Latest news with #Duckbill
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Majority of Parents Are Just ‘Getting Through the Day' Instead of Enjoying It
Fact checked by Sarah Scott Last night I attempted (rather unsuccessfully) to sleep through the sound of my son's incessant coughing from his bedroom. (Far too) soon, I woke up to a hungry baby, and one daughter who needed help getting ready for dance camp, while another wanted a ride to the gym. It was all in a matter of 10 minutes. Upon returning from the urgent gym run, I could no longer put off a growing list of doctor and dentist appointments to schedule. At the same time, emails are flooding my inbox about summer math modules, practice schedule changes, and fees for upcoming clinics. The day ahead is packed with carpools, errands, feedings, and meals to plan and prepare. All I can think is, 'Just let me get through this day.' This is why I completely relate to the sentiments in a new report from Duckbill and The Harris Poll. They surveyed American parents and found that most of us (65%) are 'just getting through the day' rather than enjoying it. Interestingly, while married parents who make more than $100,000 are slightly less burdened by the tasks of modern life, half still report that they are just doing their best to get through the day too. As a mom of six, days like the one I mentioned are not the exception. They are the rule. I rush around trying to make life happen for my family. I'm constantly pulled away from conversations and thoughts by requests to find a Lego and questions like, 'What can I do?' or 'What can I eat?' Through it all, I'm also responsible for uplifting six people with problems ranging from getting a boo-boo to getting their heart broken. It's exhausting and leaves little time to focus on myself. Not all is lost, however. Given that this study and others are finally shining a light on parents' mental load, a major benefit has emerged: We are also being encouraged to start thinking about ways to refocus our attention on joy. Here's what I try and focus on—even when it feels impossible on some days. For me, seeing how quickly my kids are growing up gives me an immense sense of appreciation for just how fleeting this time with them really is. My oldest is about to head off to college—although I swear it was only a few years ago she was a little girl dressing up in Disney princess dresses and asking for string cheese. I also have younger children, with my littlest being just 5 months old. The kids' big age gap puts a lot in perspective, and I am able to actually enjoy their challenging stages, rather than just wishing they would move on from teething, tantrums, or middle school. It'll be over way too soon, I now realize. My experience has also allowed me—at times—to resist the instinct to simply survive, and rather, be more present in the good and bad moments that inevitably characterize each day as a parent. I'll often force myself to stop worrying about what I have to do later or tomorrow, and center on what is happening right now, be it that my baby just giggled for the first time, or that my 4-year-old is upset over having to be in the car for longer than 15 minutes. Being in the moment doesn't always provide the greatest sense of joy, but it does lessen my anxiety about what's next, or what's not done yet. According to the new data, women are most likely to suffer from guilt and the overwhelming sense that even if they have a spare moment, they should be doing something else. We are also the least likely to ask for help—and even struggle with the misguided belief that our needs are not as important as those of others. But I have learned to claim one thing I love, just for me, each day: yoga. Sometimes I get 45 minutes by myself at the gym to immerse myself in a really amazing practice. Other days, I fight to complete a 15-minute YouTube class at home amidst a whining baby and A Minecraft Movie blasting on the TV, leaving my boys laughing uproariously, although they've already watched the "Steve's Lava Chicken" part 1,000 times. My advice to any parent who is struggling is to find that one thing that you love and stake your claim on it. Maybe working out is your one non-negotiable, or perhaps it's getting time to call your sister. You might be determined to blow dry your hair in the morning to feel like yourself, or get away to meet a friend for lunch. Whatever your thing is, make it happen, hopefully with the support of a partner or loved one. When it comes to challenging situations with my kids, which take place on multiple occasions throughout the day, I find it helps to just be real about how I'm feeling. I might confess to my kids that, "Mommy is overwhelmed and needs a minute." Or, I'll vent to my husband—or ask him to step in. A few close friends can totally relate, so staying connected to them is a huge boon. Finally, a mantra I have learned to live by is that it's better to be laughing than crying. Picture this: my baby is suffering from a diaper blowout at the same time my preschooler is screaming about his shirt being on backwards, while my 7-year-old is demanding to watch a show after I told him 100 times his screen time is over for the day. Sure, my inclination may be to burst into tears, but I'll do my best to find humor in the circumstance instead. Anyone else want to torture me with an outburst at this very moment? Ha! Ultimately, we should absolutely be aiming higher than just trying to survive until bedtime. The goal of finding joy amid the chaos could not be more important, both because a grumpy, frazzled parent sets a poor example for our kids, and because parents deserve to be happy, too, even if it's for 15 minutes. Read the original article on Parents
Travel Weekly
23-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Departure Lounge
2024 sales: $340 million Previous ranking: 55 Employees: 15 full-time Box 26545 Austin, TX 78755 Phone: (512)322-9399 Website $340 million5515 full-timeBox 26545Austin, TX 78755Phone: (512)322-9399 Executives OWNER/FOUNDER: Keith Waldon COMPANY FACTS * Privately held. * An international luxury host agency with advisors in 11 countries. * Works with 320 independent contractors. * 100% of sales completed by hosted advisors. * Sales: 95% leisure, 5% business. * A member of Virtuoso. DEVELOPMENTS * Added 112 advisors, including 30 new to the industry. * Added client-facing private booking portals. * 34 first-year, new-to-industry advisors (added in 2023) sold $26 million in 2024. * Expanded international footprint of advisors. LOOKING AHEAD * Continuing what it terms "careful growth." * Enhancing technology. * Offering new educational and exclusive travel products. * Forming partnerships with companies such as Duckbill, a concierge service app; adding programs to existing partnerships such as with Texas Exes, the alumni association of the University of Texas. * Booked more than $100 million in first two months in 2025, so "off to very strong start; otherwise predicting the world we live in currently is quite difficult."
Mint
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Pride Month 2025: Stories of gender identity for kids
There are many layers to Rain Must Fall. This graphic novel—a gripping ghost story—is about Rumi and an apparition called Rain. Rendered in black-and-white, this poignant book by Nandita Basu follows an important chapter in the life of a young adolescent, who accompanies their father to a small village of Shankerpur to help him convert the ancestral home into a bed-and-breakfast space. There, Rumi encounters Rain, who is unable to recall the circumstances that led him to become a ghost. Rain isn't the only one who is conflicted in this story. Before coming to Shankerpur, Rumi was disheartened by their best friend's reaction, when they disclosed about identifying as a non-binary. Their parents too can't understand how Rumi 'doesn't believe she is anything—boy or girl". At the heart of it, Rain Must Fall is a story of healing and acceptance—of the ghost and the adolescent coming to terms with their own identities. Though this is not a new book—it was published by Duckbill in October 2021—it should be on the reading list of everyone aged upwards of 9-12. Stories such as these become a pertinent entry point for both parents and kids into themes of gender diversity. It is never too early to introduce children to a more inclusive and empathetic world, and fiction makes it easier to approach such complex subjects. One can find picture books, early readers and novels for pre-teens and young adults on themes of gender identity either written by queer authors or featuring queer protagonists. Unlike books written a decade earlier, which took a tokenistic and an in-your-face approach, in recent years, the subject has been woven into a multi-layered narrative, thereby normalising gender diversity through age-appropriate language and content. Also read: A new anthology of writings from south Asia celebrates marginalised voices There are a mix of books—some new and others published in the last five years—that families, librarians and educators can refer to when it comes to talking about queer families, the genesis of Pride History Month and gender acceptance. One such example is Ritu Weds Chandni for children aged five and above, which is a story about a same-sex relationship and highlights that love transcends all boundaries. Then there is Reva and Prisha, authored and illustrated by Shals Mahajan, a queer feminist author, about alternate family structures featuring two mothers and a set of twins. This is a must-read for children, who are growing up in same-sex households and are looking for understanding and acceptance. It can also be shared with peers and educators to highlight the many kinds of families that can exist in the world. Another sensitive book on the same subject is A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O'Leary and illustrated by Qin Leng. For older kids, in addition to titles such asRain Must Fall,several recent books have featured non-binary protagonists. A 2023-book, Porcupines in my Pants and Other Craziness, is about a gender-neutral protagonist, who lives in a futuristic city on a planet called Maari. Authored by Anupama Ramanujam and published by Hachette India Children's Books, this title is meant for 8-12 year olds. The story, which sees a pre-teen being packed off by the Council of Elders for Young People on a coming-of-age journey across the heartlands, is about self-acceptance. Another book about self-discovery is Daisies in the Wild, for readers aged 13 and above, set in the midst of a rioting Darjeeling and centred around Inayat, Pema and Nidra. Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir is another pertinent story for young adults. Authored by Toronto-based Kai Cheng Thom, this surrealist novel published in India by Young Zubaan, is centred around an unnamed young transgender girl. 'She is quickly adopted into the vigilante gang of glamorous warrior femmes called the Lipstick Lacerators, whose mission is to scour the Street of violent men and avenge murdered trans women everywhere," states the publisher's note. Also read: Jane Austen's novels are both a mirror and a map for Gen Z and millennials And if it is non-fiction that you seek, then there are a host of interesting titles for kids there as well. Today, one can find books, which combine themes of body positivity and gender identity. Take, for instance, Bodies are Cool, listed by New York Times' Wirecutter in its 2022-list of 15 LGBTQ books for kids and teens recommended by queer librarians, educators and booksellers. Written and illustrated by Tyler Feder, 'it depicts a diverse array of bodies—of all shapes, sizes, races, and genders, including post-top-surgery trans bodies—paired with playful rhyming text," mentions the article. For those, who want to learn more about LGBTQ+ histories, which don't find a mention in mainstream education, there is Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Steven Salerno. 'Picture books like [these] help introduce young kids to some of those early struggles for queer rights in a way that's 'bright, cheerful, and really relatable'," states theWirecutterarticle. At a time when violence against LGBTQ+ activists and individuals is rising with greater vehemence, it becomes important to tell these stories of equality and pride to the younger generation.
