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Ouch, my heart. Michael Bublé's video about kids growing up is wrecking parents everywhere

Cue the full-on ugly cry.

Ouch, my heart. Michael Bublé's video about kids growing up is wrecking parents everywhere

There are songs that tug at your heartstrings and videos that tap into your soft side. And then there are combos of the two that get you so far up in your feelings, you're not sure if you'll ever be able to climb back out.

For the millions of parents out there—especially the ones watching their babies grow up and move away from home—Michael Bublé's video for his song "Forever Now" is definitely the latter. I'm not even a Michael Bublé fan, but as a parent whose first baby just turned 19, the lyric video showing the years passing in a child's bedroom with a song about kids growing up is almost too much to take.

Wrecked, I tell you. Full-on ugly crying, with the puffy eyes and the snotty nose and everything.

I mean, just check out part of the lyrics and imagine your child's bedroom all packed into boxes:

I tuck you in at night

Another day has passed

Every week goes by a little faster than the last

It wasn't so long ago

We walked together and you held my hand

And now you're getting too big to want to

STOP IT, MICHAEL BUBLÉ. You stop it right now. What are you trying to do to us? Why are you being so mean? Kids grow up and move away and we all know it. And here you are rubbing it in while we watch our hearts walk out the door and into a life of their own and I SIMPLY CANNOT TAKE IT.

RELATED: 5 reasons parenting is the world's hardest job — and what makes it all worthwhile.

Seriously, if Kleenex were smart, they'd pay Bublé a gazillion dollars and just make this video their entire ad campaign. This is the whole commercial right here, just this video with three simple words added to the end: "Need a Kleenex?"

YES, I NEED A KLEENEX, KLEENEX. I NEED ALLLL THE KLEENEXES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

In all seriousness, though, raising children into adulthood is a long game, and as you approach the finish line there are so many emotions that hit you. You are proud, scared, excited, worried, relieved, sad, grateful, and heartbroken—sometimes all within the same hour. You look back and wonder where the time went, even though in the thick of it it sometimes felt like forever. You kick yourself over things you wish you'd done differently, but realize by now that there's so much you don't have control over as a parent.

Mostly, you simply marvel at this human being you helped create, mold, and nurture, and wonder how you could possibly have had a hand in making something so beautiful.

For the parents dropping off kids at college or helping them move into their first apartment, this is it. This is when all those years of love and sacrifice and hard work and I-don't-know-what-the-hell-I'm-doing all come to fruition. This is when the rubber hits the road and you hope and pray that you've given your child the foundation and tools they need to build an adult life.

That's the practical side, which is daunting enough on its own. But then there's the emotional side, which is all "WAAAAAH. MY BABY IS ALL GROWN UP AND LIFE IS MOVING TOO FAST AND I FEEL LIKE MY HEART MIGHT LITERALLY EXPLODE."

RELATED: Stay-at-home moms should be paid over $160,000 a year to care for their kids, study says

Good times, this parenting gig. I kind of hate Michael Bublé for doing this to us, but I'm also thankful for the opportunity to purge some of those feelings into my ginormous box of Kleenex.

Grab a tissue—or five—and enjoy the catharsis, parents.

Michael Bublé - Forever Now [Official Lyric Video]youtu.be

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

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See on Instagram

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

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

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