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5 'core' childhood memories your kid will cherish forever, according to a psychologist

No lavish vacation or expensive toys necessary.

core memories, creating core memories, parenting, kids, psychologist, child psychology, psychologist
Photo credit: Canva

A psychologist breaks down the 5 types of core memories your kid will cherish forever

There’s a popular trend where parents often share they are creating “core memories” for their children on social media posts, whether it’s planning an elaborate vacation or creating an extra-special holiday moment. While it’s important for parents to want their kids to have happy childhoods, sometimes it feels presumptuous when they believe they can manufacture a core memory. Especially when a child’s inner world is so different than an adult's.

The concept of "core memories" was made mainstream in 2015 thanks to Disney's Inside Out. In it, "core memories" are born from moments and experiences that majorly shape a part of the main character, Riley's, personality. The experience(s) can be grand or benign; the point is these moments are ultimately forming Riley into the person she is. Seems pretty hard to manufacture such a moment, but parents are certainly trying.

core memories, creating core memories, parenting, kids, psychologist, child psychology, psychologist A "core memory" from 'Inside Out II' media4.giphy.com

Carol Kim, a mother of three and licensed Marriage and family Therapist, known as Parenting.Resilience on Instagram, recently shared the “5 Things Kids Will Remember from Their Childhood” on her page. The fascinating insight is that none of the entries had to do with extravagant vacations, over-the-top birthday parties, or Christmas gifts that kids could only dream about.

According to Kim, the five things that kids will remember all revolve around their parents' presence and support. "Notice how creating good memories doesn’t require expensive toys or lavish family trips. Your presence is the most valuable present you can give to your child,” Kim wrote in the post’s caption.


1. Quality time together

"Taking some time to focus only on your child is very special. Playing games, reading books, or just talking can create strong, happy memories. These moments show your child that you are present with them."

2. Words of encouragement

"Encouraging words can greatly impact your child during both good times and tough times. Kids often seek approval from their parents and your positive words can be a strong motivator and source of comfort.... It can help kids believe in themselves, giving them the confidence to take on new challenges and keep going when things get tough."

3. Family traditions

“It creates a feeling of stability and togetherness … Family traditions make children feel like they belong and are part of a larger story, deepening their sense of security and understanding of family identity and values.”


core memories, creating core memories, parenting, kids, psychologist, child psychology, psychologist Even the simplest tradition speaks volumes. Photo credit: Canva

4. Acts of kindness

“Seeing and doing kind things leaves a strong impression on children. It shows them the importance of being kind and caring. They remember how good it feels to help others and to see their parents helping too.”

5. Comfort during tough times

"Knowing they can rely on you during tough times makes them feel secure and build trust. … Comforting them when they're struggling shows them they are loved no matter what, helping them feel emotionally secure and strong."

Kim’s strategies are all beautiful ways to be present in our children’s lives and to communicate our support. However, these seemingly simple behaviors can be challenging for some parents who are dealing with issues stemming from their pasts.

“If you find barriers to providing these things, it’s important to reflect on why,” Kim writes in the post. “There could be several reasons, such as parenting in isolation (we’re not meant to parent alone), feeling overstimulated, dealing with past trauma, or struggling with mental health. Recognizing these challenges is the first step to addressing them and finding support.”

This article originally appeared last year.

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All In: 5 Ways This Week

From the silly to the sentimental, there are so many ways people like to go “all in” on something. Here are our five favorite examples we found this week across the internet.

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When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture an elaborately-themed birthday party for a dog, or maybe a person giving a detailed presentation on why she's "Team Conrad." (IYKYK) Or maybe you picture a woman who takes up running, showing up every day to push herself and completely changing her body and her mindset in the process. Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Someone who does something with 100 percent total commitment. Going “all in” means giving your all—going completely over the top, no second guessing, no holding back. Just full-throttle enthusiasm, with some flair and creativity thrown in. And when people go “all in,” something truly special usually happens as a result.


The internet abounds with examples of people giving it their all—whatever it is. In this roundup, we’ve found the very best examples of people going “all in”—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage. Some are sentimental, some are silly, but all of them are a reminder that giving 100 percent is truly the only way to leave a mark on this world. Get ready: These folks didn’t just show up, they went all in.

1. This unbelievable high note 

@sarahhardwigofficial Alone by #heart at #crosseyedcritters on @Joe Noto ‘s last night! Thanks for everything #karaoke #80smusic #fyp ♬ original sound - sarahhardwigofficial

Most of us music enthusiasts can agree that the song “Alone” by the American rock band Heart is one of the most passionate (and technically challenging) songs you can ever sing. It’s so challenging, in fact, that only singers with really incredible range—Celine Dion, for example, or vocal powerhouse Kelly Clarkson— dare to take it on. (If you don’t know the song by name, listen to any one of these clips and you’ll recognize it after a second or two.) So imagine our surprise, scrolling through TikTok, when we see a young singer covering “Alone” and dropping the high note so casually it looks like she sang this song out of pure spite. You almost can’t believe what you’re hearing—but it’s real. And the comments section is full of people who are completely gobsmacked (including a producer from American Idol). We just know we’re going to see this girl on stage again soon.

The ultimate healthy food collab

You already know our friends at All In—they’ve got some seriously tasty snacks that are not only healthy and affordable (scroll to the bottom of this article to see how you can snag a free box), they help fund food banks, gardens, community fridges, meal programs, and other amazing things. Lately, they’ve managed to take their awesomeness up a notch by teaming up with Fresh Truck, a weekly mobile market that brings fresh and affordable produce to neighborhoods in the Boston area. Fresh truck hosts weekly markets, pop-up events, and an online storefront, all to help strengthen communities who need it the most. They’re going all in on local nutrition and food access, and we’re here for it.

This fairy-themed proposal 

@kaylasuttons My sister's suprise fairy themed proposal was a huge success! Glad I could help organize it 💜🧚🏾‍♀️ @Halfcourt @Sway with Samone #fairycore #proposal #engaged #2027bride #BlackTikTok ♬ Ordinary (Wedding Version) - Alex Warren

Marriage is kind of the ultimate example of going “all in.” Think about it—you’re committing the rest of your life to someone til death do you part. That’s why when someone plans a super outrageous proposal, like the one you’re about to watch, that just makes everything all the more special. In this video, creator Kayla Sutton recorded her sister’s surprise wedding proposal, a fairy-themed event that the groom had been planning (according to a separate storytime video) since March of this year. He enlisted family and friends, decorated the venue, supplied food, and had the guests wear fairy-themed costumes, complete with elven ears, for the big moment. Now that’s dedication. Kudos to this dude—he went all out with the proposal in order to go “all in” on their relationship. (And she said “yes,” by the way!)

This "deeply personal" wedding tribute

Okay, not to make this entire article all about weddings, but this is a truly meaningful example of someone going “all in.” Content creator Kristin Marino (now Kristin Schnacky) got married in New York City last week and got, in her words, a surprise that made her bawl her eyes out: Several current and former members of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) who showed up to honor her late father, a former firefighter who was killed in the line of duty during the September 11th terrorist attacks. The firefighters from Station One (the same firehouse where Marino’s father worked) transported Marino in a firetruck from the Plaza Hotel where she was staying to her wedding venue, where her soon-to-be-husband was waiting at the altar. “It truly was symbolism of my dad walking me down the aisle,” Marino shared. “I know it’s exactly how [my dad] would [have] wanted it.” We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Cat Town 

We can’t tell you why this thing exists, only that it does, and that it’s so elaborate, so detailed, and so expertly created we’re having a hard time even wrapping our heads around it. Here goes: Xing is a Chinese content creator who has spent the past several years creating (and documenting the creation of) an elaborate habitat for his pet cats, called Cat Town. We’re not talking about a room filled with toys and scratching posts, by the way: Xing has actually made a complete functioning replica of a human city, scaled down to accommodate cats. Cat Town has a working subway station, a supermarket, a theatre, and a restaurant (named MeowDonalds). Just…wow. And nicely done. Talk about a passion project.

Snag your free (!!) snack bars here while this deal lasts. Simply sign up with your phone number, pick two boxes of any flavor of All In bars at Sprouts, and then text a picture of your receipt through Aisle. They’ll Venmo or PayPal you back for the cost of one box. Enjoy!

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A guy revealed the 12 simple things that make men happy and it's 100% accurate

If it's not a dog, a buddy, a beer, and a cool stick, we don't want it.

Nolan Reid / TikTok
A guy definitively listed the 12 things that make men happy and it's 100% accurate

Minimalism is on the rise, not just in design and architecture, but in the way people live their lives. Having fewer things, sporting simpler styles, and enjoying the fundamental good things in life is cool now. Regular people who aren't influencers post fewer updates to social media. The world is just so loud and chaotic, more people are getting satisfaction out of just... chilling out and existing.

There's an old joke/meme that goes something like this: "Guys literally only want one thing and it's disgusting." Its used to imply, obviously, that men are shallow and crude creatures. TikTok creator and simple-life advocate Nolan Reid, however, has a different idea of what men really want.

Nolan recently made a video about "Little things in life that make men happy."

The hilarious list includes:

  • A fridge full of beer.
  • Drinking said beer in the garage. With your dog. And a good buddy.
  • Finding a cool stick.
  • Kicking a rock.
  • Staring at water.
  • Dropping rocks into said water.

As a fellow man, I would say: Yeah. That pretty much covers it.

It really doesn't take much! Watch Nolan's full video to see the rest, and just appreciate how much joy and satisfaction he gets from these simple things.


@nolanreid7

It’s that simple #beer #mustache #muzzymade



People loved Nolan's list—so much so that they began adding their own ideas of "simple things men love." The video racked up hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok and Instagram.

One commenter wrote, "He just described my whole personality." Another added, "This guy gets it."

Others chimed in with their own additions to the list, like staring at a fire for hours or just peace and quiet.

But most of the nearly 200 comments were just people chiming in to say one thing:

"Hell yeah."

Finally, someone who understands us! The video was such a hit that Reid put out two sequels where he added things like skipping rocks, throwing a thumbs up in a photo, or making something from scratch. "A dog" seems to make an appearance in every single video, and for good reason: Dogs make guys happy!

Nolan's ultra-relaxed vision of "masculinity" is honestly so refreshing.

@nolanreid7

And many more #littlethings #muzzymade

Men on social media are usually bombarded with the Andrew Tates and Jordan Petersons of the world—influencers who constantly berate us to make more money, lose weight and add muscle, sleep with more women, take charge, and relentlessly self-improve.

I like Nolan's much chiller idea of masculinity. It reminds me of being a kid: taking pleasure in the simple things, not racing to be anywhere, not trying to impress anyone or prove anything. And I love that all the things listed are timeless. They were enjoyed by men, and all people, in the 50s, in the 90s, and they'll be enjoyed by people 50 years from now, too.

Nolan's entire account is a breath of fresh air, an antidote to hustle culture. His videos find joy in:

  • Breaking down cardboard boxes
  • Driving at sunset
  • Going fishing
  • Throwing a frisbee
  • Wearing t-shirts

A daily visit to his page is almost like a meditation. I highly recommend giving him a follow to add a little counterprogramming to your social media feed.

Nolan says in another recent video that he started making TikToks and Instagram reels just for fun, but discovered along the way that he was really passionate about the message.

@nolanreid7

And many more #littlethings #men #happy #muzzymade

"I never thought that my simple living and love for little things would resonate with so many of you."

He said he hopes to inspire people to "take a step back and enjoy the good simple things in life." And now, I suddenly have the urge to go chuck a rock into a river, so I would say: Mission Accomplished!

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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In 1975, ZOOM kids describe the 'perfect teacher' and their ideas are way ahead of their time

"The original ZOOM meetings" were full of very articulate kids.

Photo Credit: YouTube, GHB, PBS

ZOOM kids perform the opening dance number.

For a lot of us Gen X-ers, ZOOM was a daily appointment. Not the Zoom we all know and love/hate now, but rather the PBS kids' show that originally ran from 1972 to 1978. (It resurfaced for a handful of years in 1999.)

It started on a small station in the Boston area, WGBH-TV, with the idea of having an educational show with just kids on screen. The cast often rotated, and through songs, dance numbers, poems, and just plain conversations, they discussed everything from teachers to computers to health to racism.

Just in time for back-to-school, WGBH is sharing a ZOOM clip from 1975 wherein the ZOOMers discuss their thoughts on education. Many of them, thick with New England accents, discuss heady topics with beautiful maturity.

One young girl, Tracey, admits, "I don't think schools are good period. I'd like to invent a machine that's like a teacher. Like a computer that teaches you yourself. That's geared for your brain. Because no man or person knows what your brain or mind is really like." Norman interjects, "They do, after a while though. All your records…"

Tracey continues, "No, but I mean they're never gonna find out how you really are."

Andrae adds, "I was seeing on the news one day that kids were using calculators. And their parents were fussing about it because when they use calculators, they have the answers. And they don't know 'why' and 'how.' All they do is just press and do this. And you know, you really shouldn't use calculators like that because it doesn’t help the child think."

kids, ZOOM, calculator, learning, education A child uses a calculator. Giphy GIF by Banco Itaú

Red admits, "My teacher when I was in second grade—she was so nice I didn't LEARN anything. And I'd come home and I'd get this low mark and my mother would be proud of me because that's about the best I could do. And you know? So I got into about third grade, and I had this really good teacher, ya know? She was nice, but she was strict. And she pushed me and I started getting As and Bs and I was really doing good."

Cate reacts, "It's easy for me to learn without being strict. Like my teacher's really nice. And like if the kids start messing up, she doesn't, ya know, yell at you. You know, she just tries to get you calmed down."

Lastly, Tommy says, "The best school, if I was going to school, would be like big giant doors and there would be these two men who'd let you in. And they'd like give you a card that says 'you're supposed to be here today.' And you'd say yeah. And they wouldn't have any computers or anything like that. And the teacher would be mean when he had to be mean and he'd react to anything like regular and normal ways. So it would be just right."

The 1974-1975 cast of ZOOM! www.youtube.com, Aaron Limbaugh

The comments contain seemingly lots of ZOOM fans, with quite a few impressed by how insightful these children were. "That's incredible how she predicted how computers could alter education and how the other kid could predict how invasive AI could become."

Quite a few of the comments point out how articulate these young kids are. One writes, "Jeez, these kids are brilliant. I don’t think I could even get close to their level of insights on education and teaching styles at that age."

But many pushed back on the notion that "kids today" aren't as well-spoken. This commenter somewhat flips the idea that kids were smarter back then on its head: "These were kids chosen because of how articulate and thoughtful they were. They had to conduct interviews, host segments. This isn't representative of how kids were in the 70s. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, I remember very well how kids were back then. They could be just as thoughtless and cruel as these kids are kind and thoughtful. There are kids just as thoughtful, just as articulate today. You can't blame everything on social media."

ZOOM, PBS, kids, learning, television ZOOM PBS show intro! Giphy GIF by GBH

One teacher's comment was hopeful for the kids today: "Going to just chime in as a teacher of kids this age in a lower-income town. I could definitely find a group of modern kids able to have a conversation like this. I know the brain rot is real but there are still families out there having conversations with their kids, and modern kids are still creative and kind."

And sweetly noting the accent, this comment states it perfectly: "ZOOM bringing Massachusetts accents to the world one kid at a time."

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Harvard linguist explains perfectly logical reason Boomers insist on using ellipses in texts

Once you understand this, texting with your mom will get a lot easier.

Photo credit: Canva

Linguist explains simple reason Boomers use ellipses in texts all the time

One generation's texting habit that baffles every generation is the Boomers' seemingly excessive use of ellipses. Do you have more to say, Aunt Judy, or did you just accidentally press the period key too many times? Maybe it's for a dramatic pause or to put emphasis on a point? This is truly a mystery that leaves every generation below them confused about what is meant by the dreaded "dot dot dot."

Texting etiquette differs with every generation. Gen X and most Millennials use fairly proper grammar and punctuation throughout a text message exchange. Every new sentence starts with a capital letter, there are strategically placed Oxford commas to ensure there's little room for misunderstandings, and sentences end with an appropriate punctuation mark.

linguist; boomers; gen x; millennials; gen z; text etiquette; boomer texting; gen z slang Joyful moments captured: A cheerful day out!Photo credit: Canva

When it comes to Gen Z, they find that ending text messages with proper punctuation indicates that the person they're texting is being passive-aggressive. They also text in shorthand and emojis that can feel a bit like you need a special decoder ring to decipher the messages. But texting in an encrypted way can be chalked up to youth, though the same can't be said when it comes to Boomers. Or can it?

Harvard linguist and author of the book Algospeak, Adam Aleksic, breaks down why so many Boomers use ellipses when texting. It's surprisingly not as complicated or dramatic as one may imagine. In a viral video posted last year on TikTok, Aleksic explains his theory for the texting etiquette of Boomers.

linguist; boomers; gen x; millennials; gen z; text etiquette; boomer texting; gen z slang Two generations connecting through their smartphones.Photo credit: Canva

"You know how older people tend to use the 'Boomer ellipses' whenever they're texting? There's always a random 'dot dot dot' in the middle of their messages?" Aleksic asks. "Well, that's because they grew up following different rules for informal communication. Nowadays, if you want to separate an idea, you just press enter and start a new line with a new thought, but it made less sense to do that for writing postcards or letters, where you had to save space, so people back in the day learned to separate thoughts by using ellipses."

Aleksic explains that this is also true for when phones first started allowing text messaging. You were charged by the message, so ellipses made it more efficient to convey all the thoughts in one message instead of multiple ones. SMS texting also had a character limit, unlike current phones, where you can essentially write a novella in a single message without your phone automatically breaking it up.

@etymologynerd this is so interesting... i prefer line breaks though #linguistics #language #communication #technology #texting ♬ original sound - etymologynerd

Today's texting standards typically mean people separate their thoughts by sending multiple messages for separate thoughts, though that annoys some people. If separating thoughts means you'll be sending no less than five texts in quick succession, it's likely best to just space down to make the text longer, rather than bombarding an unsuspecting friend.

When it comes down to it, younger generations have adapted to the new standard, embracing the unlimited text option, while Boomers haven't. Due to this discrepancy in text etiquette, the ellipses used by Boomers throw people for a loop.

linguist; boomers; gen x; millennials; gen z; text etiquette; boomer texting; gen z slang Elderly man working.Photo credit: Canva

"That means the Boomer ellipses became redundant, which is why they cause confusion today. They violate what we call 'the maximum quantity;' they add more information than necessary, so they appear to imply something more than the intended meaning. Most of the time, that comes off to younger people as hesitation, annoyance, or passive aggressiveness because that's how we use the ellipses," the linguist shares.

So, no, your grandma isn't mad at you or avoiding telling you something; according to Aleksic, she's just trying to send you multiple messages in one. There's no hidden emotion behind the ellipses for Boomers; it's simply a habit left over from their younger years.

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8 things Airbnb hosts can do to give guests a 5-star experience without much effort

1) Ditch the check-out chores, please.

Photo credit: Canva

Little things make a big difference in a guest's experience.

When Airbnb first appeared as an alternative to hotel stays, it was revolutionary. Ordinary people could make some extra money renting out part or all of their property for overnight guests, and travelers could get a homey, more personal stay for often a lot cheaper than a hotel.

Times have changed, and so have many people's experiences with Airbnb. Prices are now on par with—or sometimes more than—hotel rooms. Fees have gotten out of control. Many properties are now run by management companies, removing the personal touch that defined the brand in the beginning.

And yet, some of us still love it because we know how good it can be. My family has had dozens of great stays at other people's Airbnbs over the years. My husband and I have also been Airbnb superhosts for close to 10 years, welcoming thousands of guests between our two rental units with near-perfect ratings across the board. We've learned a lot in the past decade about how to earn a 5-star review without an enormous amount of effort, partly through our experience as hosts, but also through our experiences as guests.

The truth is, it's really not that hard to create a good Airbnb stay. Here are eight things Airbnb hosts can do to give guests a 5-star experience without much heavy lifting:

1. Ditch the checkout chores

The No. 1 complaint I see about Airbnb these days is that hosts are asking guests do to a list of chores upon checkout, often in addition to charging them a cleaning fee. Strip the bed sheets. Start the laundry. Start the dishwasher. Sweep the floor. Take out the trash.

@anniereneau

This is a hill I’m willing to die on as a host. #airbnb #vrbo #shorttermrentals #checkout #superhost

Don't do that. There's no reason to burden guests with housekeeping duties while they're trying to get themselves and their families packed up and out the door. It really stresses some guests out, and, honestly, it's not worth it. It doesn't really save much time, and in some ways, it makes cleaning harder. It's a lot easier to check sheets for stains when they're still on the bed, for instance. Garbage might need to go out if it's smelly, but most people will do that without being required to. Starting the dishwasher is reasonable and we suggest it to our guests, but it's not a requirement (and most people do it anyway). If a home is prone to ants or other critters and food crumbs really have to stay off of floors at all times, just communicate that. But don't leave guests a list of chores to do.

In our experience, if you treat guests with respect and genuinely communicate that you value them staying in your space, 99 out of 100 will return the favor and leave your place in good shape without requiring them to do a darn thing.

2. Consider ditching (or at least lowering) the cleaning fee

I know, it costs money to hire cleaners, especially if you're paying them what they should be paid. But people hate seeing a price listed for the space and then get the sticker shock of another $100 or more for a cleaning fee.

We clean our units ourselves, but we pay ourselves for it and just wrap the "fee" into our nightly price. Averaged out between shorter and longer stays over time, it adds something like $20 more per night total. Most people, believe it or not, would rather pay a little more per night to not have the "extra" cleaning fee tacked on at the end, when there are already service fees being added.

Nightly prices are arbitrary anyway. We have an automated pricing tool that sets our nightly price based on demand in our area, and there's a huge range in what it says we should charge. And honestly, when people pay a little bit more for the base price, they also tend to value the place a little more and treat it a little better. Wrapping the cleaning fee into the price and then not having one or just having a nominal cleaning fee is often a win-win for guests and hosts.

3. Write a personal welcome note somewhere

Each of our units has a chalkboard on the wall where we write "Welcome, [Guest's Name]!" It takes all of five seconds to write each time. Guests love it—it makes them feel welcomed and at home. It lets them know we see and value them individually, that they're not just another cog in the wheel of our business.

airbnb, vacation rental, vrbo, short term rental, superhost Personalize your welcome in some way.Photo credit: Canva

If not a chalkboard, any kind of welcome note will do. Even a sticky note stuck to the refrigerator that welcomes them by name is enough. We do it ourselves most of the time because we live close to our units, but we ask our cleaners to write the guest's name when we do hire them, and it's no big deal. It's quick and easy, and you get a big bang for your buck.

4. Don't underestimate how important good coffee and tea options are to people

You know when you stay at a hotel and you want a cup of coffee in the morning, but the Keurig with the nasty powdered packaged creamer just isn't going to cut it, so you have to get up and go search for good coffee and it sucks? (Maybe that's just me.)

Providing multiple ways to make coffee and multiple options for creamers and sweeteners is something guests really appreciate. Real half-and-half and non-dairy creamer. Sugar, Splenda, and Stevia. A percolator and a pour-over. People are finicky about coffee, so the more options you can offer, the more likely it is they'll have the cup of coffee they want, and as every coffee lover knows, that's huge.

airbnb, vacation rental, vrbo, short term rental, superhost Coffee and tea are comforts for most people.Photo credit: Canva

Same for tea. Provide a variety of black and herbal teas and a variety of sweeteners. Tea drinkers like kettles, so have a countertop or stovetop kettle for heating up water. Oh, and good mugs. These little comforts make a big difference.

5. Stock the kitchen with cooking supplies like it's a home

One of the advantages of renting an Airbnb is being able to cook instead of always having to eat out. Stock the kitchen like it's your house (or your friend-who-cooks' house if you don't cook yourself). All the possibly needed utensils. Some quality cookware. You can get pretty good items at thrift stores many times, but make sure they're decent quality. Include a couple of oil options and a basic spice rack. We don't provide food other than that, but just having those cooking basics is always really appreciated by guests.

6. Hooks, hooks, hooks

I know this is really specific, but it's my biggest pet peeve as a guest. If I can't find a place to hang my coat when I come in, my clothes while I'm taking a shower, or my wet towel when I get out of the shower, I get a little annoyed. Small annoyances add up when you're in an unfamiliar space, and there are already going to be annoyances you can't do anything about as a host. Hooks are something you can so something about. Place hooks on walls and doors in entryways, bedrooms, and bathrooms. It's a small detail that makes a stay much more pleasant.

airbnb, vacation rental, vrbo, short term rental, superhost The more hooks, the better.Photo credit: Canva

7. Give personal recommendations

Our Welcome Guide for guests tells them everything they need to know about the rental, where to find things, how to work the TV and thermostat, as well as recommendations for local things to do and places to eat in the area. We tell them our favorite restaurants, where to get the best ice cream in town, etc. Personal, thoughtful touches like that make guests feel like you really care about them having a good experience. It took a few minutes to create and print, and we get a huge return on that investment in terms of guest experience.

8. Be what each guest wants in a host

In our experience, there are three kinds of guests: one that wants to be left alone, one that is happy to meet you briefly, and one that would be happy to exchange life stories for hours We tell guests that we are available and accessible if they need us, but that we'll give them their privacy. We also share some of our story in our Welcome Guide, so it's clear that we're open to that personal connection if guests want it, but we also recognize that some people don't want that and will respect it. We take our cues from the guests themselves and strive to be the kind of host they want during their stay. As a result, we get lots of return guests.

There are a lot of little things that make an Airbnb stay one that guests will happily give five stars to. The bottom line is thinking like a guest about what you would want in a stay, and then providing that.

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'It kinda made me laugh': Mother of Brooklyn pre-schooler sees a big shift in baby names

Are these people ahead or behind the baby name curve?

via Susan Jane Golding/Flickr

A group of school kids in New York City.

The funny thing about baby names is that they are incredibly personal and also entirely dependent on current trends. Baby name experts say that there is roughly a 100-year trend where specific names become extremely popular and then become “old people names” until they are brought back by a younger generation who finds them cool.

A TikToker named Laura, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, noticed that parents in her borough, which is known for being a bit ahead of the cultural curve, have pivoted to giving their children traditional baby names. She believes this trend is a counter to another popular trend in baby names: “Trajedeighs” or giving children relatively common names with quirky, unconventional spellings such as Zackiri (Zacahry), Bittneigh (Brittany), or Ashleigh (Ashly).

@laurainbk

What are baby names like these days where you live? #babynames #names #nametrends #babyname #baby

Are traditional names making a comeback?

“We got my two-year-old daughter's class list, and it kind of made me laugh because, while in some parts of the country, people are naming their kids like Breighlynn and Braxleigh and Peightyn and whatever, I guess, in Brooklyn, we're going in the complete opposite direction,” Laura shared in her video.

Here are some of the names of kids in her daughter's class:

Edith

Oscar

Arthur

Nicholas

Bonnie

Owen

Henry

Ruby

Lewis

The post inspired many people in the comments to share updates on the name trends in their area. “I heard this joke that the preschool classes in NYC are the same as the boat passenger list at Ellis Island,” a commenter wrote.

“Mind you, I'm in California and my kids friends are Coyote, Denver, Sahara, Dior, Storm, Silver, Story, Velvet, Lion,” a Californian wrote. “Seattle Preschool teacher here. I had a class with Edith, Eleanor, Ernestine, Ruby, and Louise once. Called them my old lady gang,” a teacher in Seattle wrote.


Why do names rise and fall in popularity?

This unique cultural back and forth, where society collectively makes a name popular and then once it reaches its peak, abandons it altogether, is known as “frequency-dependent selection.” It works for names, as well as dog breeds. Historically, certain dog breeds have risen in popularity, such as Dalmatians in the 1940s or Rottweilers in the 1990s, only to fall out of favor once they become too trendy.

“Frequency-dependent selection is just a fancy way of saying that there is a pressure to be the same or different,” Mitchell Newberry, an assistant professor of complex systems at the University of Michigan, told Vice. “If a name gets too popular, then people don’t want to use it anymore, and there’s pressure to be different.” In fact, when we look at baby name trends, you can see that they follow a very predictable trajectory. A step rise in popularity, a brief plateau, and then a decline that was almost as rapid as its ascent.

The predictable cycles in baby names and dog breed popularity are eye-opening because they make you wonder how often we make authentic choices in life. How many of the decisions that we make are based on either joining the crowd or intentionally running in the opposite direction? If all we do is simply react to the behaviors of others, when are we truly being ourselves?

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