You need to see these adorable photos of gay dads with their kids.

    
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Brian Rosenberg, who is HIV-positive, spent most of his adult life thinking becoming a dad was simply out of the question.

"At that point, it was all about how much time do we have together?" Rosenberg, a gay man, recalls discussing with his partner, Ferd van Gameren.

But as treatment and outcomes for other HIV-positive folks like him improved, the couple's mindset changed. "We started to feel like life had to be about more than just the two of us."

After a turbulent, emotional ride with an adoption that fell through at the last minute and attempts at surrogacy, Rosenberg and van Gameren finally became fathers when they adopted a newborn baby boy named Levi.

"We went into a few stores like, 'We’re having a baby. We’re getting it tomorrow. We have nothing. What do we need?'" he says.

They found that pretty much everything baby-related was marketed toward moms. Most of the advice online was, again, geared toward moms. There was barely any support out there for dads, let alone gay dads.

Eventually, the two got a hold of the whole parenting thing and decided they'd try to make a difference. They started an online community called, fittingly, Gays With Kids.

Gays With Kids shares stories, photos, and support for a hugely neglected but growing audience: gay dads.

All photos via Gays With Kids, used with permission.

The photos are absolutely adorable — diverse, happy, double-dad families from all around the world.

But there's an important mission behind the "aww"-inducing pics.

Rosenberg says the mission is two-fold: one, to help gay men learn about how they can become dads (it's not always easy) and two, to see what life is like for other gay men once their dream comes true.

A lot of gay men in their 40s and 50s never would have imagined becoming a parent was possible.

The good news is, Rosenberg says, the younger generation is thinking about kids more and more — a fact that keeps him motivated every day.

While he wants to normalize gay parenthood, Rosenberg is very clear: "To me there was never a need to prove that it's OK to be gay and become a dad."

"Of course it's OK," he says.

Knocking down major stereotypes isn't something he concerns himself with much.

He just wants people — straight and gay alike — to know that two men who love each other coming together to raise a child is a beautiful thing.

And he's right! I mean, have you seen the photos so far?

The response has been huge: Gays With Kids has over 50,000 followers on Instagram and brings in thousands of letters, stories, and messages of support every day.

Rosenberg says his favorite letters are actually from moms of gay sons.

"They said 'thank you' because we helped show them what their sons' lives might look like one day," he says.

He's also inspired when he hears from gay men overseas, some of whom aren't "allowed" to even be gay at all.

These might just look like cute photos to some of us, but for gay men in certain countries, it's impossible to overestimate how hopeful they may make them feel.

As for Rosenberg and van Gameren, they're now proud parents to three gorgeous children. It's a dream come true for both of them.

A dream they almost didn't let themselves believe in.

[rebelmouse-image 19528458 dam="1" original_size="933x1165" caption="Photo courtesy of Manny Lopez and Tatiana Teo Photography via Gays With Kids." expand=1]Photo courtesy of Manny Lopez and Tatiana Teo Photography via Gays With Kids.

Sharing their story, and the stories of other men like them, has become a true labor of love.

The effect Gays With Kids is having goes far beyond its number of Instagram followers.

It's giving hope, pride, and proof that anything is possible to a whole new generation of gay men.

Connections Academy

Parenting

Finding hope, healing and help to support youth mental health

Connections Academy

Wylee Mitchell is a senior at Nevada Connections Academy who started a t-shirt company to raise awareness for mental health.

True

Teens of today live in a totally different world than the one their parents grew up in. Not only do young people have access to technologies that previous generations barely dreamed of, but they're also constantly bombarded with information from the news and media.

Today’s youth are also living through a pandemic that has created an extra layer of difficulty to an already challenging age—and it has taken a toll on their mental health.

According to Mental Health America, nearly 14% of youths ages 12 to 17 experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. In a September 2020 survey of high schoolers by Active Minds, nearly 75% of respondents reported an increase in stress, anxiety, sadness and isolation during the first six months of the pandemic. And in a Pearson and Connections Academy survey of US parents, 66% said their child felt anxious or depressed during the pandemic.

However, the pandemic has only exacerbated youth mental health issues that were already happening before COVID-19.

“Many people associate our current mental health crisis with the pandemic,” says Morgan Champion, the head of counseling services for Connections Academy Schools. “In fact, the youth mental health crisis was alarming and on the rise before the pandemic. Today, the alarm continues.”

Mental Health America reports that most people who take the organization’s online mental health screening test are under 18. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 50% of cases of mental illness begin by age 14, and the tendency to develop depression and bipolar disorder nearly doubles from age 13 to age 18.

Such statistics demand attention and action, which is why experts say destigmatizing mental health and talking about it is so important.

“Today we see more people talking about mental health openly—in a way that is more akin to physical health,” says Champion. She adds that mental health support for young people is being more widely promoted, and kids and teens have greater access to resources, from their school counselors to support organizations.

Parents are encouraging this support too. More than two-thirds of American parents believe children should be introduced to wellness and mental health awareness in primary or middle school, according to a new Global Learner Survey from Pearson. Since early intervention is key to helping young people manage their mental health, these changes are positive developments.

In addition, more and more people in the public eye are sharing their personal mental health experiences as well, which can help inspire young people to open up and seek out the help they need.

“Many celebrities and influencers have come forward with their mental health stories, which can normalize the conversation, and is helpful for younger generations to understand that they are not alone,” says Champion.

That’s one reason Connections Academy is hosting a series of virtual Emotional Fitness talks with Olympic athletes who are alums of the virtual school during Mental Health Awareness Month. These talks are free, open to the public and include relatable topics such as success and failure, leadership, empowerment and authenticity. For instance, on May 18, Olympic women’s ice hockey player Lyndsey Fry will speak on finding your own style of confidence, and on May 25, Olympic figure skater Karen Chen will share advice for keeping calm under pressure.

Family support plays a huge role as well. While the pandemic has been challenging in and of itself, it has actually helped families identify mental health struggles as they’ve spent more time together.

“Parents gained greater insight into their child’s behavior and moods, how they interact with peers and teachers,” says Champion. “For many parents this was eye-opening and revealed the need to focus on mental health.”

It’s not always easy to tell if a teen is dealing with normal emotional ups and downs or if they need extra help, but there are some warning signs caregivers can watch for.

“Being attuned to your child’s mood, affect, school performance, and relationships with friends or significant others can help you gauge whether you are dealing with teenage normalcy or something bigger,” Champion says. Depending on a child’s age, parents should be looking for the following signs, which may be co-occurring:

Perpetual depressed mood
Rocky friend relationships
Spending a lot of time alone and refusing to participate in daily activities
Too much or not enough sleep
Not eating a regular diet
Intense fear or anxiety
Drug or alcohol use
Suicidal ideation (talking about being a burden or giving away possessions) or plans

“You know your child best. If you are unsure if your child is having a rough time or if there is something more serious going on, it is best to reach out to a counselor or doctor to be sure,” says Champion. “Always err on the side of caution.”

If it appears a student does need help, what next? Talking to a school counselor can be a good first step, since they are easily accessible and free to visit.

“Just getting students to talk about their struggles with a trusted adult is huge,” says Champion. “When I meet with students and/or their families, I work with them to help identify the issues they are facing. I listen and recommend next steps, such as referring families to mental health resources in their local areas.”

Just as parents would take their child to a doctor for a sprained ankle, they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help if a child is struggling mentally or emotionally. Parents also need to realize that they may not be able to help them on their own, no matter how much love and support they have to offer.

“That is a hard concept to accept when parents can feel solely responsible for their child’s welfare and well-being,” says Champion. “The adage still stands—it takes a village to raise a child. Be sure you are surrounding yourself and your child with a great support system to help tackle life’s many challenges.”

That village can include everyone from close family to local community members to public figures. Helping young people learn to manage their mental health is a gift we can all contribute to, one that will serve them for a lifetime.

Join athletes, Connections Academy and Upworthy for candid discussions on mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn more and find resources here.

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Dad's TikTok for son showing what his 80s childhood was like is total Gen X nostalgia

@shadyraro/TikTok

TikTok about '80s childhood is a total Gen X flashback.

As a Gen X parent, it's weird to try to describe my childhood to my kids. We're the generation that didn't grow up with the internet or cell phones, yet are raising kids who have never known a world without them. That difference alone is enough to make our 1980s childhoods feel like a completely different planet, but there are other differences too that often get overlooked.

How do you explain the transition from the brown and orange aesthetic of the '70s to the dusty rose and forest green carpeting of the '80s if you didn't experience it? When I tell my kids there were smoking sections in restaurants and airplanes and ashtrays everywhere, they look horrified (and rightfully so—what were we thinking?!). The fact that we went places with our friends with no quick way to get ahold of our parents? Unbelievable.

One day I described the process of listening to the radio, waiting for my favorite song to come on so I could record it on my tape recorder, and how mad I would get when the deejay talked through the intro of the song until the lyrics started. My Spotify-spoiled kids didn't even understand half of the words I said.

And '80s hair? With the feathered bangs and the terrible perms and the crunchy hair spray? What, why and how?

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Pets

Ginger the dog reunited with family 5 years after being stolen

Ginger's family never gave up hope, and it payed off.

City of Beloit PD/Humane Society of Southern Wisconsin/Facebook

Ginger the dog was missing for five years before being reunited with her family.

A sweet pup is finally home with her family where she belongs after way too many years away.

Ginger the dog was stolen from her family back in 2017. Her owner, Barney Lattimore of Janesville, Wisconsin, never gave up the hope that his sweet girl was out there somewhere. Whenever he'd see a dog listed on a rescue website or humane society website that even remotely resembled his Ginger, he would inquire about the dog. Unfortunately, it was never her. You'd think that after a while he would stop, but if he had, he likely wouldn't have gotten the sweetest reunion.