Month: March 2024

Cardi B has her foot on the gas. Tonight (March 1), she dropped her new single “Like What Freestyle,” on which, she lets none of her opps rest.

The song features a prominent sample of Missy Elliott‘s classic 1999 single, “She’s A B*tch,” and Cardi arrives with the same eccentric and charismatic energy Missy did 25 years ago.

She delivers some of the most scorching bars of her career, as she reminds us all how quickly she can switch it up.

“Classy and a c*nt / Blocks and money gettin’ spunt / Like what? / Like a Coach bag, baby, this ain’t what you want / If I ask for it, all I wanna hear is, ‘Yes’ / B*tch said she wanna be my opp, God bless / Look, I ain’t even got dressed / Any L that I took, come after YS,” she raps on the song’s chorus.

In the accompanying video, Cardi invites us into her lavish lifestyle, as she serves several looks, and eats sushi out of a YSL bag by her pool.

The end credits reveal that the video was directed by Offset, and that more music is on the way.

“This is just the beginning…stay tuned,” reads a screen at the end of the visual.

You can see the video for “Like What Freestyle” above.

Cardi B and Missy Elliott are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Miley Cyrus and Pharrell Williams have just what the doctor ordered. Tonight (March 1), the dynamic duo has shared their hotly anticipated new single, “Doctor (Work It Out).”

Cyrus’ vocals sound better than ever over Pharrell‘s percussive instrumental. The song is rife with medical metaphors pertaining to a night full of sexy time.

“I could be your doctor / And I could be your nurse / I think I see the problem / It’s only gon’ get worse / A midnight medication / Just show me where it hurts / I need to rock you, baby / Before your body bursts,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

In the accompanying video, Cyrus naturally glides across the floor, dressed in fly outfits, effortlessly matching the beat of the music.

The song itself has had quite a long journey. “Doctor (Work It Out)” was originally recorded for Cyrus’ 2013 studio album, Bangerz. Though the song didn’t make Bangerz‘s final tracklist, a version of “Doctor” leaked online in 2017. This new version, which Pharrell first premiered at his menswear fall-winter show during Paris Fashion Week, sounds like Cyrus re-recorded her vocals, thus creating a more mature, polished version of the song.

You can see the video for “Doctor (Work It Out)” above.

Nearly a year after dropping her solo debut album, In Pieces, Chlöe is back with new music. Tonight (March 1), the R&B superstar has shared her new single “FYS” — which stands for “F*ck Your Status.”

On the song, Chlöe dips her toes into the realm of rhythmic, alternative R&B. Though she has many men vying for her attention, she stands on business letting them know that wealth or luxury won’t impress her, as she’s already attained it on her own.

“F*ck your status, it don’t matter / Money, cars and the diamonds / Don’t faze me, I been had it / F*ck your status / I just wanna love you, baby / What you wanna do?,” she sings on the song’s chorus.

It’s gearing up to be a big year for Chlöe. In an interview with Elle, Chlöe and her sister, Halle Bailey, revealed they are working on new music — both as solo acts, and together as a duo. Additionally, Chlöe is gearing up for her first ever solo Coachella performance, set to take place at this year’s festival in April.

“I’m excited,” said Chlöe. “Performing is my favorite thing to do and I’ll be performing my whole heart out. So I can’t wait.”

You can listen to “FYS” above.

Every now and then, the Inside the NBA guys try to get one another in trouble, and by that, I mean that Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley try to get one another in trouble. For example, on Thursday night, Shaq tried to take advantage of the fact that Chuck is now on Instagram and has no clue how any of it works.

Barkley has long been anti-social media, saying that he’d never join any of it. But recently, the Round Mound of Rebound decided that he should get onto IG for business purposes, and as such, he’s now got an account. Shaq, of course, has a much better grasp of how this all works, and during a conversation about Barkley’s new endeavor, he tried to get him to put #OnlyFans onto everything he posts.

Kenny Smith and Adam Lefkoe both clearly knew that this was a terrible idea, but in a legitimately fun moment, Barkley made clear that he had absolutely zero clue what Shaq was talking about.

“Only fans of mine?” Barkley asked, completely oblivious to what the hell was going on, while everyone on set lost it. And the best part is this was not the last time that, basically, this exact exchange happened, as Shaq tried to get him to do this again.

“Remember, every time you send a message, hashtag OnlyFans,” Shaq said.

“So that’s only for your fans?” Barkley asked.

“Yes, it is — Kenny, leave him alone,” Shaq said as Smith was trying to stop doing this. “OnlyFans.”

Based on everything I know about these two, Barkley is going to realize that there is a reason Shaq won’t let this go, and as a result, he won’t do this. However, he clearly has no clue what he is doing, so here’s hoping he employs a social media person to keep him from getting in any trouble.

The on-field portion of the NFL Combine finally got going on Thursday with the front seven on the defensive side of the ball taking center stage. The greatest value of the Combine is in either providing confirmation of what you’ve seen on the field or opening your eyes to someone who has a skillset that might require some further evaluation.

There are people that go too far in their belief in Combine evaluations, and picking someone off of just a 40 time or their athletic prowess in the Underwear Olympics (trademark, Mike Mayock) is a dangerous game. That said, there’s a lot to learn at the Combine that’s truly valuable. For top guys, it’s more confirming traits (speed, power, fluidity, arm strength, etc.) or showing they’ve been working on weaknesses, but you can separate yourself a bit from others in your position group with a big Combine performance. For guys further down big boards or from smaller schools, a big Combine showing will then send teams back to the film room to take a closer look at the tape to see if their game matches up with what they showed in Indy. If it does, they can rocket up draft boards and really make themselves some money coming into the NFL.

Not everyone is built for the Combine, so we aren’t going to focus on guys that had a tough day in Indy, because one workout shouldn’t overrule three to five years of playing. That said, there were some standouts from Day 1 at the Combine, and we do want to highlight those that shined and either confirmed their status as elite prospects or earned themselves a closer look from scouts and GMs between now and Draft Day.

DL1: Interior Linemen

Braden Fiske (Florida State): No one popped more on Thursday in the tackle group than Fiske, who led all tackles in vertical (33.5″), broad jump (9’9), and 40-yard time (4.78 seconds).

For a smaller (6’4, 292) tackle, that’s the kind of showing you need to prove your athleticism will translate, and he also looked fantastic in the various on field drills.

That’s going to send a lot of folks back to watch his film and he very well could enter the first round conversation.

Byron Murphy II (Texas): The top DT in this draft for many, Murphy confirmed his elite traits on Thursday. He ran 4.85 in the 40, jumped 33″ in the vert and 9’3 in the broad, and shined throughout the on-field portion of the workout. At just over 6’0 and 297 pounds, he needed to put a stamp on his athleticism and now will leave Indy having successfully done that.

Ruke Orhorhoro (Clemson): Orhorhoro really stood out in the on-field portion, moving very well and showing a terrific change of direction, which matched up with his burst and speed shown in the athletic testing (32″ vert, 9’8 broad, 4.89 40). He, like Fiske, will I think garner even more looks from teams looking for some positional versatility along the line because with his frame I think he could bump outside some when needed.

T’Vondre Sweat (Texas): THE BIG FELLA. At 366 pounds, Sweat was the biggest of the DTs and he was excited to show his stuff at the Combine. He ran a 5.27, which is plenty impressive at his size, and maybe more importantly he looked pretty smooth (as smooth as a man that size can be) doing it.

I also love that he showed up to the Combine at his playing weight from college (and what he plans to play at in the NFL), not trimmed down trying to run faster at a non-playing weight. He moved great in on-field drills, even if he was maybe a bit too anxious to flash some athleticism and got his feet out from under him at times, but the power and twitch is going to be very enticing for any team looking for a nose.

Kris Jenkins (Michigan): Jenkins was highly productive at Michigan but at 299 pounds he is not a massive tackle. That meant he needed to test well and he did just that, running a 4.91 in the 40, jumping 30″ in the vert, and 9’7 in the broad, while also showing good movement and bend during the field drills portion. When a lot of your value on film is your burst and athleticism, a good Combine is needed to hold your stock high, and Jenkins accomplished that.

Mekhi Wingo (LSU): A really good pass rusher from the inside, Wingo is 6’0, 284 pounds and, like so many guys on this list, was able to show that his athleticism is for real even at a smaller size for a tackle. He ran the second fastest 40 (4.85) and put up a 31.5″ vert, while showing off his movement skills on the field. He has real wiggle and burst inside and when matched up with productive tape, I think teams will be very interested in his potential.

Gabe Hall (Baylor): Hall is not a 3-tech, but at 6’6, 291 he’s going to be very intriguing for teams looking for a 5-tech (or a 4). He was really good in the on-field portion and while he ran just a 5.03, he showed his explosion with a 31.5″ vertical and a 9’7 broad. He’s probably going to be considered a project type pick who needs some polish, but showing off his physical tools with his length and size (with room to grow) is going to entice some teams.

Logan Lee (Iowa): Lee is very similar to Hall in that he’s a 5-tech at 6’5, 281 pounds and tested almost identically (5.05 40, 31.5 vert, 9’6 broad) while impressing during the on-field workout. He’s a later round guy, but I think teams will look at how well he moved and be able to trust that coming from that Iowa defense he’s well-versed in the fundamentals and think about bumping him up a few notches.

DL2: Defensive Ends/Edge Rushers

Chop Robinson (Penn State): Everyone knew Robinson was a freak, but given he had a down year production-wise at Penn State, he needed a big Combine to remind people exactly how elite his athletic traits are. Well, after running a 4.48 in the 40, jumping 10’8 in the broad, and 34.5″ in the vert, it’s safe to say he did that.

Robinson only ran the one 40, because he didn’t need to improve on that time, and was absolutely flying through the bag and hoop drills on the field. That’s what folks wanted to see and Robinson posted numbers in the 40 and broad not seen by a 250 pound player since Vernon Davis in 2006.

Jared Verse (Florida State): The other contender for top defensive end in this Draft is Verse, and he also showed out with a 4.58 in the 40, jumped 10’7 in the broad, and 35″ in the vert. Verse had a couple hiccups in the hoop drill, but shined in the bag drills and certainly looks the part of an elite EDGE.

Daniel Jeremiah comped him to Will Anderson and while he’s not quite as “can’t miss” his numbers do line up extremely favorably and he has a similar freakish combo of power and quickness.

Jalyx Hunt (Houston Christian): Watching a small school guy pop is always a treat of the Combine, and Hunt (a former safety turned EDGE) from Houston Christian drew a lot of attention on Thursday. He ran 4.64, jumped 37.5″ in the vert, and 10’8 in the broad, and was very impressive moving in the on-field drills. As DJ noted on the broadcast, there’s a lot of rawness to him and things to work on, but when you show those kinds of traits and match physical performance with first round guys, you’re going to earn some extra looks by teams as they look for a steal, even if a project.

Cedric Johnson (Ole Miss): Johnson was impressive at 6’3, 260, running a 4.63, jumping 10’2, and leading the DE group with a 38″ vert.

His movement skills were further on display in the on-field portion, and while his production was inconsistent at Ole Miss, he certainly helped his case with his showing in Indy.

Myles Cole (Texas Tech): One year after Tyree Wilson went in the first round, we have another Red Raider edge rusher worth paying attention to. Cole is a physical freak of nature with helicopter arms on a 6’6 and 278 pound frame, while he ran a 4.67 with a 35″ vert. He looked smooth in the field drills, too.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste (Notre Dame): Tall, long, and athletic, Jean-Baptiste followed up a productive season in South Bend by showing off his length and athleticism in Indianapolis. He clocked in at 6’5, 239 with long arms and big hands, ran a 4.66 40, and put up the third-best broad jump of the group. He also managed to toe a weird line between “looks a little cumbersome” and “looks good” in field drills.

LB

Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M): A Daniel Jeremiah favorite coming in, Cooper just looks the part — 6’2 and 230 pounds with long arms — and flew through his 40-yard dash before. His hands weren’t great in the field drills, but he did just about everything else well. Mix this with his tape and you have a guy who is going to be a very good pro.

Kalen DeLoach (Florida State): What a day for members of Florida State’s defense. Like Fiske and Verse before him, DeLoach mixed a comfort in the field drills that impressed with good testing numbers, highlighted by his 4.47 second 40.

Cedric Gray (North Carolina): He has a Day 2 projection and you can see why, as Gray’s testing numbers came out impressive essentially across the board. He looked like a natural once he got onto the field, too, showing off the play speed that makes him a fascinating prospect at 6’1.5 and 234 pounds. The really fun part is he looked good in this setting, because you know he’s going to look even better when he puts pads on.

Dallas Turner (Alabama): Watch any single play from any Alabama game last year and Turner pops. It was expected he’d tear up the Combine, and then, he put up a hilarious 40.5″ vert. AND THEN, he ran a 4.46 second 40-yard dash.

Turner ran with the linebackers and looked smooth in the field drills. He’s going to hear his name called early in a few weeks.

Edefuan Ulofoshio (Washington): He’s an older guy — turned 24 back in January — but Ulofoshio was very productive for the national runners up. His calling card is his athleticism, as Ulofoshio had the best broad jump (10’8″) and vertical jump (39.5″) among players at his position. Mixed with a 4.56 40 and 1.59 second 10-yard split (sixth and fifth among LBs, respectively) and Ulofoshio showed he has traits that will interest teams.

Trevin Wallace (Kentucky): Another guy who put up good numbers in college, Wallace was expected to show off his athleticism in Indianapolis. A 4.51 second 40 at 6’1 and 237 pounds with elite vertical (37.50 inches) and broad (10’7″) jumps does just that.

He was a fluid athlete in field drills, as well, and there’s going to be a whole lot of excitement surrounding him heading into April.

Payton Wilson (NC State): You run a 4.43 second 40 as a linebacker, you’re gonna end up on here. Wilson threw down the fastest 40 time of the day with his first effort, as he just flew through his first attempt.

As a good rule of thumb, if your physical profile gets you compared to Luke Kuechly on the broadcast, you are gonna end up a winner. He might have had the best day of any linebacker, as he also mixed smoothness and tenacity in the field drills.

Today (February 29), Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent, announced her seventh studio album, All Born Screaming. While fans are elated over the fact that they’re finally getting new music from St. Vincent for the first time in three years, the announcement has not come without controversy.

The album cover features St. Vincent in flames — a creative choice which was revealed just days after former US Air Force serviceman Aaron Bushnell self-immolated in front of the Embassy Of Israel in Washington, D.C. in protest of the ongoing Gaza-Israeli conflict.

“there could not have been a worst time to release this cover art,” said one X user, after St. Vincent revealed the artwork.

The artwork was made before Bushnell’s death, however, the reveal comes at a rather inappropriate time.

“obviously not a deliberate Aaron Bushnell reference and she would’ve had this ready for ages but I’m veryyyyyy surprised she didn’t push this a week or two,” said another X user.

Though the general consensus is that the artwork reveal was poorly timed, many fans posit that there really wasn’t much St. Vincent could do.

“people on here/instagram complaining about the ‘timing’ as if waiting any amount of time will change what happened. can we be serious for a second. what are you accomplishing,” said one X user.

At the time of writing, St. Vincent herself hasn’t commented on the matter, some fans are hoping she will change the cover ahead All Born Screaming‘s April 26 release.

“i’ve known quite a few artists personally (big and small) who change their covers last minute for a variety of reasons,” said one fan. “they’ve even pulled production of physical copies to do so. it’s completely possible, so i’m shocked they moved forward with this.”

The album’s artwork comes from the video for the lead single, “Broken Man,” in which, St. Vincent burns into flames.

May we all have a best friend like Ally Lothman.

Lothman had just given birth to her first child (according to Today.com) and was unable to make it to the wedding of her lifelong best friend Michelle Levenson. But Lothman’s Maid of Honor duties were still gloriously fulfilled.

A now-viral video, posted to TikTok by wedding photography and videography company Woodell Productions, shows that even though Lothman couldn’t celebrate in person, her FaceTimed wedding toast managed to bring everyone at the reception—along with everyone who watched online—to tears.

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“You didn’t think a little bit of childbirth was going to keep me from giving the maid-of-honor speech at my best friend’s wedding, did you?” Lothman begins. Already a pretty epic start.

She continued by sharing one of her favorite memories with the bride.

“There were endless memories to choose from. We would be here all night if I wrote about them all … but I’ll never forget my first evening in Cortona, Italy,” she said.

Lothman seamlessly painted a picture of their adventure together.

“In true Michelle fashion, she had whisked me up and down the incredibly steep winding roads that Tuscan city was perched upon. She had planned my first day to a tee. She showed me an ancient mummy preserved in a church — and I think that may have been the day I was hit by the car and then promptly asked out on a date by the Italian man inside the car.”

“If I remember correctly,” Lothman continued, “it was that late summer sunset that we spent alone in the kind of bar bistro you would see in a life insurance commercial. We drank dry white wine and I remember we were moved to tears together for how beautiful it was.”

Lothman then recalled, whether it was due to the ambiance or the alcohol, that the two friends “had a moment, like the culmination of a lifetime of friendship had brought us to this one special place in time, 5,000 miles from where we grew up.”

But wait, it gets better.

Lothman remarked that their “deep, insightful understanding” of each other made them more than friends. “This was our sisterhood. In fact, I believe it was at this moment that we decided we needed to become sister wives.”

It was at this point that Lothman addressed Levenson’s new husband. And perhaps Lothman’s new husband as well.

“So Matt, I hope you understand: Michelle and I made a pact in 2014 that we would find husbands someday but it would always be sister wives first,” she quipped. “I’m pretty sure this means we all have to live together now — I’ll be bringing a baby so I hope that’s OK.”

This is just the nuts and bolts of it. In truth, the video is full of other gems, including but not limited to a 10 ft long charcuterie board and “the world’s spiciest Bloody Mary.”

Watch:

@woodellproductions Ally couldnt be at her best friends wedding because she just gave birth, so instead she dropped the greatest toast ever and made everyone sob over facetime #georgiaweddingvideographer #atlantaweddingvideographer #2024wedding #2025wedding #weddingvows #weddingtoast #maidofhonorspeech ♬ original sound – Woodell Films

The video has amassed over 2.5 million views, with tons of people sharing how impressed they were with Lothman’s flair for words.

“‘Maybe it was the way the golden light reflected off the landscape and bathed us in its holiness’ like are you KIDDING me? This is incredible,” one person commented.

“This was the most beautiful MOH speech I’ve ever heard,” wrote another.

But even more than that, people were inspired by how Lothman showed up for her friend.

“The epitome of ‘if they wanted to they would.’”

If there’s one thing human beings all have in common, it’s our shared impermanence. No matter our race, gender, social class, wealth status, health regimen, moral code, political leaning, or any other divisive element, we all get one life. One life to hopefully fill with as many memorable, soul nourishing, expansive experiences as possible.

But let’s face it, there are more experiences available that there are days and hours in which to do them. Therefore, we have to use discernment. So, which experiences are truly must-haves in our all-too-limited time on this planet?

The answers to this question are undoubtedly personal, but perhaps some things, just like the inevitable exit of mortal coil, are universal.

According to a recent discussion on Ask Reddit, here are things one must absolutely “experience at least once in their lifetime”:

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“Living Alone”

“People should know how it feels to live alone. Go out to eat alone. Do things alone. Not depend on others for your happiness but find it alone. It is a true under valued life skill,” one person wrote.

Others chimed in:

“I agree. I’ve lived alone like 3 times as an adult, and while I prefer companionship, being alone can be nice too. Everything is always where you put it. The place is a mess? My fault. The place looks good and is comfortable? My fault.”

“After a while the silence becomes a beautiful reprieve from the world. I used to hate being alone and now I love silence and only being responsible for myself.”

“Being comforted without having to ask for it.”

This one inspired two to share their own touching stories unexpected comfort in a time of need:

“Our newborn went to ICU straight after birth, long story, but he was teetering on life and death. What should’ve been a joyous occasion turned out to be the most emotionally painful experience of my life.”

“The barista in the hospital coffee shop saw that I wasn’t doing well, and made a note on my coffee saying ‘you’ll make it.’ Writing this brings me to tears 2 years later, but he was right.”

“A best friend who sees you through thick and thin.”

Oy, this one. Romantic partnerships are absolutely wonderful, but platonic friendships are just as important. Many would agree that they’re more important than relationships. And while making friendships as an adult can get a little challenging, the immense benefits these bonds bestow onto our lives make it worth the effort.

One person shared, “I consider my wife my best friend, and it’s true…That being said, there is a part of me that will always feel a little hollow: I have no pure friendships…I’ve always had an easy time meeting people and even starting new friendships but God am I poor at keeping it going. Now that I’m older it’s a real regret of mine and I envy those with tight knit friends.”

“I’m glad you and your wife have such a strong friendship connection! But yes pure friendships are special too, and hard to maintain,” another responded. “I’m lucky that I met my best friend of 22 years in kindergarten and we’re still incredibly close. I’ll be her maid of honor in her wedding🥲I’ll be forever grateful of the space she’s given me to grow and change throughout our lives and stuck by me the whole time.”

“A deep bond with an animal.”

This comment says it all:

“Nothing like it. It truly blows my mind how much my dogs love my wife and I. Were their whole world. Anytime I hear of someone having to put their animal down. I can’t help but get choked up and sad for them.The worst part about the whole thing is them not being able to truly understand in words what they mean to you.”

“See a solar eclipse”

Luckily, the next opportunity for this is coming up on April 8th! Especially for those who live in Texas, Illinois, New York, Arkansas, Ohio, Maine and some parts of Michigan and Tennessee

“A soul crushing customer service job”

“Not because it builds character, but because it’ll foster a sense of empathy for and camaraderie with people who serve you when you’re the customer.”

Yes. That.

“Walking the beach at night. Ocean breeze and crashing waves are life changing.”

“Showering with a shaved head.”

“Skydiving! It’s so freeing and amazing.”

“Waking up next to their partner and being overcome with love and emotion for them. Watching them sleep for a few moments and then going back to sleep.”

And of course, everyone needs to go to the Grand Canyon. Or at least some national park. There are so many gorgeous, otherworldly ones to choose from.

Interesting enough, someone previously posted this question to Reddit, and got an entirely different set of answers. Again, goes to show that everyone is bound to have a different view on this, based on their own lifetime of experiences.

Which brings up the most important question of all:

What do you want to experience in your lifetime?

A 5-year-old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) wandered off into a swamp near Tampa, Florida, around 5:00 pm on Monday, February 26. The good news is that the girl was saved in about an hour thanks to the work of some brave sheriff’s officers and their incredible thermal technology.

The girl wandered from her home and was quickly reported missing by her family to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff quickly dispatched its aviation unit that used thermal imaging technology to scan the nearby swamplands to try to find the young girl before nightfall.

Thermal imaging technology captures images based on the heat emitted by objects, allowing us to see temperature differences even in the dark, making it super handy for night vision and heat detection. The thermal technology helped the officers quickly identify the girl from high above the trees.

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“Hey, I think I got her in the woods,” a deputy in the helicopter told deputies on the ground. “She might be able to hear her name if you call her. She might be about 80 feet in front of you.”

Helicopter’s thermal imaging camera helps deputies find child in Florida swamp

When the deputy on the ground spotted the girl, she lifted her arms and walked toward him. He picked her up and brought her to safety. “Let’s get you out of the water. I’ll get you to everyone,” he told her as they walked out of the swamp.

The sheriff’s department said it was all in a day’s work for the deputies. “Their quick action saved the day, turning a potential tragedy into a hopeful reunion,” it said in a statement. “Their dedication shows what service and protection are all about here at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.”

The Sheriff’s Office shared a video of the rescue on its Facebook page and people loved how the deputy greeted the girl, who must have been extremely scared. “I love how happy they were when they found her—they made it seem normal and a good time, keeping her calm. Well done!” Jan Murray wrote. “I just love how the deputy greeted her. What a beautiful ending. You guys are the best!” Sandy Schlabaugh-Kmentt added.

Crime and safety analyst explained how the thermal technology works to News4Jax in Jacksonville, Florida. “It is a piece of equipment that actually will lock on to that heat signature,” Hackney said. “So no matter where that helicopter is moving, trying to orbit a certain area to look for the missing child, once it picks up on that heat signature and identifies it, it doesn’t lose it. So the units on the ground are able to move in like you saw.”

It is common for children with ASD to wander off from their caregivers or secure locations. The behavior is known as eloping. Children with ASD elope for a wide variety of reasons. Loud, frantic situations such as a child’s birthday party may be too stressful for a child with ASD, so they may leave the event unaccompanied to get to somewhere more calm. Others may elope because they enjoy the thrill of being chased by a parent or caregiver, even though it may unknowingly place them into a dangerous situation.

Raising kids is tough and no parent does it perfectly. Each child is different, each has their own personalities, strengths and challenges, and each of them requires something different from their parents in order to flourish.

But there’s one thing that parents have long said, with their actions if not with their words, that justifiably drives kids bonkers: “Do as I say, not as I do.”

To be fair, both moral and actual law dictate that there are things that adults can do that kids can’t. Children can’t drive or consume alcohol, for example, so it’s not hypocritical for adults to do those things while telling kids they cannot. There are other things—movies, TV shows, books, etc.—that parents have to decide whether their kids are ready for or not based on their age and developmental stage, and that’s also to be expected.

But there are some gaps between what adults do and what they expect kids to do that aren’t so easy to reconcile.

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In fact, there’s a lot of hypocrisy when it comes to the way adults behave and the way they think kids should behave that warrants some examination. Here are 10 things some people punish kids for that adults do with total impunity:

1. Being hangry

Grown-ups are so familiar with being cranky when they need food that they coined the term “hangry.” And yet, if a child melts down because they’re hungry, they are expected to pull themselves together and “stop that fussing.”

Sure, kids have to learn to regulate their emotional expression, but being punished for needing food and not being able to control their reactions to hunger yet isn’t going to teach them that regulation. They have a hard enough time learning that skill when they aren’t hungry, so give kids a little grace when the hanger hits. (And always carry snacks.)

2. Not wanting to share something special

The concept of sharing is something most parents try to instill into their kids in order to move them away from self-centeredness. That’s not a bad thing, for sure.

But it’s worth noting that most adults have certain special belongings that they don’t want other people to use, which is totally fine, so expecting kids to always share everything doesn’t really make sense. Instead, teach kids that if they have something special that they don’t want to share, to keep that item put away when other kids are around. They can also learn to kindly say, “Actually, that toy is extra special to me, but I’m happy to let you play with this one” while offering something else.

3. Breaking dishes, dropping drinks, or other oopsies

How many of us don’t break a dish on occasion, simply due to fumbling fingers?

Accidents happen, and it’s not always because we’re being careless. If a kid is tossing a dish up in the air and trying to catch it behind their back or some other foolish game, that’s worth a talking to about carelessness. But if a child breaks something or drops something, our first reaction shouldn’t be to get angry and blame or shame them.

Grown-ups don’t get in trouble when they drop something. Kids, who have a lot less experience with their hands, definitely shouldn’t. Model forgiveness and compassion by helping them clean up the mess, and move on.

4. Not responding immediately

“Did you hear what I said? Are you listening?” we ask our children mere minutes after they had to repeat “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” to us before we were able to respond to them.

We can’t expect our kids to immediately pull their attention away from what they are doing every time we want to say something to them, just as we can’t always immediately shift our focus to them if we’re putting together a recipe or typing out a thought or in the middle of a calculation.

It’s reasonable to teach kids to respectfully say, “One second, please,” if we want their attention when they’re in the middle of something. That teaches them that their learning/play is worth concentrating on, but also that responding to their parents is important. Give them a little time to disengage, just as adults grant one another all the time if we need to talk.

5. Forgetting things

Adults sometimes forget their lunchbox at home. Adults sometimes leave their jacket someplace by accident. Forgetting things is a normal human phenomenon, not limited to children, and we all give one another grace when we forget something.

With kids, we tend to be less forbearing. If forgetting is a daily occurrence, then sure, it might need to be addressed. But making a kid go hungry because they forgot their lunch even though we could easily bring it to them because “this will teach them to remember it” is kind of silly. Would we do that to our spouse if they forgot their lunch? No. Why do it with a kid (again, unless it’s a recurring habit)?

6. Refusing to eat something

We all have likes and dislikes, and one man’s feast is another man’s napkin food. We would never force an adult who doesn’t like sweet potatoes to stay at the table until they finish their sweet potatoes. Why do that to kids?

Encouraging kids to try something they’ve never tasted is one thing, but making them eat something they’ve tried and didn’t like is just ick. Kids can learn to be grateful for the food they have without being made to eat everything on their plate. Provide lots of options, encourage tasting, but don’t force kids to eat anything. That’s a quick way to take the enjoyment out of trying new foods and create a negative association with eating certain foods—the exact opposite of what you’re wanting.

Most kids will grow out of picky eating, but there will always be certain things people don’t care for. It’s okay to let that be.

7. Fidgeting

Some people have a really hard time sitting still for long periods of time, adults and children alike. But kids are the ones who get in trouble for not sitting still. Look at how popular standing desks, under-the-desk treadmills and walking meetings have become for working adults—and that’s even when they have comfortable, ergonomic office chairs to sit in.

Yet kids are expected to sit in uncomfortable desks most of the day without being able to get up and move around as they need to? No wonder some kids get fidgety.

8. Being in a bad mood

We all have our moments, don’t we? Times when we’re just feeling salty or irritable and we don’t even know why? Maybe it’s hormones, maybe it’s hanger, maybe it’s a full moon—whatever it is, we let people know we’re feeling prickly and do what we need to do to either stay away from people or put ourselves right.

What certainly wouldn’t help is having someone chide us for having a “bad attitude” and insist that we “shape up.” Helping kids manage their mood or alter their environment when they’re struggling to manage it is a much more effective life skill than punishing them for being in a bad mood.

9. Complaining

Ever seen a grown-up sit down to do their taxes without a single complaint? No, you haven’t, because even if we’re getting a refund the process of figuring it out is painful.

Plenty of adults complain when we have to do something we don’t want to do, and it’s not because we were raised that way, most of the time. It’s because some things just suck and it makes us feel better in the moment to express how much they suck.

What kids complain about may seem trivial or silly to us, but it’s not to them. Totally find to teach kids that complaining doesn’t do any good, but not worth punishing them for it.

10. Sneaking sweets

Umm, hi. Guilty, pretty much daily.

It’s technically not sneaking when you own the sweets and you’re a grown-up, but it feels like it. And who can blame kids for wanting to raid the cookie jar or the chocolate chip stash? Not saying they should. Just saying I get it, kid.

What else belongs on this list?