This classic Matt Damon SNL skit is so real, we feel attacked
Christmas is a magical time, but making all that magic happen isn’t exactly a walk in the park for parents. At some point after you’ve dressed your (unwilling) kids in holiday outfits for photos but before you fake-smile about the one and only gift you received (surprise! It’s a robe), parents have a jam-packed day of fun… starting at around 5:41 a.m.
In this classic “Best Christmas Ever” SNL skit, guest host Matt Damon and Cecily Strong play parents reminiscing about how truly awesome their day was—and giving some behind-the-scenes peeks into what spreading yuletide cheer really looks like for moms and dads.
There’s the child-present-attacking ritual long before the coffee hits, a flashback to Dad struggling to assemble a giant playhouse in the wee hours of the night, and kids fighting and shouting over their newfound spoils.
But that doesn’t even come close to the madness of hosting the family. Relatives who complain upon arrival? Check! Those who can’t stop spouting off about their political views? Check! So just how does one cope with so much delight? Mom claims, “I guess I was just full of Christmas cheer!” when shots clearly show she was fueling up with something else: wine and the occasional hidden cigarette.
Hands up if you can relate! A dad of four himself, Damon is probably no stranger to the joys of putting together impossible-to-assemble toys on Christmas Eve and being awakened before the sun rises to the screams of over-excited kids on Christmas morning.
Here’s to all the exhausted moms and dads making this Christmas the best Christmas ever, too.
Both Aldi’s beer and wine advent calendars will have the same price as last year
Is it October? Yes. Are we dreaming of Aldi’s wine and cheese advent calendars? Also yes.
The retailer has dropped the 2023 advent calendar collection, and there is definitely something for everyone this year. From global wines and the new Irish Cream Countdown, cozy home decor advent calendars, and pet treats, you’ll want to head to your nearest Aldi on Nov. 1 when the calendars all hit shelves.
Aldi Advent Calendars for Those with a Sophisticated Palate:
Aldi has plenty of holiday cheer to share this year. The Holiday Magic Wine Advent Calendar, in particular, has 24 unique labels and 16 wine varieties from eight countries of origin. Each label has a scannable QR code to learn more about the wine and to explore the region, varietal, and culture of the country.
Other calendars include:
Barissimo Coffee Advent Calendar ($14)
Beer Advent Calendar ($50; in select markets)
Emporium Selection Cheese Advent Calendar ($17)
This must-have calendar is packed with European Cheeses like Dutch Goudas, Red Leicester, and Double Gloucester.
Bay Island Hot Sauce Advent Calendar ($15)
Wicked Grove 12 Days of Cider ($20)
12 Day of Irish Cream Calendar ($30)
Holiday Magic 5 Days of Sweet Red Wine ($20)
Holiday Magic 5 Dayd of Dry Red Wine ($20)
Moser Roth Luxury Chocolate Advent Calendar ($16)
There's even an advent calendar for your pets! The Pure Being Dog Advent Calendar is just $8, and the Pure Being 12 Days of Cat Treats is just $6.
Aldi Advent Calendars for Some Much-Needed Self-Care:
When it comes to self-care this crazy holiday season, Aldi has your back. Choose from seasonal candle calendars and even fun puzzle advent calendars that'll give you a chance to relax.
Huntington Home Advent Calendar ($40)
Merry Moments Advent Calendar Garland ($13)
Mini Puzzle Advent Calendar ($10)
Advent Calendars for Kids:
Aldi's advent calendars for 2023 also offer several fun kids' advent calendars. Cool collectibles and chocolate await with this year's lineup.
Nickelodeon Paw Patrol Advent Calendar ($25)
Pokeman/Cocomelon Advent Calendar ($30)
Compound Kings Slime Advent Calendar ($17)
Moose Toys Bluey Advent Calendar ($20)
Zuri Mini Brands Advent Calendar ($30)
Choceur Kids Advent Calendar ($1.50)
As always, supplies are limited, and calendars are expected to sell out fast. Head to your local Aldi on November 1 to commence with the merry-making!
Find out everything from how old you have to be to have a YouTube Channel to how to create a YouTube channel and why screen time limits are still important
Does your kid obsess over YouTube gamers and videos like they’re the only thing on a screen worth watching? It’s only a matter of time before they want to know how to create a YouTube channel themselves. But what does that mean, exactly? More importantly, is it OK? The answer, says Common Sense Media, is mostly yes—as long as parents keep a watchful eye over their kids’ online endeavors and follow a few basic guidelines to help safeguard their kids’ privacy. Here’s everything you need to know about how to create a YouTube channel for kids.
Why the Obsession with YouTube?
It may seem foreign to parents, but making a YouTube video isn’t all that much different from wanting to stage a talent show for friends and family; it’s just the audience that’s bigger.
“Even though you may have concerns about the risks of broadcasting on the web—and they are legitimate,” says this article from Common Sense Media, “your kid may see it as a way of expressing herself, learning digital video skills, sharing with friends and experimenting creatively. It’s important to balance your concerns with the benefits she can reap.”
“With your guidance and support, she can do it safely, and it might be a fun project that may be useful down the road. In fact, more and more kids are using their online channels—whether it’s a Tumblr blog, an Instagram photo collection, or a Snapchat story—as digital portfolios to showcase their work to employers, colleges, and potential collaborators.”
At What Age Can You Start a YouTube Channel?
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Officially, YouTube forbids children under the age of 13 from creating their own accounts, and children between ages 13 and 17 are only allowed to open accounts with parental permission. Of course, these rules don't say anything about parents opening an account for their child; this is allowed. Ryan, the eight-year-old star of Ryan's World, is one of YouTube's biggest stars, with over 24 million subscribers tuning in to watch him play and review toys, do science experiments, and more. It's no paltry gig—Ryan earned a reported $24 million in 2019, which includes revenue from not only his YouTube Channel but also his line of toys that can be found at big box stores everywhere.
"Ryan was watching a lot of toy review channels—some of his favorites are TheTubeFamily and Hulyan Maya—because they used to make a lot of videos about Thomas the Tank Engine, and Ryan was super into Thomas,” his mother said in an interview with TubeFilter. "One day, he asked me, 'How come I’m not on YouTube when all the other kids are?’ So we just decided—yeah, we can do that. Then, we took him to the store to get his very first toy—I think it was a LEGO train set—and it all started from there.”
How to Make a YouTube Channel for Kids
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1. Create a Gmail account for your child if they are under 13 years old. This will give them a YouTube account but not a YouTube channel.
2. Create a YouTube Channel by clicking "Select My Channel" on the sidebar on the left of the YouTube homepage. This is where users can select the name to be associated with their YouTube channel. For kids, do not use their real/whole names since these names will be broadcast to anyone watching the videos.
3. Set the privacy settings so that everything is private or unlisted. Private means that only those you invite to view the channel can watch the videos; unlisted means only those with the particular video links can see them. Also, turn off comments so your kid won't have to read unkind or inappropriate remarks from other users. Note: These privacy settings mean that only friends and family can view your child's page, which is great when it comes to keeping them safe; not so great if they're trying to build a following.
For more details on creating a YouTube channel, click here. For points to consider before doing it, click here.
Tips for Keeping Kids Safe Online
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Edit for Privacy Purposes Since putting up videos on YouTube essentially allows anyone (depending on your channel's privacy settings) to see and hear your child, parents must keep a close eye on what their kids are doing to make sure they aren't accidentally revealing any personal information. We recommend that you don't allow your children to show their faces in their videos. This means OK to narrating Minecraft games, sporting events and stop-motion animation shows, and yes to a stuffed animal or puppet performances where they do the voices.
Also, YouTube has new safety measures when it comes to kids. Parents will be able to create a supervised Google account, which will come with content settings and limited features. You can see all the details here.
Be Their #1 Viewer Be sure to watch all of the videos your child posts. This can be tedious, but you have to make sure your kids aren't accidentally revealing any personal information (where they go to school, where they live, etc.).
Put Limits on Recording Time Like any other screen time activity, it's best to limit your child's recording sessions to 30-60 minutes.
Make Videos with Them It can be a fun family activity if you help your kids make a video to publish online. They'll love getting YouTube time, and you'll love being able to add some grown-up finesse to the project. Here's our step-by-step tutorial that'll give you all the details, plus the best gadgets to buy.
If your youngest is the funniest sibling, you’re not alone
Is your youngest child always the one that makes you laugh or sends her siblings into a fit of giggles? Research may have just proved you right—a new survey of siblings and family members revealed that the funniest siblings are typically the youngest ones.
According to a survey conducted by British pollster YouGov, youngest siblings are most likely to believe that they are the funniest members of their families. Forty-six percent of younger siblings answered that they think they are the funniest versus just 36 percent of oldest siblings.
The study, which included 1,783 adult siblings who were asked to assess their personality traits based on their birth order, revealed some interesting insight into how birth order can impact a person as they become an adult.
“Splitting out the first and last born siblings in British families with more than one child (86% of the population), a clear divide in personality traits emerges,” a YouGov writer said about the findings. “The most significant difference is in feeling the burden of responsibility – most (54%) first borns say they are more responsible than their siblings, compared to 31% of last borns.”
YouGov continued, “To some extent age itself, rather than family dynamics, may be responsible for the differing characteristics. Older children, having had more time to get on in life, are more likely to say they are more successful than their siblings. But undoubtedly there are family forces at work – parental attention soon shifts onto new arrivals, and firstborns may have to learn the ropes themselves. As evidence, elder siblings are more likely to feel more organized and able to prioritize their own lives. Likewise, younger siblings are more likely to feel more favored by their parents.”
A few other things the survey uncovered include:
54 percent of oldest siblings feel more organized than their younger brothers and sisters.
47 percent of youngest siblings see themselves as “easy-going,” compared to 42 percent of older siblings.
Fall is just around the corner and despite the fact that summer is still dishing out its last gasps of heat, chances are you’re already dreaming about wooly scarves, UGG boots, and pumpkin spice lattes. If anyone happens to question your passion for pumpkins in August, you can explain it away with the scientific reason people love fall.
“As children, we come to associate fall with going back to school, new school supplies, seeing friends. It’s exciting, for most. We still respond to this pattern that we experienced for 18 years,” Kathryn Lively, a sociology professor at Dartmouth University explained to the Huffington Post. It’s something ingrained in us from childhood.
Besides going back to school, fall is associated with a lot of special annual holidays, including Halloween and Thanksgiving. September is also the most popular month for births in the United States, which means plenty of people connect the start of fall with presents and birthday cake.
StudyFinds.org also discusses a OnePoll that found the changing of the leaf colors is one of the main reasons fall is a fave, followed by that telltale chill in the air. Other big reasons? Getting ready for the holidays, making homemade soup and wearing bit sweaters all factor in.
Lively explained that the sociological basis for loving fall has to do with the fact that we view it as a comforting time of year. Fans of the Scandinavian “hygge” movement, which associates happiness and well-being with a cozy lifestyle, might also argue this idea. After all, what’s more hygge than sipping a PSL while snuggling with your tots?
Raising kids isn’t easy on the pocketbook and escaping for a night away isn’t either. If you’ve been scratching your head wondering about the going rate for a sitter, Care.com has the answer.
The online mecca of childcare resources has a babysitting rates calculator that helps you pay a fair wage based on your location! The easy-to-use feature lets you input your zip code, years of experience you’d like your sitter to have, number of children and how often you’ll need help. Then, like magic it spits out the going rate in your area for childcare.
While parents don’t love forking over the dough for babysitting, there’s no denying that you can’t put a price on the safety of your kids. Knowing the cost of a sitter with the experience you want will go along way in finding the perfect person (not just anyone) who will become part of the fam.
Once you’ve nailed down the going rate for a local sitter or nanny, you can use Care.com‘s super helpful lists of the best sitters in your area with a quick click of the button, and you’re off to the races.
With 2021 closing out and more pandemic babies on the way, it’s the perfect time to start the search for the most popular baby names! There have been plenty of projections for popular trends for 2022 like Dune, Bali and Rupert but what about the most popular names of the last century?
The Social Security Administration is the leading authority on the top names, and while 2021’s information hasn’t been compiled yet, the agency does the last 100 years through 2020. So who reigns as the most popular?
photo: iStock
Mary and James are the top names given from 1921 to 2020, followed by John, Patricia, Robert and Jennifer. The data reflects that classic names, while not consistently popular every year, continue to grace the hearts of parents.
To see the full list of the most popular baby names from the last century, visit the Social Security Administration’s website.
All four items feature a limited-edition, desert-inspired or mountain forest parks print. The reusable water bottle ($10) and the ECO+ To-Go Cup ($9) help you hydrate for hikes or enjoy a toasty cup of morning brew. The ECO+ Sandwich & Snack Keeper Set ($13.50) level up from a plastic bag or aluminum foil and keep your fuel fresh for any excursion.
The two brands also co-commissioned a survey that revealed American’s commitment to cutting down on waste. Most (84%) said they believe reducing waste can help preserve national parks for future generations and 83% said they wished it was easier to reduce the amount of waste generated. These new products will certainly make sustainability easier for the whole family.
You can buy the new products at select gift shops in or near national parks, or online. Happy eco-friendly adventuring!
Country roads…take me home…to the pumpkin spice latteeee. West Virginia is the king of pumpkin spice consumption, according to new data from Instacart. Fittingly launched right as Starbucks returns the ultra-popular PSL, the survey revealed the hottest seasonal flavor trends and the states most (and least) likely to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon.
Unsurprisingly, Hawaii is the least likely state to purchase pumpkin spice products on Instacart, probably due to the absence of a real seasonal fall. Meanwhile, West Virginia is 122% more likely to buy, followed by Iowa (90%), North Carolina (62%) and Ohio (60%). Other pumpkin averse states? Washington D.C., Louisiana and Massachusetts.
The top pumpkin spice products on Instacart? They’re all breakfast related! Coffee creamer came out on top, followed by the actual spice, ground coffee, cream cheese and bread. The company found that quick oats, protein bars, pumpkin and waffle mix and cereal are also hot pumpkin-themed products compared to 2019.
Instacart also noted that searches for pumpkin spice products started early this year, in late July. Retailers haven’t been hesitant to hype up their offerings either, from cup noodles to cookie dough to blizzards. Love it or hate it, the craze is on!
—Sarah Shebek
Featured image courtesy of Ryan Christodoulou, Unsplash
Alarm clocks are back in style, but getting back to school isn’t always easy. A survey of 2,000 American parents of school-aged kids revealed some common pressure points around new routines. The most stressful part of the day? School day mornings!
More than half of parents (58%) said the morning was the most challenging time and 59% said they struggle to wake up their kids in time for school. A whopping 87% have two or more alarms set to make sure the entire household is up and ready to roll.
Another substantial chunk of respondents (57%) said they’ve been late to work while trying to get their kids out the door. Parents reported that kids frequently forget to brush their teeth (39%), comb their hair (39%) or remember their homework (31%). And 60% of parents said they struggle to balance their kids’ morning routines with their own.
Despite these struggles, 81% of parents surveyed said they’re ready to have kids go back to the classroom. The survey was commissioned by Amazon Devices and conducted by OnePoll. Fortunately if you have an Amazon device with Alexa, you can assign reminders to your family to make getting out the door (slightly) easier!
––Sarah Shebek
Featured image courtesy of Karolina Grabowska, Pexels
