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Joy

10 things that made us smile this year

Our most loved Instagram posts of the year are pure Upworthy joy.

hummingbird, toddler hug
@bird.person666, @smashlee__a on Instagram

Upworthy's top 10 Instagram posts of 2022

Here we are, friends, in the final stretch to the 2022 finish line. What a year it has been!

Every week this year, we've shared a roundup of 10 things that made us smile, and you have told us time and time again that you love it. (Who wouldn't love a regular collection of joy all in one place?)

To close out the year, we're doing this week's roundup a little differently. Millions of you follow us on Instagram, where we curate and share delightful, uplifting things we find around the interwebs. It's always fun to look back at the end of the year and see what resonated most with people, so we've gathered together our 10 most beloved Instagram posts of 2022 for your enjoyment.

From sweet big brothers to bird and queso lovers, this top 10 countdown is a delightful reminder of the things that made us smile the most this year.

Enjoy!

10. 'Living statue' broke character when a toddler insisted on giving him a hug.

Who can resist a wholesome toddler hug? Nobody can. (And nobody should.)

9. A pilot brought an airplane-obsessed 2-year-old into the cockpit to be his co-pilot.

Representation matters and this kiddo got to see firsthand that dreams can come true.

8. Bird researcher became a human bird feeder and her silent excitement was adorable.

First of all, brrr. Second of all, what a fun idea. Third of all, her face after the bird ate from her face feeder was everything.

7. Boy met his baby brother for the first time and his reaction melted everyone's hearts.

Oh, what a little feeler! Hudson is a very lucky little brother.

6. Kids named 'Internet' and 'Ordinary'? So, so close.

Shout out to our social media team for the caption on the first one here ("She wins the Antionette." LOL), but click through for more hilarious kids-getting-names-wrong stories.

5. Little girl's reaction to her 'silly Popsy' shaving his beard was priceless.

Classic toddler, from "I don't like it, take it off!" to "Hey, why did you take it off?" She sure loves her silly Popsy, though. Too cute.

4. Kiddo's sweet reaction to holding his newborn baby sister was just pure love.

We have a bit of a theme here, with two new big brothers on our list. But come on. It doesn't get any purer than this.

3. Baby ate queso for the first time and his face said it all.

Queso baby is all of us.

2. Neighborhood kids run to greet man with Alzheimer's every day after school.

 ✨"

Tissue warning was definitely in order for this one. What a beautiful example of community.

1. Hector the hummingbird—and the human who hand-feeds him—were the favorites of 2022.

Hector loves his nectar and everyone loves Hector. And that resonant voice from Hector's human friend makes his visit all the better.

Thanks for a year full of smiles, everyone. If you'd like our weekly 10 things roundups delivered to your inbox in 2023, sign up for our free newsletter, The Upworthiest, here. Have a safe and happy new year!


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Astronaut shares the profound 'big lie' he realized after seeing the Earth from space

This change in perspective could change humanity.

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Our home, from space.

Sixty-one years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to make it into space and probably the first to experience what scientists now call the "overview effect." This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen.”

The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.

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Special ring that tells people you're single created for folks tired of dating apps

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Dating never stays the same.

Why, it feels like it was only yesterday when dating apps were the shiny new trend in the singles world. However, with life becoming increasingly more virtual, many people are looking to become less dominated by screens. As a result, folks are once again hoping to find love from an authentic connection IRL. Swiping just isn’t as romantic (or cutting edge) as it used to be.

That’s where the Pear ring comes in. Self dubbed as the “world’s biggest social experiment,” this $25 brightly colored blue ring offers something classic, with a twist. Basically, folks wear it out to signal they’re single and ready to mingle. Almost like the opposite of an engagement ring, really.
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Wife cooks nachos for 'picky' husband who refused to eat her salmon. But she has a point.

Should she be cooking two meals?

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Brianna Greenfield makes nachos for her husband.

A viral video showing a woman preparing nachos for her "picky" spouse after he refused to eat the salmon dinner she cooked has sparked a contentious debate on TikTok. The video was shared on April 26 by Brianna Greenfield (@themamabrianna on TikTok) and has since earned over 2.5 million views.

Brianna is a mother of two who lives in Iowa.

The video starts with Brianna grating a massive hunk of cheese with a caption that reads: “My husband didn’t eat the dinner that I made…So let’s make him some nachos.”

“If I don’t feed him, he literally won’t eat,” she wrote. “This used to irritate me. Now I just blame his mother for never making him try salmon,” Greenfield wrote. The video features Meghan Trainor’s single “Mother” playing in the background.

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New study shows spanking hurts kids' mental health and is less effective at teaching lessons

Why is it wrong to hit an adult or an animal but OK to spank a child?

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

Yet another study shows that spanking isn't good for kids.

Whether to spank your child or not is one of the oldest debates among parents. Many live by the age-old wisdom that to “spare the rod” is to “spoil the child,” while others believe it’s wrong to resort to violence to punish a child when so many alternatives exist.

It also begs the question: If it's wrong to hit your spouse or pet, why is it acceptable to hit a defenseless child?

The 2021 American Family Study found that support for spanking has declined in the U.S. over the past few years. In 2015, 54% either somewhat or strongly agreed with the practice, but that number dropped to 47% in 2021. Thirty-five percent of respondents disagree with the practice and 18% neither agree nor disagree.

A new research study from the Parent and Family Research Alliance in Australia led by Professor Sophie Havighurst and Professor Daryl Higgins from Australian Catholic University makes a strong case that people should stop using corporal punishment to discipline their kids. The study “Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform” analyzed countless studies on the topic and found spanking ineffective and harmful.

The study was published to urge lawmakers to make corporal punishment in Australia illegal. Sixty-five states across the world have made corporal punishment illegal, protecting 14% of the world’s children.

The study defined corporal punishment of children as using physical force to cause pain, but not injury, to correct or control a child’s behavior.

The most startling meta-analysis published in the study found that "only 1 out of 111 statistically significant effect sizes was associated with a link between 'spanking' and a positive child outcome," while 110 were found to be associated with adverse outcomes.

The one positive outcome was in a 1972 study of children of the U.S. military living in West Germany that found those spanked showed less amphetamine and opiate use as adults.

However, the remaining 110 significant results found that spanking had adverse effects, including: “reducing trust and connection with those they are closest to, lower self-esteem, more internalizing and externalizing behavior problems including aggression, mental health difficulties, and increased risk for later substance abuse, antisocial behavior, and violence.”

A meta-analysis found that when children are spanked, they are less likely to internalize the moral implications of the behaviors that led them to be disciplined. It also found that non-physical discipline was more effective at teaching “alternative behaviors,” “developing a child’s conscience,” and advancing their “emotional development.”

Another meta-analysis cited in the story found that corporal punishment in childhood was associated with mental health problems, low self-esteem and antisocial behavior.

In the end, the studies show that corporal punishment is counter-productive when it comes to raising healthy, happy children. But it will take much more than a study to get people to reconsider their views of corporal punishment because they are deeply rooted in many cultural traditions.

Looking for some non-physical alternatives to discipline your child? Here’s a great place to start from WebMD.

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Woman’s experience scheduling an EEG highlights the unconscious bias of textured hair

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Sadé Naima|TikTok

Woman can't schedule EEG due to unconscious textured hair bias.

Getting a medical procedure done can be scary, or at the very least nerve-wracking, no matter how many times you've had it done. It's something that's outside of your normal routine and you're essentially at the mercy of the medical facility and providers. Most of the time, the pre-procedure instructions make sense, and if something catches you by surprise, it's usually easily explained.

Sadé Naima recently had an experience while attempting to get an EEG that wasn't easily explained away. In fact, the entire situation didn't make sense to the TikTok creator who experiences migraines. Naima uploaded a video to the social media platform explaining the sequence of events that happened after her doctor referred her to receive an MRI and EEG.

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Heroic train conductor spots and saves 3-year-old autistic, nonverbal boy lost on tracks

He was dangerously close to the third rail.

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An MTA employee rescues a 3-year-old child on the tracks.

Five Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees are hailed as heroes for their quick thinking and diligence in the April 6 rescue of a young boy. Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy was operating a southbound Hudson Line train near Tarrytown, a few miles north of New York City, when he noticed an unusual object on the northbound track.

That “object” was a 3-year-old boy.

Kennedy sent an emergency call out to all trains in the area, catching the attention of a northbound conductor, Shawn Loughran, and a trainee. Loughran slowed down his train as he approached the child, who was straddling the electrified third rail.

When the train screeched to a halt, Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins didn't waste a second. Leaping down the tracks, he sprinted 40 yards ahead of the train, scooping up the young child like a guardian angel.

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