parents what happened, they got really angry because they believed their daughter shouldn’t have gone through such an unpleasant experience because of something like a dyed hair.
After they contacted the school Marian attends, Paragon Charter Academy in Michigan, the teachers told them it was a rule and that they didn’t feel guilty for excluding Marian from the photos.
They even said how the parents should have known the school rules which said that students were only allowed ‘natural hair tones.’
Instead of an apology from the principal, the family was given a week ‘to correct’ their daughter’s hair. In case they didn’t, she would not be allowed to attend classes.
Marian’s mom and dad believe their daughter didn’t do anything wrong, but still got rid of her extensions because they didn’t want her to be suspended and miss classes.
They still believe that the school should apologize for making the girl cry that day.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Please share them with us in the comments section below.
Let’s get honest, when children come into our life there is very little chance that we ever take some time for ourselves. Starting from preparing healthy meals and spending a bunch of time in the kitchen, taking them out for a walk or at the park, making their days fun, and struggling to get them to sleep at night make parents exhausted.
One clever mom, however, found a cool way to get her two girls to sleep without begging them to stop fighting and being naughty.
When she bought those glow-in-the-dark pajamas, mom Jessica D’Entremont had no idea she was buying her self some free time.
Jessica exposed the pajamas to some light before the girls got to bed and they were overjoyed wearing their unique piece of clothing. The second night, however, Jessica ‘forgot’ to keep the pajamas under light which meant they didn’t work. The girls were disappointed and kept asking what was wrong. It was then that their mommy told them how in order for the pajamas to work and glow they had to put them on, lie down under some light, and stay completely still.
The moment she realized her two beautiful girls were getting very sleepy, Jessica turned the lights off and both girls drifted off to sleep in a matter of minutes.
Jessica couldn’t believe what had happened as getting them into bed would rarely pass without the girls fighting and refusing to sleep.
The night was peaceful and this tired mom could have it all for herself.
Needless to say, as she had a glass of wine and her favorite book in her hands, Jessica couldn’t stop wondering whether her trick was a one time lucky pass or it will work in the days to come as well.
The next night, Jessica asked her girls to lie still again so that their pajamas could be charged. To her surprise, once the girls relaxed, they fell asleep very quickly and Jessica was over the moon she could skip hours of calming them down and forcing them to go to bed.
Her trick works and she is more than happy to share it with other parents out there.
Of course, Jessica makes sure the pajamas are out of light during the day so that the girls can ‘charge’ them before going to bed.
She hopes others will find this useful. If you have young kids yourself, let us know of the outcome in case you are giving this trick a go.
Great Freddie Mercury once said, “You can do what you want with my music, but don’t make me boring,” and it looks like this team of Canadian ice skaters live by these words.
What they had to give the cheering crowd at the Canadian Synchronized Skating Championship resembles pure magic.
The moment the music of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ filled the air, the audience couldn’t wait to see what the NEXXICE Senior team had up their sleeves.
With such melody that changes tempo and tone many times during the six minutes it lasts, the performance had to be one to remember.
Not everyone would agree to dance and skate to such iconic song, but this team lived up to their expectations. They have been the first Canadian team in history to be crowned the title of World Synchronized Skating Champions in April 2009 and again in April 2015 for a good reason.
The months of hard work paid off as the remarkable routine has stolen the hearts of everyone who got to see it unfolding right in front of their eyes.
At the beginning of the performance, the team divides into four groups and everyone is eager to see what comes next as the opening lyrics “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” make people sing along as they have their eyes glued to the ice.
Next, two of the groups of skaters split off and join hands together as the other two groups get closer. In the next moment, one of the performers is lifted into the air.
After that, the two inner groups formed a circle, and the outer groups formed wings. Now imagine that this is just the beginning of what you are about to see from the NEXXICE Senior team.
Sliding on their knees was also part of the incredible act that left people amazed.
With the start of the second sequence of the song, the group stayed in a solid formation and skated backwards and forward from one edge of the ring to the other. But once the lyrics “I don’t wanna die” were heard, they split into two lines, then four, and weaved in between each other.
At one point the group members joined their arms and can-canned across the rink.
During the solo part of the iconic song, the group formed a square that later split into four. Each skater leaned forward and had one of their legs into the sky.
As the song came to the end, one of the skaters performed a handstand in the middle of the rank and it was the icing on the cake. Breathtaking, indeed!
People praised the skaters for their incredible performance. All 16 of the team members breathed as one and skated in perfect harmony.
This is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
Most people do their jobs for the sake of the money they make, but there are also those who put their heart into what they do.
Arletha Sherman is a 64-year-old bus driver who loves and cares for her riders as though they were her own children. However, there is one special girl who stole Sherman’s heart from day one, and she doesn’t mind going an extra mile to make this little passenger’s life more fun.
5-year-old Anna Hopson suffers from a disorder known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which affects the nerves in the limbs. Sadly, it means that Anna has to use a wheelchair most of the time.
The sweet girl is now attending pre-kindergarted at the Sabal Palm Elementary school in Jacksonville and goes to and from school with Sherman’s bus. This is how these two became very close, and despite the huge age difference they are kind of best friends.
Anna’s mom and dad had no idea that Sherman took that much care of their daughter until one day she showed up on their door just to make sure the girl was all right after she missed a day at kindergarten.
“I thought, ‘Well, she didn’t have to do that,’” said Anna’s mother Kathleen Hopson.
Sherman makes sure little Anna is comfortable during the rides.
“I mean, I may have a bad morning, but once I see her, it’s different,” Sherman told CBS News. “The fact that she has so much going on in her life, but she’s always happy — and she’s always bubbly — and she’s always, ‘Hey, Ms. Sherman!’ And then we just started communicating.”
Anna’s fifth birthday was a day to remember. When she boarded the bus, she got a surprise of a lifetime. The whole vehicle was decorated with balloons an a big ‘happy birthday’ banner. Everyone had lots of fun on the way to school. They sang songs and laughed, and Anna got a princess dress and a bunch of other gifts.
Anna’s parents were over the moon knowing their girl was loved that much. They felt like they had to share the photos of Sherman’s act of kindness on the Instagram page dedicated to Anna named Sunshine and the Shark.
“Anna’s bus driver #wentallout to make Anna’s birthday special! This princess dress and tiara are gifts from her, she decorated the bus, and gave Anna cards, toys, and hair clips. Anna felt like a real #princess going to school this morning! “
People were overjoyed and loved the dedication of the bus driver. She really became an important part of the girl’s life.
“All she could do was just take her hands up and say, ‘All this for me?’ It was just so overwhelming,” Sherman recalled.
On Sherman’s big day, she invited Anna and her parents to be her guests. Sweet Anna was the flower girl and one of the most special people at the wedding reception.
Words couldn’t express how honored the family was to be sharing such an important moment with the woman who did so much for their girl.
“Anna’s bus driver has been a blessing in our lives from day one. Yesterday she was a beautiful bride and Anna was honored to serve as her flower girl! “
Sherman’s heart of gold made her the most loved bus driver in town and maybe the whole country. The parents whose kids she drives must be very happy knowing they are in safe hands.
“Arletha is an excellent bus driver and a very caring person,” Kathleen told Good Morning America. “She loves all the kids that she drives and always goes above and beyond to make them feel safe and happy on the bus.”
Take a look at the video below to learn more of this amazing woman.
A woman named Jayne Sharp paid the price of beauty after she visited a nail salon one day. All she hoped for was getting a nice manicure, but she ended up contracting a flash-eating bacteria that left her fighting for her life.
During the process of having her nails done, the nail technician cut Jayne’s right thumb.
However, the cut was slight and that didn’t bother Jayne a great deal so she stayed until the end.
Once home, she started feeling odd. The pain on her thumb was persistent and didn’t fade away even after she took painkillers. What’s most, she couldn’t even sleep as the pain intensified with every passing moment.
In the morning, Jayne felt really ill and visited the doctor believing she caught the flu, but it was her thumb that caught the doctor’s attention. There was a swollen lump on it and it didn’t look good.
He advised her to go home but pay close attention to the lump and visit the emergency room in case it grows bigger.
The following day, she noticed that not only her finger swallowed even more, but her whole hand was covered in red marks. This raised a red flag.
She rushed to her doctor again and that’s when she was told the devastating news that she had contracted a flesh-eating bacteria. There was no time to waste and Jayne underwent a surgery right away.
The chances of her losing her hand or even the arm were high.
Thankfully, the surgery was a successful one and amputation was avoided. She’s still recovering and is unable to use her right arm completely. Doctors believe that more months will pass until she’s completely healed.
The mortality rate of flesh-eating bacteria is up to 80% and Jayne knows just how lucky she is to be alive.
Her thumb now has an awkward shape but she doesn’t mind it. She’s thankful she reacted on time, because if she went to the doctor even a day later, the bacteria could have spread and she could have easily died.
Doctors don’t know how she contracted the bacteria but say that people like Jayne who suffer from diabetes and whose immune system is compromised are more likely to catch it than someone who is completely healthy.
After Jayne’s story spread, the nail salon where she got the cut, Jazzy Nail Bar, was under inspection but they passed it with no health issues. The owner and the employees were shocked to learn that they could be the reason for Jayne’s ordeal.
Although she could have contracted the bacteria anywhere as she had an open cut, she claims that she started feeling the pain very shortly after she left the salon and is certain she caught the virus there.
However, what’s most important is that she is recovering and can put her ordeal in the past.
Eating healthy is crucial for the right development of children. That is why most parents include fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, and a variety of other nutrients on their kids’ menus.
However, it’s not only important for them to consume quality food at home, but while at school too. Sadly, not every student is able to afford a healthy meal. In fact, those who have lunch dept only get an alternative meal such as a cheese sandwich and are often publicly “lunch shamed.”
The overall dept of the students from the school district of Jupiter Florida was around $994, which meant that around 400 students weren’t getting items from the regular menu but an alternative lunch.
This was something that most people and parents were aware of, but it wasn’t until a woman named Angie Vyas-Knight wrote about it on Facebook that the problem was finally solved.
“I was like, that’s not OK,” she told WPTV. “These kids are starting off the school year with a negative balance, won’t even have a shot at starting with a clean slate.”
“It has a lot of impacts if a child is happy and well-fed.”
As Angie’s post spread quickly a kind-hearted man named Andrew Levy stumbled upon it and was touched by the story. This real estate agent from Palm Beach Gardens felt uneasy knowing that such high number of students can’t afford decent food.
“Food is something that you shouldn’t have to think about,” Andrew told CBS Miami. “Children shouldn’t have to learn hungry.”
He had the money and believed that covering the dept would make those students’ life a bit easier.
“I went in there and I said ‘I want to pay off the lunch debt.’”
Andrew decided that it would be for the best if he paid the school a visit and see the real situation. He met with the food service department and offered to wipe the debt slate clean for the whole district.
“The thought of a fairly small sum being able to rectify that situation and clear the debt of all these families so the children could eat warm meals is really what got me,” he told WPTV.
The problem was, however, that the debt was likely to accumulate again as the parents of a number of kids were struggling to make ends meet and pay for their children’s lunch. So, Andrew went an extra mile and came up with a plan. He was about to spread the story to people who would be able to donate every once in a while, among which his clients.
“I even have had some clients over the past 48 hours say ‘you know something, I want to help, I want to give too,” he told CBS Miami. “Every quarter I’m going to do either a GoFundMe page or a fundraising page that can raise money every quarter so the lunch debt never accumulates.”
The sad reality is that most school districts around the U.S face the same problem as Jupiter did. The lunch debt in some of them is even higher that $50,000. Such is the case with the Palm Beach County.
As for now, the only solution to this problem is helping the schools and the students with donations. So in case you know of schools who need help covering their students lunch debt please consider donating.
Most moms, no matter how proud they are of the role they are given, feel uncomfortable and are dreaded by the question, “What do you do?” This is because they have a lot on their plate, but despite all the responsibilities around the house and the kids, what they do isn’t appreciated enough, neither by their spouses nor the society.
One mother was fed up by people asking her what her occupation was and rolling their eyes when she would answer “I’m a mom.” So, the last time she was about to give an answer to this question, she did it in a way that made all of us laugh out loud. Needless to say, moms from all over the world praised her for her wise words.
This is her story:
A woman named Emily, renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office, was asked by a recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …?”
“Of course I have a job,” snapped Emily. “I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar.”
“What is your occupation?” she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”
Without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply. “I have a continuing program of research, in the laboratory and in the field. I’m working for my Masters, and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day. But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants – ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6-month-old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood. What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
We thank this mom for reminding us how special the role of mothers is in everyone’s life.
One thing about elephants that amazes me is their loyalty to those of their kind. These magnificent creatures always stick together and get really emotional when a member of their close surrounding dies. In such cases, they mourn and express grief just like the humans do.
This is why it’s extremely sad when a little one is left without its mom because of poachers who kill them for their tusks. The babies that end up orphans as a result of people’s cruelty and greed experience severe emotional crisis.
Luckily, many of them are not left to fend for themselves without no one by their side. A woman named Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick is helping raise orphaned elephants almost all her life.
She is perfectly aware that the number of elephants in the wild is decreasing at an alarming rate, so she does all in her power to provide the little elephant babies with the love and the food they need in order to grow strong and be able to get back into the wild.
Dr. Sheldrick’s late husband, David, loved elephants too. In fact the couple cared for the wildlife together and keeping the elephants safe was their mission in life. So, after his passing, Dr. Sheldrick founded the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in his honor.
This elephant rehabilitation center is huge and the animals have plenty of space to run freely and have lots of fun along with their personal handlers.
The incredible devotion of Dr. Sheldrick for these creatures could also be seen by the fact that she developed a milk formula that is very close in taste and nutrition with that of the elephant mothers.
Once the babies are emotionally healed, they are transferred to the Tsavo National Park where they spend some time before they release them in their natural habitat.
Recently, Dr. Sheldrick started providing shelter for baby rhinos too. What she hopes for is that people stop buying ivory and reduce the poaching that has devastating effect on certain animals’ population.
The love the elephants feel for their savior, Dr. Sheldrick, is enormous. They express their gratitude for what she does for them by lining up and waiting to give her a hug.
“They’re not corrupted. Their sense of family is as strong as ours. Their memories are amazing and their convoluted thinking and reasoning is equal to that of a human … The caring and nurturing is far greater in elephants than it is in humans, and loyalty and friendship endures.”
Please take a look at the below video in order to learn more of the work of this incredible woman.
Onlookers witnessed a real drama recently when a 45-year-old man later identified as Fernando Balbuena took his own life by jumping in front of a train at the Kingsbroad road station, New York.
For matters to be ever worse, just before he took the faithful jump, he pulled his daughter with him.
It was a sight none of the people who found themselves at the scene will ever forget.
Some of the bystanders started screaming in hysterics while others were just looking at the man and his daughter not aware of what had happened right in front of their eyes.
The incident took place in the morning at around 8 a.m just before the morning rush.
It was very obvious that the man didn’t survive the fall, but people quickly realized that the girl didn’t share her father’s fate and rushed to see how seriously she was hurt.
To everyone’s surprise, the little girl only suffered a couple of scratches. It was a real miracle that she managed to stay alive and unharmed.
Sweet Ferni Balbuena wasn’t meant to die that day. As for her father, no one really knows why he made the decision to commit suicide. According to Ferni’s mother, Niurka Caraballo, her husband was speaking on the phone at the time he jumped in front of the train that was heading to Manhattan.
The train driver noticed the man jumping, but there was no possibility of stopping in time for the accident to be avoided.
Ferni, however, was lucky enough to fall in between the tracks where she waited for the train to stop or pass.
Thankfully, some of the onlookers, among which a man named Jairo Torres, rushed to get her out of there back to safety.
Jairo grabbed Ferni’s arm and pulled her from under the heavy machine.
“I never think about anything,” Jairo told CBS New York. “I just care about saving the life of the baby.”
“She says ‘What happened to my daddy?’” he said. “I said ‘Don’t look at your daddy. Come to me. Crawl like a puppy.’”
He didn’t want the girl to know that her father was dead as what she had gone true was enough stress for someone that young.
People say how Jairo’s quick thinking and courage helped Ferni get out of the place without suffering any severe injuries.
“I didn’t do it because people call me a hero. I do it because of the baby. Because in my heart, I feel the baby is still alive. And the I’m all right. The baby is still alive.”
She was taken to the hospital where doctors confirmed how the girl wasn’t hurt, but was overly stressed and confused.
“She’s OK,” mom Niurka said to the New York Post. “Thank God!”
However, she won’t stop asking about her dad and whether he will come back.
In order to help her put the ordeal behind, New York Police Department surprised sweet Ferni with some amazing gifts such as NYPD baseball cap and a “Little Mermaid” doll. They also reminded her of how brave she is for her age.
“My little girl is in perfect condition thanks to God and the angels that protected her,” mom told CBS. “Those living angels with my little girl. Thank you, thank you.”
We are glad Ferni is fine and we hope she will be able to forget the horrific incident and continue living her childhood years as she deserves.
Below is the video of the actual scene captured by a bystander.
Please proceed with caution because it involves disturbing images.
No matter how hard they try to discipline their kids, many parents feel helpless when it comes to teaching them good behavior and distinguishing right from wrong.
A mom from Kent named Becky Crandley struggled to make her son behave and be respectful towards his teachers and classmates, but she eventually came up with an awesome idea that would hopefully teach him a lesson.
One day, she appeared at her son’s school, the Sittingbourne Community College, and she was there to stay.
Even after the long conversations they had, Harley’s behavior at school was only getting worse and worse by each passing day. Becky couldn’t put up with hearing how rude and impolite he was any longer so she thought that sharing a sit with him during lesson time would prevent him from showing that kind of hostile attitude.
“It all started last year with his behavior change, it’s part of growing up I think, but it’s his rudeness and disrespect I cannot stand.” mom said to The Mirror.
“I have had phone call after phone call about his behavior,” she added.
“He’s had an untold amount of detentions and isolations but nothing seemed to bother him.”
After Becky spoke to the school principal and some of Harley’s teachers and presented them with her idea, they were more than willing to give it a try and see the outcome.
So, the first class Becky attended along with her son was mathematics, which was the last class of the week.
She knew that her act would make her son embarrassed and that was exactly what she hoped for.
“I constantly threatened that I’d sit with him in school if needed, and he always laughed it off. Since they’ve been back this year I’ve had several phone calls already.”
“So when his maths teacher emailed last week and said about an incident, I said to her I would join him.”
“He didn’t have a clue, and he was very embarrassed for sure, I was introduced as his mum.”
Needless to say, the moment Becky entered the classroom, most of the students were in stitches and just couldn’t contain their laughter. Harley on the other hand felt really uncomfortable and uneasy. He knew his friends would mock him, and his mom was also aware of that fact, but she really couldn’t think of another way to put a stop to his impoliteness.
During lesson time, Harley was paying close attention to what his teacher had to say. But, Becky noticed that some of the other students behaved in an unacceptable manner and disturb the rest of the classmates.
She really hopes those students’ parents would look up to her and do their best to teach their children a lesson.
“Today’s children are getting worse by the second,” she stated. “I think more parents need to act upon their children’s behavior. It’s scary to think what we will leave behind one day.”
Seeing the rest of the kids, Becky realized that her son’s behavior wasn’t the worst compared to theirs. He was never aggressive, but she didn’t really care about the others, although she hoped their parents would help them improve even though it would mean putting them in an awkward situation. All she cared for was for Harley to never again treat anyone with disrespect.
“Most people know I’m a big softy when it comes to my kids but I’m also straight up and try my hardest to teach them the right way in life.”
“One thing I will not tolerate is disrespect from my sons towards any woman and my eldest has been rude recently in secondary school towards his female teachers.”
“His mummy bear has had enough for sure, my foot is down and I will not lose. If only I got a picture of his face when I walked in and sat down next to him, he went so red there’s nothing I can compare it to.”
The photo of Becky and Harley in the classroom has gone viral and people are praising this mother for her dedication to get her son back on track.
Many times, certain individuals go way beyond their job for the sake of others. These kind people are the reason why our faith in humanity is restored, because not everyone is willing to put extra effort and do something they are not paid for.
Meet Jerry Martin. This incredible man has worked as a school bus driver for many years, and the kids who go to and back from school with him say he’s one of the most caring people they’ve ever met.
The story of Martin has gone viral recently and it’s all for the right reasons. Namely, on his everyday route, he picks up a lot of students. Just recently, he noticed how some of them are waiting for him at a bus stop full of overgrown weed.
This fact caused concerns at Martin who feared for the students’ safety.
Instead of waiting for someone to come and mow the high weed and grass, Martin decided to take it upon himself and clean the place.
He could have just ignore the fact that insects or even snakes might be lurking from the weed and only make sure the kids are safe while abroad, but his heart of gold wouldn’t let the poor students wait there.
Someone noticed Martin getting rid of the weed and took some photos of him that were later shared by the town’s school district.
People couldn’t help by comment on his kindness.
What’s most, former students who were part of his bus before shared how this wasn’t the first time for him to go an extra mile for them.
One person recalled how he used to bring fresh fruits for everyone who was in his bus.
Martin has been a school bus driver for more than eighteen years and parents whose kids he drives appreciate his love and effort.
When asked for his kind deed, Martin says that there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for the kids’ safety.
Curtis Jenkins is another school bus driver who cares for the kids he drives as though they were his own.
Believe it or not, he spent a lot of time learning what the kids wanted for Christmas and make sure to buy each of the items on his list. He bought 70 gifts that he wrapped perfectly and handed to the students.
We thank both Martin and Jenkins for their kind soul and the humanity they show. Two inspiring individuals, indeed.
Back in 1980, the students from the Catholic school of St Columba’s College in Ayrshire, Scotland, U.K, were shaken by the news that their classmate and friend, 7-year-old Aldo Moroni had died of a heart attack.
Today, 39 years after his sudden death, former students are speaking of the harsh reality behind the horrific incident and step forward with some serious allegations against a school staff member.
The person who came forward with information on the case was a pupil in that college himself and is now 64 years old. He recalls the time of his student years and how one of the teachers treated him with disrespect and beat him in many occasions.
This man that goes by the name Edward claims how his nephew, who was Aldo’s classmate, told him that the same teacher, a religious brother called Brother Germanus – real name David McKell in fact killed little Aldo after the boy stayed in the toilet for too long.
These claims first surfaced in a Daily Mail newspaper report and are now brought to court.
According to Edward’s nephew, the kids were present at the time of the murder but were way too young to understand what had really happened.
During the court hearing that took place in Edinburgh, Edward said that allegedly the boy was in the toilet for long and his teacher got really mad at that fact.
“[My nephew said] there was screaming and holy murder going on; it got worse, and the next thing we [the nephew and his classmates] knew, there’s an ambulance there, and the next thing we knew we are at a funeral in Dunoon – Aldo was dead.”
Edward believes that he himself and the rest of the students from the school who fell victims to the hands of the cruel teacher should have spoken of what was going on behind closed door and probably stop him from hurting other students, including poor Aldo. Sadly, it’s now way too late to be sorry.
“I thought about my cowardice – could I have stopped that boy being killed?” he said.
The vicious teacher, McKell, died 21 years ago but now other former students speak of the horrific things he did to innocent pupils who attended the school.
Aldo’s story should teach us to always speak up when an injustice is taking place, because that way, we may help stop bad people from doing bad things.
Imagine what it must feel like to learn that a family member you believed was dead is actually alive.
This happened to two cousins who survived the Holocaust and haven’t seen each other for 75 years. Their reunion is one of the most touching we’ve ever witnessed.
Both cousins, Morris Sana and Simon Mairowitz, lived in Romania with their families and were very close while growing up, but back in 1940 when a fascist group allied their country’s government with Nazi Germany, the families had to leave their homeland in order to save their lives.
During the years, they both believed that the other ended up at a concentration camp and was killed.
It wasn’t until Sana’s daughter showed interest to learn more about her father’s family that the two learned they were both safe and sound and escaped the fascists.
After she connected to some family members on Facebook, Sana’s daughter learned that Mairowitz was living in the United Kingdom. Soon after, he was told the great news and booked a flight to visit Sana in Israel.
The day of the so much anticipated reunion has finally come and everyone was eager to see the reaction of the long-lost cousins.
Thanks to Sana’s granddaughter, Leetal Ofer, we are able to see it too. Needless to say, it filled our hearts with joy.
The video shows Mairowitz anxiously waiting at the hotel room when Sana enters the place.
Seeing each other after so much time, made the cousins break into tears. They can’t believe they were given the chance to speak and hug each other as they did when they were just young and restless boys.
“You can see me now, can’t you?” says Mairowitz as he embraces Sana.
“Good to see you,” Sana replies through his tears.
“It’s good to see you too,” Mairowitz responds.
They can’t take their eyes off of each other and can’t wait to compensate for the time lost.
The rest of the family members are beyond happy for the opportunity these elderly cousins were given. A mixture of feeling, sobbing and laughing fills the place as Sana and Mairowitz recall their childhood and the happy days in their homeland.
The video that was seen by a great number of people and reminded us of the devastating effects the war had on many people and their families was posted with the following caption:
“This is one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen and I’d love to share it with you.
My mom recently found some of her long lost cousins on Facebook. To make a long story short…
My grandfather couldn’t find his cousin and best friend after the Holocaust and was sure that he was killed at the concentration camps. He hasn’t seen or heard from his cousin in 75 years. We were able to arrange for the cousins to meet today.
The war tore so many families apart and to bring them together in Israel is so magical.”
After the Nazis took over, around 180,000 Romanian Jews lost their lives and were placed in concentration camps. Those that were lucky enough fled the country and started their life over. Many had to change their names and identity which made it difficult for family members to track each other down once the war was over.
The video of the reunion between these two cousins is truly touching. Take a look at it below and make sure you share it with your friends.
No matter if we had the time of our life while at high-school or we didn’t have that many friends to hang out with, when it comes to the prom everyone is looking forward to it.
It’s time of love, fun, lots of dancing, and most of all, friendship. And yes, it’s even more special when you have the perfect date by your side.
A student named David Matthew Cowan who attends the Seminole High School had the perfect person on mind when he heard of the homecoming. His girlfriend of four years, Saris Marie Garcia.
The two started dating when he was 15, and she was just 14 years old and have loved each other unconditionally ever since.
The bond between these two lovebirds is very strong and although they’ve known each other for long, that doesn’t stop Cowan from making their relationship even more exciting by coming up with a bunch of ideas on how to surprise his loved one.
As the homecoming dance at Cowan’s school was approaching, he decided to ask Garcia to be his date although she attend a different school.
Knowing Cowan’s creativity, no one really expected less from him when it came to the actual proposal which is something neither he nor his girlfriend will ever forget.
As Garcia was cheer-leading at her school’s football match, Cowan appeared in front of all those people and her friends carrying a hand-made sign which read: “Will you be my sunshine to homecoming?”
But it wasn’t just a plain sign with words written on it. It was nicely decorated with glitter and yellow dandelions. And as everyone was looking at this brave young man approaching his girlfriend with balloons and flowers, their hearts melted.
I am sure each of those girls there wanted to be on Garcia’s place, because honestly, it’s very rare for students and boyfriends nowadays to be that courageous and propose to their prom date in front of so many people.
The moment she spots him, Garcia is overjoyed with excitement and rushes towards him, dropping her pom-poms along the way. She really is one lucky girl, isn’t she?
Now if you think you’ve seen it all from this gentleman, wait until you see him getting down on one knee and taking his girlfriend’s hand.
And the resounding yes he gets from Garcia is celebrated with raising hands towards the crowd witnessing the special moment.
The video has been seen more than 4 million times and that speaks of the fact that people need this type of positivity in their life to remind them that true values are still there hiding in young people like Cowan.
Garcia’s mom can’t be happier for her daughter. She knows Garcia has by her side someone who loves her and would do anything to see her smile. As for her daughter, she told Yahoo Lifestyle:
“She was radiant! She said many times, ‘I can’t believe it!’”
And this is what she had to say about Cowan.
“He was so excited and dancing in the bleachers, saying, ‘Shhh, its a surprise! I am asking her to Homecoming!’”
The most amazing part of this couple’s relationship is that they first met when they were just three years old and were taking speech therapy at a clinic in Orlando. Both Cowan and Garcia have Down Syndrome but they lead perfectly normal lives and their condition doesn’t stop them to live their days to the fullest.
These two are changing the perception that some people and the society have about people with Down Syndrome.
Recently, the photo of the couple was displayed at Times Square during the Down Syndrome Awareness month.
Looking at them, we are sure they were the best-looking couple at the homecoming dance, don’t you think so?
Cowan and Gracia may still not be fully aware of the impact their relationship has on other people who share their condition.
The video of the proposal is definitely something you don’t want to miss. It will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.
A heartbreaking photo of a 12-year-old Jew student kneeling and kissing the shoe of a Muslim boy surfaced recently and people were left disgusted both at the bullies and the society that lacks to provide support for students who fall victims to anti-Semitic or any other form of bullying related to their race, fate, or beliefs.
It was reported that the Jew boy was forced to kiss the other boy’s shoe or he would be severely beaten from the group of Muslim boys who circled him after they stumbled upon him at the local park.
The Age reported that for now, no bully faced any disciplinary measure.
No matter how sad that sounds, this isn’t the first reported case of bullying of Jewish students only because they are Jews.
5-year-old boy was called names such as ‘Jewish cockroach’ and ‘dirty Jew’ and was mocked for being circumcised to the extent that he refused to go to the bathroom and would soil his pants instead.
The parents of both these bullied children asked from the schools and the community to step in and stand for their kids, but as that didn’t happen, they were forced to draw them from the educational institutions they attended.
The mother of the 12-year-old victim says that she contacted the parents of the Muslim boy and they were extremely sorry and incredibly disappointed in their son’s action.
“We sat down, his parents, the two boys and myself, around the table and explained the velocity of [the bullying] and what it meant to us as parents as far as building bridges between Jews and Muslims in society and not creating division like that photo does,” the mother of one of the bullies said.
After the school refused to take any action saying the incident didn’t took place on the school’s ground, the mother of the bullied 12-year-old Jew student said, “I took such offence with the Education Department, because there was nothing they did to protect my son at all, at any point in time – that’s what’s cut me up,’ she said.
The mother of the five-year-old boy who was bullied and called names shared the heartbreaking story of how it all affected her lovely child and how it crushed his self-esteem. Speaking to Australian Jewish News, she said, “He literally fell down on the floor and said, ‘Mumy, you shouldn’t love me. I’m a worthless, Jewish rodent. I’m vermin.'”
She tried to find a solution that would help put an end to her son’s bullying regarding the incidents taking place in the bathroom, but the school just said that he should use a separate bathroom instead the one that everyone uses.
She then suggested that the students get educated about antisemitism, but her suggestion was rejected in an instant.
“It’s not anti-Semitism, it’s just bullying. I don’t want to make other students feel uncomfortable,” the school principal said.
The school issued a statement writing, “While school staff were not able to substantiate that any negative interactions were anti-Semitic in nature, on the basis of those investigations, school staff identified an incident that involved children laughing at [the boy].”
‘This was not acceptable and would have been an unpleasant experience for [the boy]. I am sorry that this occurred.”
Both the parents of the bullied boys and representatives of the Australia’s Anti-Defamation Commission agree that this bullying should be stopped and no other Jewish person should ever feel bad for being a Jew.
They urge the Government and the school system to put an effort to deal with the sad phenomenon of these students having to undergo ordeals and be subjected to violence, verbal insults, and social exclusion.
When people reach certain age and retire, their life changes completely. All of a sudden, they are left wondering what to do next and how to spend all that free time they have. Sadly, many of them end up living alone. Some, however, are placed in nursing homes, and although they get to be around people their age there, these places can be a bit scary because they remind them of the reality of getting old.
Six senior friends decided to show the world that getting old doesn’t have to be stressful. On the contrary, they embrace their age and are planning to spend the rest of their life living under one roof.
Who needs nursing homes when you have your gang, right?
Their families were hesitant when they learned what their parents were planning, but that didn’t stop the seniors to go ahead with their plan.
In order to see whether living together was a nice idea or not, they found a house in Sydney and moved in. They agree that being there for each other at all times is awesome and liked sharing a place. However, the only problem was that Sydney was costly, so they had to find a new home.
That is when they came up with a plan. Namely, the six seniors who refer to themselves as The Shedders purchased a piece of land at a nice and slow-paced community and became important part of it.
They joined the local choir and now they help raise money for different charity causes. Needless to say, everyone in the town loves them and respects them.
The friends share not only a place, but the bills and the responsibilities around the house too. And yes, what’s most, they have fun and their freedom.
“One thing that you discover when you’re doing it in your 50s and 60s is most people are house-trained. Reasonably,”- Daniel Weinstein, a part of the group, shared.
The key to their successful story is the flawless communication. They are not afraid to tell out loud the things that bother them and the things they like. No hard feeling, really.
“You have to be willing to say the things, you have to be willing to hear the things, and then you have to be willing to navigate through them,”- Heather Bolstler, one of The Shedders, said.
Finishing a career can be great for people who know how to organize their life and free time the best way possible. As the members of the Shedders say, they now have the time to do whatever makes them happy, and they get to do it with people they love and respect; their friends.
We wish these seniors the best life can offer and we hope they will continue living their days to the fullest.
Although they appear to be tough, bullies are actually people who are so miserable and whose self-esteem is so low that they believe it will make them feel better if they hurt and harass others.
Unfortunately, bullying is present even among little children and it affects them in a very negative way. It leaves permanent damage and can even lead to the bullied people taking their own life if they feel like they can’t stand being victims any longer.
Sadly, Samantha Womble’s 5-year-old daughter experienced peer harassment on the school bus recently. Her friends called her names and made her cry. But things turned for the worse when the bus driver refused to protect her and threatened to call the police on the poor little girl.
This is what Samantha had to say regarding the incident:
“My 5-year-old had her first bullying experience on the school bus. She was called stupid and ugly over and over. Instead of an adult handling the situation, he threatened her with the police.”
The biggest issue in such situations is that the victims of bullying get the feeling that they are left to fight with the problem all by themselves. Since they don’t get the expected help, their courage decreases and they are afraid to speak up and stand for themselves.
“My daughter was then horrified and traumatized. As we drove home, we passed an officer, and she covered her head while crying scared to death,” wrote Womble.
That was such a devastating sight. Samantha knew she had to do all in her power to make her little daughter feel secure again.
“I put out a post for prayers and it didn’t go unanswered. That night officer Jonathan Luttrell and officer Blake Burress with the Booneville MS Police Department knocked on the door. They heard what had happened and brought her prizes. They made her feel comfortable and let her know they were her protectors and weren’t out to get her. That night she labeled those cops as her best friends.”
These officers’ kind act meant the world to the little girl. It changed the way she saw these people and instead of being afraid of them, she learned she could trust them, because they were there to protect her and keep her safe.
The police department even went a step further and sent officers to walk the girl to class the following day. They didn’t speak to the bullies because there was no need for that. Their presence was enough for their message to be spread.
“The next morning deputy Taylor Walker and Tyler Reese from the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Dept came to the school. Deputy Walker met her at the vehicle with a smile. He took the time to get on her level and speak with her. She walked back with the biggest smile and stuffed puppy. He held her hand and she was more than happy to have him walk her to class.”
Our faith in humanity is restored when we hear stories like this one, where people are ready to go above and beyond for someone’s well-being and happiness.
Some will argue that the members of the police forces are too harsh sometimes, but when you think about it, it’s their job to maintain public order and enforce the law and they do that the best they can.
“So often law enforcement is thrown under the bus, given horrible names, and used as a scare tactic in the wrong situations. In reality these are the people willing to put their lives on the line to protect us, and care more than we can imagine. These officers made a point to take time out and helped my sweet girl feel safe, cared for, and protected after hearing they were used as a scare tactic against her.”
Once Samantha’s post was noticed by more and more people, some of the parents whose kinds bullied her daughter and were mean to her called her to apologize. Samantha was more than happy that she made parents put some extra effort in teaching their kids distinguishing right from wrong.
What’s most, because of the kindness the police officers showed the little lady, her bullies became her friends.
Thankfully, this case of bullying had a happy ending, but sadly, that’s rarely the case.
That is why we should teach our children from very young age to never treat anyone with disrespect.
Although it looks like bullying is present among students only, it actually exists everywhere, including kindergartens and workplaces.
But if we speak up and fight against it, like Samantha did, maybe we can change things for the better for the victims who are way too afraid to admit they are being bullied.
One would think that with the advance of technology and everything that is going on around the world, humans should be wiser and finally learn to get their free time around working on themselves instead of sticking their nose into other peoples’ business.
Sadly, many years should pass until we become more compassionate and stop judging people based on their physical appearance.
The following story teaches us how we should all stand for those who are bullied because of the way they look. It was shared by a wedding dress shop owner.
Namely, one day, a woman was trying a wedding gown in her shop and was looking forward to find the perfect one. But her dreams and hopes were crushed after two other customers, a mother and a daughter, commented her looks and spoke some very rude words.
Looking at the lady who was trying the dress, the daughter said, “I don’t understand how someone like that can marry, I thought whales did not mate.”
The shop owner could simply ignore what these two women said, but she decided to put an end to their unacceptable behavior even though it could mean her losing a big commission.
The crying bride-to-be felt embarrassed and tried leaving the shop but the owner didn’t let her do that. She told her she should stay and continue looking for the perfect gown for her wedding day.
She then turned to the rude mother and daughter and said, “I don’t understand how you think you can get a dress from my store.”
The daughter showed her arrogance once again saying, “Really? Then you’re wrong. In fact, we’re here to pick it up because it has already been paid.”
But then, the owner went behind the counter, wrote something, and gave it to the arrogant woman.
The mother and the daughter couldn’t believe they were getting a full refund but were staying without their dress.
“You can look for another store to buy you wedding dress, because I just voided your order and I refuse to help you. Now, leave my store before I call the police”
She was now left without her dream gown just a week before her wedding. It’s kind of sad, but at least that will teach her a lesson for life.
The mother then said, “We had ordered this dress with special details for her wedding. How can you void the order?”
But the owner had the perfect reply. “ I voided the order because I don’t want any bride to feel like they don’t deserve to marry because of their looks. Apparently, both of you feel like you are better than others. And there is no place for idiots in my store. I am calling the police, and given the fact that I still have your credit card data, I will charge the damages caused by your daughter to it.”
The other customers who witnessed the incident said how the shop owner was brave enough to step in for the girl even though she lost money that day.
Amazing isn’t it? What do you think of this story? Share your thought with us in the comments section below.
There are people out there who enjoy flying by plane, but not me to be honest. When I think of all that waiting and the queues at the airports I regret ever buying the ticket. Plus, there is always the chance for someone rude to disturb the passengers with their behavior during the flight.
Well, a man shared a story of how he dealt with the impolite woman sitting next to him and we just can’t stop laughing. Oh boy, I wish I was there to witness the whole thing!
Take a look at the story below:
I was headed to San Diego for a conference. The night before, I went out for some drinks with a coworker who would also be there. A few drinks turned into us pretty much closing down the bar. When I woke up at 6:30 later that morning, I actually felt great – I figured I must have drunk my way through the hangover! This was, of course, a very stupid thought, and as the morning dragged on through getting to the airport, getting through security, and waiting at the gate, my head decided I am an idiot and deserve to be punished. It was not wrong. I made my way through the plane to my row, where I was to be seated in the window (a personal preference). As I approached my row, I saw a woman sitting in the middle seat, with her belongings on my seat.
I politely said that it was my seat and waited for her to move them. She let out an overly-large sigh, then laboriously moved her things onto her lap. She then sat there. And sat. I asked her if she would mind letting me by, and she said the oddest thing:
‘Go over me.’
Now at first, I assumed that this was my fault. I assumed that in my awful, terrible hangover, I had forgotten how people board cramped seats and that I was wrong for assuming she would and should get up to let me in. But then I remembered, I’m an idiot. So I assumed she had some sort of physical disability which made standing and sitting difficult or painful for her, and rather than embarrass her I did as she requested, I went over her.
Shortly before takeoff, she stood up and hollered at her husband, who was in the back of the plane with their two children:
‘I don’t know why you couldn’t get us seats together! Honestly, this is absurd, why didn’t you?!’
Lady, I got an idea why.
I didn’t really care about her constantly reshuffling things or her armrest-hogging. It did bum me out when her daughter came up to our row with a cheese and cracker platter and asked her mom if she wanted some and the lady simply said ‘No.’ Eventually, I was able to fall asleep.
For those who don’t drink, there is a phenomenon called the beer s**ts. After a night of heavy drinking, you will often have a large amount of gas (and other things which go along with it) the next day.
About halfway through out flight, I felt this coming on, and I decided I had no choice but to go. I asked her if I could please get out. The gentleman in the aisle seat immediately got out, but she again said:
‘Go over me.’
Now by this point, I was pretty irritable. I had an awful headache, my stomach was doing somersaults, and I was about to blow an O-ring, and this miserable woman wanted me to go over her? On a moving plane? Fine, I would. I swung my right leg over her, then put my ass over her face, nearly touching. A slight tremble in the flight, and I released a full-on, seemingly never ending fart, a cloud of noxious gas which should have had me arrested for war crimes. I let the whole thing go. Afterwards, I turned, made full eye contact, and said ‘Sorry. Turbulence.’ Everyone around me was fully and truly disgusted, and to them I am still so sorry, but I did what I did for the greater good.
When I got back from the bathroom, she got up to let me in.”
To our dogs we are their whole world, and when we feel the same about them incredible and everlasting friendships are born.
Anthony Rogers is a homeless man who lives on the streets of the Memphis area. Throughout his life, he has gone through rough times and lots of obstacles, but he was able to overcome each of them thanks to the love his dog Bobo has given to him.
Sadly, Bobo went missing one day and it broke Anthony’s heart into a million pieces. It felt like his whole world crashed as Bobo was all he had.
Anthony did all he could in order to find his beloved Bobo. He placed flyers all over the area and begged friends to join him in the search. However, no one has seen Bobo. Anthony even contacted animal services, but to no avail.
And just when he lost hope, a police officer who stumbled upon the flyers remembered seeing a dog that resembled Bobo very much. To Anthony’s surprise, it was his four-legged best friend.
“Bobo got neutered, microchipped and vaccinated, and we found out he was heartworm negative,” Memphis Animal Services wrote. “We sent him back to Anthony with a year’s supply of heartworm prevention, a bag of dog food, and a harness, leash, collar, and ID tag. Bobo is healthy and happy.”
The video of the reunion melted millions of hearts.
“Bobo could not contain his happiness at seeing his dad again,” the shelter posted on Facebook.
Seeing the dog running towards his human with such enthusiasm only proved once again that these magnificent creatures truly are man’s best friend.
This reunion is something you don’t want to miss. Take a look at it in the video below.
Being a victim of bullying can have deep physical and emotional effect that can last beyond childhood. Sadly, it happens more often that we realize and many young children are affected by it every single day. Many parents aren’t even aware of the struggles their kids go through and only learn of that when it’s too late to act.
A 16-year-old boy named Channing Smith took his own life because he couldn’t put up with the torture he was exposed to.
His family now speaks of the day of the tragedy.
When Channing came home from his job at Burger King in Manchester, Tennessee last Sunday, he said goodnight to his parents and went straight to his bedroom.
His brother believes that it was then that Channing learned that a girl from his class posted on her Instagram and Facebook accounts explicit messages between Channing and another boy.
Channing freaked out and called some of his friends before he posted his last status writing, “I really hate how I can’t trust anyone because those I did were so fake. Bye.”
At 4 a.m that night, Channing’s father entered his son’s room as he could see the lights were still on and saw the body.
Joshua Smith, Channing’s 38-year-old brother, is outraged and sad. He says the circumstances under which his brother took his own life are due to the cyber-bullying he experienced and is now seeking justice.
However, bringing those who bullied Channing to justice isn’t easy as the city of Manchester is very hostile towards the LGBT community. According to Smith, the investigator under Coffee County District Attorney, Craig Northcott, refused ‘to touch’ the case or press criminal charges saying there was no evidence the explicit messages were ever posted online.
Smith, however, has done his own investigation and tracked down the girl who exposed his brother’s sexuality along with his private messages.
The leakage of those messages containing conversations between Channing and that other boy led to his suicide and Smith is asking for the justice to be served. That girl who hurt Channing has to be taught a lesson.
Speaking to Insider, Smith said, “We don’t want them to be brought upon murder charges or anything. They were kids, and I know they didn’t think through to the end result, that Channing would end up dead. But he did. And, you know, because someone outed him for being gay. I guess his wishes were that he could have done that in his own time.”
Smith threatened Northcott, who has expressed gay hate and racist and offensive comments about Muslims before, to start the case, in the contrary he would start the ‘biggest social media s—storm the town has ever seen,’ according to Insider.
Now, Smith is doing all in his power to raise awareness regarding cyber-bullying and hopes no other kid ever would have to go through what his brother did.
He’s organizing memorials and is spreading Channing’s story with the hashtag #JusticeForChanning but doing that is hard in a city like Manchester where most people are showing racist behavior. However, seeing his brother’s friends showing their support is the ray of light in this place of ignorance.
So far, the school Channing attended has done nothing. They even asked from the parents’ of students who wore T-shirt with the hashtag #JusticeForChanning to come pick them up or bring other clothes.
But many mothers’ of Channing’s classmates and friends are coming together and are showing their support as well.
The grieving family has held a memorial service, but they are organizing a second one in which the singer Billy Ray Cyrus will sing Channing’s favorite song, “Amazing Grace.”
Despite seeking justice, the Smith family is trying to force a new law, Channing’s Law, that would deal with cases of cyber-bullying.
Who wouldn’t want to reach more than 100 years old and still be healthy, vibrant, and ready for new challenges.
A woman named Ruth “Buttercup” Sparks turned 104 recently and she’s more than happy to share details of her exciting life. And speaking of that, she’s got a lot to say.
This elderly lady isn’t just sweet and loving, but very brave too. She served in the U.S Navy when she was young and took part in the WWII. Actually, she’s one of the last living female veterans that was part of the war and is now spending her days in San Antonio, Texas where she resides.
Ruth came to America with her family back in 1926 when she was just 11 years old. They moved here from Denmark and lived in New York. In 1945 she joined the Navy. When she recalls those times of her life, she remembers she was part of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).
“I was the second class of WAVES,” she says.
In the Navy, Ruth worked as a secretary and a mechanic and once the war came to an end, she asked to be transferred to Corpus Christi. There, Ruth met her husband and they lived happily ever after in their hometown where she still lives.
She’s charming and lovable and we enjoy hearing her stories.
Being a mom is one of the best things a woman can experience. But with the little bundle of joy come greater responsibilities and most moms find themselves torn between a bunch of commitments. They not only have to be there for the baby, but they also have to make sure the house is in perfect order. Above all, most of them have regular jobs, too.
Their husbands on the other hand believe that the moms are the ones who should really take care of the children and they don’t do much to facilitate the process of bringing a child.
A woman and a mother named Celeste Erlsch, 38, has spoken of the struggles and the importance of the role of the daddy figure in the life of the children. Her post under the blog she runs, The Ultimate Mom Challenge, has recently gone viral.
She wrote an open letter to her husband, begging him to help with the upbringing of their two kids. Needless to say, many moms felt like she was speaking in their behalf too. Once shared on the Facebook page “Breastfeeding Mama Talk,” the post has been seen and shared by millions of women and mothers.
Celeste’s Open Letter
“Dear Husband,
I. Need. More. Help.
Last night was hard for you. I asked you to watch the baby so I could go to bed early. The baby was crying. Wailing, really. I could hear him from upstairs and my stomach knotted from the sound, wondering if I should come down there and relieve you or just shut the door so I could get some desperately needed sleep. I chose the latter.
You came into the room 20 minutes later, with the baby still frantically crying. You placed the baby in the bassinet and gently pushed the bassinet just a few inches closer to my side of the bed, a clear gesture that you were done watching him.
I wanted to scream at you. I wanted to launch an epic fight that very moment. I had been watching the baby and the toddler all damn day. I was going to be waking up with the baby to feed him all damn night. The least you could do is hold him for a couple of hours in the evening so I can attempt to sleep.
Just a few hours of precious sleep. Is that too much to ask?
I know we both watched our parents fulfill the typical mother-father roles growing up. Both our mothers were the primary caretakers and our fathers were relatively hands–off. They were excellent dads, but they weren’t expected to spend a significant amount of time changing diapers, feeding, caring, and tending to the kids. Our mothers were the superwomen who maintained the family dynamics. Cooking, cleaning, and raising the children. Any help from dad was welcome but unexpected.
I see us falling into these family dynamics more and more each day. My responsibility to feed the family, keep the house clean, and take care of the kids is assumed, even as I return to work. I blame myself for most of it too. I have set the precedent that I can do it. And in truth, I want to. No offense, but I’m not sure I want to know what a week’s worth of dinner would look like with you in charge.
I also see my friends and other moms doing it all, and doing it well. I know you see it, too. If they can manage it, and if our mothers did it so well for us, why can’t I?
I don’t know.
Maybe our friends are playing the part in public and secretly struggling. Maybe our moms suffered in silence for years and now, thirty years later, they simply don’t remember how hard it really was. Or maybe, and this is something I berate myself over every single day, I’m just not as qualified for the job as everyone else. And as much as I cringe just thinking it, I’m going to say it: I need more help.
Part of me feels like a failure for even asking. I mean, you do help. You are an amazing father, and you do a great job with the kids. And besides, this should come easy to me, right? Motherly instincts, no?
But I’m human, and I’m running on five hours of sleep and tired as hell. I need you. In the morning, I need you to get our toddler ready so I can care for the baby and make everyone’s lunches and drink a cup of coffee. And no, getting the toddler ready does not mean plopping him in front of the TV. It means making sure he went potty, giving him some breakfast, seeing if he wants water, and packing his bag for school.
At night, I need an hour to decompress in bed knowing our toddler is asleep in his room and the baby is in your care. I know it’s hard to listen to the baby cry. Believe me, I know. But if I can watch and pacify the baby for the majority of the day, you can do it for an hour or two at night. Please. I need you.
On weekends, I need more breaks. Times where I can get out of the house by myself and feel like an individual. Even if it’s just a walk around the block or a trip to the grocery store. And some days when I’ve scheduled swim class and play dates, and it seems like I’ve got it all under control, I need you to offer to lend me a hand. Or suggest I go lay down during the kids’ naptime. Or start putting away the dishes without me suggesting it. I need you.
Lastly, I need to hear you’re grateful for all I do. I want to know that you notice the laundry is done and a nice dinner has been prepared. I want to know you appreciate that I breastfeed at all hours and pump when I’m at work when it would be easier for me to formula feed. I hope you notice that I never ask you to stay home from your networking events and sport activities. As the mom, it’s assumed I’ll be home all the time and always available to care for the kids while you’re out and I feed that assumption by, well, being home all the time. I know it’s not how our parents did it, and I hate even asking. I wish I could do it all and make it look effortless. And I wish I didn’t need kudos for doing things most people expect from a mom. But I’m waving a white flag and admitting I’m only human. I’m telling you how much I need you, and if I keep going at the pace I’ve been on, I will break. And that would hurt you, the kids, and our family.
Because, let’s face it: you need me, too.”
The Second Shift
Nowadays, the media and the society try to convince us of the equal treatment of men and women in the workplace, but no one speaks of their role in the house.
According to a survey conducted by the The Nation, after they get home from work, more than half of all the women will do housework. When it comes to men, the numbers are just 20%.
Whereas women spend additional three hours a day cleaning the house, doing laundry, and other housework, men spend the same amount of time taking a nap or enjoying doing something they like.
Stop Nagging!
Whenever the woman feel like she needs any sort of assistance around the place or the kids, most husbands interpret that as nagging. This is why many wives don’t ask for help and take all the responsibilities on themselves.
Communication Is The Key
Although this is something you’ve heard many times before, communication really is what every couple needs more of.
It’s always nice to be straightforward when it comes to the expectations you have from the spouse, no matter if you have children or not.
Husbands and daddies should be more considerate and offer a helping hand even when they are not asked to. They should be aware of the responsibilities that come with marriage and take equal part in having them done.
Speaking to Bored Panda, Celeste says, “My husband and I talk about this topic fairly regularly, he knows my concerns and we work on that daily. The reason I wrote an open letter is that I know lots of women facing similar issues. I discuss this topic all the time with my friends. I wanted to put it out there to start a larger discussion. I wanted women to feel encouraged to ask for help. I wanted husbands to know we need more help.”
Surprisingly, more and more dads are stay-at-home fathers. Based on information released by the U.S Census Bureau, in the last six years the number of dads who don’t work but take care of their children reached 140,000.
Researchers say that most fathers who get involved in taking care of their kids work less hours compared to other dads and they posses certain traits such as higher self-esteem as well as lover level of depression.
Some Great News For Moms Over Here!
M.D., FAAP Ben Siegel, professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics says that “more men are organizing their lives around their families.” He also says that dads taking care of their children is not just a trend, and that’s really encouraging.
The Bottom Line
Roland Warren, president of the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) which is a non-profit organization that promotes responsible fatherhood says that what many fathers need is support and an ‘upgrade.’
Dear wives and mothers, encourage your partners to be part of their children’s lives and whenever they show they are a wonderful husband or father let them know that. Appreciate what they do in order to receive more in return.
This sad story is a reminder that the harmless decisions we take in life can sometimes turn into fatal ones.
A girl named Bethany Benson and her boyfriend were on a road trip when Bethany felt sleepy and tried finding a comfortable position. At one moment, she decided to tilt the seat and stretch her legs on the dashboard. Moments later, she felt asleep.
Little did she know that taking that position will make her life a living hell.
When Bethany opened her eyes, she was no longer in the car, but in a hospital bed, surrounded with a bunch of doctors who were fighting for her life.
During the trip, a small car that was driving ahead of Bethany’s boyfriend’s car crashed into a motorcycle, killing the motorcyclist. Behind the car, there was a huge truck. Witnessing the accident, the truck driver hit the breaks, which caused for Bethany’s boyfriend to hit into the truck with a high speed.
At the time of the crash, Bethany was sound asleep and doctors say that the combination of sleeping and trauma caused her to block out what had happened.
The couple’s car was damaged to the extent that it led experts wondering how it was even possible for Bethany and her boyfriend to survive.
He ended up with 100 stitches on the face and a scar, but Bethany’s condition was extremely severe. She experienced excruciating pain and the chances of her survival were slim.
As the airbag opened, it caused Bethany’s feet to hit her face. She ended up with a broken cheekbone and nose, broken eye socket, broken jaw, compressed feet and more.
Sadly, she also had a brain bleeding which turned to be more serious than what doctors initially thought.
It caused a permanent brain damage and Bethany turned into a completely different person. She lost the ability to hear and speak French. She also experienced difficulties using English and communicate with those around her.
The handful of pills she takes every single day only helps her condition get a bit milder.
Years passed by and Bethany is still struggling to function properly. Her mother says that she acts like a teenager and throws tantrums for no reason. She even writes messages in which she offends and threatens people but later completely forgets ever doing that.
Life can take a different turn in an instant. For Bethany, it was just one simple decision that turned it upside down forever.
If she hadn’t put her legs on the dashboard maybe she would have suffered tiny injuries only.
Let her story be a lesson for the rest of us to never stretch our feet while in a driving vehicle and to always have our seat-belt on.
Take a look at Bethany’s full story in the video below.
