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Selena Gomez's initial encounter with Jennifer Aniston led to a surprising reaction — she fled. However, little did Selena realize that Jennifer would later become a guiding light during her darkest times, imparting a crucial lesson on self-love.
No one said parenting is easy, but thanks to social media many moms and dads can share stories that make them feel less alone. Of course, when you take anything online, you need to weigh the good with the bad, which one mom was reminded of when she posted about a creative solution to her daughter not cleaning her room.While some people applauded her and said they might copy her tactics, others were against it. And one person even reported her to social services.Enough Is EnoughAlice Velasquez was done telling her teen daughter Tahlia to clean her room. No matter how many times she asked her to pick her things up, there was garbage, dirty clothes, clean clothes, and sporting equipment everywhere. Words weren’t working, so she finally came up with another solution.Velasquez put every single one of her daughter’s belongings from the floor into garbage bags. She didn’t sort anything, and she didn’t throw anything out. What was on the floor went into those bags exactly as it was. Then, she told Tahlia she could buy the bags back one at a time for $25.The twist was that the only way Tahlia could earn money was to do chores around the house.“So $25 could buy a bag of dirty clothes, it could buy a bag of trash, or it could buy soccer gear. #MayTheOddsBeEverInYourFavor,” Velasquez wrote in a since-deleted post, as per Stuff.Unexpected BacklashSome praised the mom for her unique solution. Others thought she was being too extreme. The post was shared thousands of times, and as more people weighed in, Velasquez eventually offered an update.“I guess the downside of posting my parenting choices and having it go 'viral' is all the haters... I do not know when I last received such hateful messages!!” she wrote.Velasquez revealed that one person had even called social services over the post, despite the fact that they didn’t actually know her or her family. She added that this was her taking an active role in parenting and that she was raising her kids to have respect, chores, and responsibility. They are also loved, well cared for, and involved with school, church, and family activities.“When I asked her (repeatedly) to clean her room, I expect to be respected in my request,” the mom continued. “If her teacher or boss asks her to complete a task and she refuses, there will be consequences. That is life, and that is how we all contribute to society.”A Successful ExperimentDespite the negative backlash, Velasquez stood behind her actions and revealed they worked really well for her family. Not only did her daughter work to earn her things back, but her siblings also pitched in and volunteered for extra chores to help her get her belongings even faster.The mom said that people could judge her but she is personally very proud of her kids. “Not only was this a lesson for my oldest daughter, but a great family building exercise, too,” she wrote.“[We look for a] creative solution that can later be looked back at and laughed at by all parties, but yet instills lessons that will stay with both parties and hopefully be a memory, learning opportunity, and bonding experience all rolled into one,” she continued.“I stood by it when I posted it, and I stand even taller by it now that I have seen the results in my children.”We’re All Just Doing Our BestThere’s a reason they say parenting takes a village. There are many rewards to being a parent, but it can also be challenging. Many parents question whether their decisions are the right ones, and look to others for advice when they’re out of answers. These days, many people also ask for help online.That’s why it’s important to not judge other parents and to try and be supportive. If you come across something that is truly concerning it should always be reported, however parenting choices that are meant to teach life lessons in a positive way should be applauded.After all, as parents, we’re all just doing our best to raise decent humans. And we could all use a little help along the way.More from Goalcast:Mom Faces Backlash for Making Daughter Sign a Lease and Pay Rent to Live at Home – She Has the Best ResponseMom Learns Her Entitled Son Bullies Classmates for Shopping at Goodwill – Gets Taught a Harsh LessonSingle Mom Expects 6-Year-Old Son to Do Household Chores – The Reason Why Is a Lesson for All Parents
Florida mom Haley Hassell noticed that her 6-year-old daughter, Presleigh, was nervous since starting first grade. So as good moms do, she tried to make her feel better and thought she had the perfect remedy.Daughter Throws Mom’s Gift in the TrashPresleigh was asking for a LOL-brand pencil box, like the one other kids had in her class, so Haley decided to pick one up when she was out shopping for school supplies. Finally, after three stores she bought one as a surprise.But she didn't get the reaction she expected."Presleigh learned a tough love lesson today," the mom wrote in a 2019 Facebook post. "I went to 3 different stores to get that LOL pencil box you see in the trash there. When I surprised her with it this afternoon (just knowing she would be ecstatic) she stared at it and threw it in the trash and slammed the bedroom door. She yelled 'that’s stupid, everyone in my class has that..I don’t want it anymore!' ..WHHHHAT STOP COME AGAIN?"Transforming Anger Into a Valuable LessonHaley was shocked by her daughters response. "So by this time there was probably smoke coming out of my ears and I’m trying real hard not to completely lose it on this kid that I have worked so hard to completely take care of financially on my own & make sure she always gets what she needs and then some," she wrote. "BUT I thought I had always taught her to be grateful & know how lucky she was but apparently sis needed a small wake up call!!"So, Haley got creative."SO before completely going Madea mad on my child I check myself and say, 'Okay that’s fine, let me go get the one you’re going to use'...came back with her new pencil box, which is the Ziploc bag."As to be expected, the 6-year-old didn't like the Ziploc pencil box very much."She lost her mind! Suddenly the LOL Box she just trashed was good enough and the Ziploc bag was horrible...but it’s too late for all that." Instead of caving into her daughter's disappointment, the mom transformed the dramatic situation into a learning lesson about helping others."I told her to get the LOL out of the trash and we would be finding a child to give it to tomorrow..one whose mommy and daddies don’t have money for any school supplies or someone who may not even have a mommy or daddy," Haley wrote. "I explained to her she’s not entitled to anything special and she is taking for granted how lucky she is... So for now she will be using a Ziploc bag & will personally be delivering the nice box to a child that could benefit from it."Haley concluded the post with a valuable lesson about gratitude."Maybe I overreact sometimes but I would’ve done anything to have all the things she does as a child. I truly believe changing your perception & just being grateful can turn around any situation in life."Teaching the Importance of GratitudeThe mom's post has since earned more than 135,000 reactions and she was interviewed on Good Morning America. She got a lot of positive feedback, but also faced some criticism. "I got personal messages in my inbox saying that I was a monster mother ... they were saying I was a bad parent and bad parents raise bad children," she told GMA. "I was just on a rant when I wrote it. I didn't think people were going to share it. People were saying I was publicly shaming my daughter, which I don't really agree with."The pencil case story has a happy ending. Presleigh ended up mailing it to a 5-year-old girl in Utah as well as some other school supplies."Presleigh thought that was really cool. She understood once we were shopping for other children," Haley said, adding that it gave Presleigh "perspective.""Having a positive outlook can make or break you in life -- I want her to know that," she added. "Nothing is going to be easy, but when something is given to you, you've got to be grateful."It’s Always Good to Be GratefulMoney doesn't grow on trees. So it was understandable that this mom was upset when her daughter didn't want the gift she worked so hard to get. But instead of getting angry, as many of us would be, this mom did something far more constructive. She punished her daughter while at the same time showing her the importance of both giving and gratitude. And those are lessons we all need to be reminded of at any age.More from Goalcast:Two 11-Year-Olds Are Caught in the Act – “Lawnmower Man” Gifts Them New Equipment to Start a BusinessBullied Boy Loses Hope After a Priceless Gift From His Grandmother Is Stolen – But His Best Friends Feel OtherwiseAlways be grateful for the little things “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette
There are all kinds of reasons why parenting is hard. But each day, you do the best you can and hope your kids go out into the world and practice the same values you’ve tried to instill in them. So imagine the shock of learning your kid is the bully. That was the scenario for one Utah couple when they learned their fourth-grader was making fun of another student for the way she dressed.Learning the Hard TruthKaylee Lindstrom is a self-proclaimed fashionista. The 10-year-old takes great care in selecting her outfits and wears them pridefully to school. But then, one day, her father and her stepmother, Ally, learned that Kaylee wasn’t being kind to other kids for the way they were dressing. In fact, she had been making fun of one little girl and bullying her for weeks over her clothes.According to teachers, Kaylee was calling her classmate a “slob” and “sleaze.” Eventually, the little girl didn’t even want to go to school anymore.“We were just shocked. She said you’re ugly, you dress sleazy, you’re mean,” Ally recounted to ABC News. “She needed to know how inappropriately [she was] behaving.”The parents knew they had to teach their daughter a valuable lesson. “Someone not wanting to go to school anymore based off of something that one other little person said to them. I mean, that's huge, that's damaging,” she added to a Fox News outlet.A Surprise Shopping TripAlly put Kaylee in the car, and they went to a thrift store. There, Ally told her stepdaughter to find the ugliest dresses she could. At first, Kaylee thought it was funny and picked the most hideous things she could find. Ally had her put them in the cart. Then she surprised Kaylee by making her wear those same dresses to school.For two days, kids teased Kaylee and made fun of her. She quickly realized how the other little girl must have felt every time she had done the same thing.“We really think if [she] felt how this little girl feels, [she] might have a little empathy for her,” Ally explained to the ABC publication.When the news outlet asked how she felt being made fun of in those clothes, Kaylee didn’t hold back. “Terrible,” she said. “Like, why would they do that to me, I’m still a normal person, it doesn’t matter what I wear.”Learning an Important LessonKaylee apologized to her classmate for the awful way she had treated her. They made up, and eventually, they even became best friends. While Ally and her husband admit they’ve received some criticism for the way they handled the situation, they stand by it.“For us, we really felt like it was the best idea and the best solution to help Kaylee be the best person she could be,” her dad told the outlet.“She learned exactly what we wanted her to learn, and we couldn’t be happier,” added Ally.These days, Kaylee also has a new stance on bullying. When the Fox outlet asked her why it’s not okay to bully people, she replied, “Because it's stupid and it's mean. It hurts them.”“If she chooses to be a bully after this, then at some point in her life, she’s going to be on the other side, and she'll know what it really feels like,” Ally added to that publication. “And I think now that she knows what it feels like, she doesn't want to be that person anymore because she knows how hurtful it is.”Practicing Empathy at Any AgeIt was hard for Ally to watch her daughter go to school in those dresses, but she truly believed it was for the greater good. After all, she was trying to teach her daughter empathy and to understand that her words have an effect on other people.Some parenting experts may agree, while others may say there are better ways to teach empathy, like making your kid volunteer at a homeless shelter or with underprivileged kids. No matter where you stand on Ally’s tactics, we can all agree that this story highlights the importance of empathy.No matter what age you are, practicing empathy helps us understand how others are feeling so we can respond to a situation appropriately. If you feel like you need more empathy in your life, focus on becoming more curious about those around you. Find similarities with others and listen, but also share and practice putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Not only does increased empathy help us to become better people, but we may also foster more positive relationships as a result.More from Goalcast:Racist Man Refuses to Apologize for His Daughter’s Bullying – Until the Victim’s Father Gets the Last LaughMom Learns Her Son Has Been Bullying His Classmate – What She Does Next Shocks the InternetTeen Finds Out His Classmates Are Bullying His Best Friend for His Old Shoes – So He Saves Up $135 and Does This
