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A mom describes her tween son's brain. It's a must-read for all parents

"Sometimes I just feel really angry and I don’t know why."

A mom describes her tween son's brain. It's a must-read for all parents


It started with a simple, sincere question from a mother of an 11-year-old boy.

An anonymous mother posted a question to Quora, a website where people can ask questions and other people can answer them. This mother wrote:

How do I tell my wonderful 11 year old son, (in a way that won't tear him down), that the way he has started talking to me (disrespectfully) makes me not want to be around him (I've already told him the bad attitude is unacceptable)?

It's a familiar scenario for those of us who have raised kids into the teen years. Our sweet, snuggly little kids turn into moody middle schoolers seemingly overnight, and sometimes we're left reeling trying to figure out how to handle their sensitive-yet-insensitive selves.


Jo Eberhardt, a fantasy writer and mother of two from Australia, penned a reply that is so spot on that it keeps repeatedly popping up on social media. When you nail it, you nail it—and this mother nails it.

"Ah, puberty," she wrote, "It changes our sweet, wonderful little boys into sweet, eye-rolling, angsty, accidentally disrespectful, but still wonderful young proto-men." Yup.

Eberhardt then described a discussion she had with her 11 1/2 -year-old son when he started going through this stage—a conversation they had in the car, which is usually the best place to have potentially uncomfortable discussions with kids.

She told her son that she'd messed up in the way she'd talked to him about puberty, then explained exactly what was happening in his brain.

“I've spent all this time talking to you about the way puberty changes your body," Eberhardt told her son, "and what to expect as you go through the changes, but I completely forgot to talk to you about what's going on in your brain right now. Puberty is the time when your brain grows and changes more than at any other time in your life — well, except for when you're a baby, perhaps. So I really let you down by not preparing you for that. I'm so sorry."

Her son accepted her apology, then asked why is his brain was changing.

“That's the amazing thing," she told him. "Did you know that your brain grew and developed so quickly when you were little that by the time you were about five or six, your brain was almost as big and powerful as an adult's brain?"

"But here's the thing," she continued, "Even though your brain was super powerful, the instructions were for a child's brain. And all the information about building an adult's brain was a bit… let's say fuzzy. So your brain did the best it could, but it didn't really know what kind of person you were going to be back then, or what shape brain you were going to need."

“Now we come to puberty," she went on. "See, puberty is amazing. Not only is your body being transformed from a child's body to an adult's body, your brain has to be completely rewritten from a child's brain to an adult's brain."

“That sounds hard," her son responded.

“Yeah, it is," Eberhardt replied. “That's why I wish I'd warned you first. See, it takes a lot of energy to completely rewrite a brain. That's one of the reasons you get tired quicker at the moment — and that, of course, manifests in you being crankier and less patient than normal."

Eberhardt paused, then added, “That must be really frustrating for you."

Her son looked over at her, wiping his eyes. “It is," he responded. Sometimes I just feel really angry and I don't know why."

It's amazing what happens when we explain to kids the physiological reasons for what they're going through.

Eberhardt continued, “The other thing is that one of the first parts of your brain that gets super-sized to be like an adult is the amygdala. That's the part that controls your emotions and your survival instincts. You know how we've talked about fight/flight/freeze before, and how sometimes our brains think that being asked to speak in public is the same level of threat as being attacked by a sabre tooth tiger?"

Her son laughed. “Yes. So you have to tell your brain that there's no sabre tooth tiger to help you calm down."

“That's right," Eberhardt replied. "Well, that's what the amygdala looks after: sabre tooth tiger warnings and big emotions. So, the thing with puberty is that all of a sudden you've got an adult-sized amygdala hitting all your emotion buttons and your sabre-tooth tiger buttons. That must be really hard for you to manage."

Her son nodded and said, “Sometimes I don't know why I say the things I do. They just come out, and then I feel bad."

This is the moment where what a parent says can make or break a kid's spirit. But Eberhardt handled it with empathy and expertise.

“I know, Sweetheart," she said before explaining:

“See, the last part of your brain that gets rewritten is right at the front of your head. It's called the frontal cortex. And that's the part of your brain that's good at decision making and understanding consequences. So you've got this powerful adult amygdala hitting you with massive emotions, but you've still got a fuzzy child frontal cortex that can't make decisions or understand consequences as quickly as the amygdala wants you to. It pretty much sucks."

“So it's not my fault?" her son asked.

“No, it's puberty's fault your brain works the way it does," Eberhardt answered. "But that doesn't mean it's not your responsibility to recognise what's going on and change your actions. It's not easy, but it's not impossible, either. Your feelings are your feelings, and they're always okay. But you get to choose your actions. You get to choose what you do with your feelings. And, when you make a mistake, you get to choose to apologise for that mistake and make amends."

Eberhardt said she then paused for dramatic effect. “That's how you prove that you're becoming an adult."

It's also remarkable what happens when we empathize and communicate with our kids instead of simply chastising them.

Her son responded with a perfectly understandable and relatable, “Puberty sucks."

“Puberty absolutely sucks," Eberhardt responded. “I'm not in your head, but I can only imagine that it's a mess of confusion and chaos, and you don't know from one minute to the next how you feel about things."

Her son looked at her in surprise. “Yes! Exactly!"

“If it's confusing for you living inside there," Eberhardt continued, "imagine how confusing it is for me, when I only see your actions."

“That must be really confusing," her son agreed.

She nodded. “Do you know what that means?"

“What?"

“It means sometimes I'm going to make mistakes. Sometimes I'm going to get upset at things you do because I don't understand what's going on in your head. Sometimes I'm going to forget that you're halfway to being a man, and accidentally treat you like a child. Sometimes I'm going to expect more from you than you're able to give. This is my first time parenting someone through puberty, and I'm going to make mistakes. So can I ask you a favour?"

“What is it?"

“Can you just keep telling me what's going on in your head? The more we talk, the easier it will be for both of us to get through this puberty thing unscathed. Yeah?"

“Yeah," her son said.

When we let our kids know that we're going through these various phases together, it's easier to work with them instead of against them.

Eberhardt said they "had a cuddle" before they got out of the car. She also said this conversation didn't magically make her son always speak respectfully or make her remember that he's not a little boy anymore. However, it did open up lines of communication and gave them a shared language to use.

For example, she wrote, "He knows what I mean when I say, 'Sweetheart, I'm not a sabre tooth tiger.'"

Ebehardt wrapped up her excellent answer by saying that she and her son are "muddling through this crazy puberty thing" together, and that she's "completely confident that he'll come out the other end a sweet, wonderful young man."

It's always so helpful to see examples of good parenting in action. Ms. Eberhardt's response is something all parents can tuck away for the appropriate time. It's also a great reminder that our tweens aren't trying to try us—they're just trying to get used to their new and improved brains.


This story originally appeared on 1.05.19



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Family sees exhausted UPS driver working hard and invites him to 'make a plate' at family cookout

"Everybody family around here 😭."

ups, ups driver, delivery driver, ups deliveries, cookout, family, food, hospitality, kindness
Relaxed008/YouTube
UPS driver invited to family's cookout.

UPS drivers are always on the grind delivering packages around the clock—even on holidays. And one family took notice of the hard-working UPS driver in their neighborhood who had his nose to the grindstone as they enjoyed a cookout together. Rather than simply let him pass by, they decided to flag him down and extend an invite to join them in a move that proved community and hospitality are still alive and well.

TikToker @1fanto shared a touching video with his followers from Easter weekend where his family invited a UPS driver making rounds in their neighborhood to come to their cookout and 'make a plate.'

"Everybody family around here 😭," he captioned the video. "Everybody invited to the cookout.😂"

@1fanto

Everybody family around here 😭 #easter #cookout #wherethefunction

In the video, the UPS driver is seen standing in the family's driveway, and a group of cookout attendees warmly welcome him to join them. The uncle of @1fanto says to the driver, "You've been working hard all day man, you can go on in there!" He calls out for a woman named Stephanie to "take care of him!"

The UPS driver walks up the driveway, and they encourage him to go inside and get his fill as he enters the garage. After securing a plate of food and a drink, the driver walks back outside to mingle with guests, shaking hands with the uncle who invited him.

"You good?" the uncle asks, and the driver responds, "Yeah I'm good. They hooked me up. Thank you so much. Appreciate y'all for inviting me out." On his way back to his truck, the uncle encourages the driver to invite other workers to stop by as well.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

In a follow up video, @1fanto explained more about how the invite went down. He shares that the UPS driver was driving by the family's house on the Saturday before Easter, and at the time the family was enjoying a big fish fry cookout together. His uncle flagged the driver down, and he pulled over.

He shares that his uncle told the driver, "Go inside and get you a plate!" The driver asked him, "Are you sure?" But he reassured him, adding that the family made sure to ask the driver what he wanted and didn't want on his plate to "make sure he was good and got everything he needed".

"I saw it had a positive impact. That's what my family do. That's not something that we just do for social media," @1fanto shared. "That's something that we do on a regular basis that doesn't just happen when the camera's on. It happens when the camera's off, too. We're all equal. We all bleed the same."

ups, ups truck, united parcel service, ups delivery, ups deliveries, ups driver A UPS truck with package deliveries.Image via Wikipedia

Viewers had lots of positive things to say in the comment section.

"I am a UPS driver and that makes our day. People showing love to us"

"Your family represents the best of America🫶🏼 Your uncle is now all of our uncle."

"Working the holidays suck. But they made that man’s entire day. Love it."

"I love when people are nice for no reason. You’re so real ♥️thank you for being so kind."

"Being a delivery driver is grueling, often thankless work. It's awesome to see a family that remembers those hardworking folks are essential parts of our communities."

This article appeared last year. It has been updated.

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Experts share 6 easy ways to stay calm when you feel bombarded by scary news

There are accessible tips you can try to immediately de-stress.

stress, calm, exercise, coping techniques, sleeping habits, eating habits
Canva Photos

A woman is stressed out. A woman does squats.

"May you live in interesting times," said British statesman Joseph Chamberlin, though the quote is attributed to many—including an anonymous Chinse curse. And that, many can agree, we do. Unfortunately, with so much constant change and division around us, paired with a 24-hour news cycle, these "interesting times" can be incredibly hard on our psyches.

In fact, with such a bombardment of news, it can make people feel helpless despite wanting to effect change in whatever way they can. The truth is we aren't truly helpless, no matter how much it seems that way. We're best off remembering the airplane 101 rule: you must put your own oxygen mask on before you can help others.

First, a quick neuropsychology lesson on why our brains become overstimulated. Katherine Berko, LCSW, who spoke with Upworthy, explains that there's a region of the brain that gets stimulated particularly by distressing news. "Watching the news directly affects the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes emotions, especially fears and threats. There’s a reason so much of the news that’s covered is negative—negative news triggers the dopamine in our brains, causing us to keep watching even when it feels bad and there’s nothing new to learn about the distressing story."

Psychological reasons for why we might get "addicted" to the news. www.youtube.com, Sam Qurashi

In a recent article for Baylor Scott & White, the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Karla Acosta-Monroe, MD explains what true stress can feel and look like. Physical signs include "trouble sleeping, digestive issues, heart palpitations, and headaches." On a more emotional level, "feeling irritable, emotional detachment, or low motivation" can be common symptoms. Behaviorally, "avoiding social interaction, emotional eating or loss of appetite, and dependence on caffeine or alcohol" can also affect us, to name a few.

She and many other experts have weighed in on how to counter these thoughts and feelings.

Healthy eating

Acosta-Monroe reminds us that an easy habit to help combat stress is to keep our bodies nourished…literally. "Aim for regular, balanced meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Foods rich in magnesium (like leafy greens and nuts) and omega-3s (like salmon and flaxseed) can also support brain health."

Use the TIPP method

Dr. Kiki Fehling, licensed psychologist and author of Self-Directed DBT Skills, shares an easy-to-remember method with Upworthy:

"T - Temperature: Put your face in a bowl of cold water and hold your breath. This activates something called the 'mammalian dive reflex,' which slows your heart rate down. It's an intense skill, but can help when people are truly overwhelmed and having panic attacks. (People with cardiac problems or on heart medications should skip this skill, though—it works that well!)

I - Intense exercise: Anxiety ignites your fight-or-flight response, sending energy throughout your body so that you can escape danger. Moving your body—running, walking, dancing, doing jumping jacks—helps you expend that energy. When you stop and relax afterwards, your heart rate returns to normal and you can be in a calmer space.

P - Paced breathing: Take a slow, deep breath, making the exhale as long as possible and at least longer than your inhale. Breathe at a set pace—like a 4-second inhale, 6-second exhale—for 1–2 minutes, or as long as you want.

P - Progressive muscle relaxation: When we're stressed, our muscles tense. When we're relaxed, they relax. Purposefully going through all of the muscle groups of your body, first purposefully tightening then releasing and relaxing them, helps communicate to your body that you're safe and OK."

Elevate sleep habits

Sometimes easier said than done, but sleep is top of the list when it comes to toning down panicked minds.

Acosta-Monroe gives a few accessible tips on how to get better rest:

"Set a consistent bedtime and wake time.
Avoid eating after you go to bed.
Avoid napping during the day.
Turn off screens at least an hour before bed.
Keep your room cool and dark.
Journal or listen to calming sounds before bed."

With practice, one might find the duration of their sleep gets longer and more restorative.

Respond "As if"

Benjamin Daniels, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist and the Clinical Director of Equilibria Psychological and Consultation Services, also gave an excellent tip directly to Upworthy. He claims if you're ruminating, an exercise you can try is imagining the worst-case scenario and how you would respond. "Identify how we would respond, even if a catastrophe happens. Once we have in mind how we would survive, it makes the catastrophe feel less stressful."

Focus on the present moment

Daniels also notes that a good strategy is to focus on the moment you're in. "You'll want to find something in the moment that you can focus on instead. Notice that the anxious thoughts about the news may come into your attention, but put that thought on a cloud and let it float away—and return to the present-moment sensations you're noticing at that time."

Acosta-Monroe also discusses this method in terms of "grounding." This is commonly discussed in terms of dealing with anxiety, but is a super helpful way to calm your body down immediately. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

"Name 5 things you see.
Name 4 things you can touch.
Name 3 things you hear.
Name 2 things you can smell.
Name 1 thing you can taste."

Take breaks

What might seem fairly obvious isn't always easy. Perhaps we all need a gentle reminder that while it's vital to stay informed, we do need to give our minds some rest.

Berko shares how she addresses this with patients. "I often ask my patients: 'When are you watching the news and for how much of the day? How much of that time is it actually news to you versus the same terrible story on repeat because you can’t pull yourself away from it?'"

She suggests having designated time allotted to exposing oneself to the news. "Limit social media use, since posts, Instagram stories, and reels are often the number-one news source for people. Put your phone on airplane mode 30–60 minutes before bed and don’t turn it off until you’ve had some time to wake up in the morning. If you start with the news first thing in the morning, before brushing your teeth or making your coffee or finding time to just breathe, you’re training your brain to crave that immediate dopamine hit, thus making the news feel addicting."

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Gen Z is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents but Denmark has a solution

"Since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents."

Gen Z; Millennials; technology; cell phones; social media; teens and technology; teens social media
Photo credit: Canva

Gen Z is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents. Denmark has the solution.

Nearly every parent hopes their child will be better off than they are: smarter, more secure, and more well-adjusted. Many parents see this as a stamp of successful parenting, but something has changed for children growing up today. While younger generations are known for their empathy, their cognitive capabilities seem to be lagging behind those of previous generations for the first time in history.

Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a teacher turned cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on human learning, appeared before Congress to discuss concerns about cognitive development in children. In his address to the members of Congress, he says, "A sad fact that our generation has to face is this: our kids are less cognitively capable than we were at their age. Since we've been standardizing and measuring cognitive development since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents, and that's exactly what we want. We want sharper kids."

kids, intelligence, sharp kids, generations, education, cognitive abilities Student smiling in a classroom, working on a laptop.Photo credit: Canva

Horvath explains that the reason this happens is that each generation has gone to school longer than the previous generation. Gen Z is no exception to the longer duration of time spent in school, but they're the first ones who aren't meeting this normal increase in cognitive development. According to the cognitive neuroscientist, the decline is due to the introduction of screens in the classroom, which started around 2010.

"Across 80 countries, as Jean was just saying, if you look at the data, once countries adopt digital technology widely in schools, performance goes down significantly. To the point where kids who use computers about five hours per day in school for learning purposes will score over two-thirds of a standard deviation less than kids who rarely or never touch tech at school," Horvath reveals.

In most cases, the decline in performance doesn't result in better strategies. The neuroscientist shares that the standardized testing has been adjusted to accommodate lower expectations and shorter attention spans. This is an approach that educators, scientists, and researchers went to Capitol Hill to express wasn't working. But not every country is taking the approach of lowering standards to meet lowered cognitive ability. Denmark went in the opposite direction when it realized their students were slipping behind.

France24 recently interviewed educators in Denmark following their seemingly novel approach to students struggling with cognitive development. Since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, Denmark has not only been having students turn in their cellphones, but they've also taken tablets, laptops, and computers out of the classroom. No more digital learning for the majority of the school day. Danes went old school by bringing back physical textbooks, workbooks, and writing assignments. The results have been undeniable. Even the students can't seem to deny the success of the countrywide shift in educational approach.

"I think the biggest issue has been that, because we kind of got rid of the books and started using screens instead, that we've noticed that a lot of the kids have trouble concentrating, so it's pretty easy to swipe with three fingers over to a different screen and have a video game going, for example, in class," Copenhagen English teacher, Islam Dijab tells France24.

Now, instead of computers being part of every lesson, Denmark uses computers very sparingly and with strict supervision. One student says that it has been nice not having screen time at school because she loves to read and write. But it wasn't just the lack of attention span children were developing, they were also developing low self-esteem and poor mental health due to the amount of time spent on devices.

kids, intelligence, sharp kids, generations, education, cognitive abilities Students focused and ready to learn in the classroom.Photo credit: Canva

The data showing the negative impact of screens on teens' brains has prompted a nationwide change in Denmark that extends outside of the classroom. Afterschool activities are eliminating or extremely limiting electronic use. There is also a national No Phone Day that encourages everyone to put away their devices for the day, and Imran Rashid, a physician and digital health expert, is petitioning parliament to ban social media use for children under the age of 15. The no phone movement in Denmark is a nationwide effort that hopes to right the ship before another generation feels the effects.

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Heroes

People love this 1983 clip of a southern grandma feeding her community from her modest kitchen

"I always get what I want, but I know what to want," she said.

agatha burgess, cbs news archive, feeding community, service to humanity, grandma cooking
CBS Evening News/YouTube

Agatha Burgess cooked all day, five days a week, for anyone who showed up.

History remembers extraordinary people who accomplish great things, lead big movements, create new inventions, and make an indelible mark on the world. But what about the individuals who dedicate their time and energy to making their local community, however small, a better place?

Those everyday heroes rarely get lauded in posterity, but thanks to human interest stories, some people get the flowers they never asked for long after they're gone. Enter Agatha Burgess, an 80-year-old grandmother who, in 1983, had a visit from CBS Evening News as she went about her normal weekday business of feeding her community, simply because she could.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

In the footage from the archives, Burgess is shown bopping about her modest kitchen, where she's been working since 5:00 a.m. She's surrounded by pans and tins and bowls, which she's using to make corn muffins, rice, dressing, peach cobbler, and more for residents of her small town of Buffalo, South Carolina. She's done this for 15 years, not as a business, but as a service to her community. She said she didn't have any desire for a "big, fine home" and that she'd always wanted to "live by the side of the road and be a friend to man."

"I always get what I want, but I know what to want," she said.

Some meals were sent out to shut-ins in the community, delivered by Meals on Wheels volunteers. She made sure those meals were always ready by 11:00 a.m. After that, people also came to her home to get a meal. If they were able, they'd drop $2.75 per meal into a box on the side table to cover the costs, even making their own change on the honor system. But no one was ever turned away if they couldn't pay.

food, charity, corn muffins, meals on wheels, feeding people Apparently, Agatha Burgess's corn muffins were legendary.Photo credit: Canva

Burgess didn't have a large home, so people would crowd into her dining room and kitchen to eat the home-cooked meals she made single-handedly. After people had eaten and left, she would do the dishes and start on her baking for the next day. This was her life from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., five days a week.

Why? Because she loved doing it. She said, "This guy asked me the other day, said, 'Miss Burgess, why don't you stop and rest?' I said, 'What would I have to live for?' Because these people come in every day. They mean so much to me. I just love. I fall in love with people."

Her sister said she might end up regretting the honor box, that someone would end up ripping her off. But Burgess said that God had always taken care of her, and if someone stole from the box, God would take care of them, too.

Burgess's quote about being "a friend to man" comes from the poem "The House By The Side Of The Road" by Sam Walter Foss, the last stanza of which reads:

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.

People loved hearing about Burgess's extraordinary retirement in the resurfaced clip from the CBS News archives:

"She has the best attitude about life. She is so grateful for what she has."

"This is one of the most wholesome things I’ve ever seen."

"'I don't want your big fine home. But I'm glad you got it.' There's beauty in being content with what you have, and being happy for people. What a sweet lady."

"'I always get everything I want, but I know what to want' might be the wisest thing I’ve ever heard."

"What a wonderful woman. My dad used to eat there for lunch while working his first job out of college. God bless."

"I'm a grown man and I'm sitting here watching this crying. I know you're no longer with us, but God bless you, Agatha. Did you ever realize all the lives you blessed?"

Burgess died in 1992 at the age of 89. Though she didn't spend nearly two decades cooking for friend and stranger alike in order to get praise or accolades, there's something truly beautiful about people seeing her service over four decades later and giving her the flowers she deserved.

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12 discontinued childhood food items people would pay good money to eat just one more time

"I've been craving a pudding pop for a decade now."

childhood snacks; 90s snacks; 90s nostalgia; Millennial childhood memories; candy; cheetos; shockers; fruitopia
Photo credit: Canva

12 discontinued childhood food items people would pay good money to eat one more time

Childhood snacks will always bring nostalgia, but not all snacks withstand the changing times. Companies close, ingredients have to be changed due to new regulations, or they don't sell as well to younger generations. Whatever the reason, some delicious treats from childhood go the way of the dodo bird, and some people would pay anything to taste them again.

The thought of a discontinued treat likely crossed a Reddit user's mind when they asked people to share their favorite discontinued childhood treats that they'd pay $100 to eat one more time. Snacks that haven't seen the inside of a child's lunch box since the '90s were prominent on the "pay to eat it one last time" list. Nostalgia immediately flooded the senses of those suddenly reminded of snacks they hadn't eaten in decades.

1. Flintstone Push Ups

"These were a big part of my childhood. I can still taste the semi-dissolved cardboard container it comes in," one person writes. But orange had a pretty big contender–rainbow. "But did you ever have the Flintstones rainbow one? We used to walk to a laundry mat when I was very little and stop at a gas station along the way. They had them there. Pure bliss and innocence. Wish I could go back to that simple mindset. We were poor, and I made it out and am successful now, but life is sad and heavy sometimes."

2. Pudding Pops

No one knows what happened to these frozen pudding treats, but the craving is still strong with this one, as someone shares, "I've been craving a pudding pop for a decade now." Another writes, "Vanilla pudding pops were the best, no question. I really miss them." People admit to trying to satiate the craving by making their own, like this person who says, "My husband and I got the molds and make our own, but it's not the same. The swirl is a pain to make."

3. Cheetos Paws

These cheesy paw prints made every bad day just a little better for kids in the '90s, but they were discontinued, maybe because they were dangerously cheesy. "In the 90’s Cheetos had these paws… size of a silver dollar. They brought them back once, but they weren’t the same.. not even the size," one person laments. "Cheeto paws! They were the same as the x’s and o’s of the early 2000s. My guess is frito-lay removing trans fat from their snacks in 2003 is why they’ll never taste the same again. Not even close," another writes.

4. Book It Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza

Yes, it has to be the Book It era Personal Pan Pizza, because the formula must've changed when they stopped bribing kids to read with pizza. One person admits, "I am an avid reader because of Levar Burton (Reading Rainbow) and because I got a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut after I read enough books in elementary school." What magic was in the trans fats that made things taste delicious? Someone shares that the new personal pan options don't taste the same, "It isn't the same Pizza. Not saying it is bad, just isn't the same. I can still smell that 90s Pizza Hut smell when I think about it. To be honest it was likely all those delicious Trans Fats, but damn they were tasty."

5. PB Crisps

This person is sharing the perfect Christmas gift if there's ever a limited edition run, writing, "PB Crisps. I would specifically stuff them in my stocking and eat them on Christmas morning like it's 1995 again." One person has been on a mission for over a decade, writing, "This has been my personal obsession for decades at this point. Was going to suggest nutty nostalgia as they were selling jars that were as close as you can get to the real thing but it looks like they shut down last year."

childhood snacks; 90s snacks; 90s nostalgia; Millennial childhood memories; candy; cheetos; shockers; fruitopia Bursting with flavor: Fruitopia's fruity splash!Photo Credit: Coca-Cola Canada Marketing

6. Fruitopia

It depends on how badly you're missing this treat, because the only thing between you and drinking a Fruitopia is the Canadian border. One person remembers them being an experience to drink, "Fruitopia was a vibe, drinking one felt like being part of a dance party in the forest probably because of the marketing." Someone else shares about how they had to hunt down change to get their fix at school, "They had them in my high school cafeteria vending machine. I would run down there every day during my study hall (I had to scrounge my house for change daily) and I’d get the strawberry one. All that corn syrup and artificial strawberries."

7. Shock Tarts

If you were a kid in the '90s, your mouth is probably already puckering at the thought of Shock Tarts, the candy that basically took extra sour Sweet Tarts and Sprees and mixed them together to make a candy baby. For a while, people were able to still buy them under a different name, but someone shares that this is no longer the case, "In 2021 I found them. They rebranded to “sweet tart sours.” Exactly the same 100%, life complete etc…. and then a couple years ago they went and changed the recipe to be more like a sour spree and RUINED THEM. I’m still mad about it."

childhood snacks; 90s snacks; 90s nostalgia; Millennial childhood memories; candy; cheetos; shockers; fruitopia Choco Taco: Indulge in a classic sweet treat!Photo Credit: Joey Rozier/Flickr

8. Choco Taco

These tasty taco ice cream treats were available from 1983 to 2022, and people are still upset about them going away. Maybe because it was around for so long, its existence was taken for granted until Unilever pulled the plug. People would pay lots of money to get their hands on one now. One person grabbed every Choco Taco they could according to this commenter, "The day it got announced that choco tacos were being discontinued, my Saint of a husband went to the local convenience store and bought me every last one. I put them in the deep freeze and got to enjoy them for another year.

9. Peanut Butter Twix

Forget choosing the left or right bar. Some people would eat both bars simultaneously if they could have a Peanut Butter Twix one more time. Someone with a flair for dramatics begs, "Peanut butter Twix. Please bring them back so I have a reason to go on," while another says, "I used to eat these almost every day on my break at work. I miss them sooo much."

@onehappy_day Found it! It’s popped into my brain for years. Finally took the time to look for it. #bubblejug #gum #childhood #90s ♬ original sound - One happy day

10. Bubble Jug

It's not a jug full of bubble mix, but a tiny jug filled with little pieces of bubble gum. This commenter's description is spot on, writing, "Bubble Jug. It sounds gross, but it was so good. 'Take some sh***y bubblegum and shred it into tiny chiclet pieces. Coat it all in mysterious pink powder that tastes like plastic happiness, and market it in a tiny pink jug so kids can just pour it straight into their mouths.'" According to others, Bubble Jug is making a comeback at stores like 5 Below and Dollar Tree.

11. King Vitamin Cereal

"I seriously miss King Vitamin cereal. Kaboom, too!" someone shares before another person chimes in writing, "King V was a staple in our house in the 90s. My sister and I recently found it again and tried it together and lemme tell you, either it's framed by nostalgia or that cereal always tasted like barf and our immature taste buds didn't know it yet."

12. Sizzlean

A replacement for bacon that contained multiple different types of meat. Did it taste as good as people remember it tasting? Based on the way it looks, one person has doubts, revealing, "ngl, that looks bad." Others were quick to jump to the meat product's defense, with someone sharing, "I loved sizzlean. My friend's parents called me it for years because I spent the night and when they asked what I wanted for breakfast I said what I always ate on the weekends: Sizzlean."

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