New research shows that children who grow up near nature become happier adults

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Being in nature is soothing to the soul. The air is cleaner. The night sky is darker so it's easier to sleep. And there's something calming about being in the natural harmony of the wilderness.

But, on the other hand, it's tough to find a place to get good sushi or an exciting night club.

This begs the age-old question: is it better to live in the city or the country? The answer has always been, "depends on who you ask," but a new study out of Denmark says that being near dense vegetation is clearly better for one's mental health.

A nationwide study of over 900,000 people published in PNAS showed that "children who grew up with the lowest levels of green space had up to 55% higher risk of developing a psychiatric disorder independent from effects of other known risk factors."

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Veteran with PTSD writes powerful book 'Why is Dad So Mad?' to help explain the disorder to his young daughter.

"Why is Dad So Mad"

Army veteran Seth Kastle had everything going for him when he came home from serving 16 years overseas. That's why it was so confusing to him when his life began to fall apart.

He had a job, a loving wife, family, and friends. He knew things would be different when he moved back to Kansas, but he didn't think they'd be that different. But he felt an extreme anger building up inside, a fire inside his chest that he couldn't explain or get rid of.

Kastle was unknowingly suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event — like war.

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It only became legal to breastfeed in public in all 50 states in 2018.

Idaho and Utah recently joined the party, meaning that parents in every state can legally breastfeed in public.

Over the years, stories of people who have been asked to leave restaurants or other public places because someone complained about the way they fed their babies have made headlines, prompting outcry from advocates and providing fodder for debate among the masses.

Prior to states passing laws, there was little recourse for parents in such incidents. In fact, breastfeeders could be cited and fined for public indecency if a law enforcement officer responded to a complaint in some situations.

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America’s foster system got its biggest overhaul in 40 years. Here's what's changed.

The foster care system in the U.S. is complex, and until recently, it was largely still acting under the original law — passed in 1974.

Over 400,000 children are placed in foster care each year in the United States, and the stories they each have to tell can be staggering. Articles online can detail child abuse and neglect, and there are stories after stories of people who have been through the system on both sides.

The issues of child abuse and neglect are complicated problems with no simple solutions. Keeping kids safe is the first priority, and sometimes removing them from families and placing them in foster care is necessary. However, that's not always the ideal method. There are many awesome foster care families, but the system can be traumatic for kids who go through it — and just like any family, some foster families have their own issues.

While there is an ongoing debate over what is best for kids in abusive or neglectful households, much of the available research shows that kids who remain with their families, even dysfunctional ones, tend to have better outcomes than kids placed in foster care.



But what if we could do more to help at-risk families create a safe and healthy home environment and funnel fewer kids through the foster care system?

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