Chris Pratt sparks debate over when parents should throw away childhood trophies
Chris Pratt has asked the question almost every parent wonders when raising their children: Is it okay to throw away childhood trophies? The Guardians of the Galaxy star, 44, recently posed the question to his social media followers after he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, came across all her childhood trophies kept by her parents, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver. Pratt took to Instagram on 24 October, where he shared several photos of the children’s book author, 33, holding up some of her many childhood trophies - including “Problem Solving Super Star 4th Grade 2000” and “most improved two-year-old in swim class”. In the lengthy caption, the Parks and Recreation alum explained that Schwarzenegger’s mother had been “storing special items” from her daughter’s childhood for years, which he noted was “so very thoughtful”. “To see my darling wife beaming with sentiment as she opens these crates of meticulously organised keepsakes, remembering her cherished youth, makes me grateful for the efforts her folks put into archiving,” Pratt wrote. “I suppose that’s the payoff for the work it took to store this stuff, the smile on her face as she relives moments of her youth. To pray one day that your children will look back on their childhood with glee is a blessing. It is the hope of parenthood.” However, as the couple - who have been married since 2019 - perused Schwarzenegger’s prized possessions, it got him thinking about how long he’s supposed to hold onto his own children’s mementos. Pratt shares an 11-year-old son, Jack, with ex-wife Anna Faris and two daughters - Lyla, three, and Eloise, one - with Schwarzenegger. “Real talk,” Pratt said. “Once your kid goes through the stuff, is it okay to toss? I mean… do we need the ‘I was on a sports team trophy?’ Can they be donated? Repurposed? How many do we gotta keep? Not all of them right? Any of them? Is there a grading scale? Like, did you win? Were you a champion? Is there a specific sentimental connection? Help me out here. Do they go back in storage?” His relatable question prompted many parents in the comments section to sound off on how long they’ve kept their children’s trophies. Some users admitted that they wished their own parents had held onto their accolades for so long. “Wait this is amazing. I’ll be saving my children’s stuff for sure,” one person commented. “Well, I have no keepsakes from childhood and I wish I did. So there is that,” another said. “I had my boys go through their boxes and they kept what was special to them. I tossed the rest,” a third fan wrote. “FREEDOM!!!” Others revealed what they did to cherish their children’s precious memories while still saving some room in the storage bin. “I donated all my old trophies to an organisation that removes the labels and repurposes them for fun awards,” wrote one fan. “For those sentimental ones, we peeled off the engraved part and kept it in a plastic pocket notebook and tossed the trophy part,” said someone else. Another user suggested: “Give them out as prizes when your friends come over for game night.” Meanwhile, Schwarzenegger joked that her husband was simply jealous she’s acquired so many trophies over the years. “Feels like someone is a litttlllee bit jealous of my natural athleticism from birth and ability to solve problems,” she commented. Pratt’s mother-in-law also weighed in on the debate, as she applauded herself for saving almost every prized possession for her four children. “Omg I’m so happy,” Shriver commented. “Here’s to story trophies and school work and dresses and party outfits I feel vindicated.” The Jurassic World star was married to Faris in 2009. The former couple announced their split in August 2017 and finalised their divorce in October 2018, four months after he began dating Schwarzenegger. He proposed to the author in January 2019 and they were married in June that year. Pratt has often shared glimpses into his life as a father of three on social media. Most recently, he went viral when he posted a photo of the glittery makeover he received from his two daughters. He shared two photos of his new look, including one where his forehead was bedazzled with teal, purple, and silver gems. The other photo showed Pratt with pearl-like gems dotting his face, as well as a teal manicure. “All I have to say is… Jack would never do this to me,” he captioned the post. Read More Gym maths: How to optimise 22 minutes exercise a day according to fitness experts Jasmine Harman tearfully recalls mother’s struggles with hoarding Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis Gym maths: How to optimise 22 minutes exercise a day according to fitness experts Jasmine Harman tearfully recalls mother’s struggles with hoarding Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis
2023-10-25 22:52
Jasmine Harman tearfully recalls mother’s struggles with hoarding
TV presenter Jasmine Harman became emotional as she opened up about her mother’s struggles with hoarding – and how it adversely impacted their relationship for years. The host of Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun, Harman, 47, said she “refused to bring people home” and was “really, really embarrassed and ashamed” about her mum Vasoulla’s condition, on Wednesday (25 October) during an appearance on This Morning. “In fact, when I started working in television, it was my biggest fear that someone would find out about the way I’d grown up and the way that we lived at the time,” she told Dermot O’Leary and Allison Hammond. Reflecting on how things had changed since then, Harman teared up as she affirmed her priority is “having a loving relationship” with Vasoulla – and not “focussing on the hoarding” anymore. Addressing her mother, Harman added: “She’s helped me to become a much more compassionate person. We used to fight, didn’t we? “But now we have a relationship that’s outside [of the hoarding].” Hoarding was recognised as a mental health disorder in 2013. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is characterised by “an accumulation of possessions due to excessive acquisition of, or difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value”. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) outlines detailed criteria that psychologists can use to diagnose hoarding, including cluttered living spaces where the room’s intended use [of cooking, sleeping, or sleeping] has become impossible. These behaviours usually appear during a person’s early life, with Vasoulla explaining it was triggered by “the trauma of loss” in her case. “We moved from Cyprus when I was about three so I left my baby things back home and started collecting trinkets in bombed-out houses that were still about in the early Sixties, after the war – trinkets that I treasured,” she explained. “Then we moved back to Cyprus for a couple of years and those things all got lost. Then we moved back to England and all my new ties got lost – so I just had lots of upheaval, lots of loss.” Vasoulla, whose father was killed in Cyprus, added: “It’s more the loss, like a bereavement. Losing your father is a big thing, moving country ...you lose everything and you get a new place to live. The trauma of loss [is] something that a lot of people have as the onset of their hoarding behaviour.” The mother-daughter duo previously opened up about how hoarding affected their lives in a 2011 BBC documentary, titled My Hoarder Mum & Me. Speaking about the “cathartic experience”, Harman on Wednesday confessed:“I genuinely had no idea how many people were affected by this.” Around three million people are reportedly impacted by the mental health condition, according to Hoarding Disorders UK. The organisation’s director Jo Cook, who joined Vasoulla and Harman on the This Morning couch, explained that hoarding is neither a lifestyle choice, nor “about poor housekeeping”. When asked about supporting loved ones who might struggle with hoarding, Cook recommended joining a support group and approaching the anxiety-based disorder with empathy. “It’s really important that that person that you’re helping, feels safe in their home with you. Because, essentially, you’re unpicking someone’s nest, so you need to make sure you’re doing it slowly and surely,” she added. If you have been affected by this article, you can contact the following organisations for support: actiononaddiction.org.uk, mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk. Read More Pete Davidson is on the market for a hot date - but not for him Gym math: How to optimise 22 minutes exercise a day according to fitness experts Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis Gym math: How to optimise 22 minutes exercise a day according to fitness experts Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis Nearly three-quarters of mothers feel invisible, study suggests
2023-10-25 21:46
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Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis
Neglecting women’s health in the workplace could be costing the UK economy around £20.2 billion each year, analysis has suggested. In a new survey of 2,000 women, 68% said that they have dealt with health issues at some point in their career, whilst almost 29% felt their employers were not supportive. When factoring in specific health matters that relate to women, including endometriosis, fertility, menopause and periods, this figure increases to 36%, leaving 46% of women worried that their health could impact their career trajectory and 48% thinking they would be forced to resign. The study conducted by AXA Health in partnership with the Centre of Economics and Business Research (CEBR) also suggested that 83% of women have had their personal finances affected when faced with health issues. For instance, 52% of women have had to take time off, 22% missed out on a promotion and 20% settled for lower pay. Economic modelling from AXA Health and CEBR suggested that ignoring women’s health at work could be costing the UK economy £20.2 billion a year. From 90% of women struggling emotionally, 46% feeling helpless and 43% feeling less motivated at work, this issue has also had a huge impact on their mental health and wellbeing. “As this report finds, neglecting the health of women in our workplaces isn’t just a matter of compassion; it’s a serious economic oversight,” said Flick Drummond MP, who is serving as the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women and Work. Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, deputy chief medical officer at AXA Health, added: “While companies certainly still have a way to go in addressing women’s health at work, there is promise in the increased willingness of women to discuss their health concerns with colleagues and managers.. “For example, our women’s health report found that 60% of women who talked about their health found their employers to be supportive, whether this be through time off, offering counselling or making adaptations to the workplace. “These developments are positive, but as we delve further into the findings, it becomes evident that concerns extend beyond just health issues. A striking 53% of the women we surveyed voiced that, within their workplaces, women often shoulder more unplanned responsibilities – such as caring for loved ones – than their male counterparts. “Furthermore, when reflecting on their own families, 39% of respondents revealed that they bear a greater burden than male family members when it came to unexpected caring responsibilities. This gender-based imbalance in unpaid labour not only perpetuates inequality but also places women at risk of being sidelined in their careers, overlooked for promotions, or compelled to work beneath their true potential.” Bradshaw said the economic impact of neglecting women’s health is “still significant”, and urged the need for “more education, robust workplace policies and talent retention initiatives”. The report suggested women who work part-time are hit even harder when it comes to health-related issues. It found that 61% are worried about having to leave their jobs prematurely, which exceeds the average by 19%. Only 17% of women who work full-time believe that conversations surrounding women’s health are not encouraged in their workplaces, but this increases to 23% for those who are employed part-time. According to a report conducted by The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, women represent 51% of the population and 47% of the workforce. Read More Nearly three-quarters of mothers feel invisible, study suggests The best ways to work-out in 22 minutes – as study finds this is magic number for offsetting ‘negative impact of sitting’ What crops will we be growing in the future, as climate change alters the landscape? As Rebecca Adlington shares heart-breaking miscarriage news: How to support others experiencing baby loss What you need to know about new research into treating cervical cancer How to do Halloween make up and still take care of your skin
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2023-10-25 19:28
Nearly three-quarters of mothers feel invisible, study suggests
Most women feel ‘invisible’ and ‘unappreciated’ when they become mothers, new research has revealed. Instead of ‘having it all’, 72% of mums feel invisible and 93% feel unappreciated, unacknowledged or unseen once they’ve had children. Another 93% said that since having a child, their identity has been reduced to only being a mother. And the weight of expectation is huge, too, with 97% of mums questioned in the survey by the online motherhood community Peanut saying pressure is put on them to ‘do it all and be it all’. Plus, 94% believe they’re expected to put themselves last and self-sacrifice for their families, partners, jobs, and other responsibilities, so they can achieve what they feel is required of them. Nearly half of mums (46%) said they don’t feel supported by the healthcare system after giving birth, and 70% expected more support from society in general. As a result of this lack of support and invisibility, most women surveyed (95%) agreed there’s an impact on their mental health and wellbeing, with 86% having experienced anxiety, 82% feeling stressed, burned out or exhausted, and 80% feeling overwhelmed, or lonely and isolated. Other strong feelings identified by mums included irritability (78%), loss of identity (65%), feeling judged (66%), feeling unsupported (64%), guilt (63%), depression (55%), resentment (54%), worthlessness (50%), and neglect (24%). Women attributed the things making them feel invisible to unfair division of labour in the home, trying to juggle a career and childcare, lack of empathy and understanding from both family and everyone else, gaps in healthcare and mental health support, identity and independence struggles, hiding the pain of pregnancy loss, and general pressure from healthcare, education institutions and the media. Commenting on the findings, psychologist Dr Rachel Goldman said: “The invisibility of motherhood is a stark reality many face. The journey begins with frequent visits to healthcare providers, but once the child arrives, there’s a sudden gap, creating a sense of abandonment. Women grapple with overwhelming feelings of exhaustion and stress, only to confront rushed appointments where healthcare professionals don’t have time to adequately dive into concerns.” As a result of the research, Peanut has launched an Invisible Mothers campaign, featuring a State of Invisibility report, to draw attention to mums’ struggles and highlight ways to make them more visible and better supported. The report found mums think more empathy and gender equality will help them feel more visible, with 82% calling for flexible, family-friendly workplaces, 77% wanting equal and extended leave for both parents, and 71% saying an equal share of parenting tasks would help. Additional measures that will help mums, says Peanut, include more public toilets having changing facilities, additional resources for mental health support, support groups for both parents, and educational initiatives about gender stereotypes. The report also identified the most common unwanted questions that contribute to mothers’ feelings of invisibility, with alternative suggestions that women say they would prefer to hear. So instead of asking ‘How’s the baby?’, Peanut suggests mums are asked ‘How are you really – mentally, emotionally and physically?’, and rather than ‘Was the pregnancy planned?’, try ‘Are you excited?’, and change ‘How do you do it all?’ to ‘How’s the mental load?’. Goldman added: “It doesn’t take grand gestures to offer support. A genuine ‘how are you’ or ‘thinking of you’ can significantly shift perceptions, signalling to someone that they matter. Small changes or actions, like compassionate conversations, can have profound impacts. “By acknowledging and addressing these issues, we can begin to truly support motherhood.” Read More The best ways to work-out in 22 minutes – as study finds this is magic number for offsetting ‘negative impact of sitting’ What crops will we be growing in the future, as climate change alters the landscape? As Rebecca Adlington shares heart-breaking miscarriage news: How to support others experiencing baby loss What you need to know about new research into treating cervical cancer How to do Halloween make up and still take care of your skin Which houseplants best suit your star sign?
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Just 25 minutes of daily exercise enough to cut death risk from prolonged sitting, scientists say
Working out for just about 20-25 minutes daily may be enough to cut a heightened risk of death due to a highly sedentary lifestyle, a new study finds. Adults in developed countries spend about 9-10 hours on average every day sitting down mostly while working, with the highly sedentary lifestyle linked to a heightened risk of death. The research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found just about 25 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) eliminates the risk of high sedentary time. Individual data from four groups of people, who were fitted with activity trackers, was pooled for the latest study by scientists, including those from The Arctic University of Norway. Researchers sought to find out whether physical activity might modify the association between sedentary time and death, and what amount of physical activity and sitting time may influence the risk. The analysis included data from nearly 12,000 people aged at least 50, who had a minimum of 4 days of 10 daily hours of activity tracker records. The participants had been monitored for at least two years, and had provided details of potentially influential factors, including their sex, educational level, weight, height, smoking history, alcohol intake and whether they had current and/or previous cardiovascular disease, cancer and/or diabetes. About 5,950 people spent fewer than 10.5 hours sitting down every day, while 6,042 clocked up 10.5 or more sedentary hours. Data from death registries found that during an average period of five years, 805 (7 per cent) people died, 357 (6 per cent) of whom spent under 10.5 hours sitting down every day and 448 of whom clocked up 10.5 hours or more. Being sedentary for more than 12 hours a day was found to be associated with a 38 per cent heightened risk of death compared with a daily tally of eight hours. But this was only among those registering fewer than 22 daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, scientists said. The study found over 22 daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity was linked with a lower risk of death. Higher daily tallies of physical activity were found to be linked to an even lower risk irrespective of the amount of time spent seated every day. For instance, an extra 10 minutes a day of exercise was linked to a 15 per cent lower risk of death in those spending fewer than 10.5 sedentary hours. This extended duration of workouts was associated with a 35 per cent lower risk among those spending more than 10.5 sedentary hours every day. Citing the study’s main limitation, scientists said the research was observational and can’t establish cause and effect. The study could also not account for other potentially influential factors like diet, mobility issues and general health. However, scientists said small amounts of MVPA “may be an effective strategy to ameliorate the mortality risk from high sedentary time”. Read More Study reveals why millions of women wake up at 3.29am Sports culture is ‘intimidating’ and putting people off working out, study finds Running could be just as effective at treating depression as medication, scientists find This Chinese martial art may slow down Parkinson’s disease The best ways to work-out in 22 minutes – as study finds this is magic number for offsetting ‘negative impact of sitting’ Mick Jagger, father of eight, explains why parenting is ‘not like riding a bike’
2023-10-25 15:25