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10 things that made us smile this week

From a Kevin Bacon-Kyra Sedgwick duet to a hilarious crash course in sibling rivalry to an unassuming, crowd-pleasing kid named George, this week's list is full of joy and delight.

kevin bacon, kyra sedgwick, kids

@jrtorres041/TikTok, Kevin Bacon/Instagram, @daniellabruce_/Instagram

A dad-daughter day out, a Kevin Bacon-Kyra Sedgwick duet, a crowd-pleaser named George and more.

Here at Upworthy, we have a handful of famous folks who regularly make our headlines for their consistent, continued awesomeness. The legendary Dick Van Dyke is one of them. The legend-in-his-own-right Kevin Bacon is another.

Both of these gentlemen are featured in this week's roundup of joy, and we couldn't be giddier about it. Is it possible to see Dick Van Dyke's bright-eyed grin and not smile? Doubtful. Could someone watch Kevin Bacon sing with Kyra Sedgwick and a screaming goat and not be tickled? Unlikely.

This week's list has plenty of additional delights as well, from a hilarious crash course in sibling rivalry to an unexpectedly stunning piano performance to an unassuming, crowd-pleasing kid named George and more. So many opportunities to smile! Enjoy!

1. Delighted crowd cheers louder and louder for a kid named George at his first hockey game

See on Instagram

Aw, yay for George. So fun to see some hive mentality put to positive use. George has a core memory being formed right there.

2. Woman who was an only child asked what it's like to have siblings, and her friends launched an immediate crash course

@lonnieiiv
Don’t ask, just bring it

Welp, she definitely learned. Too real and too hilarious. Read the full story here.

3. Blind, neurodiverse 13-year-old blows everyone away playing a challenging Chopin piece on the piano

\u201cThis is the incredible moment Lucy, a 13-year-old who is blind and neurodiverse, played a highly-complex Chopin piece, leaving @MikaSounds and @Lang_Lang speechless. \n\nThe Piano, presented by @ClaudiaWinkle, starts tonight at 9pm on Channel 4. \n\nStream Free on All 4. #ThePiano\u201d
— Channel 4 (@Channel 4) 1676480402

Beautiful. Even professional pianist Lang Lang was amazed at how she played the deceptively difficult Nocturne in B minor. Read more about Lucy and her extraordinary abilities here.

4. Dad surprises his daughter with a day out, just the two of them, and it's so joyful

See on Instagram

Her disgust with fishing turned to sheer delight real fast. A day she'll never forget for sure. (And Dad, too.)

5. A kid wrote to Costco's CEO to ask for help with a school fundraiser. He personally responded.

Costco, Craig Jelinek

Costco CEO Craig Jelinek responded to a kid who asked for help with a school fundraiser.

Images courtesy Lesley Cerwin

We already knew Costco was awesome, and CEO Craig Jelinek just pushed that awesomeness over the top with a literally humongous donation. Read the heartwarming story here.

6. 97-year-old Dick Van Dyke brought a judge on 'The Masked Singer' to tears with his surprise reveal

Nobody expected it to be him behind the gnome costume. What a legend. Read the full story and see his performance here.

7. Shelter kitten pushes its sibling out of the way when a potential adopter stops by

Cutest sibling rivalry ever. Definitely gotta take them both. Read the full story here.

8. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick sing a duet of Miley Cyrus' 'Flowers' and they could not be cuter

See on Instagram

Total #couplegoals. The screaming goat is the icing on the cake. Read about how their 35-year marriage has survived Hollywood and how they often sing with real goats here.

9. Speaking of goats, you may not think you need to see goats eating tomatoes, but really you do

See on Instagram

New goal in life: Enjoy anything as much as these goats enjoy downing whole tomatoes.

10. May we all dance with the self-assurance—and the support—that this kiddo has

See on Instagram

Let's allow ourselves to dance without embarrassment or apology like this little man and also remember how much it means to be someone's backup dancer. Just goodness upon goodness.

Hope that brought some smiles to your face! Come back next week for more. And if you'd like to have these posts delivered to your inbox each week, you can subscribe to our free newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.

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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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