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Science

14 of the funniest photos from the 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

Funny kangaroos, monkeys and more!

comedy wildlife photography awards, funny pet photos, nature photography

The 2023 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, known for being one of the most entertaining photography contests, has just wrapped up, and this year’s top prize goes to Jason Moore for his hilarious and brilliantly captured photo of a kangaroo, cheekily named “Air Guitar Roo.” Not only did this fantastic shot win the overall competition, but it also rocked the Creatures of the Land category, too.

Jason's photo stood out among a whopping 5,300 entries submitted by 1,842 photographers from 85 countries. Moore’s photo of the female western grey kangaroo was taken in the outer suburbs of Perth, Australia when Jason visited a field of wildflowers to snap some pics of the many adult kangaroos and joeys playing there.

“The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured,” Moore said in a statement. “Not many people know that kangaroos are normally fairly docile and even a bit boring most of the time if I’m honest. However, when I saw this roo striking the air guitar pose, it immediately brought a smile to my face, and I knew that I had captured something really special."

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was started in 2015 by Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam to create a competition focused on the lighter, humorous side of wildlife photography while assuming an essential role in promoting wildlife conservation.

Here are 14 of the big winners.

1. Overall Winner: "Air-Guitar Roo" (grey kangaroo) by Jason Moore, Australia

A kangaroo rocking out.

"On this day, I had been out with my camera photographing some waterfowl at a nearby lake. I had been up at sunrise to take advantage of the 'golden hour' light, but it turned out to be a disappointing morning on the water. After leaving the lake, somewhat dejected, I decided to swing past an area of open bushland, because there are often a 'mob' of Kangaroos feeding and sunning themselves in a field close to the road. ... The morning light was still favorable so I grabbed my camera and headed off to a spot where I could get down to eye level with my subjects. I ended up shooting about 40 or 50 frames of the kangaroos with various content including mum’s, joeys and also some action shots of them bouncing along through the yellow field. The shoot turned out to be a great session, and I am quite fond of several images that I captured. However, when I saw this animal strike this pose it immediately brought a smile to my face and I knew that I had captured something special." — Jason Moore

2. Creatures of the Air Award: "Unexpected Plunge" (heron) Vittorio Ricci, South Africa

A heron takes a dive.

"An unusual end of a perfect moment." — Vittorio Ricci

3. Creatures Under the Water Award: "Otter Ballerina" (smooth-coated otter), Otter Kwek, Singapore

An otter with perfect form.

"The otter was leaping while attempting to grasp the overhanging leaves, and during an unusual landing, it ended up in the Arabesque pose. I showed this photo to a ballet teacher, and she commented that the otter is a natural but just needs to tuck in its tummy a bit — precisely what a ballet teacher would advise." — Otter Kwek

4. People's Choice Award: "Dispute" (greenfinch), Jacek Stankiewicz, Poland

This greenfinch is very adamant about something.

"I caught this scene while watching birds in the Bialowieza Forest. My friends interpret this scene in two ways. One, a young naughty kid is arguing with a parent. Two, a kid is reporting to the parent that their brother did something wrong: 'Look he broke a window!'" — Jacek Stankiewicz

Highly Commended Winners

5. "The Happy Turtle" (swamp turtle), Tzahi Finkelstein, Antarctica

A turtle is about to have a meal.

"The swamp turtle is surprised and smiles at the dragonfly resting on its nose." — Tzahi Finkelstein

6. "The Monday Blahs" (great grey owl) John Blumenkamp, USA

This owl is so over it.

"While photographing the great gray owl shown in my image, I had been busy working to capture that majestic-looking pose. As the owl preened and then sat still for a short while, it stretched once more and for a quick moment gave the pose shown. As it did, I grinned and thought… now that’s funny!" — John Blumenkamp

7. "One for the Family Album" (gannets) Zoe Ashdown, UK

A proud family of gannets.

"At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, each year between March and October, around half a million seabirds use the chalk cliffs towering above the North Sea to nest and raise a family. Gannets mate for life and they return to the same nest year after year to raise their young. Lying safely at the top of the cliff face, I was able to observe the affection shown between the gannets each time one returned to the nest. They have a greeting ritual, they rub beaks and entwine their necks; it’s how they strengthen their bond. But it’s also a brilliant opportunity to catch them in various poses. I didn’t realize I’d taken this image until I got home, but as soon as I saw it I laughed out loud! They look like proud parents, posing with their baby." — Zoe Ashdown

8. "Don't Look Down" (Atlantic puffin), Brian Matthews, UK

A puffin doing the upside-down Snoopy routine.

"A puffin does an inverted snoopy impression while watching jelly fish." — Brian Matthews.

9. "Boing" (grey kangaroo) Lara Mathews, Australia

Silly little joey!

"Taken at Westerfolds Park, a beautiful and surprisingly wild pocket of land in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, famous for its kangaroo population. The mob was enjoying some morning sunshine when this joey decided to get silly and try his hand at boxing." — Lara Mathews

10. "The Rainforest Dandy" (monkey) Delphine Casimir, Bali

A sophisticated monkey.

"This picture was taken in the monkey forest in Ubud, Bali, a crazy place where monkeys are king! This forest is special even magical and sacred to the Balinese people. Maybe our dandy is the reincarnation of a divinity?" — Delphine Casimir

11. "Look Right, Bro" (macaque, deer) Pratick Mondal, India

"And on my right, is a deer."

12. "That Wasn't Here Yesterday" (white-winged dove) Wendy Kaveney, USA

A white-winged dove disrupted mid-flight.

"A white-winged dove appearing to fly head-on into a cholla cactus skeleton." — Whitney Kaveney

13. "Snowball" (white grouse) Jaques Poulard, Norway

Why is that snowball alive?

"The white grouse is coming towards me and looks like a snowball with eyes." — Jaques Poulard

14. "Excuse Me Sir But I Think You're a Bit Too Young to Be Smoking" (grey fox) Dakota Vaccaro, USA

A grey fox that looks like it's enjoying a fine cigar.

"While I was working deep in the Virginian woods, a family of grey foxes took up residence under the deck of the abandoned cottage next to my work housing. One day, while practicing their hunting skills on bits of moss and branches, one of the kits lunged at a small chunk of wood and started rolling around with his prize. Tired after his hunt, the kit lounged on his belly still holding the wood in his mouth which gave the strong resemblance of a cigar." — Dakota Vaccaro

This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Our favorite giveaway is back. Enter to win a free, fun date! 🌊 💗

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Here are the incredible dates:

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Grab your favorite person and get some much-needed ocean time. Did you know research on “blue spaces” suggests that being near water is linked with better mental health and well-being, including feeling calmer and less stressed? We’ll treat you to a beach adventure like a surfing or sailing class, plus ocean-friendly bags from GOT Bag and blankets from Sand Cloud so your day by the water feels good for you and a little gentler on the ocean too.

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Education

Neuroscientists say a simple trick will help you learn any new skill a lot faster

Learning a new skill? Here's how to quickly level-up.

guitar, learning a skill, neuroscience, music, exposure, passive exposure, gardening

via Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

A woman learning how to play guitar.

Learning a new skill, such as playing an instrument, gardening, or picking up a new language, takes a lot of time and practice, whether that means scale training, learning about native plants, or using flashcards to memorize new words. To improve through practice, you have to perform the task repeatedly and receive feedback so you know whether you’re doing it correctly. Is my pitch correct? Did my geraniums bloom? Is my pronunciation understandable?

However, a new study by researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Oregon shows that you can speed up these processes by adding a third element to practice and feedback: passive exposure. The good news is that passive exposure requires minimal effort and is enjoyable.

"Active learning of a... task requires both expending effort to perform the task and having access to feedback about task performance," the study authors explained. "Passive exposure to sensory stimuli, on the other hand, is relatively effortless and does not require feedback about performance."

woman reading, woman book, young woman, studying, new skills A woman reading a book.via Canva/Photos

How to pick up new skills faster?

So, if you’re learning to play the blues on guitar, listen to plenty of Howlin’ Wolf or Robert Johnson throughout the day. If you’re learning to cook, keep the Food Network on TV in the background to absorb some great culinary advice. Learning to garden? Take the time to notice the flora and fauna in your neighborhood or make frequent trips to your local botanical garden.

If you’re learning a new language, watch plenty of TV and films in the language you are learning. The scientists add that auditory learning is especially helpful, so listen to plenty of audiobooks or podcasts on the subject you’re learning about.

But, of course, you also have to be actively learning the skill as well by practicing your guitar for the recommended hours each day or by taking a class in languages. Passive exposure won't do the work for you, but it's a fantastic way to pick up things more quickly. Further, passive exposure keeps the new skill you're learning top-of-mind, so you're probably more likely to actively practice it.

What is passive exposure?

Researchers discovered the tremendous benefits of passive exposure after studying a group of mice. They trained them to find water by using various sounds to give positive or negative feedback, like playing a game of “hot or cold.” Some mice were passively exposed to these sounds when they weren't looking for water. Those who received this additional passive exposure and those who received active training learned to find the water reward more quickly.

gardening, woman gardening, gardening shears, leaning gardening, weeds A woman tending to her garden.via Canva/Photos

“Our results suggest that, in mice and in humans, a given performance threshold can be achieved with relatively less effort by combining low-effort passive exposure with active training,” James Murray, a neuroscientist who led the study, told University of Oregon News. “This insight could be helpful for humans learning an instrument or a second language, though more work will be needed to better understand how this applies to more complex tasks and how to optimize training schedules that combine passive exposure with active training.”

The one drawback to this study was that it was conducted on mice, not humans. However, recent studies on humans have found similar results, such as in sports. If you visualize yourself excelling at the sport or mentally rehearse a practice routine, it can positively affect your actual performance. Showing, once again, that when it comes to picking up a new skill, exposure is key.

The great news about the story is that, in addition to giving people a new way to approach learning, it’s an excuse for us to enjoy the things we love even more. If you enjoy listening to blues music so much that you decided to learn for yourself, it’s another reason to make it an even more significant part of your life.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This article originally appeared last year.

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Joy

Mom finds old video of her child singing at her doll's 'funeral' and now has millions of new fans

"That service was PACKED."

Alisha Michele, Barbie, funeral, viral video, AMPx3, Azariah, Amari

Photo Credit: Alisha Michele, Instagram

Azariah sings at her doll's "funeral."

When Alisha Michele picked up her phone to record her 5-year-old daughter Azariah singing at a Barbie's funeral in 2021, she couldn't have imagined the places their family would go. Sure, she knew the whole family (herself and her two kids) were ultra talented, musically, but that doesn't always translate to fandom.

Just recently, Alisha (@Alishahasfavor) was digging through old videos and posted a "Barbie funeral" online, garnering millions of likes and tens of thousands of comments on an Instagram Reel. The chyron reads, "One of my daughter's dolls passed and she had to sing at the funeral." Realizing that obviously her kids are talented, Michele also noted the humor of it all. "I'm so glad she's done playing with dolls because somebody was killing them off. Just laugh with me."

See on Instagram

In the clip, one can see a young Azariah in a yellow suit jacket, standing stoically as a doll (dressed similarly) lays in a makeshift "casket" made out of an Air Jordan shoe. Other dolls are seated in plastic chairs with an arm weight standing in as a podium.

Her then 9-year-old brother, Amari, stands behind her wearing purple "deacon" gloves that look suspiciously like dish gloves. As the organ music heats up, he can't help but giggle while Azariah holds what appears to be a flashlight and sings her little heart out.

There are 2.3 million likes and over 60,000 comments on Instagram. Many are incredibly supportive of how outrageously funny and clever it all was. One writes, "Bro in deacon gloves. The Jordan casket. Her suit matching the casket. The weight as the podium for Pastor Ken." Another adds, "Not people at the service with crop tops and no shirt."

Another notes how well attended the funeral was, writing, "The service was PACKED."

And some are just impressed by how well put together everyone looked. "What a beautiful service!! And look at sista Gloria with them new purple highlights," they shared.

See on Instagram

It's not surprising how well Azariah can sing. The family are part of a music trio called AMPx3. Merely four years after this clip was shot, their group "got discovered" after a clip of their music went viral.

Upworthy had a chance to chat with Alisha, who gave a little more context about her kids (now 10 and 14). "We went viral in Jan of 2025 singing songs while my son played the keyboard. It caught the attention of a lot of people, including Tamron Hall, and she invited them to be on her show on the "Little Dreamers" segment, where they performed our original song 'Your Name' by AMPx3, which is our group name. All of our initials are A M P."

Azariah and Amari sing an original song on the Tamron Hall Show. www.youtube.com, Rickey Smiley

The kids are still doing incredibly well. Alisha shares, "Azariah is a 5th-grade honor roll student. She is a cheerleader and an amazing singer. Her brother Amari is an 8th-grade straight-A star football player who is in advanced band playing the trombone, and he taught himself to play the keyboard. No formal lessons as of yet."

And as for Alisha, she is going places too. "I am a single mother who battled alcohol addiction for many years, but I will celebrate 14 months of sobriety 2/16/2026. I have written an e-book that is for sale on our website, titled Crowned In Clarity. It’s about becoming the sober woman and mom you were meant to be."

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Pets

Vet demonstrates 'squish the cat' method of safe cat handling in delightfully helpful video

There's a reason Dr. Burstyn's "How to pick up a cat" video has been viewed 23 million times.

cats, pets, cat handling, veterinarian, feline behavior

Helpful Vancouver Vet/YouTube

Handling a cat may seem like a delicate matter, but being delicate isn't actually the way to go.

If you've ever tried to make a cat do something it doesn't want to do, you've likely experienced the terror that a cat's wrath can invoke. Our cute, cuddly feline friends may be small, but the razor blades on their feet are no joke when they decide to utilize them. Even cats who love us can get spicy if we try to manhandle them, so we can imagine how things will go with cats who don't know us well. But sometimes it's necessary to handle a cat even if it's resistant to the idea.

This is where Vancouver veterinarian Dr. Uri Burst yn comes in. His "How to pick up a cat like a pro" video, in which he demonstrates a few ways of picking up and handling a cat, has been viewed over 23 million times since he shared it in 2019. Unlike many viral videos, it's not humorous and nothing outrageous happens, but the combo of Burstyn's calm demeanor and his repeated instructions to "squish that cat" has endeared him to the masses.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The video truly is helpful; he shows the ways to pick up a cat that make them feel the most secure using his cats, one-year-old Claudia and 14-year-old Mr. Pirate. He explains that cats spook very easily and it's best to introduce yourself to them gently. Let them sniff your fingers, keeping your fingers curled in, and once they've sniffed you, you can often give them a light rub on the cheek or under the chin.

Picking them up is a different story. The reason many cats will claw or scratch you when you try to pick them up is because they feel unsupported or unsafe, so they'll scramble around trying to get some footing. Burstyn shows how he picks up Claudia with one hand under the chest and one hand under her abdomen. If he needs to carry her around, he squishes her into his body so she feels "nice and supported." He may even put a hand under her front paws.

cats, pets, cat handling, veterinarian, feline behavior Cats can be finicky about how they're held. Photo credit: Canva

Then came the best part of the video: "Squish That Cat"

"Now if we do have a cat who's trying to get away from us?" Burstyn said. "We always squish that cat. If you're trying to hold the cat down, whether it's to trim their nails or to give them a pill, or whether you just want to have a cat not run off for a moment, squish that cat. All you need to know about cat restraint is to squish that cat."

Burstyn explains that cats generally feel very secure being squished, even if they're really scared.

"Sometimes cats come to me in the clinic, and they're quite afraid," he said. "And you just gently squish them, and they'll sit there and kind of not hurt themselves, not hurt us. Just hang out and let us do our thing."

He demonstrated putting a towel over the cat, explaining, "If you have a towel handy, this is one of the best cat restraint tools around. You can just throw a towel on the catty and squish her with the towel, that way they won't get a claw into you if they are scrambling about a bit. Very safe and gentle, and generally cats are very, very happy to be squished like that."

cats, pets, cat handling, veterinarian, feline behavior Squish that cat. Photo credit: Canva

Dr. Burstyn also showed how to do a "football hold," tucking the cat under your arm with them facing backwards. "So this is kind of an emergency way if you really need to carry a cat somewhere in a hurry," he said. Scooping up Claudia, he explained, "Little head's under your arm, butt in your hand, and you squish her tight to your body. And with that little football carry, you can basically hold a cat very securely and very safely, because it's really hard for them to rake you with their hind legs."

If you're worried about over-squishing your cat, Dr. Burnstyn says don't. "You don't have to worry about hurting a cat," he said. "They're very, very tough little beasts. You know, just squishing them against your body's never going to do them any harm. In fact, they tend to feel more safe and secure when they're being held tightly."

Dr. Burnstyn also demonstrated how to pick up and set down a "shoulder cat" who insists on climbing onto people's shoulders and hanging out there, as Mr. Pirate does. It's highly entertaining, as Mr. Pirate is a big ol' chonky kitty.

@yozron
she loves my shoulders i guess #catcore #kittendad #kittensoftiktok #cat #fyp

People in the comments loved Dr. Burnstyn's demonstration, with several dubbing him the Bob Ross of veterinary medicine. Even people who don't have cats said they watched the whole video, and many loved Claudia and Mr. Pirate as well.

"This is just proof that cats are liquid."

"12/10 cat. Excellent squishability."

"So essentially, cats love hugs? That's the most wonderful thing i've heard all day."

"This cat is so well mannered and looks educated."

"Mr Pirate is an absolute unit."

"S q u i s h . T h a t . C a t ."

"I need 'Squish that cat' shirt.

"Dang, that actually helped with my female cat. She has been through at least two owners before me and had some bad expriences which obviously resulted in trust issues. She has now been with me for two years and it had gotten loads better, but she still did not want me to hold her. Normally I simply would have let her be, but for vet visits and such it was not an ideal situation. But then I saw this video and tried to squish the cat. And she loves it! She is turning into quite the snuggly bug. Thank you!"

So there you go. When all else fails, squish that cat and see what happens.

You can follow Dr. Burstyn on YouTube at Helpful Vancouver Vet.

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Parenting

A Millennial mom shared that she is raising 'soft' kids. Fellow parents have lots of thoughts.

"Just because they're soft and kind, doesn't mean they'll never push through."

Millennials, Millennial, Millennial parents, Millennial parenting, soft kids, raising soft kids, Millennials with kids

Photo credit: Canva

A mother and her child play together.

Millennial parents led the charge with gentle parenting, a sharp turn from their Baby Boomer parents' approach. The undeniable tension between how the two generations parent (and grandparent) continues to play out.

A Millennial mom on Reddit caused a stir among fellow Millennial parents after sharing that she is choosing to raise "soft" kids. In her heartfelt post, she explained that her goal as a parent is to do things completely different from how she was raised.

"I'm aware I occasionally do too much coddling. But I was rarely coddled," she wrote. "I grew up in a codependent home where the Matriarch always got what she wanted and my feelings didn't matter. The female elders were always priority. I lived in fight or flight for the first thirty some years of my life. It's taken over twenty years of therapy to undo all the toxicity I learned from my family."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Instead, she is choosing to raise her kids in a different dynamic, with the goal of "soft, thoughtful, loving compassionate kids."

"I'm raising kids that listen to their bodies," she added. "Yes I'm raising kids that are in tune with their emotions and ask for mental health days. I'm also raising kids that will make compassionate and kind partners. Ones that will listen, hold their partners and care for them when they're done."

The Millennial mom also addressed how her approach to gentle parenting may be viewed as extreme compared to previous generations who parented more harshly:

"Why would we want to be raising hard kids like they had to on the prairie? Just because they're soft and kind, doesn't mean they'll never push through. Literally everything in life is about balance and moderation. Even too much water will kill you. So raise those soft kind kids, but make sure they aren't quitters who never push through."

@thedailytay
GENTLE HANDS. 🙃🫶🏻🤭❤️ #fyp #millennialsoftiktok #momsoftiktok #gentleparenting #parentsoftiktok #foryoupag #comedyvideo

One example of how her parenting approach has paid off came when she asked her teenage son to load the dishwasher instead of playing video games after explaining that she'd had a hard week. His response was full of empathy: "Just because I don't want to do something doesn't mean I can't. You've had a hard day and it's your birthday week. I can load the dishwasher."

Her Millennial parenting perspective garnered a mix of supportive and critical responses.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

People in support of raising "soft" kids

"I don't think Millennials will be blamed for raising 'soft children.' Hell, Millennials were always considered soft and entitled anyway so I'm not sure what's changed other than every previous generation thinks they're tougher. What I think the issues will be are more 'parent by iPad', overconsumption of SM, isolation, inability to handle conflict or regulate emotions, etc. But this isn't unique to Millennials. I'm glad your parenting skills are paying off. Good for you." - mcsmith610

"'Raising soft kids' and 'soft parenting' are not the same thing. You can raise 'soft kids' who understand respect, boundaries and responsibilities, who aren't little narcissist sh*ts." - Other_Bus9590

"You mean considerate thoughtful kids? There is nothing 'soft' about that. Our society is in desperate need of more people like this. Those sound like good neighbors to me." - The_Playbook88

"I know you are using 'soft' to make a point, which is that from the point of view of stoicism, showing weakness and talking about feelings makes a person less capable. However you are clearly raising emotionally intelligent humans who are capable and able to weather the difficulties of modern life. The more parents like you, the better." - Stratix

"Yeah, I figure the world is going to do plenty of 'toughening up' that it seems backwards for a parent to try to preemptively 'toughen them up'. I want my kids to be resilient, not 'hard'. I treat them with kindness and love (as best I can), and when stuff out in the world is hard, I'm there to pick them up and build their confidence in themselves that it's all stuff they can handle, even if it's hard and hurts sometimes. There's also a huge difference between being overly permissive and being 'soft' in the sense of the emotional affect you display. I have firm boundaries, enforce consequences for actions, etc., but to the eye of older generations I would probably be considered very soft on them." - ReturnOfBigChungus

"We treat our children like they are people, then get surprised when they turn around and ALSO treat us like human beings. It's happened to me before, also. I keep waiting for the 'rebellious phase.' I think maybe Boomers were just bad parents, and they made it way more difficult than it had to be." - Aggressive_Mouse_581

"Like others have said, soft doesn't mean weak. They're kind, compassionate and thoughtful. That's how I'm trying to raise my son too. He's not afraid of emotion and if he sees a need he steps in, often without being asked. You're doing your best and seems like you're raising pretty great kids." - MoonlitMousey13

People critical of raising "soft" kids

"The problem with soft kids is the world isn't soft, and if they are they will get taken advantage of, or be unreliable when things get tough to rarely do life go smoothly 100% of the time." - Piemaster113

"That and teaching them that sometimes you don't always do what you want and it's ok to be uncomfortable within reason. Like the post about the dude taking many mental health days and his manager being upset. Like sometimes you just gotta go." - MembershipScary1737

"You can be both 'hard' and emotionally intelligent. I'm not sure anyone benefits from coddling in the long run, certainly not your child. My goal is self sufficient and kind people. I don't see how you can get both (or either) if them reluctantly loading the dishwasher once after you asked is a win." - WingShooter_28ga

"You are conflating soft with kind. I've met plenty of hard people that are also kind (most farmers would drop everything to help a neighbor, but are tougher than a coffin nail). While it's great that you have conscientious kids. Being conscientious isn't a 'soft' trait." - rjwyonch

"These kids have a strong chance of being devoured by a neurotic demanding partner." - dumbanddumbanddumb

"Nothing wrong with raising soft children. When tossed into the harsh hard realities of the real world though? You will not have helped in that angle." - Intelligent_Road2084

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Joy

The big reason why Millennials get prenuptial agreements 10 times more than Boomers did

Different eras, totally different lifestyles.

boomer wedding, millennial wedding, 1978 wedding, 2020 wedding, man and bride, marriage

via SaraJohnsen/WikimediaCommons and Canva/Photos

A Baby Boomer couple and a Millennial couple getting married.

Traditionally, prenuptial agreements were made when one spouse entered the relationship with significantly more money than the other. A wealthy person with a spouse who isn’t expected to contribute much financially to the household would have an agreement to protect their assets in case of a divorce. On the one hand, a prenup protected the wealthy from losing their assets, but on the other, it signaled some mistrust of their spouse. So, for older generations, these arrangements were rare.

However, it’s 2026 and prenups are all the rage, and, for the most part, it isn’t because people want to protect their wealth; it’s that couples want protection from debt. That’s why a recent study by LegalShield found that Millennials (ages 29 to 45) enter into prenuptial agreements 10 times more often than Baby Boomers (ages 60 to 79).

“While marriage is usually based on love, it is now defined by debt,” Warren Schlichting, CEO of LegalShield, said in a press release. “Prenups have become essential protection for young couples facing heavy financial burdens due to the student debt crisis.” The study found that 39% of Millennials, 37% of Gen Xers, and just 4% of Baby Boomers get prenups.

marriage, divorce, lawyers, wedding ring, splitting up, lawyer A husband hands over his wedding ring to his soon-to-be ex-wife.via Canva/Photos

Why are prenuptial agreements so popular with Millennials?

The massive generational swing is driven by the fact that Millennials often carry significant college loan debt, and, in the event of a divorce, couples want those who brought the debt into the relationship to leave with it as well. The study found that 77% of those with student debt say they’d consider a prenup.

Another big reason is that many Millennials stand to inherit a substantial amount from their Baby Boomer parents. “Millennials are pragmatic, financially literate, and far more open to planning than generations prior ever were, treating prenups not as a prediction of divorce but as a healthy conversation about expectations and long-term stability. And layered on top of this is the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, over $80 trillion passing from boomer parents to their millennial children, which makes it even more important for couples and families to protect inheritances and financial gifts,” Julia Rodgers, CEO of HelloPrenup, told Newsweek.

marriage, divorce, lawyers, splitting up, divorce attorney, couple A couple talks to a lawyer.via Canva/Photos

Millennials get married much later in life than Baby Boomers

Millennials also marry much later in life than their Boomer parents, and they are also more likely to have a college degree. This means they have many more working years behind them when they first tie the knot and may have developed a substantial savings or retirement plan.

Also, culture has changed a lot for Millennials. Prenuptial agreements are now being used by content creators to protect their digital assets from being taken in a divorce. Sixty-two percent of Millennials say a prenup should cover YouTube channels or podcasts created together. They also want to protect their pets. Fifty-one percent of Millennials believe that custody of shared pets should be covered as well.

The rise in Millennials getting prenups is really a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s because the younger generation is saddled with more debt, but in many cases, that is because they are better educated. The rise in prenuptial agreements is also due to their greater access to generational money than their Baby Boomer parents had. This cultural shift has also drastically changed people’s views of prenuptial agreements, from an attempt by one partner to protect their wealth to a mutual agreement that, in many cases, is about safeguarding each other from debt.

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