On Oct. 4, 2017, university, corporate, and museum archivists around the world dug out the coolest, rarest, and weirdest items in their collections, photographed them, and put the results on Twitter.
They didn’t disappoint. Here’s just some of what they had in storage.
1. Small items. Very small items. Like a Bible so tiny that it has a magnifying glass with it for reading.
7. A photo of a sailor whose ship vanished in the Bermuda Triangle in 1918.
Hamilton Beggs is also part of the Gold Star Files. He was on the USS Cyclops when it disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle. #askanarchivistpic.twitter.com/ABJQs07dtw— Alabama Department of Archives and History (@AlabamaArchives) October 4, 2017
8. And one of of other World War I sailors giddily posing on top of two ginormous battleship guns.
11. A pioneering, ultra-glittery work of feminist art.
What is the most glittery object in our collection? That would be this untitled drawing by Miriam Schapiro. #AskAnArchivistpic.twitter.com/xUXZhKhdPl— Rutgers Special Collections & University Archives (@Rutgers_SCUA) October 4, 2017
12. A photo of fashion designer Ann Lowe, the woman who designed Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress.
18. A memo warning campus police about an upcoming Ozzy Osborne concert, citing the singer’s involvement with “abuse of animals” and “alleged satanic groups.”
Q: Describe the role of an archivist in haiku form: Archivists connect us between the record of the past and present #AskAnArchivist— M+ (@mplusmuseum) October 4, 2017
No appointment necessary.
This article originally appeared on 10.05.17
Update 10/9/2017: The headline was changed to reflect that archivists and librarians differ, in part by the type of materials handled.
A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold.
A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen.
Volunteers raise a wall for the framework of a new home during the first day of building at Habitat for Humanity’s 2025 Carter Work Project.
Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing.
Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth.
Marsha and her son pose for a photo while building their future home with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity in Georgia.
Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.
Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:
Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis
Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community
Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or in one of 60+ countries where we work around the globe
Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door
Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone.
Americans are struggling with anger. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anger as “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.”
Anger was an emotion that Greek philosopher Plato, who lived from 428 to 348 BCE, knew well and studied closely. He offered wisdom to those seeking answers on how to live a more peaceful life.
Centuries later, his sage insights are still helping people today. He offered a simple, single sentence to those seeking guidance.
Plato’s advice on anger
According to Plato, “There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.”
Plato did not shy away from discussing anger in his works on the human experience. He expanded on the Greek term thymos (also spelled thumos), describing it as an “internal psychological process of thought, emotion, volition, and motivation.”
Plato saw anger as part of human “spiritedness” and “passion.”
In an essay on Plato and anger, philosopher Gregory Sadler writes, “Anger arises from a perception not only that some harm has been done, some inconvenience has been imposed, some wish, desire, or intention has been frustrated — but all the more from a sense that some wrong has been committed, that someone or something is unjust.”
Rather than deeming anger morally right or wrong, Plato’s stance is more focused on what humans do with it.
How to deal with anger
Plato explained that there are two ways humans can view anger when it arises: through the lens of “what they can help, and what they cannot.”
Sadler notes, “For Plato, the goal is not total inirascability, an inability to grow angry — nor is it a godlike self-mastery that would preclude any angry responses whatsoever. There are situations in which one ought to grow angry, and act out that anger — when morally this is the right thing to do.”
The work comes in deciphering when to act on anger and when not to. In short: reason.
The APA notes that using logic is key to defusing anger:
“Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it’s justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is ‘not out to get you,’ you’re just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it’ll help you get a more balanced perspective.”
This is part of what the APA calls “cognitive restructuring,” explaining that it is important to focus on rationality: “For instance, instead of telling yourself, ‘oh, it’s awful, it’s terrible, everything’s ruined,’ tell yourself, ‘it’s frustrating, and it’s understandable that I’m upset about it, but it’s not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow.’”
The APA adds, “Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way.”
By turning these “demands” into “desires,” peace can be achieved.
“In other words, saying, ‘I would like’ something is healthier than saying, ‘I demand’ or ‘I must have’ something,” the APA says.
For more support, check out the APA’s resources on anger.
Studies show that when we meet someone new, we check for two traits to decide if we like them. First, we decide whether they have a warm personality. Do they come off as kind, friendly, or accepting? Second, we assess their competence. Are they intelligent, skilled, and do they have basic social skills?
If you pass the warmth/competence round of meeting someone new, another way to make sure that people like you is to make a small blunder. People have already assessed that you’re competent. Making a small mistake and having fun with it will make you more relatable. The psychological phenomenon is known as the Pratfall Effect.
What is the Pratfall Effect?
Psychologist Elliot Aronson first identified the Pratfall Effect in a 1966 experiment in which he had participants listen to an audio recording of someone taking a quiz and doing incredibly well. At the end of the recording, some participants heard the quiz-taker spill coffee on themselves, while others didn’t. Those who heard the coffee spill rated the quiz-taker much higher on likability than those who did not.
The basic reasoning behind the Pratfall Effect is that when someone is seen as competent, a mistake makes them more relatable. A terrific example of this is Jennifer Lawrence tripping at the 2013 Academy Awards. At the moment when she was being awarded for her incredible performance in Silver Linings Playbook, she fell on her face. No doubt this made her all the more likable because everyone watching on TV thought, “Oh, she’s just like me.”
If Lawrence had become angry or cursed the stairs for the fall, people would have thought less of her, but after she fell, she received a standing ovation, and she laughed about it. “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell, and that’s really embarrassing, thank you,” she opened her speech.
The Pratfall Effect doesn’t work in every situation
Now, the Pratfall Effect will only work to your advantage in a situation where people think that you are competent. If you are really good at your job and you accidentally mispronounce a word in a speech to your coworkers and laugh it off, they will like you more. However, if this is a situation where you are less competent, say, you are learning how to golf, and during a practice swing, you accidentally let go of the club, launching it into the air, people will probably think less of you.
Not everyone has the same reaction to a competent person making a blunder. A follow-up paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people’s reaction to the mistake will differ depending on their level of self-esteem. People with lower self-esteem will feel greater admiration for their boss who spills coffee on their shirt while driving to work because it levels the playing field. But people with high self-esteem who are more comfortable around their boss won’t care as much if they make a mistake.
Ultimately, being likable isn’t about impressing people; it’s about knowing how to be human. The key is that once you’ve proven to others that you know what you’re doing, you can feel free to trip up every once in a while because it’ll make them like you even more.
Puberty is a beast, one that most people try not to remember until they’re standing face to face with their own child and their wildly fluctuating hormones. Unfortunately, for those born with female reproductive organs, adolescent puberty is only the first puberty they will experience.
Many people think “second puberty” refers to the symptoms of perimenopause, which is also the result of fluctuating hormones. Perimenopause comes on a little more gradually than puberty. While the smells, mood swings, and raging hormones might feel familiar, those symptoms usually appear years after hormones begin to decline.
There was even a recent moment in Internet history where young women were calling their mid-20s “second puberty.” This was due to them noticing a positive change in appearance that solidified their mature features. Many referred to it as a “glow-up,” focusing on the positive effects of coming out on the other end of puberty. While that’s endearing, puberty is due to an influx of increased hormone levels, which alter the way the world perceives you and how you perceive the world.
Women who have given birth, or will in the future, experience more of a true “second puberty.” This occurs after the birth of their first child, when the mother’s system is flooded with a hormonal shift that literally alters her brain. The “second puberty” birthing people experience is actually called Matrescence, a term meaning the process of becoming a mother coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael.
“The hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy, birth, and lactation initiate rapid and extreme physiological transformations that are unparalleled across the lifespan. These biological changes are accompanied by a dynamic restructuring of the physical, emotional, and social environment. In concert with these adaptations, the maternal brain undergoes significant structural and functional neuroplasticity as well as cognitive adaptations across the peripartum period. The brain is transformed, in preparation for and in response to, a developing child.”
Every person charged with caring for an infant undergoes beneficial cognitive changes. Oxytocin is released in the caregiver’s brain regardless of sex or gender, whether the child is related biologically, through adoption, or fostering. Think of it as nature’s way of trying to encourage the survival of the species.
Current studies show that Matrescence is unique to the birthing person, causing the brain to do more than make cognitive changes. When someone experiences this “second puberty,” the sudden hormonal shifts create structural changes to the brain. A study published by Human Brain Mapping found that adolescent girls and adult first-time mothers had the same monthly measurement of gray matter loss.
“In both cases, these reductions were accompanied by decreases in cortical thickness, surface area, local gyrification index, sulcal depth, and sulcal length, as well as increases in sulcal width,” the authors of the 2019 study explained. “In fact, the changes associated with pregnancy did not differ from those that characterize the transition during adolescence in any of these measures.”
According to studies, the reduction in gray matter caused by Matrescence lasts up to two years postpartum. While the infamous “mommy brain” caused by the loss of gray matter in the hippocampus may be bothersome, it seems to serve a purpose.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences noted, “Lower hippocampal volume at 4 months postpartum is associated with positive mother–child interactions, suggesting hippocampal changes have broad implications in maternal caregiving behavior, beyond cognition.”
This “second puberty” news made its way to social media. You can listen to one Instagram creator share their understanding of Matrescence below:
Actor Leonard Nimoy portrayed one of the most famous characters in pop culture: Mr. Spock on Star Trek. Nimoy’s real life helped inspire one of the most famous quotes said by Spock that continues to inspire the world: “Live long and prosper.”
The simple sentence was said by Nimoy’s character in a 1967 episode from Star Trek‘s second season called “Amok Time.”
In a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com, Nimoy explained: “The idea came when I saw the way Joe (Pevney, the episode’s director) was staging the scene. He had me approach T’Pau and I felt a greeting gesture was called for. So I suggested it to Joe, who accepted it immediately.”
The inspiration behind “Live long and prosper”
Nimoy explained that “live long and prosper” came from his experience attending Orthodox Jewish Synagogue in an inner-city neighborhood called the West End in Boston. He shared that both the phrase and the Vulcan salute (the V-shaped hand signal made famous by Spock) were directly inspired by his time there.
“I still have a vivid memory of the first time I saw the use of the split-fingered hands being extended to the congregation in blessing,” he told the website. “There were a group of five or six men facing the congregation and chanting in passionate shouts of a Hebrew benediction. It would translate to ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you,’…etc.”
Nimoy went on to add, “And when I saw the split-fingered gesture of these men… I was entranced. I learned to do it simply because it seemed so magical.”
It was a life-changing idea for Nimoy and Star Trek fans. He said, “It was probably 25 years later that I introduced that gesture as a Vulcan greeting in Star Trek and it has resonated with fans around the world ever since. It gives me great pleasure since it is, after all, a blessing.”
Leonard Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was born to Jewish Ukrainian parents, and began acting in community theatre at a young age.
His interest in acting led him to California to study at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1949. Early in his career, he not only acted, but also wrote and directed. After many years slugging it, Nimoy’s big success came when he landed his role on Star Trek in 1966.
Nimoy was influential in the character development of Spock.
“[During a scene once,] Spock had one word to say and the word was ‘fascinating.’ And we’re looking at this thing on the screen and I got caught up in that energy and I said, ‘fascinating!’” he told the Television Academy. “And the director gave me a brilliant note which said: ‘Be different. Be the scientist. Be detached. See it as something that’s a curiosity rather than a threat.’ I said, ‘fascinating.’ Well, a big chunk of the character was born right there.”
Nimoy died in February 2015 at age 83 due to chronic lung disease, COPD. Despite the loss of one of the greats, his legacy lives on.
There you are at the grocery store check-out, tempted to buy a bouquet of roses. They’re beautiful and cheery and so easy to grab and go. Only, you opt out. Sure, they’re beautiful, but they don’t usually last more than a week, making it tough to rationalize the spending. But what if that weren’t true?…
There you are at the grocery store check-out, tempted to buy a bouquet of roses. They’re beautiful and cheery and so easy to grab and go. Only, you opt out. Sure, they’re beautiful, but they don’t usually last more than a week, making it tough to rationalize the spending.
But what if that weren’t true? The popular social media handle known as Jeff & Lauren (@Jeff&Lauren) have a clip making the rounds wherein Jeff shows that something magical can be done with a single “store-bought” rose. By simply using a few household food items, he is able to turn one rose into an entire rose bush.
Honey, potatoes, and water
In the clip, we see Jeff dipping a bright pink rose into a jar of honey. The top chyron reads, “I did this for my wife.” He then takes the honey-dipped flower and sticks it firmly into a pre-cut hole in a russet potato. He takes the entire potato/flower hybrid and buries it into a potted plant. Lastly, he cuts the bulb and leaves off, leaving just the stem, and waters it heavily. In time (at least according to the simulated video), it re-grows into a rose plant.
On the YouTube account My Garden Channel (which is self-described as a channel that “focuses on houseplants and gardening, run by a team of experienced gardeners and horticulturists”), they note a super interesting tidbit. The flowers and the spores of the potato are in direct competition with one another. In other words, sometimes the experiment yields, well…potatoes instead of flowers.
To avoid this, the expert in the video suggests shaving the skin off the potato. “The skin of the potato is where the shoots will most likely develop. You’re not trying to grow a potato. You’re simply trying to feed the rose cutting, as it tries to root.”
How to do it
Under the clip, they explain how it’s done, and they spare no detail. “Rooting roses in a potato is an unconventional yet intriguing method of propagation. The idea is simple: the moisture and nutrients from the potato can help nourish the rose cutting as it develops roots. To try this, you start by selecting a healthy rose cutting, about 6-8 inches long, with at least a couple of leaf nodes. After trimming the bottom of the cutting at a 45-degree angle, remove any leaves near the base.”
Now it’s time for the potato. “Next, you poke a hole in a medium-sized potato, just large enough to insert the cutting without wiggling. Push the drill bit through the potato to make sure the stem comes out of the bottom of the potato just a little bit. The potato acts like a natural nutrient sponge, keeping the cutting hydrated. After placing the cutting into the potato, you can plant the entire potato in soil, burying it a few inches deep in a pot or directly in the garden. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and cover the cutting with a plastic bag or bottle to create a humid greenhouse effect.
Over the next few weeks, with care and patience, roots may form as the rose cutting absorbs moisture and nutrients from the potato, potentially growing into a new plant. While not guaranteed, this method combines natural elements in a creative attempt to root roses in a novel, supportive environment.”
In an article for The Spruce, author Ashlyn Needham explains why, in fact, a potato is used. “In essence, you’re using the potato to speed up the rooting process, which is crucial for producing established roses. It’s important to note that you won’t actually be growing roses in potatoes, just starting the process.”
Does it work?
Commenters have weighed in. Under Jeff&Lauren’s Facebook post, there are over a quarter of a million likes and thousands of comments. One shares, “My grandmother did that. Back in the seventies, she came for a visit. I had many different rose bushes. She cut stems from every bush. She wrapped them in damp paper towels and then wrapped them in plastic. She flew home to Oregon and planted the stems. She had rose bushes the next year.”
Another wound up with what we knew could happen: “I tried this… and I wound up with potatoes.” This comment alone got a lot of support.
This Facebooker gives the surprising tip that, perhaps, you don’t even need the potato, writing, “I just cut off part of a stem and stuck it in the dirt. Then watered it regularly. I have several new rose plants from doing just that. They took almost immediately.”
It’s hard to explain the relentless intensity of having young children if you haven’t done it. It’s wonderful, beautiful, magical and all of that, it truly is, but it’s a lot. Like, a lot. It’s a bit like running an ultramarathon through the most beautiful landscape you can imagine. There’s no question that it’s amazing, but it’s really, really hard. And sometimes there are storms or big hills or obstacles or twisted ankles or some other thing that makes it even more challenging for a while.
Unfortunately, a lot of moms feel like they’re running that marathon alone. Some actually are. Some have partners who don’t pull their weight. But even with an equal partner, the early years tend to be mom-heavy, and it takes a toll. In fact, that toll is so great that it’s not unusual for moms to fantasize about being hospitalized, not with anything serious, just something that requires a short stay simply to get a genuine break.
In a follow-up tweet, she added, “And other moms are like ‘yeah totally’ while childfree Gen Z girls’ mouths hang open in horror.”
Mothers share their own experiences
Other moms corroborated, not only with the fantasy but the reality of getting a hospital break:
“And can confirm: I have the fondest memories of my appendicitis that almost burst 3 weeks after my third was born bc I emergency had to go get it taken out and I mean I let my neighbor take my toddlers and I let my husband give the baby formula, and I slept until I was actually rested. Under the knife, but still. It was really nice,” wrote one mom.
“I got mastitis when my first was 4 months old. I had to have surgery, but my hospital room had a nice view, my mom came to see me, the baby was with me but other people mostly took care of her, bliss,” shared another.
An exhausted mom holds her newborn baby. Photo credit: Canva
Some people tried to blame lackadaisical husbands and fathers for moms feeling overwhelmed, but as Emily pointed out, it’s not always enough to have a supportive spouse. That’s why she pointed to “lack of community care” in her original post.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to raise a mother. Without the proverbial village, we end up bearing too much of the weight of childrearing ourselves. We’re not just running the ultramarathon. We’re also carrying the water, bandaging the blisters, moving fallen trees out of the way, washing the sweat out of our clothes and we’re doing it all without any rest.
Strange as it may seem, the reason hospitalization is attractive is that it’s forced. If you’re in the hospital, you have to be there, so there’s no guilt about choosing to leave. It involves no decision-making. Someone else is calling all the shots. You literally have no responsibilities in the hospital except resting. No one needs anything from you. And unlike when you’re on vacation, most people who are caring for your kids when you’re in the hospital aren’t going to constantly contact you to ask you questions. They’ll leave you to let you rest.
When a real hospital stay becomes a vacation
Paula Fitzgibbons shares that she had three kids under the age of 3 in 11 months (two by adoption and one by birth). Her husband, despite being very involved and supportive, had a 1.5 hour commute for work, so the lion’s share of childcare, or “delightful utter chaos” as she refers to it, fell on her shoulders. At one point, she ended up in the ER with atrial fibrillation, and due to family medical history was kept in the hospital for a few days for tests and monitoring.
“When people came to visit me or called to see how I was, I responded that I was enjoying my time at ‘the spa,’ and though I missed my family, I was soaking it all in,” she tells Upworthy. “My husband understood. Other mothers understood. The medical staff did not know what to make of my cheerful demeanor, but there I was, lying in bed reading and sleeping for four straight days with zero guilt. What a gift for a new mom.”
A mom relaxing in a chair Image via Canva
When you have young children, your concept of what’s relaxing shifts. I recall almost falling asleep during one of my first dental cleanings after having kids. That chair was so comfy and no one needed anything from me. I didn’t even care what they were doing to my teeth. It felt like heaven to lie down and rest without any demands being made of me other than “Open a little wider, please.”
Obviously, being hospitalized isn’t ideal for a whole host of reasons, but the desire is real. There aren’t a lot of simple solutions to the issue of moms needing a real break, not just an hour or two, but a few days. However, maybe if society were structured in such a way that we had smaller, more frequent respites and spread the work of parenting across the community, we wouldn’t feel as much of a desire to be hospitalized simply to be able to rejuvenate.
This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.
Volunteers are essential to animal shelters running effectively to fill in the gaps employees may not have time for. No one knows this more than Rocky Kanaka. Rocky is a pet rescue advocate, Emmy-nominated TV host, and founder of The Dog Bakery. His book “Sitting With Dogs,” a collection of real rescue stories, became a New York Times bestseller.
He uploaded a video of an extremely emaciated Vizsla mix that was doing his best to make himself as small as possible in the corner of the kennel. Kanaka immediately wanted to help him adjust so he would feel comfortable enough to eat and eventually get adopted. The dog appeared scared of his new location and had actually rubbed his nose raw from anxiety, but everything changed when Kanaka came along.
A terrified dog in the corner of his kennel
The volunteer slowly entered the kennel with the terrified dog, crouching on his knees for an easy escape if needed. But the dog attempted to essentially become invisible by avoiding eye contact and staying curled in a tiny ball. It seemed like it was going to take a long time for this nervous pup to warm up.
Before long, he’s offered a treat. Success! The brown dog takes the treat, and as minutes pass you can see his body slowly relax, eventually coming to sit directly next to Kanaka for pets. In the few minutes of the video, you see such an amazing transformation that proves this little guy just needed some love.
The internet fell in love with Bear
“It was so cute when he started wagging his tail. You could tell his whole demeanor just changed, and he was happy. Just a few kind words and a little attention. That’s all animals need. Well, besides food. Lol,” one commenter says.
“That moment when he starts to realize he’s actually safe. That gradual tail wag, and the ears perking, the eyes lighting up. You don’t have to be an expert to show an animal love and respect,” another writes.
“After that first treat his entire demeanor changed. He went from not trusting you to thinking you may be kind and he could feel less stressed. That was really amazing to see,” someone gushes.
This sweet scared dog just needed human connection by someone taking the time to sit with him to know he was safe. Once he was sure the shelter was a safe place, the dog even welcomed those who came to visit him after seeing the video.
“I went to the shelter today to visit ‘Bear’! Everyone would be thrilled to hear that he seems very happy and energetic! He has a little red squeaky bone toy that he loves. He licked my hand immediately and rubbed his head on my legs and arms, eager for affection. What a sweetheart,” a commenter writes.
This sweet boy deserves the fairy tale, and got it
Thanks to Kanaka’s sweet gesture, the dog, now named Shadow Moon, was adopted and is living his best life with his new human dad and husky brother. You can follow Shadow Moon’s journey on his Instagram page.
This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.
The best feeling as a parent is when your child does something that exemplifies good character, especially when they do it without being asked and without expecting any recognition or reward for it. Seeing your kid practicing patience, kindness, and helpfulness, even when they think no one is looking—that’s when you know that all your hard parenting work is paying off.
fSo when you’re a mom with six kids and the baby monitor in your 18-month-old’s nursery shows your 10-year-old stepping up to help his little brother—in the middle of the night, no less, your heart might melt a little. And when he tells you the thoughtful reason why he didn’t just come and get you when he heard his brother fussing, your heart just might explode.
A viral video captured this scenario at Gloria McIntosh’s house in Ohio in 2020, and it could not be sweeter.
McIntosh told TODAY Parents that she always told her kids that the true test of a person’s character is what they do when no one is around, a lesson that her son, Mason, clearly took to heart when he got up at 3 a.m. to comfort his 18-month-old brother, Greyson.
“The baby woke up in the middle of the night,” McIntosh wrote. “I heard him fussing so I just checked the camera to see if he would just fall back asleep and saw his brother showing the best example of love and patience. He stayed with him for almost 30 minutes trying to get him back to sleep. I eventually came in and got the baby, and asked my son why he didn’t just come and get me.”
Why Mason didn’t wake his mom up
The reason was as thoughtful as can be.
“He said he wanted me to get some rest, because I did a lot that day. While parenting is not his responsibility, just the fact that he understood that he is his brother’s keeper, and considered my long day as a mom, is much appreciated. ❤️”
When he climbed into the crib with him? Gracious. That’s when you know your kids are going to be all right.
McIntosh said Mason is a natural caregiver. “I’m sure Mason was tired and cranky. He was woken up at 3 a.m.,” she said. “But how you saw him treat his brother is how he is. He steps up.”
Some kids are just awesome, but there’s a lot to be said for setting an example and nurturing kids in an environment where they feel inspired to be helpful as well. Clearly McIntosh has done something right for her son to step up in that way. Watch the way she soothes her 4-year-old when he had a bad dream in the middle of the night, and it’s easy to see where Mason gets it.
