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Mother and son duo who constantly prank each other are parenting relationship goals

"Honestly don't know how they haven't given each other heart attacks or destroyed the house."

parenting; pranks; viral tiktok; mom son pranks; funny parenting videos
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Mother-son duo's hilarious relationship is parenting goals

Parenting can be pretty tricky at times. It's like a string of endless pop quizzes and no one knows what grade you're going to get until 18+ years later. It's not until they grow up that you get to take in all of your hard work in raising a productive human. But there's one part of raising kids that doesn't get talked about enough, and that's when they've reached the age of being able to be your friend.

One mom and her adult son are going viral on the internet for their admirable bond and ability to keep the belly laughs coming. The duo is truly parenting relationship goals. In a compilation of videos shared by VT, Jonah Bolona and his mom spend clip after clip pranking each other or just getting into family friendly mischief.

Bolona has been sharing videos of the silly nonsense he and his mother get into on his TikTok page, The Jonah Bolona, and has amassed nearly 2 million followers.

But it was the compilation video that took some of their funniest moments and mashed them together showcasing their fun relationship. In the very first clip, you know you're in for...something. Bolona's mom appears to be sitting on the floor patiently in some sort of black trash bag sealed up to her neck as he attaches a vacuum hose. Somehow mom falls over as the vacuum sucks all of the air out of the bag sealing her inside as Bolona runs away.

The entire compilation is just keeps getting more amusing and commenters love their dynamic.

"Ha ha his mum is a legend," one person writes.

"Honestly don't know how they haven't given each other heart attacks or destroyed the house XD Guess it's just a norm for them," another comments.

"This is an extremely HEALTHY relationship!!! I love it," someone else says.

Some people were quick to point out that there's nothing wrong with living with your parents, especially when the relationship is healthy. While other's clarified that it's his house and it shouldn't matter what others think as long as they're having fun, which clearly they are. You can see their hijinks below for your own chuckle.

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What makes kids popular in high school? Researchers found they share the same personality trait.

It's not looks, athletics, or grades.

via Canva/Photos

A girl is crowned prom queen.

Every high school has a few "popular" students that almost everyone likes. They are often chosen to be prom king or queen and elected to the student council. They are the folks that everyone waves to in the hallways, and they are usually confident and friendly.

So, what are the traits that make certain people popular and others slink by with little recognition? Are the most likable kids also the most athletic? Do they have a higher GPA? Are they more extroverted? Are they funnier? Are they more attractive?

Communications expert Vanessa Van Edwards was recently on The Dan Buettner Podcast, where she shared the common trait that popular kids have in common. Van Edwards, who describes herself as a recovering awkward person, teaches communication skills at Harvard University.

Researchers discovered the trait after interviewing thousands of high school students and asking them to list the people they liked at school. It revealed a significant finding: popular kids had the longest lists of people they liked.

What traits do popular kids in high school share?



The findings are straightforward: if you like a lot of people, many of them are likely to like you back.

Even though you may no longer be in high school, there are benefits to being popular in your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Van Edwards says we should all learn how to like other people if we want to be likable ourselves.

“Learn how to like," she told Buettner. "In fact, be free with your likes. The most popular kids were the ones who were first likers. In other words, they walked down the hallway and they say, ‘Hey, Dan. Hey, Sarah. Hey, Joy.’ They're the ones who walk into a class and be like, ‘Hey, you want to sit with me?’ They are inviters. They are likers. They are looking for good. And in that way, I think that we can train ourselves to be more likable by searching and hunting for likes."

@steven

Body language expert Vanessa Van Edwards reveals what makes kids popular and the common trait that all of them have 👀 Full episode on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclip #interview #bodylanguage #tips #advice #tip #vanessavanedwards #expert #doctor #dr #didyouknow #popular #friends #diaryofaceo

There’s something very positive about the fact that people who like others are liked in return. It’s a great excuse to have an open attitude when meeting new people and to look for the good in everyone around you, even if they may be a little challenging to get along with.

What is the reciprocity of liking?

There is a concept in psychology known as the reciprocity of liking, which states that if someone likes you, you tend to like them back. Because when someone likes you, they are usually kind and supportive. Therefore, most people like those who like them.

However, there is one big caveat to this truth: People with low self-esteem often dislike themselves, so if someone shows them affection, they may not reciprocate because it makes them feel out of balance.

Ultimately, if you want to be the popular kid in any of your social or professional circles, you have to like yourself first. Because when you like yourself, there’s a much greater chance that you will like other people. This leads to a virtuous cycle of friendship growth, where you expand your social circle in a wonderfully positive way.

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Gen X mom reenacts 'coming home from school in the 80s' and it couldn't be more perfect

"This is why we turned out self sufficient, independent and successful."

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If you lived through an 80s childhood, this will send you back.

Generation X, made up of those born between 1965 and 1980, has many claims-to-fame in their younger years game. Gen X brought the world Prince and Kurt Cobain. We were The Goonies and The Breakfast Club. We took down the Berlin Wall while watching MTV.

But perhaps the most iconic thing about Gen X is our semi-feral childhoods of benign neglect. The standards of parenting and child rearing have shifted a lot in the past 40 to 50 years, as has the technological landscape that kids grow up in, so naturally, today's kids won't have the same childhoods previous generations had. But there's something particularly nostalgic about being a child of the 80s for those who lived it.


One mom nailed the experience with a video reenactment of what it was like to come home from school in the 80s.

Elizabeth Stevens (@BennettPeach on YouTube) arrives at the front door in her backpack, then pulls out a house key on a string around her neck. (Ah, the "latchkey kid" era when children were expected to come home to an empty house and let themselves in.)

Then she goes into the kitchen in her Care Bears t-shirt and finds a handwritten note—in cursive, of course—on the back of an envelope. "Working late—make your own dinner, watch your brother and the dishes better be done when I get home from bowling. – Mom"

- YouTube www.youtube.com

That's right. Mom wasn't just working late, she was also going bowling while her kids were home caring for themselves.

Then we see her washing the dishes despite barely being able to reach the faucet, even with a stool, and then her making a Gen X staple—the cinnamon-sugar and butter sandwich. On white bread, of course.

In just one minute, Stevens managed to capture the essence of so many Gen X memories, as commenters shared:

"The mom notes on an unopened bill is memories."

"Nailed it! The best thing about growing up in the '70s/'80's was being ALLOWED to grow up."

"Why this video made me almost cry?? How quiet it is inside the home. Lovely."

80s childhood, 80s, 80s nostalgia, gen x, latchkey kids, gen x nostalgia, generational differences, generational humor Wash the dishes before I get home from bowling! Photo by CDC on Unsplash

"Facts!!! No babysitter, go in the house, read the note, do the chores n not let anybody in!!!! I remember the homemade the 'cinnamon bun.'"

"70s and 80s … latch key kid here elementary, junior high and high school. we turned out self sufficient, independent and successful."

"Just so frickin on point!!! All of it from the clothes to the key on the necklace to the note. Even what you chose to do for a snack. Too good!!! The windbreaker that's memories. It's all coming back to me now lol thank you for this. You have brought a huge grin to both me and my inner child."

80s childhood, 80s, 80s nostalgia, gen x, latchkey kids, gen x nostalgia, generational differences, generational humor music video 80s GIF Giphy

"I was met with a note everyday, too. On the back of an envelope, my daily chores would be listed. If I was in trouble, I would cry as soon as I saw the note....lolol Love you momma. How I wished I could have saved those notes! They were historical treasures."

Tons of people gushed over the nostalgia of remembering those "good old days" when they were given both freedom and responsibility, with many saying kids today have no idea. One thing that might surprise the younger generations was how young the theoretical kid in this video could have been. We're not talking about young teens here—kids as young as 5 or 6 could be latchkey kids, and kids any older than that were often given responsibility for looking after younger siblings. Even official babysitting jobs could start around age 11, or sometimes even younger.

Gen X kids had learned to take care of themselves early on, which has its pros and cons. The rose-colored glasses many Gen X adults view their childhoods through can sometimes cloud the parts that were not so great about growing up in the 70s and 80s. Sure, that benign neglect resulted in resilience and independence, but for some that came at the cost of parental relationships and a sense of safety and security. We have more knowledge now about things like mental health support, parent-child attachment, and healthy relationship dynamics, and some of that learning is reflected in shifting parenting practices.

As often happens, the pendulum may have swung too far from the absent parents of the 70s and 80s to the helicopter parents of the 90s and 2000s, of course, and the "right" approach (if there is one) probably lies somewhere in the middle. But it is still fun to look back on those iconic childhood experiences with joy and humor and appreciate that they helped us become who we are today.

This article originally appeared in April. It has been updated.

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Budget shoppers share tips for spending $100 or less on groceries a week

Beat insane grocery prices with this frugal grocery advice.

Image via Canva/97

How to spend under $100 a week on groceries.

Grocery prices these days are astronomical. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices have been on an uphill climb since 2020.

The average American family of four spends anywhere from $996-1,603 on groceries, but frugal people and budget shoppers are finding creative ways to save money on groceries with a weekly grocery budget of just $100.

Yeah, you read that right: keeping your grocery bill at $100 or less is possible. Budget grocery shoppers shared their best advice for how to save big on groceries on the subreddit r/budget.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Frozen veggies. It’s a myth they are less healthy than fresh. Get the $1 variety bags from aldi. No chopping needed. Each bag is like 4 servings. Dump a bit straight into the pan and cook for like 12 min and you’re good to go." - Dismal_Pop2092

"Go on fb marketplace and get an instant pot. For $20-$40. The key to saving on groceries is a little more time cooking so you don’t have to buy the expensive ready made stuff. Instant pot makes it so you can set and forget which is super helpful. The only way I can afford meat anymore is buying whole chicken and putting it in the instant pot (it’s also the tastiest prep imo!)" - Dismal_Pop2092

"Cut the junk food. Seriously. It’s a farce that eating healthy is expensive. I promise if you just buy INGREDIENTS and not PRODUCTS your grocery bill will go down significantly." - Dismal_Pop2092

"I've been keeping track of our spending for the last 12 months and on average, we were blowing through $825 a month on groceries....and $400 on take out. So I immediately made a menu up for the remainder of the month (this happened in sept 9th) and a grocery list of anything I might need, plus some staples we needed. Then I combined menu planning with freezer cooking. I have the rest of sept meals planned out, prepped and/or frozen. I have all of October meals planned out as well but haven't gone grocery shopping yet. Ive cut our monthly grocery budget down to $400 a month (family of 5) and our takeout budget to $0. And so far.... im $47 under budget for the month and already have all the meals planned." - rickrolled_gay_swan

"Bread makers can also be found for cheap at thrift stores, and for basic loaves (including whole wheat) older models work fine. You can make 3-5 loaves of your own bread for the cost of 1 at the store, and you can save even more if you buy things like flour, yeast and eggs in bulk. I have a kid here with gluten intolerance, and making GF bread at home is a huge savings - but just FYI for the GF folks, most older bread makers are not good at making GF bread unless you use them for only the mix and rise and then finish them in your own oven. Oatmeal and other grains are your friend fellow shopper! You can buy them in bulk for cheap." - SunLillyFairy

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I also save my fats. bacon grease, chicken smaltz. got little jars for all of it. I also only buy the big generic oil. gave up wasting money on olive oil. just keep a neutral/high smoke point oil around. whatever is cheapest per volume. And I also save my scraps from veggies. i have a ziplock bag for onion and carrot ends, or celery nubs, and on the weekend, will bake a chicken, and make stock the next day." - oneWeek2024

"My tip: Make whatever the hell you want in a quarter portion than usual, and then lay it over a bed of rice, beans, lentils, potatoes, pasta, or corn. Does not apply if you’re low-carb. I love carbs. They’re the body’s preferred source of energy, very delicious, and very cheap. I do limit my fats, usually a tsp or two of oil gets the whole pot slick. I prefer lean meats, and they have been very affordable from Costco. $2.77 chicken breast, $3.18 93% ground turkey, $5.40 91% ground beef. Turkey can be subbed for most of my beef recipes." - katie4

"Something I’ve found super helpful living alone and trying to budget is I like to get a bang for my buck. Meaning that I will go to Safeway or Costco (I don’t have an Aldi’s) to buy the big azz tub of spinach/greens for $5. I eat a huge amount of it during the week, but the rest I know I can’t finish (at least 1/3 of it), I will freeze. Then, I don’t waste it. I can then add in amounts with my protein powder and soy milk. 😀 I also do this with my nutpod creamer. If I go to sprouts, sometimes they have a BOGO so you spend $6 for 2. What I do is I have a separate large ice cube tray specific for the nutpod creamer. I will probably drink half of it during the week and the other half I can’t finish in 1.5 weeks before it goes bad. So I save the rest in the ice cube trays. I know these are saving cents or some dollars, but it goes a long way!" - healthnut270

"These tips are gold! I'd add: shop your pantry first because I used to rebuy stuff I forgot I had like some grocery store amnesia patient." - PaycheckWizard

"I shop around at various stores between TJ’s, Aldi, and Kroger and basically follow the ideas above. I spend about $30-35/wk as a single person. A biggie is cutting the snacks- I don’t buy chips, granola bars, cookies, etc. I also don’t buy drinks, with the exception being Diet Coke when it’s on a major sale at kroger. I do a lot of crockpot meals that I divide up into six servings or so, eating a couple during the week and freezing the rest for later. I always have meal options in the freezer when I want to not buy groceries for a bit. It’s pretty painless once you get the hang of it. I normally only cook once a week or so. I also eat healthier this way when things are planned ahead and in portions." - momthom427

@a1qb2x

Heres what $100 can get you at ALDI #fypage #savingmoney #groceryhaul #money #budget #financialfreedom

Money-saving grocery tips from financial experts

Looking for even more ways to save on your grocery bill? Financial experts offer nine additional tips.

1. Start a garden.
"Growing even a small amount of food at home can make a difference. Herbs, lettuce, and tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill are inexpensive to start and keep paying off," David Kindness, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), tax expert, and personal finance writer at BestMoney.com, tells Upworthy.

2. Buy 'ugly' produce.
"I also suggest looking for discounted or 'ugly' produce. Stores mark these down heavily, but the quality is usually just fine once you cook with them," says Kindness.

3. Check the sell-by date.
"Another smart move is shopping for items that are close to their sell-by date. Bread, dairy, or meats can often be frozen or used right away," says Kindness.

4. Timing matters too.
"Another trick is to look for discounts on fresh items close to closing time. Stores often reduce prices on produce, baked goods, or meats to clear shelves, and those markdowns add up fast," Ashley Akin, CPA, tax consultant specializing in tax compliance services, and the Senior Contributor at CEP DC, tells Upworthy.

5. Don't sleep on rewards and savings programs.
On top of that, cashback and rewards apps, or even mystery dining programs can help you earn money back on top of your savings. These are often overlooked but they add up over time," Kindness says.

6. Compare unit prices.
"I also tell people to check unit prices rather than just the sticker price." Akin says. "Sometimes the bigger package is cheaper, but not always, so comparing saves you from paying extra just because of packaging."

7. Budget for meals vs. snacks.
"I also remind people to separate their meal budget from their snack budget. It may sound small, but it stops impulse purchases from eating into what you really need," says Kindness.

8. Eat before you shop.
"And whenever possible, shop alone and never on an empty stomach," says Kindness. "It is the easiest way to avoid unplanned extras."

9. Get low.
"Even checking the bottom shelves can reveal the best value items that stores place out of sight," adds Kindness.

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People rally for plane passenger who defended his right to sit in the seat he paid for

A mom had given her child the man's seat with the flight attendant's blessing.

Photo credit: Canva

People rally for passenger who demanded his seat from a mom

Boarding a plane is always awkward, especially if you're in the later boarding zones. It's inevitable someone is going to sit in the wrong seat, usually by accident, causing a silly scooching and standing routine. But what happens when someone is in your seat on purpose? Not just any someone, a child whose mother informed them that they were allowed to sit there.

This is what happened to Osaac Summers when he flew with American Airlines recently. Upon boarding his flight he noticed a child sitting in his seat so he continued walking, possibly assuming that was not his seat. Summers is fairly tall, standing at 6' 2" which makes sitting in enclosed seats uncomfortable which is why he paid extra for an aisle seat. But since a child was occupying his seat he was prepared to allow the child to stay there while he found a vacant seat.

airplane seat; plane seat; entitled parents; man takes seat back; airlines; flight attendant Passengers seated on a plane, ready for takeoff.Photo credit: Canva

Summers tells the child's mother that next time she should ask the person the seat belongs to if they would mind swapping seats.

"I'm like ma'am, I really don't want to take the seat from you and your child but next time it'll be the best thing to ask before taking a seat. You know like just ask because I don't have no problem giving the seat to you if you want to sit by your family but right now you got me standing up, you know in the middle of the plane. Everybody looking at me and I'm just sitting here waiting on a seat or for you to get up and nobody's doing anything about it," Summers recalls in his video.

Instead of getting upset, the man says he went to find another seat on the aisle but was told by a flight attendant that he couldn't sit there. Summers explains to the flight attendant that he's long and needs to be an aisle seat which is why he picked his original seat. But was then met with the flight attendant telling him that the woman and child boarded the plane first, implying that their boarding order gave them permission to occupy the chair he paid for. When he reminded the attendant that the seats were assigned she then told him he could take his seat back.

@lalawright2

Respectfully they should’ve asked him if it was coo first cause he did pay for that seat.

This is where things go a little off the track. After explaining that he would feel bad for taking the seat the flight attendant allegedly told him that he would be the "bad guy" for sitting in the seat he paid to sit in. It was then that Summers told the attendant that he wanted his seat that he paid for to which the flight attendant responded poorly saying that the now seatless man could be removed from the flight.

The mother who witnessed the interaction did not move her child to the correct seat, instead she allowed her child to stay in Summers' rightful chair. Eventually another passenger offered the mother their seat so she could sit with her child but not before the woman's sister told Summers to shut up. Another flight attendant did come to the frustrated man's aid to attempt to calm the situation prior to him getting his seat back.

@osaacsummer

Visit TikTok to discover videos!

Someone uploaded a video of the incident on social media showing Summers responding angrily to someone who was upset he retrieved his seat. Another passenger told the story from her point of view which matched what Summers had already recounted. While passengers on the plane seemed upset that Summers wanted his seat back, people online were solidly on his side.

"So... you paid for the seat They tried to steal it then the flight attendant came and consoled them for NOT being successful in their crime? ok..." one person writes.

"So by the flight attendant logic, if I get on the flight and there's an open seat in first class, I get it because I was there first," another says.

@lalawright2

here y’all go

"You should report the flight attendants to the airline and demand an apology. You paid for the seat, they can't just claim it," someone else chimes in.

One commenter confirms "You weren’t remotely the bad guy here. They were incredibly entitled. They don’t get to use their kid to be rude."

Another person writes, "Let’s normalize when booking your flight you pick seats for you and your children to sit together. If not do not expect someone to give you their seat. I would’ve told her to rise up like the sun and get out my seat."

This article originally appeared in July.

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If the total amount of money held by Americans was distributed evenly, how much would you get?

What if you got an equal slice of the country's wealth?

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A woman with hundred dollar bills.

The United States has more money held by private citizens than any other country in the world. According to the Federal Reserve, U.S. households hold a total of $160.35 trillion, which is the value of each person’s assets minus their liabilities. However, many Americans are perplexed by the fact that, in a country with such wealth, so many people still struggle to make ends meet.

Although Americans hold the largest amount of privately held wealth in the world, many of us still struggle with financial stress. A recent report found that 68% don’t have enough money to retire, 56% are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and 45% are worried about their debt levels. A significant reason is that a small number of people hold a large portion of the privately held wealth in the U.S..

Nearly two-thirds of America’s private wealth is held by the top 10% of people, leaving the remaining one-third to be divided among 90% of the population.

elon musk, richest americans, elon musk black hat, elon musk sunglasses, doge Elon Musk at CPAC.via Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons

What if America divided its privately held money evenly?

With so many people struggling in America, while a few at the top are unbelievably wealthy, what would happen if the money were magically divided evenly among the 340 million people who live in the United States? If everyone received a truly equal share of the American pie, every person would receive approximately $471,465. That’s $942,930 per couple and $1.89 million for those with two kids.

With that chunk of change, the couple could easily pay off the average U.S. mortgage and have plenty of resources to save for a good retirement and send both kids to a decent college or trade school. The billionaire who once had more assets than they knew what to do with would probably have to move into a middle-class neighborhood.

couple with money, middle class money, cash money, couple on couch, man and woman A couple with cash sitting on a couch.via Canva/Photos

However, such a drastic redistribution of wealth would be cataclysmic for the economy, as people would have to liquidate their investments to give their assets to others. The sudden increase in wealth for many, without a corresponding increase in goods and services, would lead to incredibly high inflation. The dramatic reconfiguring of the economy would also disincentivize some from working and others from innovating. Some posit that if everyone were equal, in just a few months, those with wealth-generating skills would immediately begin rising to the top again, while others would fall behind.

What programs reduce poverty?

Although it seems that a massive redistribution of wealth isn’t in the cards for many reasons, we do have some evidence from recent history on how programs that give people money can help lift them out of poverty. Government stimulus programs during the COVID-19 pandemic brought the U.S. poverty level to a record low of 7.8% in 2021. Child poverty was also helped by the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax credit expansion, which drove child poverty to an all-time low of 5.2%. It’s also worth noting that the trillions in government stimulus had a downside, as it was partially responsible for a historic rise in inflation.

While for many, the notion that there are billionaires while others can hardly get by feels obscene, redistributing America’s wealth is more of a thought experiment than something that would realistically happen. But it highlights an important truth: massive wealth inequality exists in the world’s wealthiest nation. While perfect equality will never exist, that shouldn't stop us from making targeted efforts to reduce poverty that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

This article originally appeared in July

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