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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Parent discovers teen's hidden box of notes—here's what it revealed
In a comment shared by Reddit user u/Afraid-Objective3049, a parent described helping their teenage son clean his room when they stumbled upon a metal tin tucked beneath some old hoodies. Inside were dozens of paper scraps—cut from birthday cards, school assignments, and sticky notes. Each one held a kind word: 'love you,' 'happy birthday,' 'great job.' The post struck a chord with hundreds of readers—and for good reason. It wasn't just about what was inside the box. It was about what those saved words meant. Quietly, and without ever bringing it up, this teen had been collecting proof of love. He kept every note because they meant everything byu/Afraid-Objective3049 inMadeMeSmile The parent didn't bring up the tin with their son. But the discovery quietly changed something. They realized how much those small affirmations—birthday messages, sticky notes, and school praise—meant to him. It wasn't just nostalgia. It was a coping strategy. Their son lives with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. And in that context, even a single kind word becomes something worth holding onto. 'I'd like to think that if I'm not with him, one of those little pieces of paper might help him get through whatever he's dealing with,' the parent shared. It was a moment of clarity: what may feel small in the moment—writing 'love you' on a card or leaving a note by the door—can become something kids reach for when they're struggling silently. Sometimes, those words stay with them longer than we realize. For the teen, those notes weren't just sweet gestures. They were reminders of being seen and understood—something sometimes lost in the rush of daily life. The box became a coping tool, a private vault of validation on tough days. Many other reddit users chimed in, relating similar stories of their own saved mementos and how they carried them through hard times. Related: 'The world will never be the same': Doctor delivers powerful affirmations to newborn This kind of emotional anchoring isn't unusual. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that consistent parental warmth and encouragement are linked to greater self-esteem and emotional resilience in adolescents. Written affirmations can be especially impactful, as they provide something kids can return to—physical proof of love and belief in them, even on days they're struggling to believe in themselves. In the end, small, intentional gestures—like leaving notes or affirmations—can build bridges of trust and openness between parents and teens. The parent shared, 'I realized how important those tangible affirmations are to him. So I've made it a point over the last 15+ years to write things down in addition to telling him.' These written reminders become lasting symbols of care that speak louder than words alone, helping create a shared language of support that can carry families through the ups and downs of adolescence. The story also resonated deeply with many readers on Reddit. u/Environmental_Art591 appreciated the respect behind the gesture, noting, 'Even better because they weren't snooping, they were helping organise with permission.' Meanwhile, u/Wadarkhu found the idea heartwarming and nostalgic: 'It is so sweet, sobbing tbh, also stealing his idea. I wonder if it's weird to raid your attic for 20+ yr old school work? Lol.' Another user, u/rockytopbilly, reflected on the power of such connections, writing, 'That guy and my father would've been able to fix the whole world, I'm sure of it.' And u/Unusual-Ad4890 admired the boy's insight: 'He realized early that he wasn't going to go through life being showered with compliments and praise, so he started collecting them as mementos. Smart kid. Wish I did that.' Together, these voices show how small acts of care can leave lasting impressions—and how affirmations, both spoken and written, become treasured pieces of a family's story. Related: 18 positive affirmations for tweens—because middle school is hard
Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
‘Don't want to do it': Jason King's commitment after daughter Jordan Liberty's suicide death
Don't miss out on the headlines from Health. Followed categories will be added to My News. Jason King would give anything to have those difficult, awkward conversations with his daughter. Even the toughest talk is easier than facing the silence of her death. Mr King lost his daughter Jordan Liberty to suicide and while he would prefer to keep his grief to himself, he knows talking about it can save others. Within hours of posting on social media about his plan to make a documentary honouring Jordan, Mr King received a very special message. 'It was from a young person who saw my post just at the right time,' he told 'That person was about to go off social media, delete accounts, preparing for the end but seeing the post stopped it. 'Knowing it has already helped one person is motivating, as hard as it is for me. I really don't want to do it but the more we talk about it, the more we can make change.' Jordan Liberty died by suicide. Now her dad Jason King is making a documentary about it to help others. Mr King said there are so many things he wishes he could go back and say to 18-year-old Jordan. 'I would say I love you, I miss you every day. I'm doing this for you. I'm making this film because your life mattered,' he said. 'I want others to feel the love you couldn't always feel for yourself. You couldn't stay but your story can still help others.' He wishes he could say 'tomorrow will be better' but he knows Jordan must have had many of those better tomorrows, just not enough to keep her alive. The documentary will explore Jordan's journal notes, her friendships, her trials and triumphs. 'The doco is inspired by a desire to find out more about who she was, unpack what happened to her and really focus on how we can find joy and hope in the aftermath of something like this,' said her grieving dad who has learnt to be kind to himself. Jordan was 18. Jordan's dad's documentary will focus on 'who she was'. 'That has meant being sober for the last 18 months,' he said. 'Like so many Australians, especially blokes, I self-medicated in unhealthy ways to try to get through hard times. This increased as I grieved Jordan, and I realised that if I was going to honour her life, make it count, I needed to get real about howI was turning up in my own life. 'The difference has been profound. By being more present and having a better relationship with myself, it has improved all my other relationships, including with my two other children now aged 12 and 15, and the one I now have with Jordan's memory and how I deal with the ongoing grief. It's made the difficult talks I still have to have so much easier.' New research by News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank found two thirds of 18- to 30-year-olds say they would find it hard to tell their parents or older close family members that they are struggling with mental wellbeing. For that age group, parents are the number one relationship that they wish they could talk to more, with almost half saying so. Half of all parents of 16- to 30-year-olds said they would find it hard to tell their children they were having challenges or struggling with mental wellbeing. Jason King is making a documentary to help other parents and vulnerable young people. Picture: Adam Edwards He will make sure Jordan's death was not in vain. Mr King says for people living in regional Australia, the problems seem to be amplified. 'Being in a remote area or small town when we lose someone, particularly a young person, it can impact the whole community,' he said. Mr King wants other parents and young people to know it's never too late. He will make sure Jordan's death is not in vain. To support the Jordan Liberty Project visit Originally published as 'Don't want to do it': Jason King's commitment after daughter Jordan Liberty's suicide death
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman Celebrates 10 Years of Sobriety After Using with Her Mother as a Teen. 'I Didn't Realize I Had a Problem' (Exclusive)
Darra Sargent opens up to PEOPLE about experiencing addiction at a young age The mom grew up with parents who frequently used drugs, complicating her teenage years Now 10 years sober, Sargent shares the moving message she would tell her younger selfOne woman is proudly celebrating 10 years of sobriety. In a video posted to TikTok and Instagram, Darra Sargent shared a clip reflecting on her decade of sobriety. The post showcased her over the past 10 years, sharing colorful shots from her life. Though she'd used for years with her mother, she quit when she was five days pregnant with her first child. 'My mom and my dad fell victim to the opioid epidemic when I was in 1st grade … Before that they always partied my entire life,' Sargent tells PEOPLE exclusively. 'They were huge hippies and had a big social life, but nothing too crazy. My dad was a drummer in a lot of local bands so I grew up around the scene. Once they fell victim to the opioid epidemic, my life started to go downhill.' As a kid, she remembers losing her home and needing to stay with various family members as her parents struggled with their addiction. When she was just 13, her father suffered a seizure and ultimately died of MRSA. 'That was when my mom really went off the deep end,' Sargent recounts. 'They were together from 16 years old and she didn't know how to do life without him after being together for almost 30 years. My mom started using harder drugs more frequently and truly didn't know how to be a parent due to her mental health struggles and grief.' Sargent went through a variety of living situations and says she was 'on my own for about a year-and-a-half,' living with various friends' families. When she eventually moved back in with her mother, 'she was already partying with my brother, who was a year younger than me,' she says. 'Once I started experimenting with partying in high school, my friends would always come to my house since there wasn't any parental supervision, and she started asking to join in or asking us to give her things,' Sargent continues. 'She was so deep in her own mental health struggles that she didn't even realize how unhealthy that was.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'She started putting weed and cigarettes in our stockings on Christmas, drinking and partying with us regularly, and just acting like one of the kids," she continues. "It was a normal event to just hang out and drink, smoke, take pills, whatever together.' Sargent decided to get sober on New Year's Day 10 years ago. She says she was up partying and using drugs with her mother the night before, but decided that day she would get sober — a move she still calls 'divine intervention.' 'I was one of those people that didn't really think I had a problem,' she admits. 'My mom was the benchmark for a problem. I thought, 'Oh I have a decent job, I can afford what I need, I'm not letting this take over my life .. I'm just a young adult having fun.' I was only 21 when i decided to get sober.' She recalls a brief period when she had a move back in with her mother — when the two of them shared a room just big enough for a twin-sized bed — as the moment that she 'felt like my biggest fear was coming true before my eyes." 'I was becoming just like my mom. Even though I thought I was just a young adult having normal young adult experiences, I didn't want to go down that slippery slope,' she shares. 'So something in me made me get sober. I found out I was pregnant a month-and-a-half later and I was five days pregnant when I made that choice.' Sobriety hasn't been an easy path, she admits. Going sober at 21, Sargent says many of her friends at that age were partying and going out frequently, but she found art to be a soothing and grounding outlet for herself, coupled with the support from her partner and therapy. 'Following my dreams gave me a goal post, something to work towards and something to look forward to. Now 10 years later art is still a driving factor but I have an amazing support system in my partner and my children,' she shares, noting that she even started sharing her art on Instagram 'not long' after she went sober. Sargent's art is colorful, with most pieces including a rainbow of some sort — a move she says has become her 'signature style.' 'I think that's my way of signifying the rainbow after the storm. I live in the rainbows now,' she says. 'Color is truly one of my biggest passions in life, and I try to collect as many rainbow things as I can! Life is just happier when you're surrounded by color. Color is the way I communicate with the world, and most of the time I have so much to say it has to be a full rainbow spectrum.' As Sargent continued her sobriety journey, she says her mother continued to use until her death in 2016. When she'd initially told her mother that she was going to get clean, her mom asked Sargent if she thought she was 'better' than her. 'She was so deep in her own issues that she just couldn't be happy for me,' Sargent says. 'We had had a rocky life together up until that point already.' 'I reconnected with her in the summer of 2014 when she called and told me she had lung cancer. She was only back in my life for about a year-and-a-half when I decided to get sober,' Sargent continues. 'It was tricky navigating sobriety, while being a caretaker for my dying mother. Our relationship had its challenges, I was still incredibly angry at her, but I had to put that to the side because she needed me.' Now that a decade has passed, Sargent can look back with empathy on the young girl who got into drugs. 'I would tell that girl that's not who she is and she doesn't need to be the person her mom raised her to be,' she says. 'I'd tell her she deserves love, peace and happiness. She deserves to find out who she is, not who she's told she is.' 'Figuring yourself out takes time. We all make mistakes, every person learns and grows," she continues. "It's okay to change and to grow. That's what makes us human. We can go through life with shame about who we used to be, or we can be proud of how far we've come.' If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Read the original article on People
Times
3 hours ago
- General
- Times
We're not vague when it comes to Dutch capitals
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GSM Arena
3 hours ago
- General
- GSM Arena
PSA: If you have been having issues on GSMArena.com lately, check your ad blocker
TL;DR: If something on our site looks broken, try disabling your ad blocker and refresh the page. We've recently become aware that some ad blockers are interfering with some of the visualizations and widgets on our site. We tracked the root of the issue to a recent change in one of the most popular ad block lists – we contacted the list maintainer and the problem was quickly resolved. But the fix takes a bit to reach everyone, which is why the issue persisted as long as it did. Anyway, everything should work fine now. Lastly, if you'd like to support us, consider whitelisting our site in your ad blocker altogether. Ads help us stay independent - none of our reviews are sponsored - and they fund all the content you enjoy here. Thanks for being part of our community!
