Content for Tuesday, July 27
Back to School Season: Parents Spending $843 Per Child
Back-to-school shopping has already begun. New research shows that parents are spending an average of $843 on each child. Projected spending on each child is up by 19 percent from an average of $707 last year. More than a third of parents (37%) are starting their back-to-school shopping earlier this year. In fact, half of parents (51%) will have started their back-to-school shopping before August arrives. Of those staying ahead of the game and getting their shopping finished early, two in three (67%) are doing so to help them budget better, while 59 percent want to take advantage of sales. Clothes (70%), school supplies (43%) and backpacks (39%) are the top things American parents are prepared to splurge on for this back-to-school season. Four in 10 plan to shop both in-person and online.
(Can YOU Relate)... More Than Half of Adults Have Unused Gift Cards
A new Bankrate.com survey finds that more than half of adults — 51% — currently have unused gift cards, vouchers and store credits. In total, that adds up to approximately $15 billion in unused money. The average value per person of those unused credits: $116. 73% have left those funds untouched for a year or more. One money expert says people should make a plan to put these funds to work. “The less unused value, the better..." Millennials, in particular, were most likely to have unused credits sitting around with no plans to put the money to use. The good news is that most gift cards do not expire until after five years, if they do at all. But cardholders are still susceptible to losing those funds because they may misplace the cards, forget about them or forfeit the ability to trade them in if a store goes out of business. The best way to remedy that is to assess your outstanding store credits and make a plan to use the money. “If you can’t use it for yourself, at least use it for somebody else,” either by buying a gift or passing on the card. Most gift cards are reloadable, so even if you have an uneven amount like $9.22 left, you may be able to add more money to it and regift it. Alternatively, you could also try to resell the card at websites like CardCash.com or Raise.com, which can let you get back up to 85% of its value.
Mom Went Viral For Claiming That Kids ‘Don't Owe Their Parents Anything’
Lisa, a 33-year-old stay-at-home mom from Charleston, South Carolina who often shares her parenting perspectives on TikTok, went viral for claiming "Kids Don't Owe Their Parents Anything”. In the video, Lisa responds to commenters who previously criticized her for setting boundaries with her own mother and said that she should be "grateful" for everything her mother's done for her. She says, "Children don't owe their parents a certain kind of relationship, and depending on the parent, they might not owe them respect, either, once the child becomes an adult. It's a parent's job to provide for their children. It's a responsibility. Not everyone rises to the occasion, but that's like the bare minimum, taking care of your kid's physical and financial needs. The level above that is their emotional needs, which good parents do, but all of that is not a contingent relationship. You're not loving and providing for your children with the expectation that they will blindly obey and do whatever you say as adults." Lisa also reminded viewers that children are "people" and that they "don't owe you (anything) because you took care of them.” "They don't owe me anything once they're grown just because I birthed them. The whole 'roof over your head' argument is manipulative, because in theory, wouldn't you have had a place to live for yourself regardless of if you had children? A kid isn't a freeloading roommate, they're your dependent and your responsibility. I hope parents, especially parents of younger kids, take away how delicate this relationship is that they are building with their children. That they will one day be adults and get to decide if they want you around, and hopefully you've given them a reason to want to."
(Content WARNING in VIDEO!)
Married People Revealed the Weirdest Thing They Learned About Their Partner After They Moved in Together
BuzzFeed asked married people to reveal the weirdest things they learned about their partners after moving in with them. Here are some of the responses: 1. "I learned that my husband holds his balls when he sleeps — almost all night. If he's sleeping on his stomach or side, he doesn't, but as soon as he lies on his back, he holds on tightly, like they're gonna run away or something. It cracks me up!” 2. "I learned that my husband snores when he is awake and relaxed. He can be watching TV in bed but will start snoring — eyes open, engaging in conversation, laughing, then snoring." 3. "When we first moved in together, I learned that my husband sits down to pee. I thought it was weird, until he explained that he had four sisters. At least I never have to worry about dribbles or the seat being left up!” 4. "I learned that my husband only eats his cereal out of glasses — he refuses to eat it out of a bowl. Soup, salad, whatever else, is fine in a bowl. But cereal? Nope, he needs a goddamn glass." 5. "My husband turns on the shower while he poops — not to shower afterward, just because he 'likes the steam.'" 6. "He eats THE ENTIRE APPLE — the core, stem, seeds, everything!" 7. "I learned that my fiancé runs in his sleep. As in SPRINTING!” 8. "I learned that my wife likes to pee in the shower...when I'm in the shower with her." 9. "I was friends with my husband for 16 years before we got engaged and moved in together. That's when I found out that he insists on sleeping fully clothed. Not in, like, a T-shirt and pajama bottoms — in his friggin' jeans, shirt, and even his shoes!" 10. "I found out that my wife is afraid of the dark. But not just random, dark, creepy, haunted-looking buildings and such. She's afraid to the point where, if she is alone, she has to sleep with a night-light or, if the hallway is dark, she needs me to walk with her." 11. "I learned that my wife has a blanket she literally chews holes in. She's had it for about 20 years, and it looks like a plague blanket." 12. "My husband sleeps with one arm straight up in the air.” 13. "My husband has the worst night terrors and will scream at the top of his lungs in the dead of night. The first time it happened, I literally thought he was being murdered next to me! Now I can tell when he's working himself up, so I gently rub his back until he calms down." 14. "My husband brushes his teeth with scalding-hot water. He thinks it gets his teeth cleaner.” 15. "I learned that my husband says the weirdest, creepiest things in his sleep. My favorite was when he said 'meat tenderizer,' and most recently when he scooted right up to my ear and whispered, 'CRUNCH.' It was horrifying...and hilarious.”
Survey: Parents Split On COVID-19 Vaccination For Kids Under 12
Parents in the US are split on giving the COVID vaccine to their kids under 12. Researchers surveyed more than 2,000 parents with at least one child between 3 and 18-years of age. They found 49% parents with kids aged 3 to 11 said they would likely get their child vaccinated while 51% said they were unlikely to vaccinate their kid. When it comes to parents of 12- to 18-year-olds… 39% said their child had already received the shot, 21% said their child would likely get it and 40% said they were unlikely to do so.
Major Medical Groups Say Health Care Workers Should be Required to get Vaccinations
Over 50 medical groups representing millions of health care professionals released a statement calling for health care and long-term care employers to require their doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other workers to get the COVID vaccine. The statement was signed by the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, and American College of Surgeons. According to these groups, due to the delta variant and "significant numbers" of people who still haven't gone for shots, hospitalizations and deaths are once again on the rise. The statement said: ”This is the logical fulfillment of the ethical commitment of all health care workers to put patients as well as residents of long-term care facilities first and take all steps necessary to ensure their health and well-being.”
Amazon Wants A 'Key' To Your Apartment Building
Amazon is trying to get a key to your apartment building. The service, dubbed Key for Business, is pitched as a way to cut down on stolen packages by making it easy to leave them in lobbies and not outside. Amazon benefits from this because it enables delivery workers to make their rounds faster. And fewer stolen packages reduce costs and could give Amazon an edge over competitors.
The Life and Death of Whitney Houston Set to Kick Off ABC’s New ‘Superstar’ Documentary Series on Aug. 11
ABC News is launching a new documentary series focusing on celebrities who shaped American culture. First up on Aug. 11 is an hour-long profile on singer Whitney Houston. Set to air two days after what would have been Whitney's 58th birthday, the first episode will include never-before-seen private videos of Houston, who died in 2012. The special will also include archival interviews of Houston and Bobby Brown, and new interviews with her close industry friends and associates Brandy, Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans, Savion Glover, Narada Michael Walden and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love. Whitney was found unconscious at a suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel submerged underwater in the bathtub on Feb. 11, 2012. Her cause of death was later ruled by the medical examiner to be accidental drowning with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. “Superstar” will air on ABC Aug. 11 at 10 p.m., and will stream on Hulu the next day.
Fans Erupt Into Frenzy as Alaskan Teen Wins Olympic Gold
Teen sensation Lydia Jacoby became the first American woman to strike gold in the Tokyo Olympic pool. A wild video shows friends and family erupt into a frenzy when the 17-year-old Alaskan swimmer won. The ecstatic fans witnessed Jacoby’s victory in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke at a hometown watch party in Seward, Alaska. The crowd jumped into the air as the high-schooler, the first swimmer from Alaska to make the US Olympic swimming team, defeated teammate and defending champion Lilly King. King took home the bronze medal. South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker claimed the silver.
Today's AUDIO:
Topic Starters: What is your strange fear?
The Bachelorette: Men Tell All
Michael tells Katie that he has to go home to be with his son.
With some name-caling, Karl tries to defend what he did to the other men.