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A mom took this viral photo of her son with autism and the barber who went the extra mile.

A lot of kids hate getting their hair cut. If the boredom doesn't cause them to wriggle out of their seats, then the clippers are too loud, or they just don't like the way it feels.

For children on the autism spectrum — about 1 in every 45 kids — those problems are greatly intensified.

6-year-old Wyatt from Quebec, for example, deals with both hyper- and hyposensitivity. Having his hair touched coupled with the noise from the hair cutting equipment causes him major anxiety.

Wyatt's challenges have been a struggle even for experienced stylists to manage in the past, as his mom, Fauve Lafrenière, told WDRB.

Everything changed when Wyatt's mom found a barber willing to go the extra mile for her son.

And now that barber is an internet hero.

Jacob with a young client in his shop. Photo via Franz Jacob, used with permission.

Franz Jacob at Authentischen Barbier in Quebec has been cutting Wyatt's hair for two years now and has learned a lot about how to make the process as comfortable for his young client as possible.

Jacob locks the front door of the salon to keep people from walking in during the cut. He also keeps the shop as quiet as possible and is willing to keep at it for however long it takes to finish — sometimes hours.

Recently, a photo of Jacob lying on the floor next to Wyatt while finishing a trim went viral, stealing the hearts of millions across the web.

By the way, t'a tu ça toi un barbier qui ce donne à ce point là? Mon fils oui. THE BEST! Franz Jakob

Posted by Fauve Lafreniere on Sunday, September 24, 2017

Kerry Magro, an autism advocate, gives out a few tips to barbers who want to accommodate kids with autism.

Things like: offer up a "game plan" of exactly what's going to happen and use a treat or prize at the end as a reward. (Calming Clippers also created a directory that can be a good starting point to find autism-friendly barbers in your area.)

But Jacob says he never had any specialized training or even much experience in dealing with kids who have autism. "I just figured it out," by watching Wyatt closely, he says in a message.

Not many people would be willing to lay on the floor to finish a few-dollar haircut. But a little bit of extra caring goes a long way.

Little gestures like Jacob's can make the world a lot more welcoming for people of all ages with autism.

But it's not just barber shops and salons. Some typically loud, chaotic Chuck E. Cheese locations are now offering Sensory Sensitive Sundays, hours or designated hours where the music and lights come down for a calmer experience to help reduce sensory overload. Kid-mecca Toys R Us stores in the U.K. have incorporated a similar experience, with plans of it being implemented in the U.S. soon. Some movie theaters use the approach (sound low, lights slightly up) to accommodate not only young kids, but teens and adults too.

As for Jacob, he says now that word is spreading, other parents are bringing in kids like Wyatt to his shop for haircuts, driving hours just to do so, and he's even started giving trims to late-stage cancer patients. "I take great pride in doing all this for my community," he says.

It's awesome to see retailers big and small embracing what makes some of their customers unique and stepping up to the plate to accommodate those differences.

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Ocean Wise
Be Ocean Wise
Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

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The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

Pop Culture

Dad challenges his Gen Z daughter to figure out 3 things about a U-haul truck

The look on her face when she sees the manual window.

@davidcsmalley/TikTok

But can she start it?

David C. Smalley, a comedian and podcaster, regularly gives us some generational humor by exposing his 19-year-old daughter Talissa to relics of the past. You know, things like CDs, phonebooks, remote controllers…feeling old yet?

Recently, Smalley challenged Talissa with navigating a standard U-Haul storage truck. She had to 1) unlock the door 2) roll down a window and 3) start the engine.

For those of us who grew up before the 90s, this might sound like the easiest challenge ever. But apparently, for Gen Z, it’s like being asked to maneuver a horse and buggy.
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Prudential
Prudential
Sponsored

Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

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A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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