The Craigslist Ad That Will Make The Government Shutdown Seem Hilarious
I think the listing below does more than make people laugh. What does it say about our government? That it’s all one big joke? On the bright side, at least the rent’s affordable — unlike the cost of doing business. Er, not doing business.
So my roommates all left because of a job thing and I need to make rent. I really think this place is great and I’ve been living here for a while (incumbency FTW!). I don’t want to leave but the utilities are a real bitch to afford on your own. Some facts about the digs:
It’s about 775,000 square feet. Yeah, it’s big, I know. But don’t let the size alone fool you! It’s cozy too — lots of individual rooms!
Location, location, location. It’s close to everything you could possibly want. The Botanical Gardens (they’re temporarily closed, but don’t let that stop you); the metro, and plenty of bars. The bars are important, because what else are we gonna do?
It’s historic too! It was built in like 1800 something. Don’t ask me the specifics, there’s a plaque somewhere. Let’s just say it’s pretty sweet. There are plenty of cool things inside, like a giant statue of King Kamehameha I. It makes for weird midnight runs to the bathroom, but whatever.
Wanna know more just ask!
About you: Must be LGBT friendly. Must not be a Republican. Don’t be racist. Don’t hate women. Must think poor Americans are people.
A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold.
A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen.
Volunteers raise a wall for the framework of a new home during the first day of building at Habitat for Humanity’s 2025 Carter Work Project.
Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing.
Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth.
Marsha and her son pose for a photo while building their future home with Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity in Georgia.
Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.
Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:
Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis
Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community
Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or in one of 60+ countries where we work around the globe
Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door
Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone.
When the holidays roll around, it’s time for families to decide where they will meet to celebrate. For the most part, parents with younger kids dread packing their bags and traveling to a family member’s house where things aren’t set up for young children. You fumble around setting up the pack ‘n plays, can’t find your bottle brush, and freak out because the electrical sockets aren’t child-proof.
However, many grandparents aren’t keen on enduring the mental and physical strain of traveling at an older age. So, who’s right? Grandma Jan, founder of Grandma Camp and a TikTok influencer who shares fun ideas for grandparents and grandkids, argued that parents should pack up their kids and visit Grandma.
“Okay, so, here’s the debate: families say, ‘Grandma, why don’t you come visit us?’ But let’s be honest, Grandma’s house is where the traditions are, the cookies are, and all of the toys are,” Grandma Jan begins. “But if grandma is driving, flying, hauling all the gifts, and packing up her car to come see you, maybe it’s time to flip the script. When did it become normal for Grandma to pack up all her stuff and come see you? Should the kids pile into the car, bring all their toys, and just go visit grandma? Bring all that love and chaos to her?”
So she asked her followers: “Should grandmas be the one on the road or should families pick everything up and drive to her?” Just about everyone in the comments said that grandparents should have to travel to see their grandchildren.
“Nope. I want Christmas morning in pajamas with my family. I want my traditions. My parents and in-laws (the grandparents) got all of this how they wanted. It’s my turn now,” Maggie wrote. “Gramma is retired and now has a shit ton of time. Kids and parents have a very finite amount of time off in the holidays that they do not want to spend on the road,” Mrs. Wright added.
Some grandparents also checked in to disagree with Grandma Jan. “Why would I put that on my kids and grandkids? It’s so hard traveling with kids, not to mention expensive to fly for more than one person,” Populustultus wrote. “What a weird way to think about that. Why wouldn’t you help your kids create magic in their home? Signed a grandma,” LifestylebyKat added.
The response inspired Grandma Jan to release a follow-up video clarifying her opinion. She admits she came up with the idea after seeing older people having a hard time getting through the airport. “[I saw] older grandparents struggling their way through airports carrying their own heavy bags while managing a walker or a plane or a wheelchair, struggling through all on their own with no one to assist,” Grandma Jan said. “And as an occupational therapist, that actually broke my heart. For younger, healthier grandparents, travel can be fun, but for the older generation, it can be quite a struggle.”
Ultimately, Grandma Jan didn’t intend to put anyone out; she just wanted to have a conversation about what’s best for families as a whole. “And Grandma Camp by Grandma Jan is about having those conversations, not making rules. And at the end of the day, it’s about connection, not distance,” she concluded her video.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
But making your house smell good without using artificial air fresheners or sprays can be challenging.
“Keeping a home smelling fresh can be difficult because odors do not just enter and leave–they accumulate in fabrics, carpets, upholstery, garbage bins, and places with moisture,” Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, tells Upworthy. “You have to address the underlying problem, rather than just spraying a perfume to cover it up. Plug-ins, and sprays mask an odor rather than remove it.”
Plus, keeping your home smelling good for an extended period of time can also be difficult, as many underlying odors are caused by mold, mildew, and bacteria, Kathy Cohoon, operations director at Two Maids, tells Upworthy.
Here are seven expert tips to help you stave off odors and keep your home smelling fresh:
1. Routinely clean specific areas
Eliminate odors by staying on top of cleaning certain areas in your home.
“For instance, empty your trash and clean the bins regularly, routinely check and clean areas where moisture is prone to accumulate such as dishwashers, laundry rooms and bathrooms to avoid mildew odors,” Mock explains. “You will eliminate the source of odors, and therefore your home will smell better because of that alone.”
2. Bake some fresh scents
Your pantry and refrigerator can help your home smell delicious.
“I bake a quick tray of sliced lemons with a little water, or simmer a pot with citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and cloves,” says Jessica Randhawa, owner and head chef at The Forked Spoon. “I keep it at the barest simmer and top off the water as needed. Cooking these fresh scents replaces stale odors with a light, natural kitchen smell.”
3. Neutralize lingering kitchen odors with a vinegar simmer
The kitchen is full of sources for bad smells that stick around your home.
“If you have strong odors from cooking dishes like fish or spices, mix a cup of water and three tablespoons of white vinegar in a pot and bring it to a boil,” explains Cohoon. “Let it simmer uncovered. The acid in the vinegar neutralizes the odors in the air. For a natural fragrant boost, you can create an aromatic stove simmer by boiling water with additions like mint leaves, a lemon, and a few orange rinds.”
Which one will you try first? 🌻 #5 is a gamechanger in our home 🙌 make your home look + smell amazing with these 5 easy and inexpensive tricks 1. Place 2 tbs vanilla extract in the oven to make your home smell like cookies 2. Place essential oils on cotton balls and inside your vacuum to make your whole home smell fresh 3. And you can also place them under your bin liner to rid odours 4. Run 1 cup baking soda in your dishwasher to rid musty odours 5. And neutralise bathroom odours by mopping floors with shaving cream Hope these were helpful lovelies x #hometips#homehacks#homefragrance#homesweethome#cleantok#cleaningtiktok#cleaningtips#cleaninghacks
Fresh air is an important part of a good-smelling home.
“Air out rooms by opening windows and/or using fans; launder or replace soft goods such as curtains, throws and mats, as they absorb odors,” Mock shares. “This also prevents odors from soaking into the fabrics and keeps your home odor free.”
5. Deep clean and deodorize fabrics with baking soda
A simple pantry staple will get your fabric smelling fresh.
“Baking soda is a fantastic, non-fragranced deodorizer because its alkaline properties help absorb and kill acidic odors, grease, and oils,” says Cohoon. “To tackle smelly carpets and rugs, I recommend mixing equal parts of borax and baking soda. Sprinkle the mixture liberally over the surface and let it sit for up to 30 minutes before vacuuming thoroughly. For strong smells in enclosed spaces, I suggest putting some baking soda in a vented jar and refreshing the powder every month or so.”
6. Eliminate sneaky odor sources like smelly shoes
Shoes can be a major source of odor inside your home.
“To refresh smelly shoes, I recommend sprinkling Borax generously inside them and letting the powder sit overnight to absorb the stink,” says Cohoon. “In the morning, wipe out or vacuum the Borax powder to remove the odors.”
7. Try essential oils
Essential oils are a natural way to make your home smell good.
“A few drops of an essential oil can be great as well to give some fragrance,” adds Mock. “They neutralize odors instead of covering them up, so the space smells fresh, not scented.”
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Childhood dishes can take you straight back to your seat at the family dinner table. Comfort meals that were served there are uber nostalgic. And there is one dish represents the epitome of Gen X and baby boomer childhoods: casseroles.
These one-dish wonders were loaded with flavor and baked to perfection. Pulled straight from the oven to the dinner table, casseroles filled the house with the smell of unique home-cooked recipes.
“Fancy Fast Chicken is delicious and so simple. Line up chicken breasts in a casserole dish. Dump uncooked stuffing over top the chicken breasts. Pour Cream of Mushroom (Onion or chicken works too) and incorporate it into the stuffing. Top with cheese of your choice, and fried onions if you’re inclined. Bake at 350 for 45min or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.” – Applepoisoneer
Chicken Curry Divan casserole
“My favorite is Chicken Curry Divan. A friend made it for me in college 40 years ago and it is a favorite to this day. Never disappoints. Many people have asked me for the recipe over the years. My best friends kids now that they are grown have each approached me for it.
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders cooked and cut into bite sized pieces 3 cups broccoli in bite sized pieces 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup 1 cup mayonnaise (must be Mayo) 2 tsp curry Juice of 1 lemon Shredded sharp cheddar (use the amount you like o like a nice even cover of the top) 3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers 3 tbsp melted butter In 9×13” baking pan layer chicken then broccoli.
Mix the soup, Mayo, lemon juice and curry together well, pour over chicken broccoli mixture evenly and smooth out. Sprinkle cheese over top evenly. Crush crackers fine, mix in melted butter well and sprinkle evenly over top. Cook at 375° for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and top brown. Serve with rice.” – karinchup
Chicken and Rice casserole
“This baked rice & cheese casserole has become a staple in our house! It’s great as a side dish, or I’ll add rotisserie chicken and serve it as a main dish.” – anchovypepperonitoni
Chicken & Dumplings casserole
“The secret of this is not to stir anything. That’s what makes your dumplings. When you dish it out, you have your dumplings on top. 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded; 2 cups chicken broth; 1/2 stick of butter; 2 cups Bisquick mix; 2 cups whole milk; 1 can cream of chicken soup; 1/2 medium onion, minced; 1 cup frozen peas; 3 tsp chicken Better Than Bouillon; 1/2 tsp dried sage; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp salt.
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees (2) Layer 1 – In 9×13 casserole dish, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Spread shredded chicken over butter. Sprinkle black pepper and dried sage over this layer. Do not stir. (3) Layer 2 – Sprinkle minced onions and peas over chicken (4) Layer 3 – In small bowl, mix milk and Bisquick. Slowly pour all over chicken. Do not stir. (5) Layer 4 – In medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of chicken broth, chicken bouillon, and soup. Once blended, slowly pour over the Bisquick layer. Do not stir. (6) Bake casserole for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.” – Superb_Yak7074
Chicken broccoli casserole
“I made chicken broccoli casserole last week and that’s a favorite here. This is pretty close to how I do it.” – gimmethelulz
“Tater tot casserole. My mom made this at least once a week when I was growing up, but she added a quart of green beans to make it a meal. If you brown your ground beef in a good size cast iron skillet, you only dirty up one pan to make it!” – hcynthia1234, upperwareParTAY
Breakfast casserole
“I’m making a breakfast casserole this morning for brunch later—a bag of frozen hash brown potatoes thawed, a pound of sausage sauteed with peppers and onions, a brick of cheese grated, eight eggs beaten with a bit of milk and cream and some salt and pepper. Layer in a casserole, ending with cheese. Bake around an hour at 375.” – CWrend
Hamburger pie casserole
“One of my childhood favorites. Did not add vegetables or cheese though. This was an end of the month struggle meal that everyone loved.” – DarnHeather
Shepherd’s pie casserole
“Shepherd’s pie : brown 1.5 lbs ground beef with half a chopped onion, salt and pepper, drain it and then spread into a 13×9 and stir a can of cream of mushroom soup into it. Spread a drained family size can of corn on top, use a container of prepared mashed potatoes for the top layer. Bake for a half hour at 350.” – ExplanationLucky1143
Noodle casseroles
Tuna casserole
“Love my mom’s tuna noodle casserole: 1 bag broad egg noodles, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans tuna, 1 cup frozen corn or 1 can kernel corn, 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs, 1 tbsp celery salt Cook noodles per package directions, drain, then place in a 13×9 casserole dish. Mix in cream of mushroom soup, tuna, corn, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and celery salt. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done enough for you.” – Pinkleton
Mock Stroganoff casserole
“Mock stroganoff – brown 1lb ground chuck. Mix in 8 oz sour cream and 1 can cream of mushroom. Add to 1 lb of cooked egg noodles. Season with black pepper. Extras – fresh mushrooms and/or onion cooked with the beef. Any precooked veggies of your choice, peas or broccoli work well. Splash of Worcestershire, soy sauce, or fish sauce. Garlic or onion powder. Parsley, thyme, or cilantro.” – Nathan_Saul
Cabbage noodle casserole
“I have a quick cabbage and noodles that uses bagged cole slaw. Cook a bag of noodles. Put aside. Cut up a lb of bacon and a med onion. Cook in pan until bacon is slightly fried and onions are clear. Add cabbage(without carrots) let sit 10 min or so. Add to noodles. It’s so easy.” – conjas11
Thanksgiving prep class is now in session! 🍂🧑🏫 If there’s one thing you need to nail on the big day (other than the turkey, of course), it’s Green Bean Casserole. This recipe tastes just like the one your grandmother used to make, if not even better! 😋 Continue reading or click the link in the @allrecipes bio to get the full recipe. Ingredients: 2 (15-ounce) cans cut green beans, drained 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup ¾ cup milk 1 (2.8-ounce) can French fried onions salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions: Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix green beans, condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, and 1/2 of the fried onions in a 1.5-quart casserole dish. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining onions on top and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for a few minutes before serving. 🧑🍳: Nicole #thanksgiving#greenbeancasserole#greenbeans#thanksgivingsides
“This is the best green bean casserole recipe, it does use the canned onions but you make your own cream of mushroom and it’s soooo good. I’ve made it on random weekends, it’s not just a Thanksgiving food. I don’t know much about older foods, I just really wanted to share that recipe.”
Corn casserole
“Our family Corn custard doesn’t have crackers but we double the recipe and there’s never any left over. 2 eggs, 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 flour, 2 T soft butter, 1 tsp sugar, 1 can of creamed corn, 1 can of whole corn. Mix all together and bake in a 8×8 about 45 min at 350. Gotta have that!” – Psychological_Bat890
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Photo credit:
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Wikimedia – A Thanksgiving dinner in the Great Depression was anything but depressing.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and in a year when grocery prices feel like a jump-scare every time we glance at a receipt, many are looking for ways to celebrate without blowing the budget. Luckily, this isn’t the first time Americans have had to get creative in the kitchen.
During the Great Depression, families all over the country still hosted Thanksgiving dinners, often with barely anything in the pantry. Yet what they managed to whip up wasn’t dreary or depressing. Quite the opposite. These resourceful dishes would be just as flavorful and comforting today as they were decades ago.
Here are some Depression-era dishes and tricks that still deserve a spot on a modern Thanksgiving table.
Turkey was wildly expensive in the 1930s, costing more than 10 hours’ worth of wages, per archived reports from The Beaumont Enterprise. Many families simply couldn’t justify buying one, so they reached for one of the cheapest roaster birds available: an old hen. As in, past their laying prime, or even roosters. Cooked low and slow with plenty of moisture, it becomes tender and surprisingly rich.
Given today’s smaller gatherings and tighter budgets, downsizing the bird might make sense again.
One of the most legendary Depression dishes was “mock duck.” Instead of an actual duck, spread flank steak with stuffing, roll it tight, sear it, and roast it until it tastes like something far fancier than it actually is.
It’s comfort food cosplay, and it absolutely works.
Despite the prickly name, porcupine meatballs contain no porcupine. Instead, rice is mixed directly into the meat so it sticks out like little quills. The rice also bulks up the dish so a small amount of meat could feed a crowd. It’s frugal genius.
The long-running radio program Aunt Sammy’s Homemaker’s Half Hour taught home cooks how to stretch every penny. Among their most beloved suggestions: creamed pearl onions, candied sweet potatoes, and simple vegetable dishes built from affordable staples.
These sides check every Thanksgiving box: warm, creamy, sweet, and budget-friendly.
Potatoes were one of the most affordable ingredients of the era, and potato pancakes made frequent holiday appearances. They’re crispy, filling, and perfect for scooping up gravy or topping with applesauce.
Chestnut stuffing, apple-and-raisin stuffing, and even spiced cranberry stuffing were Depression-era favorites. Sure, some recipes required extra labor—like pressing boiled chestnuts through a sieve—but the flavor payoff was worth it then and now.
Many families filled their tables with whatever grew nearby. Dandelion greens—now a fancy “superfood”—were a Depression staple. Paired with citrus, eggs, or leeks, they made a fresh, bright starter salad.
Fresh pumpkin pie was the go-to, though cooks often used whole pumpkins to avoid the cost of canned puree. And if pumpkins were scarce, families turned to Indiana’s beloved sugar cream pie, sometimes also called a “Hoosier cream pie,” which dates all the way back to the 1800s. It’s simple, silky, and made from pantry basics. What’s not to like?
One thing worth noting: perhaps the even bigger takeaway here is not the recipes themselves, but the mindset of getting back to basics and making the most out of what’s available. And maybe that’s the real inspiration for today. A Thanksgiving table doesn’t need extravagance to be satisfying…or meaningful.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
TikTok user alexxx1915 recently posted a short video with the caption: “I just learned the term ‘living room family’ and I never understood why my kids never played in their rooms when I always did as a kid.” She briefly shows her kids hanging out in the living room with their pet dog and some toys scattered around the floor, before panning to her own face and giving a sort of sentimental look. The simple, ten-second clip struck a huge nerve with parents, racking up over 25 million views and thousands of heartfelt comments.
What are ‘living room families’ and ‘bedroom families’?
This idea has been going around for a while on social media.
Simply put, a living room family is a family that congregates in the living room, or any common space in the household. Kids play in the same space where the adults relax and things are often messy, as a result. Everyone interacts with each other and spends lots of time together. Bedrooms are reserved mostly for sleeping and dressing.
A bedroom family, on the other hand, is where the kids spend more time in their rooms. They play there, watch TV, and maybe even eat meals. Typically, the main rooms of the house are kept neat and tidy. You won’t find a lot of toys scattered about, and family time spent together is more structured and planned ahead rather than casual.
A living room family is more communal
A family congregates in their living room. Canva Photos
In my household, we’re definitely a living room family. We’re around each other constantly, and the house is often a mess because of it. Learning about this term makes me feel a little better that my kids want to be around us and feel comfortable enough to get their ‘play mess’ all over the living room. The mess is a sign of the love and comfort we all share together.
There’s so much that’s great about having a family that lives out in the open, especially if you were raised feeling like you had to hide in your room.
“I thought my kids hated their rooms turns out they like me more” said another. “You broke a generational curse. Good job mama!” said yet another.
The implication of being a bedroom family, or having ‘room kids’, is that perhaps they don’t feel safe or comfortable or even allowed to take up room in the rest of the house, or to be around the adults. “I remember my brother coming round once and he just sat in silence while watching my kids play in the living room. After a while he looked at me and said ‘It’s so nice that your kids want to be around you’” one commenter said on alexxx1915’s video.
A bedroom family enjoys some alone time
A boy in his bedroom playing a guitar. Canva Photos
Being a bedroom family is by no means a bad thing. In fact, alone time is important for parents and kids alike, and everyone needs different amounts of it to thrive. Kids with certain special needs, like being on the autism spectrum, may be absolutely thrilled to spend lots of time in their rooms, for example.
But it really doesn’t have to be one or the other, and neither is necessarily better. Making your kids feel relegated to their room is, obviously, not great. It’s not a good thing if they feel like they’re not allowed to exist in and play in the rest of the house. But if they just like hanging out in their room? Nothing wrong with that at all. And same goes for parents.
In 2023, there was a similar debate on TikTok where parents sounded off on whether they were bedroom parents or living room parents. In this situation, the parents spent the majority of the time in their bedroom, while the kids were in the living room, or they spend time in the living room with their kids. According to Marissa Kile, the video’s creator, this made the parents’ bedroom feel like a “scared space” where the kids didn’t feel comfortable.
Of course, every household is different and the right answer is the one that works for them. And if you feel like living on the edge, you can always just be both.
This article originally appeared 2 years ago. It has been updated.
Even for the parents who prioritize showing up for their kids, missing a child’s event now and then might be unavoidable. But certain occasions are more painful than others when a parent can’t show up, and fatherless father-daughter dances undoubtedly fall into this category.
In June 2024, a work commitment kept Harper’s dad from attending her dance studio’s annual summer showcase, which meant the six-year-old was at risk of missing out on the father-daughter dance entirely.
An act of brotherly love
Thankfully, her brother Micah, who was 14 at the time, is the coolest brother in the world and stepped up to take her dad’s place so she wouldn’t miss out.
In a mega-viral video posted to Instagram by Harper and Micah’s mom, Patrice Thompson, we see the duo having a blast as they twirl in circles, fist bump, and end with an adorable lift for their “Barbie and Ken” themed routine.
“Core memory for the team today,” Thompson wrote in the caption. “I don’t know if he knows what an impact he’s making as her big brother, but she’ll never forget this.”
Micah didn’t just have an impact on Harper. So many people left comments sharing how impressed and moved they were by his kindness.
“In a world of boys he is a gentleman,” one person wrote, referencing a Taylor Swift lyric.
Another offered a touching truth, writing, “As a man whose dad walked away from me, this makes me so emotional. You are raising your son to be the cycle breaker. He won’t end up repeating cycles of toxic masculinity like so many of the men we see today. He will be a better man. And his little sister will grow up knowing what a real man should be like, because she has her big brother to show her.”
One comment commended Micah for stepping out of his comfort zone, saying, “Bless his sweet heart. I know how big that is for a 14 year old to put himself out there. Major props!”
“Watching him lift her up at the end got me i can’t lie i teared up ” another shared.
“As a girl who had my older brother participate in my “father-daughter” dances for drill team in high school, this made me soo emotional! this is a special moment they will remember forever,” reminisced another.
And perhaps the best (and truest) comment of them all, was this one: “Does your son know he’s a legend?”
Good Morning America sure does.
Mom is proud but not surprised
In an interview with Newsweek, Thompson shared that while she is “so proud” of her son, especially since most boys his age “would rather do anything else than perform a routine in front of their peers and during summer when he could be off with friends.” However, she is “not super surprised” by what he did. “That’s the young man he is!” she exclaimed, adding “he truly understands the meaning of being selfless.”
Here’s the family all together: Mom, Dad, Micah, Harper, and the newest addition born earlier this year, baby Christian. Hopefully the new baby boy knows he won the sibling lottery.
To all the brothers who would show up for their siblings in this way – thank you. Your generosity and compassion really do help make the world a better place, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.
Even for those who enjoy the thrill of making vacation itineraries…it’s work. And obviously when the planning has to be done for an entire family, there’s even more effort needed to be put in. Imagine going through all the rigamarole of booking flights, hotels, rental cars, restaurant reservations, entertainment venues, last minute store runs for toiletries…without getting so much as a “thank you.”
Odds are you’d be a little miffed, even if planning is your thing. This was the scenario that a mom Alexis Scott found herself in after planning a summer vacation for her husband and two teen children. Thankfully, the now-viral TikTok post venting her frustrations inspired several folks to give her some much deserved support.
In the video, Scott began, “I’m on a family vacation right now with my two teenagers and my husband. We flew in late last night. We think we got in at like 12:15 a.m. and headed to get a rental car and then got to our Airbnb. And I am frustrated.”
Scott had tried and tried to get any input from her family about what they might want to do, and each time got the same reply: “‘Whatever you want, mom. I don’t care. Okay. I don’t care.’”
“Great. Glad I’m planning this vacation for everybody to not care,” Scott lamented.
Still, she did the planning because someone had to do it. But as soon as the vacation started, all her decisions were met with complaints. From being called “cheap” for getting too small of an SUV rental car to being told “Mom is never going to be in charge of booking the Airbnb again. She can’t even this, that and the other,’” after the family found out their AirBnb was three stories with quite a few stairs.
“Then this morning, we wake up and it’s an urban setting. We live in a very quiet suburban setting and my husband’s saying how he barely slept and this and that. And I’m just like, enough!” she said.
All of this happened within the first 24 hours of the trip. It’s easy to see why Scott needed to vent.
Her video concluded with:
I have been the only one to put in all the effort in planning this trip. And I know there’s videos on mental load, but this is prime time example of me. I’m shouldering the mental load for my entire family and everybody has something to say about it. So, yeah, I’m frustrated. Please pray for me that we can all turn our attitudes around and have a great day.”
A family enjoying a vacation together. Photo Credit: Canva
The internet had her back immediately
Down in the comments, viewers could totally empathize with Scott for feeling burnt out and disappointed.
“Oh gosh the mental load of planning every detail and then knowing if something goes wrong or isn’t perfect it’s all on you. Been there,” one person shared.
Another added, “I tell my husband that I haven’t been on vacation since I was a child and he’s alway confused bc to him, ‘we’ go on vacation every year. Only other moms would understand what I mean.”
Many suggested that she do something for herself instead.
“Just Irish goodbye one morning, go to brunch alone, hit the spa or a pool and come home after dinner,” one person wrote.
“Go and do whatever you want to do!! Spa day sounds perfect and take yourself out for fabulous meals!!” echoed another.
On a positive note: this story does have a happy ending. In a follow-up video, Scott shared how she showed her family the TikTok video she made, and it did turn things around.
“We have actually had a really, really great day today,” she said. “Everyone has had positive attitudes. I’ve heard a lot of thank you’s and my kids have been buying their little side purchases with their own money and not even asking me to pay for it… but they have been really self-sufficient in that space.”
All in all, Scott recognizes that her family is “human,” and a big part of being human is apologizing when a mistake is made and moving forward.
“We love each other. This was a learning experience.”
How to make family vacation planning actually work
The thing is, when families do the travel planning together, it often ends up being a more rewarding experience for everyone. There are lots of ways to go about it, like watching movies featuring the upcoming locale, having every family member choose one activity, selecting lodging as a group, voting from a handful of selected excursions, etc.
Of course, this requires willing participation for every family member, which is what Scott (like many other moms) certainly did not have. But hopefully other moms facing this same laissez-faireness can whip up this video to inspire some gumption into their vacation companions.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.
Living abroad is a dream many people have, whether it’s spending a summer in a foreign country or packing up their entire life to make the permanent move. In fact, according to a 2025 Harris Poll, more than half of Americans believe they could have a higher quality of life abroad, and many say they’d move if they had the means. Some estimates show that an estimated 5.5 million Americans live abroad, according to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas.
But life is funny, and sometimes these expats come back to the United States for a variety of reasons like family or career, which gives them an extremely interesting perspective when they begin their re-entry.
Take American-born TikTok user Kayleigh Donahue, for example. She’s going viral on the platform because of her unflinching take on why it was a mistake for her to move back to the U.S. after spending 4 years in Ireland.
Moving to the U.S. was a step backwards
Kayleigh moved back to the Boston area from Ireland to make more money, but that didn’t go as planned.
Even though she got paid more, the cost of living was so much higher that she saved less money than she did in Ireland. She also missed the generous number of vacation days she got in Europe as compared to America.
“I have been bamboozled,” she begins in the now viral clip with over 600 thousand views.
Many people like Kayleigh move abroad, especially to European countries, for a slower way of life, better work-life balance, more opportunity for travel, or just to see something different. But America is the land of opportunity, right? For some, that promise always beckons, no matter where they go. So even though Kayleigh had an amazing life in Ireland, she wound up moving home to advance her career and make more money.
The real cost of the American Dream
“Basically, I really got sucked into the American Dream way of living when I was abroad, which is funny because I loved living abroad,” Kayleigh said. “But you know, making more money, that’s enticing. Good job, that’s enticing. It’s not true. It used to be. It definitely used to be. You could come here and make a ton of money, make a great life for yourself. But the younger generation today, in this country – screwed. It’s literally all a lie that is sold to you. It’s such a struggle, and the older generation doesn’t seem to see how much of a struggle it is for the younger generation here.”
In the end, who wants to work harder for a lower quality of life?
“Needless to say, I will most likely be moving back to Europe where 20-plus days of paid vacation a year is literally the law, and I will make less money, but somehow, you know, the cost of living is lower there and I can save more,” Kayleigh concluded the video.
The comments support Kayleigh
Viewers applauded Kayleigh for coming to the realization:
“Yep, I made the same mistake. Then I realized that people and quality of life are more important than income. Enjoy life!” one wrote.
“Get that. We moved back to US and it was horrible. We moved back to the UK. Happier now was 6 weeks off a year” said another.
“I think there are actually very few people who derive their enjoyment and self-worth from their job. Quality of life is so much more important,” another user added.
Kayleigh made good on her promise. As of January 2025, she now lives in Amsterdam with her Dutch husband, and they seem to be loving their life abroad.
A Mercer survey in 2024 put Amsterdam as the sixth best city in the world for quality of life. It’s a place with rich culture, amazing public transportation, and a reasonable cost of living to earning potential ratio.
Young Americans really aren’t asking for that much. They just want to be able to afford and enjoy their life, and they’re willing to work hard for it. America should be giving them those opportunities instead of losing more and more talented young people to other countries.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.
