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10 things that made us smile this week

10 things that made us smile this week

@donwinslow/Twitter @StoryPoint Saline/Facebook

This week's roundup of delightful finds from around the internet.

So, I've been pulling together these weekly roundups of goodness for several months, and I've noticed some common themes emerging in the things that tend to bring us joy:

1. Animals. Always.

2. Children. Kids are often hilarious.

3. Older folks. Our elders have much to teach us about embracing life.

4. The arts. Few things universally bring people together like enjoying creative expression.

Practically every "10 things that made us smile this week" post so far has been dominated by these categories, with zero intention for that to be the case. And this week's list is no exception. Animals, kids, elders and arts. That appears to be where most of our small daily joys can be found.

I'm sure we could delve into the deeper reasons for each of those things, but do we need to? Nah. But if people are looking for a quick shot of happy hormones, perhaps that's where they should be looking.

Thankfully, you can find those things right here, every Friday. I truly hope you love this week's collection of smileworthy, joyworthy, delightworthy tidbits from around the internet. Enjoy!

5-year-old gives his mom advice for overcoming nerves. It's both adorable and spot-on.

See on Instagram

Twitter user @EPrecipice shared an exchange she had with her son, and it's the best. Click the side arrows to scroll through and see his advice. Totally going to steal "I am brave of this meeting!" "Don't put a skunk on a bus" seems like a solid bit of wisdom. And I'm definitely going to start thinking about the donuts of my day whenever I'm feeling down.

Seven seconds of the world's most adorable kitten.

literally everyone needs to see this videopic.twitter.com/8v71gwqMxr
— Qwobby (@Qwobby) 1643139633

They're right. Literally everyone needs this.

Golden retriever meets new puppy and offers it a gift.

@thegoldenbros3
when your parents get you a best friend 🐶🥺✨🤍 #fyp #dogsofttiktok #puppylove #puppiesoftiktok #SimsSelves #fypシ #goldenretriever

Doggone it, this is cute. When big doggo gives little puppo the stuffed toy? Stop it. It's too much.

Life is hard, and so we dance.

The situation with my mom (cancer and heart) and my dad\u2019s (Parkinson\u2019s and dementia) health has been making me so sad. I wish I could be with them right now. So my sister sent a video of them together tonight, dancing to Neil Young. Take a moment to love your loved ones.pic.twitter.com/y2fBu26NlP
— Holli (@Holli) 1642899068

It's the little things. And the love. Just beautiful.

Seniors enjoy some childlike thrills with an indoor inner tube ride.

We all need fun in our lives, regardless of our age or stage in life. How delightful that these residents of the StoryPoint Saline retirement community are getting this kind of care. Read the full story here.

The Gardiner Brothers step dancing to Queen is thoroughly enjoyable. (SOUND UP)

Meet the @Gardiner_Bros again.pic.twitter.com/WEXqslT3Xg
— Don Winslow (@Don Winslow) 1643160537

What is it about the sound of tapping that's so satisfying? Follow these five-time world champion Irish dancers, Matt and Mike Gardiner, here for more awesome performances.

The #BettyWhiteChallenge has raised more than $12.7 million for animal welfare.

Fans of Betty White wanted to do something special for what would have been her 100th birthday, which prompted a grassroots challenge to raise money for animal shelters and rescues in her name. Meta announced that more than $12.7 million was raised just through Facebook and Instagram donations alone. Read the story here.

World-class pianist regains the ability to play after 20 years, thanks to bionic gloves.

See on Instagram

Just watching his face as he plays tells the story. So beautiful. Technological innovation can be life-changing.

Woman interviews animals with a tiny mic and it's oddly entertaining.

Maya Higa's "tiny mic interviews" have become a hit on YouTube and it's easy to see why (once you get through the disclaimers at the beginning—you can skip the first minute with the understanding that these are rescued animals in a sanctuary, not pets). Who knew a porcupine made that noise? Read the full story here.

Kid really, really, really loves komodo dragons, even though "they eat people."

See on Instagram

This video is never not hilarious. His fascination with komodo dragons is just so wholesome (despite the whole wanting to see one eat a person thing).

Hope that made your day! Check back in next Friday for another roundup of the internet's most delightful finds.

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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?

via TheMamaBrianna/TikTok

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.”

\u201cTo support ending corporal punishment in Australia, where it is still legal for parents to hit children, sign this petition to help change legislation so that we can join 65 other countries that have already taken this step to protect chn from harm \u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\u2b07\ufe0f\nhttps://t.co/2whNouk3eq\u201d
— Parenting and Family Research Alliance (@Parenting and Family Research Alliance) 1682897165

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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Sadé Naima|TikTok

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

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

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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.

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