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Autism is still misunderstood. 8 parents share what you should know about it.

'When my child flips out, he's not giving me a hard time — he's having a hard time.'

Although 1 in 68 children in America have been identified with autism spectrum disorder, many people still don't understand it.

Quick, what's the first thing you think of when you hear the word "autism"? It only happens to white families? It's only an issue for boys? Kids with ASD have no emotions?

The misconceptions are everywhere. Even in 2016, some people are like...


GIF from "Modern Family."

It's one thing to read books or studies on ASD to correct those assumptions, but it's another to hear it from the people who raise children with ASD. To that end, we reached out to a few of them.

Eight parents shared the one thing they wish people knew about raising a child with ASD.

1. I don't want my child to be labeled.

It may not seem like a big deal to some people, but Sonya wants to be clear about how her child should be addressed. He's not an autistic child — he's a child with autism or ASD. Making that subtle change makes a big difference.

Photo from Sonya, used with permission.

"We don't say things like, 'This is my asthmatic sister' or 'This is my cancerous uncle,'" Sonya told Upworthy. "Changing the language lessens the stigma and allows others to see they are a person before a diagnosis."

2. My son is highly intelligent.

Natasha wants to quiet the noise she hears about the lack of intelligence of children with ASD.

Photo from Natasha, used with permission.

"Those with ASD, like my son, are highly intelligent but learn differently," Natasha told Upworthy. "They are both mentally and emotionally intelligent, but one may need to look and listen differently to grasp their greatness."

3. My child is happy.

Maya notices how happy her son is, along with other kids with ASD. She just wants people to look past what's on the surface to see it.


Photo from Maya, used with permission.

"It's beautiful to see how rich their world can be even when they seem to stare in an empty space," Maya told Upworthy. "They enjoy such happiness."

4. I want more schools to truly understand what it's like to work with children with ASD.

Being a teacher is a very difficult, and Katherine understands that. She just wishes more schools would be more proactive when working with children with ASD. That includes doing more to fight bullying and understand meltdowns.

Photo from Katherine, used with permission.

"Teachers who feel overwhelmed by students with ASD need to speak out and get the help they need in their classrooms," Katherine told Upworthy. "These children are precious, and I want my grandson and others like him to be happy and understood."

5. I want people to know that being quiet doesn't mean being unaware.

Tamara's son may not be extremely talkative, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know what's going on around him. That's the case with many kids with ASD.

Photo from Tamara, used with permission.

"Nonverbal does not mean that they can't communicate in their own way or that they aren't aware of how you treat them," Tamara told Upworthy.

6. I want people to know that my child is talented.

Jody knows children with ASD can do a lot of amazing things. She wants others to know, too.

Photo from Jody, used with permission.

"Our sweet boy may not be able to speak or dress himself, but he is as gentle and innocent as an angel and can play piano by ear," Jody told Upworthy.

7. I want people to know that safety is a big issue for children with ASD.

Travis, a dad to a son with ASD, believes that keeping him safe is a challenge that many simply don't understand. He recalls times when his son left the house and failed to respond to his own name, and that is beyond scary.


Wandering is a major concern for parents raising kids with ASD. Photo from iStock.

"I wish people would realize that I can't just let him run off and play," Travis told Upworthy. "Some kids with ASD need constant supervision for their own safety as well as the safety of others."

8. I am not sad.

A lot of people want to offer sympathy to Jo Ellen, but she's not interested in it. As a matter of fact, she's quite happy and so is her daughter.

Photo from Jo Ellen, used with permission.

"I want people to ask me about what makes her excited because I would love to tell them about her fascination with elephants instead," Jo Ellen told Upworthy.

April is Autism Awareness Month, so kudos to these parents for doing their part to raise awareness of an often misunderstood condition.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from the democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets.

But perhaps the most silly-yet-surprisingly-heated household debate is the one in which we argue over which way to hang the toilet paper roll.

The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. There is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper, according to health experts as well as the man who invented the toilet paper roll in the first place.

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Pets

Parrot can't stop kissing her babies and telling them she loves them in adorable video

"I cannot believe parrots are real and we're so nonchalant about it."

Photo by Beyzaa Yurtkuran on Pexels and Photo by Mariano Mollo on Unsplash

Bird can't stop kissing and loving on her babies in adorable video

Birds can be pretty amazing companions, many birds live a lot longer than dogs, giving you a buddy for life depending on when you buy one. Some parrots can live up to 50 years, while the longest living cockatoo lived to be 82-years-old, which is why if you get one of these amazing talking feathered friends, you should make plans to put them in your will. Literally, it's advised that you put these long living birds in your will so there's a plan in place.

But their long lifespan isn't the reason people can't get enough of these birds as pets. Just like children, these birds learn to mimic what you say and how you say it, which allows them to engage in endearing moments. In a video compilation uploaded to social media by @themothergothel, you get to see their adorable behavior play out in front of you. A blue ringneck parrot is captured loving on some brand new baby birds and it's the sweetest thing.

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Brielle Asero lost her job after 2 months.

TikTokker Brielle Asero, 21, a recent college graduate, went viral on TikTok in October for her emotional reaction to the first day at a 9-to-5 job. The video, which received 3.4 million views, captured the public’s attention because it was like a cultural Rorschach test.

Some who saw the video thought that Asero came off as entitled and exemplified the younger generation’s lack of work ethic. In contrast, others sympathized with the young woman who is just beginning to understand how hard it is to find work-life balance in modern-day America.

“I’m so upset,” she says in the video. "I get on the train at 7:30 a.m., and I don't get home until 6:15 p.m. [at the] earliest. I don't have time to do anything!" Asero said in a video.

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Millennials and Gen Z ditch top sheet to the dismay of Boomers

Once again the youngins are flabbergasting the older generations with their disregard of things they deem unnecessary. There's always something that gets dropped or altered generation to generation. We learn better ways or technology makes certain things obsolete. But it doesn't matter how far we've come, our beds still need sheets to cover the mattress.

The debate is on the use of top sheets, also known as flat sheets. They're the sheets that keep your body from touching the comforter, most Gen X and Boomers are firmly for the use of top sheets as a hygiene practice. The idea being that the top sheet keeps your dead skin cells and body oils from dirtying your comforter, causing you to have to wash it more often.

Apparently Millennials and Gen Zers are uninterested in using a top sheet while sleeping. In fact, they'd rather just get a duvet cover, though they may be cumbersome. A duvet cover can be washed fairly frequently, while some may opt for a cheeper comforter that they don't care is washed often because their distain for a top sheet is that strong.

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Representative Image From Canva

Imagine if everyone adhered to these guidelines.

We know too much screen time is not good for us. We also know that younger folks are particularly susceptible to screen addiction. What we don’t fully know is how to effectively help teens and tweens manage the habit, especially when screens are such an everyday part of life.

However, psychiatrist, author and dad of seven Richard Wadsworth recently went viral after showing his own personal strategy for getting his kids to do something other than scrolling. It could be the perfect solution for parents to not only break screen addiction, but instill some other healthy ritual as well.

In the clip, we first see Wadsworth’s tween son doing deltoid exercises with dumbbells. Which he apparently got up at 6:30 am to do.

What could possibly incentivize practically anyone, let alone a preteen to wake up at the crack of dawn to lift weights? Read on.

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via Anna Trupiano / Facebook

First-grade teacher Anna Trupiano

Anna Trupiano is a first-grade teacher at a school that serves deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students from birth through eighth grade.

In addition to teaching the usual subjects, Trupiano is charged with helping her students thrive in a society that doesn't do enough to cater to the needs of the hard-of-hearing.

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