upworthy

new mom

@miss.kaylajo/TikTok

Former Miss Teen Arkansas Mackenzie Scott helps single mom Kayla Jo Singleterry at nail salon.

When single mom Kayla Jo Singleterry (@miss.kaylajo) stepped into the nail salon with her newborn baby girl Hendricks Hutton, she was hoping to get a *peaceful* powder dip manicure to celebrate her birthday. But baby Hendricks had other plans.

That's when a kind stranger sitting next to her saw she was struggling with her crying baby, and offered to hold her while she finished getting her nails done. The selfless stranger turned out to be Mackenzie Scott, former Miss Teen Arkansas.

Singleterry shared an emotional video on TikTok of Scott holding and bouncing baby Hendricks. "This sweet girl noticed I was overwhelmed at the nail salon and offered to hold baby girl so I could get my nails done," she wrote in the video's caption.

@miss.kaylajo

**just uploaded a video to update you all 💕** I hope you know what a rare gem you are @Kenzis979 Turns out she was Miss Arkansas Teen USA in 2023 👸🏼 #babygirl #fyp #singlemom #babytok #baby

Little did Scott know that her kind gesture was especially meaningful on that day in particular. "You may never know how much this means to me," she added. "What you didn't know is it was for my birthday and one of the first things I've gotten done for myself since I had her. I'm forever grateful for you! The world needs more of you!"

In the comment section, viewers shared kind words for both women.

"Sometimes our village is a complete stranger😭 I love this!!" one wrote.

Another added, "This is girlhood✨😍."

One more shared, "If she isn’t a mom already, she’ll be an amazing mom in the future (if she chooses to be). I love seeing women’s natural motherly instinct kick in. Such a beautiful thing. 🥹 What a blessing."

@miss.kaylajo

This is the village everyone talks about ✨👯‍♀️ We’re beyond grateful for all the love and support from you all! Our hope is that this one act of kindness inspires others to do the same. A simple “I’m happy to help if you need a minute” can mean the world—even if they say no. Let’s make 2025 the year we love each other OUT LOUD! ❤️ The world needs more @Kenzis979 so let’s create more! 💎 Something tells me you’ll be seeing a lot more of us! 💕 #actsofkindness #babygirl #nailsalon #thevillage #fyp

In an interview with PEOPLE, Singleterry shared more details about the interaction. "I had dip powder on my nails and was trying to hold Hendricks, but I was getting it all over her sweatshirt. I was literally sweating and on the verge of tears. I just wanted to go. But I already had the dip powder on my nails when Mackenzie walked over and offered to help," she said.

Scott also told the publication that once she picked up baby Hendricks, she immediately stopped crying. For the next 45 minutes, she held her. "I’ve always loved children and enjoy babysitting, so getting to see the baby smile while her mom enjoyed getting her nails done made me so happy," Scott said.

After her nails were done, she thanked Scott for her total act of kindness towards her. The two did not exchange contact information, but later that night Scott told PEOPLE that Singleterry had found her on social media and sent her a DM, asking for permission to share their story on TikTok.

@kenziescot

THANK YOU! @Kayla Jo #babygirl #fyp #thankful #babytok #baby #kindness #onesmallactofkindness #spreadlove

"I'm a single mom. The reason I brought her is I don't have any other help," Singleterry added. "Her dad's not around. My mom was with me, and other than that, I have no one. I was so overwhelmed. It didn’t hit me until I was just laying there. I was like, 'Some random person just allowed me to do something I haven’t been able to do for myself since I had her.' "

Since then, the two women have become friends. "I have been praying for this village," Singleterry shared. "Everybody talks about it takes a village. I stayed so strong throughout my entire pregnancy with Hendricks. She has a different dad than my older daughter. I've been praying for this village that people talk about or just to have her have some other support in her life. The other day I opened my Facebook messages and Mackenzie's mom had messaged me and said, 'We are here to be your village.' And I just broke down. Oh my God. I was just so grateful. I think I made some lifelong connections for sure."

Parenting

New mom vents frustration over American maternity leave in comparison to the rest of the world

"The people who decided that it is okay to leave an infant at a daycare at 6 weeks old? Jail."

New mom vents over American maternity leave.

Have you ever tried giving birth? It's not for the weak. In fact, the entire process leading up to birthing an entire human out of your body isn't for the weak. Being pregnant changes and stretches parts of your body you didn't know existed. Even the volume of blood that pumps through your heart increases.

Your joints loosen, your hips spread and for some reason, your nose and lips can spread, too. And even though your nose looks big enough to stick your fist into, you can't breathe through it efficiently. Pregnancy is a lot. But birth, whether vaginally or via cesarean is like running a marathon with little to no training. Then come the hormones, sleep deprivation and healing.

But if you're working in America when you happen to go through that life-changing experience, you can hang up any thoughts of having adequate time to heal and bond with your baby. In many instances, you've got six weeks—and those weeks may or may not be paid. (The U.S. is one of the only countries that doesn't federally guarantee paid maternity leave, and most states don't mandate paid maternity leave, either.)


Anna Gantt uploaded a video to TikTok expressing her frustration at America's maternity leave policies. In her video, Gantt is walking her dog and her newborn child in disbelief that new moms generally get six weeks of paid maternity leave in the United States when other countries get up to 18 months.

"I live in Georgia, in the United States, and it's not legal to separate a puppy or a kitten from its mother until they are 8 weeks old," Gantt vents. "So how, how is it okay to leave a human at 6 weeks old? My body is not even healed. I just now can go on a walk with my dog and my infant."

She makes some pretty good points. Humans who birth babies aren't cleared to return to normal light activities until a minimum of six weeks but it can be longer if you have complications. Maybe it's time for the United States to address its maternity leave issue.

Watch her entire video below:

@annavgantt

American maternity leave is actually insane…… because WHO decided six weeks was even close to acceptable for an infant and mom to be seperated? WTF #maternityleave #fyp #fypシ

Mom plays Lil Jon to get baby to stop crying.

If you've had a baby or babysat someone else's, then you know sometimes they cry, and there doesn't seem to be much you can do to soothe them. You try all of the things—change their diaper, give them a bottle, do the bounce and sway that just about every parent has perfected. Yet, the wailing continues and you begin to question your life choices.

But thankfully, babies are pretty easily amused...most of the time. Ripping up paper or accidentally stubbing your toe can throw a baby into a fit of laughter. Other times, you have to call in the reserves—Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz featuring the Ying Yang Twins. Nope, I didn't bump my head. Melissa Buckley discovered her 2-month-old son's magic remedy to inconsolable tears is Lil Jon, specifically, "Get Low."

You may be wondering how her infant son has such impeccable taste in 2000s dance music, and the answer is surprisingly simple.


"I listened to it a lot in the latter half of my pregnancy because I was trying to get him low, and then I listened to it on repeat a good few times a day for probably three, four weeks on end," Buckley told Today.com.

Dancing is one way to help move babies down into position in preparation for birth. In fact, there have been several viral videos of expectant mothers dancing to club music in their kitchens and even in the hospital hoping to speed along the labor process. Buckley was in good company with her idea.

Recently, Buckley and her husband Zack let the world in on their secret to getting baby Jackson to stop crying when the mom uploaded a video to social media. In the video, Buckley is holding a crying Jackson when she says, "Alexa, play 'Get Low.'" Alexa obliges like a good little eavesdropping robot, and as soon as the music starts to play, the crying stops.

Jackson looks around while his mom bounces and dances. Suddenly the infant is perfectly content in his mother's arms, but it turns out that this is part of their routine. The new parents told Today.com that they play Lil Jon at least once or twice a day to help calm the baby down when he's fussy.

This revelation came about through a moment of desperation according to Buckley, who told Today.com that she was having difficulty getting her son to stop crying one day, so she put on "Get Low." While listening to the familiar song, Jackson stopped crying and fell asleep.
Screenshot of Lil Jon's comment that reads "Wowwwww" with a laughing face

Lil Jon responded to the video with "Wowwwww."

Melissa Buckley|Instagram Screenshot

Babies are certainly interesting. They remember much more than we parents give them credit for, and baby Jackson is here to remind everyone that even newborns can be nostalgic about songs. Granted, when he starts being able to understand the words to the iconic club song, heading to preschool may be interesting.

But the Buckleys will cross that bridge when they get to it. For now, they'll keep using the song to put their baby to sleep and one day he'll learn all about how Lil Jon was impressed by his required napping music.

Family dog steals baby's pacifier and insists she's the new baby.

Dogs are sometimes just like human babies and other times they want to be the baby. We've all seen the sweet videos of dogs meeting their newborn human siblings and think, "How cute!" or laugh because their reaction is hilarious. You never quite know whether the pooch is going to give the new baby the side eye or instantly become its snuggle buddy.

For one family in Benton, Arkansas, their little Shih Tzu had apparently been plotting a daring plan since her new furless sibling arrived. Kaylee Burks uploaded a video to her social media accounts that show her newborn daughter crying her adorable newborn cry, and we quickly see why. Just above the baby's head is the family dog, Millie, sucking on the baby's pacifier, probably wondering what's wrong with the baby.


Oh, Millie! Pacifiers aren't for doggies, even if they fit perfectly in your little mouth and look adorable. (Wait...are we sure pacis aren't for dogs too? Especially if they're cute?)

“While I wasn’t looking, my dog sneaked her pacifier that was lying next to her,” Burks told Storyful. “When I looked up, Millie was sucking on the pacifier just like a baby and was unbothered by Hallie crying. It was apparent she had been plotting it all along.”

It would certainly seem that way with how comfortable the little dog seemed while holding the binky in her mouth. Surely after this incident her family will get the Shih Tzu her very own pacifier. If not, I'm sure someone will help Millie start some sort of puppy petition. She's got my support.

Watch the adorable video below: