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Pop Culture

Robert Irwin brought to tears after getting a birthday message from his late dad Steve

Robert recently turned 19 and carries on his father's legacy in every way.

robert irwin

The video brought Robert to tears, along with everyone else.

If Steve Irwin were here today to see the remarkable people that his two children grew up to be, he would be so proud. Both Bindi and Robert Irwin carry on their dad's legacy of wildlife conservation, along with Steve’s wife, Terri. And Robert, in particular, has inherited his father’s vivacious, endearing personality that is nothing short of contagious.

Steve might not be around anymore, but that didn’t stop him from providing his son with a wonderful message on his birthday.

Robert, who was only 3 years old when his father tragically passed away in 2006, celebrated his 19th birthday on Dec 1. As he and mom Terri stood onstage at the Australia Zoo—where Robert follows in his father’s footsteps as a Wildlife Warrior—a video began to play showing folks from around the world wishing him a happy birthday. Clearly, the young bloke is just as well loved as his father was.


Then, the footage cuts to Steve Irwin (around 4:48 on the video below).

Robert had only just been born and as Steve holds his newborn son in his hands, he acknowledges that in spite of all his important conservation work, his children are his real purpose, adding, “because after all, I could be dead tomorrow.”

Obviously, that last part hits a little different now.

Steve hoped to instill in his children the same drive to continue his mission, declaring that “then and only then will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal, and my job will be done. And I guarantee you that it’ll be the proudest moment of my life.”

As the video shows Robert becoming a young adult—one who catches crocs and saves animals just like his old man—it becomes crystal clear that Steve’s heartfelt wish came true.

Touched by the tribute, Robert quips, “You’re gonna make me cry on my birthday!” then shares that continuing his father’s “profound legacy” is a personal privilege.

Robert wasn’t the only one moved by Steve’s message. The video quickly amassed 28 million views on YouTube. And so many comments poured in from people deeply affected by The Crocodile Hunter’s memory.

One person wrote, “As a kid I didn’t watch cartoons, I was obsessed with animal planet, but not just animal planet but Steve Irwin, he was my childhood hero, I had 4 birthday party’s that were crocodile Hunter themed, I’d always say growing up that No matter what I’d go to Australia one day and meet him, When my mom told me the news of his passing I was so upset I didn’t go to school for days, he made such a good impact on all of our childhoods I’m sure, I wish nothing but the best for him and his family, got me tearing up just thinking about it.”

Others noted how Steve undeniably lives on in his son.

“Robert is a perfect example of carrying a legacy. All because Steve has passed away doesn’t mean he’s gone and that’s thanks to his family. Robert’s carrying the torch now and doing a damn well job at it,” commented one person.

Steve Irwin was a hero to many—both animals and humans alike. When you choose to dedicate your life to making the world a better place, it makes a difference, no matter how long you have. This moment is a shining, heartwarming example of that. Steve might be gone, but he continues to inspire others through the work of his family. That’s something to be proud of, indeed.

Our home, from space.

Sixty-one years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to make it into space and probably the first to experience what scientists now call the "overview effect." This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen.”

The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.

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Family

New study shows spanking hurts kids' mental health and is less effective at teaching lessons

Why is it wrong to hit an adult or an animal but OK to spank a child?

Photo by Kat J on Unsplash

Yet another study shows that spanking isn't good for kids.

Whether to spank your child or not is one of the oldest debates among parents. Many live by the age-old wisdom that to “spare the rod” is to “spoil the child,” while others believe it’s wrong to resort to violence to punish a child when so many alternatives exist.

It also begs the question: If it's wrong to hit your spouse or pet, why is it acceptable to hit a defenseless child?

The 2021 American Family Study found that support for spanking has declined in the U.S. over the past few years. In 2015, 54% either somewhat or strongly agreed with the practice, but that number dropped to 47% in 2021. Thirty-five percent of respondents disagree with the practice and 18% neither agree nor disagree.

A new research study from the Parent and Family Research Alliance in Australia led by Professor Sophie Havighurst and Professor Daryl Higgins from Australian Catholic University makes a strong case that people should stop using corporal punishment to discipline their kids. The study “Corporal punishment of children in Australia: The evidence-based case for legislative reform” analyzed countless studies on the topic and found spanking ineffective and harmful.

The study was published to urge lawmakers to make corporal punishment in Australia illegal. Sixty-five states across the world have made corporal punishment illegal, protecting 14% of the world’s children.

The study defined corporal punishment of children as using physical force to cause pain, but not injury, to correct or control a child’s behavior.

The most startling meta-analysis published in the study found that "only 1 out of 111 statistically significant effect sizes was associated with a link between 'spanking' and a positive child outcome," while 110 were found to be associated with adverse outcomes.

The one positive outcome was in a 1972 study of children of the U.S. military living in West Germany that found those spanked showed less amphetamine and opiate use as adults.

However, the remaining 110 significant results found that spanking had adverse effects, including: “reducing trust and connection with those they are closest to, lower self-esteem, more internalizing and externalizing behavior problems including aggression, mental health difficulties, and increased risk for later substance abuse, antisocial behavior, and violence.”

A meta-analysis found that when children are spanked, they are less likely to internalize the moral implications of the behaviors that led them to be disciplined. It also found that non-physical discipline was more effective at teaching “alternative behaviors,” “developing a child’s conscience,” and advancing their “emotional development.”

Another meta-analysis cited in the story found that corporal punishment in childhood was associated with mental health problems, low self-esteem and antisocial behavior.

In the end, the studies show that corporal punishment is counter-productive when it comes to raising healthy, happy children. But it will take much more than a study to get people to reconsider their views of corporal punishment because they are deeply rooted in many cultural traditions.

Looking for some non-physical alternatives to discipline your child? Here’s a great place to start from WebMD.

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Brianna is a mother of two who lives in Iowa.

The video starts with Brianna grating a massive hunk of cheese with a caption that reads: “My husband didn’t eat the dinner that I made…So let’s make him some nachos.”

“If I don’t feed him, he literally won’t eat,” she wrote. “This used to irritate me. Now I just blame his mother for never making him try salmon,” Greenfield wrote. The video features Meghan Trainor’s single “Mother” playing in the background.

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Identity

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Though her scalp was exposed for the procedure, they still insisted she take her twists out, making it harder to get to her scalp.

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Getting a medical procedure done can be scary, or at the very least nerve-wracking, no matter how many times you've had it done. It's something that's outside of your normal routine and you're essentially at the mercy of the medical facility and providers. Most of the time, the pre-procedure instructions make sense, and if something catches you by surprise, it's usually easily explained.

Sadé Naima recently had an experience while attempting to get an EEG that wasn't easily explained away. In fact, the entire situation didn't make sense to the TikTok creator who experiences migraines. Naima uploaded a video to the social media platform explaining the sequence of events that happened after her doctor referred her to receive an MRI and EEG.

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An MTA employee rescues a 3-year-old child on the tracks.

Five Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees are hailed as heroes for their quick thinking and diligence in the April 6 rescue of a young boy. Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy was operating a southbound Hudson Line train near Tarrytown, a few miles north of New York City, when he noticed an unusual object on the northbound track.

That “object” was a 3-year-old boy.

Kennedy sent an emergency call out to all trains in the area, catching the attention of a northbound conductor, Shawn Loughran, and a trainee. Loughran slowed down his train as he approached the child, who was straddling the electrified third rail.

When the train screeched to a halt, Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins didn't waste a second. Leaping down the tracks, he sprinted 40 yards ahead of the train, scooping up the young child like a guardian angel.

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Health

Here’s how we can use the power of awe to make our lives more fulfilling

Being amazed by things outside ourselves is tremendous for our mental health.

A young man looking into the sky

The exhilaration of a rock concert. The feeling of deep serenity you experience during a religious ceremony. That sense of connectedness you get while walking through a dense forest. The lightness that flows through your body while dancing and the dissolution of the ego you experience on psychedelics. These are all experiences that give us the feeling of awe.

Most of us love having at least a few of these experiences and believe they help us grow. But now, a team of psychologists has explained why cultivating a sense of awe can benefit our minds and bodies and how we can create these experiences ourselves.

Maria Monroy and Dacher Keltner posit that a sense of awe can help solve the crises of individualism, excessive self-focus, loneliness and a culture of cynicism, and can even improve our physical health. They explain it in a research article titled “Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health.”

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