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A safe, stable home can change lives for the better. Here’s how Habitat for Humanity wants to make that possible for everyone.
Better health, better jobs, and a brighter future all start with access to a safe, affordable home.
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
- Shop or donate at your local Habitat ReStore
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.
Visit habitat.org/open-door to learn more and get involved today.
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Buffalo fans come together to sing Canadian national anthem after singer’s mic cuts out
“Thats the America I remember.”
National anthem fails can be really uncomfortable. Sometimes, a singer just can’t hit the notes, or worse, they forget the words mid-song. The American national anthem, for example, is notoriously difficult to sing due to its unique pacing and wide vocal range. Other times, even when the singer is flawless, technical difficulties involving stadium equipment can cause the whole thing to go awry.
Viewers and fans watching the Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins NHL playoff game the other night were nearly treated to yet another national anthem disaster. Instead, something pretty amazing happened.
Singer’s mic cuts out, fans pick her right up
The Sabres have a tradition. They play the Canadian national anthem—”O Canada”—before each and every game, even when their opponent is not Canadian. It is a noble way of honoring the sport’s large Canadian fan base and a friendly wave to Buffalo’s nearby neighbors in Ontario. Residents of the two regions intermingle constantly, and Southern Ontario is actually visible from Buffalo’s arena.
But when singer Cami Clune stepped up to perform the anthem before Game 5 of the NHL playoff series between the Sabres and the Bruins, she immediately ran into technical difficulties. Just seconds into the song, her mic cut out.
The 19,000 or so hockey fans at KeyBank Center—most of whom are American—didn’t skip a beat. They chimed in without hesitation and helped Clune finish the anthem with flair as her mic went in and out.
Just listen to the incredible unscripted moment:
Moment sparks a huge reaction
The clip of the group singing went viral across social media, racking up more than 100,000 views on the official NHL YouTube channel. Clune’s video drew another 60,000 views. The Sabres post, captioned simply “Chills,” racked up nearly a million views on its own.
Commenters from Canada were incredibly moved by the seemingly simple gesture:
“Thanks Buffalo fans, means a lot in these times, it’s good to see this.”
“This is exactly what Canada needed. Thank you Buffalo!”
Americans, for their part, were proud to be reminded of the goodness of their friends and neighbors:
“Was at the game last night and we did not hesitate. We Love You Canada our great neighbors.”
“Thats the America I remember. Thank you, Buffalo.”
Clune, meanwhile, took the near-gaffe in stride. She was moved by the way the entire stadium came together to have her back.
“Well that was interesting!! Thank you all for singing along with me. We have the best fans ever!” Clune wrote on Instagram.
It’s common for sports fans to boo other countries’ national anthems. Buffalo fans made an inspiring choice.
Booing at sports games does not usually come from a place of hatred. It is often a playful way to engage in the rivalry. For example, American and Canada hockey fans have long booed each other’s national anthems during high-stakes Olympic Games matchups.
However, Buffalo fans have proven themselves over and over to be a little bit different. Not only are they some of the fiercest (and wildest) sports fans around, but they are also among the most hospitable.
In this case, maybe they just sensed the moment. It has not been an easy year or two when it comes to United States-Canada relations. And let us be frank, Canada has not been super pleased with the U.S. for some time now, as evidenced by its own sports fans’ reactions to our anthem.
But the real story is not on the news every night or coming out of the mouths of politicians. Basic human kindness and mutual respect between neighbors still exist. Buffalo fans took the opportunity to remind us that we are all on the same team. The fact that they already knew every word of their neighbor’s national anthem is incredibly moving and powerful.
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Love spicy food? Research shows it could reduce your risk of death by 25%.
Incredible news for those addicted to hot sauce.
American food doesn’t have a reputation for being very spicy. But if things keep going the way they have over the past 20 years, that could change. America is going through a spicy renaissance that is hard to miss at fast-casual restaurants, drive-thrus, and in the snack aisle.
As of 2025, 19 out of every 20 restaurants in the United States offer at least one spicy item. Frito-Lay now sells at least 26 varieties of Flamin’ Hot snacks, and as of last year, more than half of Americans were likely to buy an item listed as “spicy,” compared to 39% in 2015.
While this massive shift in American tastes sounds like it is bound to cause more pain than pleasure, research suggests the opposite. In fact, multiple studies associate eating spicy food with living a longer life. A 2025 study published in the Chinese Medical Journal found that people who ate spicy food at least once a week had a lower risk of vascular disease than those who rarely or never ate it.
A 2017 study from Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont found that Americans who ate hot red chili peppers had a 13% lower risk of death. Here is the big one: In 2020, research presented at American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, using data from more than 570,000 people, found that those who regularly consumed chili peppers had a 26% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 25% lower overall risk of death.
Bottles of hot sauce. Photo credit: Dominik Gryzbon/Pexels The studies show that eating spicy food is associated with greater longevity, but they have yet to pinpoint a direct cause. Correlation is not causation, so other lifestyle factors could be involved. However, capsaicin, the compound that gives peppers their heat, has been found to have numerous health benefits that may directly affect longevity, particularly heart health. Plus, it binds to receptors throughout the body, so its greatest benefits may yet be discovered.
According to Mayo Clinic, capsaicin has been found to increase the body’s ability to burn calories. It is also known to fight low-grade inflammation, which may contribute to heart health. One study found that capsaicin significantly reduced risk factors in adults with low HDL cholesterol levels.
Indonesian sambal. Photo credit: Fadli Octora Channel/Pexels “Chili peppers have many life-extending benefits and can be used in many meal preparation strategies,” Dr. Philip Goglia told Your Tango. “Capsaicin, which can be found in chilies, has been shown through past studies to have antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, and anti-diabetic properties. Additionally, it can reduce cholesterol levels in obese individuals.”
In a world where things that taste good are often bad for your health, this is great news for people who love food with a kick. It is a great excuse to carry a little bottle of Tabasco wherever you go. If you are not into spicy food but want the health benefits of capsaicin, take it slow by trying a little spice here and there, and you may build a tolerance. Before you know it, you could be graduating from mild chicken wings to Molten Lava Atomic Inferno sauce and cruising down the road to longevity.
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This mom’s controversial parenting take that her kids don’t have to ‘share’ has the Internet divided
Mom-of-three Lottie Weaver explained her thoughts on sharing.
Teaching kids to share is often part of Parenting 101. According to the Cleveland Clinic, educating kids about sharing in early childhood helps them build empathy, fosters social skills, and helps teach them emotional regulation.
While “sharing is caring,” mom of three daughters Lottie Weaver says she’s teaching her kids that they don’t *always* have to share with others.
Weaver explained her controversial take and more behind her ‘why.’ “I said it and I’ll say it again, I don’t make my kids share!” she captioned the video.
Why her kids don’t have to share
Weaver starts by stating that her kids “don’t have to share their toys or their snacks or literally any of their things with your kids.”
She goes on to explain, “If we are out and about at the park or some communal play place, if my kids have a scooter or toy or bubbles, they’re not sharing with your kids. They don’t have to. I will never ever make my kids share their stuff that they brought with another child.”
The mom of three daughters then offers three reasons for her thinking:
“Number one: you should’ve brought your own sh*t. Number two: that’s their toy. They don’t have to share with you. Number three: you don’t have to do something just because somebody asks,” she says.
She elaborates more on her third reason.
“I think especially for women, that is really important to learn. For girls growing up, just because someone says, ‘Hey can I have this’ or ‘Hey can I do this’…you don’t have to say yes. They should’ve brought their own toys,” she adds.
When to share, and when not to share
However, Weaver notes that she does not discourage sharing.
She says, “Now, if my kids want to share, yeah share! But as soon as they’re like, ‘Hey, they’re not giving my stuff back. I’m done sharing’, that’s when my *ss is going over there saying, ‘Cough it up [with a gesturing motion]. Cough it up. Your mommy should have brought you your own toys. We don’t have to share, okay?”
And Weaver also adds that the venue for sharing also matters.
“Now if you come to my house for a playdate, that’s very different, right? Because we are welcoming them into our space,” she says. “But if we are out and about, and we don’t know each other very well—even if we do know each other very well, and my kid doesn’t want to share her doll with your kid, she doesn’t have to.”
Viewers respond with mixed feelings
Weaver’s video struck a chord with viewers. Some were supportive, while others took issue:
“I’m so sad as a teacher this is literally the foundation of learning. Made me unfollow 🫠.”
“Oof🥴 I tell my kids don’t bring toys if you’re not willing to share it.”
“I disagree. My kiddo will definitely be sharing. ESPECIALLY if another kiddo doesn’t have a toy.”
“The real flex is raising a child who is friendly, empathetic and WANTS to share.”
“What an odd thing to say out loud and be proud of. My kids will always be expected to share. Some kids aren’t fortunate enough to have the nice extra things, and I want my kids to be remembered as the sweet ones who were KIND to others.”
“She’s right tho and yall mad 😭😭😭.”
“I 100% agree. I teach my kids to share, but that they don’t HAVE to share JUST because someone asks for it.”
“Adults don’t have to share so why do kids? But … sharing is caring. And it’s always a nice thing to do.”
“I’m a nanny and I 1,000% agree with you Lottie! We’ve gotten to the point where ppl expect the can just use your stuff at the park. It’s not your toy, they’re allowed to play with their own toy that they brought.”
“You guys are missing the point. She isn’t saying she’s teaching them to not share… she’s saying she’s teaching them they don’t have to if THEY DONT WANT TO.”
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The strange, forgotten reason so many movies have that ‘all characters are fictitious’ disclaimer
Nobody had Rasputin on their bingo card.
If you’ve ever watched an outrageously outlandish movie with the warning “All characters in this movie are fictitious…” and thought, “Well, duh,” it turns out Hollywood had a very specific (and very expensive) reason for spelling that out. It ties into not only forgotten cinema history, but Russian history as well.
A mystic, a murder, and a very messy memoir
In a video by Andrew Price, known for his deep dives into pop culture via @treehousedetective, we go back to the early 1900s, when Siberian peasant turned mystic power player Grigori Rasputin had already made more than a few enemies with his superstition-fueled cons.
A portrait of Rasputin Wikipedia By 1916, a group of aristocrats led by Felix Yusupov decided enough was enough. What followed, ironically, does sound like something out of a movie script. Cyanide-laced cakes and beverages didn’t poison him. Multiple bullets, including a headshot, did nothing. The only thing that did finally put Rasputin in his final resting place was getting tied and thrown into an icy river. All of these details came from Yusupov alone, who later published a wildly popular memoir while living in exile. Not exactly an unbiased narrator, but certainly an entertaining one.
Felix Yusupov and Princess Irina with their child Wikipedia That exile, by the way, came courtesy of the Imperial Russian Family as punishment for the assassination. That consequence was a blessing in disguise, because when the Bolsheviks later rose to power and executed members of the aristocracy, the Yusupovs were already safely out of reach. Not the worst trade-off, all things considered.
When Hollywood got a little too inspired
Fast forward to 1932, when MGM released Rasputin and the Empress, dramatizing the infamous killing. The studio took some liberties, like combining the group of assailants into a singular fictional character named Prince Chegodieff. Yusupov, now living in Paris, found out about the movie and tried to sue MGM for defamation of character. Considering he outright confessed to the crime in the source material, that case had no legs.
However, the film also added a scandalous subplot involving Yusupov’s wife, Princess Irina. In the film, her fictional counterpart is hypnotized and seduced by the titular villain. In reality, however, that never happened. And unlike her husband’s case, Irina’s lawsuit for libel had real teeth. She won a massive settlement, to the tune of what would be around three million dollars today.
The disclaimer that stuck
The real kicker was MGM’s own prologue, which practically invited trouble by suggesting the characters were, in fact, based on real people. That line helped seal the studio’s fate, which prompted the company to make a change that would ripple across the entire film industry.
From then on, studios started adding that now-familiar disclaimer distancing their stories from real individuals, just in case anything felt a little too familiar.
So, the next time you see that “purely coincidental” message pop up before a film, remember that’s not just legal fluff. It’s a bona fide Hollywood story in its own right.
For even more fun tidbits, be sure to give @trehousedetectve a follow.
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‘It’s not Little Sun’: Mom can’t believe she’s having trouble pronouncing her newborn’s name
She had no idea this would be a problem.
One of the many surprises that come with parenthood is how the world reacts to your child’s name. It’s less of a surprise if your child has a common name like John, Mohammed, or Lisa. But if you give your child a non-traditional name that’s gender-neutral, you’re going to throw a lot of folks off guard, and mispronunciations are going to be an issue.
This exact situation happened with TikTok user Justus Stroup, who went viral in 2024 after having her second child, but there’s a twist: she isn’t quite sure how to pronounce her child’s name either. “I may have named my daughter a name I can’t even pronounce,” Stroup opens the video. “Now, I think I can pronounce it, but I’ve told a couple of people her name, and there are two people who thought I said the same exact thing. So, I don’t know that I know how to [pronounce] her name correctly.”
A viral baby name debate no one saw coming
Stroup’s daughter is named Sutton, and the big problem is how people around her pronounce the Ts. Stroup tends to gloss over the Ts, so it sounds like Suh-en. However, some people go hard on the Ts and call her “Sut-ton.”
“I’m not gonna enunciate the ‘Ts’ like that. It drives me absolutely nuts,” she noted in her TikTok video. “I told a friend her name one time, and she goes, ‘Oh, that’s cute.’ And then she repeated the name back to me and I was like, ‘No, that is not what I said.’”
Stroup also had a problem with her son Greyson’s speech therapist, who thought the baby’s name was Sun and that there weren’t any Ts in the name at all. “My speech therapist, when I corrected her and spelled it out, she goes, ‘You know, living out in California, I have friends who named their kids River and Ocean, so I didn’t think it was that far off.’”
Where the name actually came from
Stroup told People that she got the name from a TV show called “The Lying Game,” which she used to watch in high school. “Truthfully, this was never a name on my list before finding out I was pregnant with a girl, but after finding out the gender, it was a name I mentioned and my husband fell in love with,” says Stroup. “I still love the name. I honestly thought I was picking a strong yet still unique name. I still find it to be a pretty name, and I love that it is gender neutral as those are the type of names I love for girls.”
The mother could choose the name because her husband named their son Greyson.
The commenters thought Stroup should tell people it’s Sutton, pronounced like a button. “I hear it correctly! Sutton like Button. I would pronounce it like you, too!” Amanda wrote.
“My daughter’s name is Sutton. I say it the same way as you. When people struggle with her name, I say it’s Button but with a S. That normally immediately gets them to pronounce it correctly,” Megan added.
After the video went viral, Stroup heard from people named Hunter and Peyton, who are dealing with a similar situation. “I’ve also noticed the two most common names who run into the same issue are Hunter (people pronouncing it as Hunner or HUNT-ER) and Payton (pronounced Pey-Ton or Pey-tin, most prefer it as Pey-tin),” she told Upworthy.
“Another person commented saying her name is Susan and people always think it is Season or Steven,” Stroup told Upworthy. After having her second child, she learned that people mix up even the simplest names. “No name is safe at this point,” she joked.
Now she needs help finding a nickname
Three months later, Stroup posted a video asking her TikTok followers for help giving Sutton a nickname. She said it was easy with her son, Greyson, because they can just call him Grey. But Sutton is a little more difficult. Her father calls her “Tonton,” which drives Stroup up the wall. “You cannot be calling a girl Tonton,” she exclaimed. Stroup’s followers suggested they call her “Sutty,” but the name she really liked was “Sunny.”
The whole situation has Stroup rethinking how she pronounces her daughter’s name. Hopefully, she got some advice on how to tell people how to pronounce it, or else she’ll have years of correcting people in front of her. “Good lord, I did not think this was going to be my issue with this name,” she said.
This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.
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13-year-old’s unique ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ rendition was so impressive it even wowed Queen
The judges didn’t see this coming
We’ve shared a lot of memorable “America’s Got Talent” auditions over the years here at Upworthy, from physics-defying dance performances to jaw-dropping magic acts to heart-wrenching singer-songwriter stories. And after watching Angelina Jordan’s “AGT: The Champions” audition, we’ve added it to the list because wow.
Jordan came to “AGT: The Champions” in 2020 as the winner of Norway’s Got Talent, which she won in 2014 at the mere age of 8 with her impressive ability to seemingly channel Billie Holiday. For the 2020 audition, she sang Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but a version that no one had ever heard before.
With just a guitar, a piano, and her Amy Winehouse-esque voice, Jordan brought the fan-favorite Queen anthem down to a smooth, melancholy ballad that’s simply riveting to listen to, especially considering that Jordan was only 13 years old when she did this.
The judges didn’t see this coming
What this video doesn’t show is Heidi Klum hitting the Golden Buzzer faster than you can sing, “Nothing really matters to meeee.” The judges were blown away by Jordan’s performance, as were the people in the comments.
“That’s a ONE in A BILLION voice right there. Just amazing,” wrote one commenter.
“I am typically not a fan of songs being redone particular to such a magnitude,” shared another. “They almost always fall short of the original. But to completely rearrange a song in the manner that she has, from a legend, and then make you forget about how the original even sounded because her rendition is so good is utterly amazing.”
“As Freddie once said, ‘Do whatever you want with my music as long as you don’t make it boring.’ I think he’d really like this,” shared another.
Though Queen’s beloved lead vocalist Freddie Mercury is no longer with us, the band did offer words of praise for Jordan’s performance, retweeting her audition video with the comment, “Wow! What a rendition of #BohemianRhapsody.”
Why she always performs barefoot
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is such an iconic song, it’s hard for anyone to do a cover of it justice. But 13-year-old Angelina Jordan managed it masterfully. In bare feet, no less, which she explained in a thank you video to Heidi Klum for the Golden Buzzer honor.
“When I was around 6 years old, I see this little girl around my age,” Jordan shared. “I gave my shoes to her because she had scars on her feet and it was really cold. So whenever I’m on the stage, I was reminded about all the children that don’t have any parents, clothes, and shoes. She’s always in my heart.” Jordan has shared that she “made a promise many years ago to a beautiful soul” to not wear shoes on stage—a promise she has kept.
Jordan would move on to the Top 10 in “AGT: The Champions,” and though she didn’t take home the top prize, she did impress the audience with another classic rock tune, Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”
Since her time on AGT, Angelina has been building a full career as a singer-songwriter, releasing original singles throughout 2024 and two full albums in 2025. You can follow her on YouTube and TikTok and find her growing catelog of music (including “Bohemian Rhapsody”) on Spotify.
This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.
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Seth Rogen was asked if having kids would make him ‘happier.’ He answered honestly.
Men almost never get questions like this.
Breaking news: There’s a big double standard in Hollywood. Childless women in the public eye are often plagued by the question: “So, why don’t you have any children?” It’s a deeply personal question that cuts right to the bone, and there can be many answers. But, if the woman doesn’t want children and says so publicly, she is bound to face some judgment.
“[I don’t] like [the pressure] that people put on me, on women, that you’ve failed yourself as a female because you haven’t procreated. I don’t think it’s fair,” Jennifer Anistontold Allure. “You may not have a child come out of your vagina, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t mothering—dogs, friends, friends’ children.”
Seth Rogen got the question women always get
On the Monday, March 6 episode of “The Diary Of A CEO.”podcast, host Steven Bartlett asked actor Seth Rogen why he’s childless, and it was a rare moment where a man in the public eye was challenged on the topic. Rogen gave a thoughtful explanation for his and Lauren Miller’s decision to be child-free.
“There’s a whole huge thing I’m not doing, which is raising children,” Rogen told Bartlett.The host attempted to play devil’s advocate and asked Rogen if he considered whether having children might have made him and his wife “happier.”
“I don’t think it would,” Rogen responded.
Then, as if anticipating the question, the “Pineapple Express” star upended one of the arguments that people who have children often make: that people who don’t have children have no idea what it’s like.
“I’ve been around obviously a lot of children; I’m not ignorant to what it’s like…Everyone I know has kids. I’m 40, you know? I know,” Rogen said at the time. “Some of my friends have had kids for decades. Some people want kids, some people don’t want kids.” He added that many people seem to have kids without considering the issue.
“I mean, a lot of people have kids before they even think about it, from what I’ve seen, honestly,” he said. “You just are told, you go through life, you get married, you have kids—it’s what happens.” Rogen and his wife have only grown stronger in their decision and they believe that it has helped their relationship.
“Now, more than anything, the conversation is like, ‘Honestly, thank God we don’t have children,’” he continued. “We get to do whatever we want. We are in the prime of our lives. We are smarter than we’ve ever been, we understand ourselves more than we ever have, we have the capacity to achieve a level of work and a level of communication and care for one another, and a lifestyle we can live with one another that we’ve never been able to live before. And we can just do that, and we don’t have to raise a child, which the world does not need right now,” Rogen concluded.
Then came the backlash, and his response
Rogen received a lot of pushback for his comments, and in a 2025 interview with Esquire, he addressed the criticism and doubled down on his decision. “People really had strong takes on it, being like, ‘F**k this f**king guy,’” he said. “Well, if you hate me that much, why do you want more of me?” He also addressed those who asked, “Who’s going to care for you when you get older?”
“Is that why you’re having kids? Because I have two things to say: One, that’s very selfish to create a human so someone can take care of you. And two, just because you have a kid, I hate to break it to you, that doesn’t mean they’re going to do that,” he said.
His answer was more thoughtful than expected
Everyone has the right to choose whether or not to have children, and no one has the right to judge them. Rogen and Miller have thought their decision through and should be applauded for living how they see fit. It’s cool to see Rogen with such a thoughtful opinion on the matter. It’d be even cooler if celebrities never had to discuss the topic in the first place.
This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.
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Man seeking divorce changes mind after losing high-paying job. Wife has a perfect response.
The tables have turned.
A husband filed for divorce from his wife and burned bridges in the process by making incredibly disrespectful remarks to her. This came 10 months after she had their second child (the couple has six, in total). After losing his high-paying job, he turned course and asked her to take him back again. Should she take him back, given his lot in life, or hold firm and say good riddance to bad rubbish?
How it all fell apart
The situation came to a head when the husband demanded that his wife, who had a 10-month-old baby, stay in the house, instead of taking her child to a dentist appointment. She went anyway, and then the man slept in his game room for two months. He told everyone that he was divorcing his wife and went so far as to contact an attorney.
“He told me I was not the prize. I’m almost 40 and have four kids, three of whom are minors. He said he’s the prize, he’s in his prime, and makes good money, and any woman would love to be in my shoes and take care of his kids. He even went as far as inviting his baby mother into the house to visit while I was out,” the woman wrote on Reddit.
The situation changed, and so did his tune
“Fast forward, he loses his job and telling me to wait to move. He then starts talking nicer to me and acting differently than before,” she wrote. So what was the wife to do, take back the man who said that she was “not the prize” and that he was desirable because he had a high-paying job? Nope. She stood her ground and said he needed to leave. “I told him I was still moving out and going forward with separating because his actions did not align with someone who wanted to be with me,” she wrote.
The woman then asked the commenters if she was right to follow through with what her husband started. The commenters were overwhelmingly on her side. “He said he was done, so let’s be done, even if now it’s an inconvenience for him,” one of the top commenters wrote. “Sounds like YOU are the prize after all, because he’s an unemployed AH who’s soon to be unable to rent an apartment because he doesn’t have a job. Hope his parents live close by and can take him in.”
The therapists weigh in
Upworthy spoke with Paige Harley, MA, a cPaige Harley, MA, a conflict expert and mediator specializing in high-conflict divorce and custody issues. She says the woman shouldn’t feel any guilt for her actions. “Absolutely never a reason to feel guilty about setting boundaries. However, make sure you are clear about what a boundary is and specifically what yours are,” Harley told Upworthy. “It’s hard and you will need to be the ‘bigger person’ but your future self will thank you—as you are setting the tone for what comes next.”
Dr. Nari Jeter, a licensed marriage and family therapist and associate teaching professor at Florida State University, and co-host of The Coupled Podcast, says there’s nothing wrong with separating, but that’s just the first step. “I would say that this woman is not in the wrong for sticking to the boundary of separation. It clearly reinforces to him that he cannot threaten the safety and stability of the relationship without a consequence,” Dr. Jeter told Upworthy. “The deeper issue is, can she separate herself from his view of reality and their marriage? Just because he says these things to her, it doesn’t make them true. She may need to accept that he says these things to himself and others about her, but they aren’t true–and that defending herself to him will likely get her nowhere.”
She stayed true to herself and stood her ground
Unfortunately, the woman had to deal with a verbally abusive man who isn’t supportive of her or their combined six children. But what’s great to see is that after her husband tried to knock her down a peg and then leave her, she stood her ground and would not take him back. There’s no doubt that she also felt great support from the 1,300 people who commented on the page, with nearly all of them supporting her decision.
This article originally appeared one year ago. It has been updated.
