+
upworthy
More

9 thoughtful things to stash in your favorite new-mom care package.

Making time for self-care is essential for everyone, but it's especially important for new moms.

True
Healthy Essentials

12 days after his scheduled arrival, baby boy Alexander Anselme Keith came into the world on the morning of  Oct. 5.

His mother, Peggy, is one of my best friends in the world.

Little Alexander, hanging out with his penguin and lion friends. Image via Peggy Gordon, used with permission.


I met Peggy in our first year of university in Canada, where we're from. We were nerdy and witty, obsessed with "The Simpsons," boys with bleached hair, music trivia, and flavored vodka.

Over the last 20 years, we've grown up a lot. Our hair is better, our eyesight a little worse. There's a lot less body glitter and a lot more coffee. Peggy got married. We've both established careers and traveled. While I'm not sure I'll ever have kids, I knew from the day I met her that Peggy's fierce devotion and powerful capacity for love would make her a wonderful mom.

And, of course, she absolutely is. Once baby Alex gets a little better at object permanence, I'm excited to take on my role as a goofy, nerdy aunt and teach him about Monty Python, Harry Potter, and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Me on the left, Peggy on the right. It's 1998, if you couldn't already tell by my hair. Image via Heather Libby.

In the meantime, I have another important job as a best friend: helping his mom maintain her sanity and composure while she adapts to her new role. Even though we're in the same city, I can't be there with a wipe for every stuffed nose or soiled backside. I can, however, share with her some lovely little items that'll make her busy life a little easier and her downtime a little more relaxing. Making time for self-care is essential for everyone, but it's especially important for new moms. After all, we can only fill up our children with love if we’re full, too!

In honor of my wonderful friend, here’s what I’m putting in her care package:

1. Specialty dark chocolate

The health benefits of fair-trade dark chocolate may be up for debate, but that it is a wonderful, delicious indulgence is not. Coupled with a wheel of local camembert, some crackers, and a mandarin orange, it’s a nice treat for mom on her own or to share with dad on an impromptu date night once the baby is off to bed.

Image via Pexels.

2. Escapist reading material

The world can seem like a dismal, ridiculous place at times. But this baby — and all others born in 2016 — have the potential to grow up and change it. I picked up a Rolling Stone magazine featuring a beloved band and a book about our shared favorite nation (Canada!) for a glorious, positive distraction.

3. Tinted lip balm

Because looking and feeling put together isn't something moms should have to give up.

4. Face wipes

Blessed are you, quick-cleansing wipes. Image via Healthy Essentials®.

These face wipes are great for busy mornings that start too early, or for those times when she just needs a quick refresh.

5. A silky moisturizer for (almost) baby-soft skin

When mom is snatching a few hours or minutes of sleep at a time — and trying to raise a quickly growing bundle of love — remembering to take care of herself isn’t always a priority. This AVEENO®Daily Moisturizer will keep her skin soft and moisturized all day.

6. Dry shampoo

In my opinion, dry shampoo is the greatest innovation of the 2000s. It foofs (yes, that's the technical term) up flat, dirty hair in seconds, making the choice between "Mom gets to wash her hair for the first time in four days" and "Mom cleans spit-up off the couch before it dries" a lot less disappointing. (If you can't find dry shampoo, sub in JOHNSON'S® baby powder — it can actually serve as a form of dry shampoo!)

7. A sleep mask for napping during the day

A two- or three-hour feeding schedule makes things like daytime and nighttime seem pretty arbitrary. For moms who prefer a little darkness when they sleep, this mask comes in pretty handy during tandem afternoon naps with a sleepy babe.

8. Fancy caffeine-free herbal tea

Because it smells and tastes like relaxation. Mmmmm.

9. Hot water bottle and fuzzy sleeve

Making a baby and giving birth is some of the hardest work a mom's body will do. This hot water bottle will help sore muscles relax as her body heals. Added bonus: It looks like a giant wooly sock!

BRB, going back to the store for one of my own. Image by Heather Libby.

There's a lot I still don't know about life. One thing is for sure, though: Taking time to care — for ourselves and for those we love — is essential.

I've been friends with Peggy since we were dorky teenagers, and I know we'll be friends when we're older, grayer, and probably not wiser. Whenever we can be, we're there for each other. When we can't be, care packages are a great alternative!

Family

Mom calls out teacher who gave her son a 'zero' grade for not providing class with supplies

Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.

@shanittanicole/TikTok

A zero grade for not providing school supplies?

The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.

What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.

This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.
Keep ReadingShow less

A group of men look at paperwork.

The massive changes to the American workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic invited many to reconsider their professional lives. This reevaluation has led people to push for improved work-life balance, and many now are looking for work to provide a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

When the world returned to work after COVID, many believed they deserved to be treated better by their employers. This resulted in many taking a break from the workforce or changing professions altogether. It also helped usher in a more comfortable culture for calling out companies that don’t treat their employees respectfully.

Recently, a group of thousands came together on Reddit to expose the common mistruths that people often hear at the workplace. It all started when a Redditor named PretenstoKnow asked: "What's the most common lie employers tell their employees?" And over 2,600 people responded.

Keep ReadingShow less

Golden Retrievers are the ultimate good doggos.


If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.

The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.

Keep ReadingShow less
Photo Credit: William Fortunado via Canva

Amanda Seals breaks down history of DAP handshake

We've all seen people do it. Anywhere from basketball players on television to kids meeting up at the skating rink. Even former president Barack Obama when greeting a mixed group of men gave "DAP" to the Black men in the group, yet switched to a firm handshake when greeting the other men.

It was almost like watching the president code switch, but with body language, in a move that many Black Americans recognize as a gesture of acceptance and comradery. But did you know that there's an actual history behind the DAP that has nothing to do with looking cool? Social justice educator and actress, Amanda Seales, recently re-shared a clip from "The Real" where she was diving into the history of the handshake.

Seales, who has a master's degree in African American Studies from Columbia University, was also admittedly surprised when she learned there was a deeper meaning to the gesture.

Keep ReadingShow less
Health

Neuroscientist reveals perfect amount of time to spend on social media for your mental health

Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression and anxiety.

@rachelle_summers/TikTok

Anyone can use this checklist.

There are pretty clear cut guidelines on how much screen time kids should have, but for adults…not so much. And perhaps it’s this lack of clarity that leaves people to go on full blown digital detoxes or get off social media entirely.

And while there is certainly a case to be made for that decision, for many of us, that isn’t quite feasible—especially in certain lines of work.

Luckily, according to neuroscientist Rachelle Summers, there is a way we can still be on social media, without being subjected to its negative side effects.
Keep ReadingShow less
Photo by Kats Weil on Unsplash

Ready for a refreshingly wholesome story?

The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.

And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.

Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.
Keep ReadingShow less