Social media has a way of creeping into your life, becoming a part of your relationships, whether you like it or not. It’s harmless for the most part — cute pictures and updates for friends and family. But sometimes, things take a turn you never see coming.
Mark and I had been together for almost a year. Honestly, he was the perfect boyfriend. Sweet, caring, and always making me laugh, whether we were out hiking or just watching TV on a lazy Sunday. I felt so lucky to have him in my life. So, I figured it was time to make things official on Facebook.
We were on a hiking trail one afternoon when we snapped a picture together. It was cute — us smiling with the sun shining behind us. “Just me and my favorite person on our latest adventure!” I captioned it, adding a couple of heart emojis. I shared the post, excited to share a bit of our happiness with the world.
Then, ten minutes later, I got a notification that made my stomach drop. It wasn’t a like or a comment. It was a message: “YOU MUST RUN FROM HIM. NOW.”
I stared at my phone, my heart pounding. Who would send something like that? I clicked on the profile, hoping for some clue, but there was nothing — no info, no pictures, just a blank, empty page. The message itself was terrifying enough, but this? It was like a ghost had sent it.
I glanced at Mark, who was busy tossing our backpacks into the car, completely unaware of the storm building inside me. Should I tell him?
My mind raced, but before I could even process what was happening, another message popped up: “Don’t tell Mark anything. Listen carefully. Smile, don’t be aggressive with him. You don’t know what he’s capable of. You got it?”
I could feel the blood drain from my face. What was this? Who was sending these messages? And why were they so certain I was in danger?
“I’m meeting my mom for lunch tomorrow,” I said casually over breakfast, trying not to let my voice tremble.
Mark didn’t look up from his coffee right away. “Really? You didn’t mention it before.”
“Oh, yeah,” I replied quickly, my heart racing. “She called last night. Last minute thing.”
Mark finally met my eyes, his expression unreadable. “Alright,” he said slowly.
I tried to focus on my coffee, but all I could feel was the weight of his gaze as if he was trying to see straight through me.
The next day, I left the house. As I slipped out the door, I could feel Mark’s eyes on me. I tried to act normal, but my stomach was in knots. Every time I looked back at him, there was that same unreadable look on his face. Was he suspicious? Did he know something was wrong?
Dad Gets Massively Shamed for Putting Leashes on His 5-Year-Old Quintuplets
These days, raising kids can be challenging in and of itself. Not only must young parents endure the judgments of their relatives, but they also have to endure internet strangers making random remarks about their parenting styles.
Jordan Driskell, who has five quintuplets, is a young father. By coincidence, his quintuplets are five years old. As you can imagine, raising five identically aged children can be extremely demanding. particularly when a child is five years old and curious and enjoys exploring.
Dad Jordan Driskell, 31, made the decision to come up with a novel solution to his issue. In order to keep his boisterous young children under control when they are out in public, dad purchased child-sized leashes.
Driskell previously used a six-seat stroller for their large family. But since the kids would be bothered when inside, that got old very soon. It was also quite difficult to transport the stroller anywhere.
When the family goes out, this enables the young children walk and explore their surroundings without their dad losing sight of them or control of them, keeping them safe!
A video that Driskell uploaded of the family’s trip to the aquarium sparked a lot of criticism aimed at the parents. With over 3 million views, the video of the children wearing leashes went viral. Numerous others expressed their opinions that the kids shouldn’t have been leashed because they weren’t animals.
“Don’t have so many kids if you can’t handle the pressure,” said one commenter.
Some mockingly advised, “Can’t you just properly train your children?” Talk to them about the dangers of running away.
Expert in parenting and teenage development, Dr. Deborah Gilboa, held a different view. She doesn’t believe that wearing a leash will turn your kid into an animal. Naturally, using a leash is a much better option than staying at home if that is your only option!
According to Dr. Gilboa, a leash is an excellent tool for controlling younger kids or kids with neurodiversity in public settings. She did add, though, that it could be problematic if a neurotypical child is not walking freely by the time they are eight or nine years old and has not yet acquired listening skills.
By then, parents ought to be able to interact with kids verbally rather than through the use of devices like leashes.
Without unwarranted criticism from society, parents ought to be allowed to parent in the manner that best suits them.
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