10 things that made us smile this week
This week's roundup is a veritable feast of unusual and heartwarming delights.

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.
Have you ever seen a beaver build a "dam" out of stuffed animals and Christmas decorations? How about someone singing "Baby Got Back" opera-style?
This week's 10 things list is a veritable feast of unusual delights. In addition to the indoor beaver dam and operatic "Baby Got Back," we have a quick-witted "molice" (mom police) officer, a diner-owning toddler who serves broccoli to patrons who order cookies, and a hilarious mix-up between a kid named Jesús and the actual biblical Jesus.
We love to laugh here at Upworthy, but we also like to cry happy tears. It wouldn't be a genuine roundup of joy without a few heart-tuggers in there. We've got you covered on all joy fronts. (Get ready to giggle, but grab a tissue or two as well is what I'm saying.)
Without further ado, please enjoy these 10 things that made us smile this week.
1. Mom's hilarious 'molice' skits have parents everywhere nodding and chuckling.
@bmackwrites Episode 2: Teen won’t clean room #molice #bmackwrites
Her vest. The face roller. That giggle at the end. And there's more where this came from. See more of Bridgett Mack's "molice" videos here.
2. Wee one painting her mom's nails does a spot-on Leslie Jordan impression.
@addytok2022 She tried her best honey 😂 #fyp #fypage #trending
It's unintentional, surely, but it's like hearing Leslie Jordan being channeled through a toddler. Read more about Addy and her family here.
3. Watch Sawyer the rescue beaver meticulously build a 'dam' in her rehabber's hallway.
Marine mammal researcher Dr. Holley Muraco shared with us how Sawyer came to live with her and it's a fascinating look into beaver rehabilitation. Learn all about Sawyer and her fellow rescue beavers, Huck and Finn (yes, really!) here.
4. A mom got confused by a 'birthday party for Jesus' invitation and it's a hilarious mix-up.
"Are you Jésus' mom?" "I don't even know who Jésus is." Holy moly, too funny. Read the full story here.
5. A son gets a first look at his mom before he walks her down the aisle, and here's where the tissues come in.
"I'm so happy for you." Oof. How sweet is that kiddo?
6. Two-year-old runs her diner like a middle-aged woman who tolerates no nonsense.
@saruh2themax I got put on a strict diet due to my audacity. #willowpenelope #willowsdiner #cute #funnytoddler
"Willow's Diner" has become an incredibly popular TikTok series and you can see why with those facial expressions and toddler unpredictability. Check out more Willow's Diner videos here.
7. Jason Derulo sings "Baby Got Back" opera-style and nails it.
Derulo is a pop singer, but one who has been classically trained and it shows. That vibrato on "spruuuuuuung"? Come on. Read the full story here.
8. Kid belts out every word of song from new 'Matilda' film and Dad's reaction is too relatable.
\u201cWe love to see the rise of a new theater kid. Protect him.\u201d— Ayanna P. (@Ayanna P.) 1673269370
Math facts woes aside, Nathan appears to have a bright musical theater future ahead of him. Another video of him singing a "Hamilton" song went viral with this one and got the attention of Leslie Odom Jr. himself. Read the full story here.
9. Eight-year-old surprises his beloved auntie with his portrait painting of her at an art show.
Another good cry here. What a sweetheart and Auntie Steph's reaction is so pure. Love, love, love.
10. Swipe through these 'wholesome secrets' and see if they inspire some quiet acts of kindness.
Some of the greatest acts of human kindness are the ones we never see. In an age where everyone shares everything on social media, isn't it heartwarming to hear about people being helpful behind the scenes, just for the good of it?
Hope that brought you some joy!
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."