Former teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney — best known for his boy band days in Dream Street, his solo hit “Beautiful Soul,” writing “Bleeding Love” for Leona Lewis and an acting career on “Summerland” — is aging like a fine wine on “All’s Well,” his late…
Former teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney — best known for his boy band days in Dream Street, his solo hit “Beautiful Soul,” writing “Bleeding Love” for Leona Lewis and an acting career on “Summerland” — is aging like a fine wine on “All’s Well,” his latest EP.
And he’s communicating that in the best way he knows how: through music.
It has been a few years since McCartney last released new music. His 2021 album “New Stage” was all adult contemporary glossy pop. In the years that followed, he took time to enjoy his newlywed life with wife Katie Peterson.
For his latest return, McCartney hits the ground running with racy lyrics and familiar early ’00s pop sounds.
Such is true on the opening track “Faux Fur,” a funky, R&B song tackling similar themes to Jennifer Lopez ‘s 2001 hit “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” detailing how the best things can’t be bought.
“But some things can’t buy/Your heart your time/Your hand in mine,” he sings in his characteristic falsetto. “No price too high/Your world is mine/I’ll spend my life.”
Raspy rapper Yung Gravy features on the second track, “Make a Baby,” a cheeky R&B-pop song all about breeding.
“I want it all/It’s tasty/I eat it up like pastry/In the mall/She makes me/They hate us up in Macy’s,” McCartney sings on the naughty chorus atop a seductive and fun pop melody.
But it’s not all sunshine and sexy rendezvous on “All’s Well.” Acoustic ballad “The Well” is an introspective rumination on emotional repression: “I leave the house and drive around/To hide what’s in my head,” McCartney opens the song. “’Cause I will never let you see/The troubles that I’ve fled.”
It leads to the closer “Silver Spoon,” a takedown of the ultra-privileged. Doing his best ’00s Justin Timberlake, McCartney sings “She was born on top of the moon/Lookin’ out at the nicest view/Waking up with nothing else to do/But polishing up her silver spoon.”
“All’s Well” is a short but sweet EP that celebrates life, love and lust.
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AP music reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/music-reviews
Around 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism in the U.S. according to the data. Around 1% of the world’s population or 75 million people has autism spectrum disorder. One out of every 100 children globally are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, associated with the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. The most effective interventions available are behavioral therapies based on applied behavioral analysis (ABA). But where is medical marijuana with autism?
Rachel Scanlon and Steve Sawyer are a couple who have an autistic daughter that we’ll refer to as “K.” At two years old, K. was diagnosed with autism at 5 she showed signs of aggression toward other and at 7 toward herself. They discovered CannaKids and wee, consult a doctor who recommended starting on the lowest possible dose of marijuana and watch for side effects. She starting behaving better and became more talkative, compliant, and calm. Unfortunately, an anonymous tip lead to a social worker being called in and trouble ensured. Now it is being tried in front of the circuit court and the law will decide if medical marijuana can help young with autism.
Photo by Fernando @dearferdo via Unsplash
Some studies show cannabis reduced the number and/or intensity of different symptoms, including hyperactivity, attacks of self-mutilation and anger, sleep problems, anxiety, restlessness, psychomotor agitation, irritability, aggressiveness perseverance, and depression. Moreover, they found an improvement in cognition, sensory sensitivity, attention, social interaction, and language. The most common adverse effects were sleep disorders, restlessness, nervousness and change in appetite.
Medical cannabis is usually welcomed by the families of young treatment-resistant ASD patients, often driven by evidence of CBD as a successful treatment for ASD-related symptoms and comorbidities (e.g., Dravet syndrome, Rett syndrome, Lennox–Gastaut syndrome), and as a somewhat natural product, devoid of any adverse effects. Unfortunately, lack of extensive research has not made a clear path. The occurrence of adverse outcomes is unclear due to the wide range of cannabis-based medications’ compositions and dosages within the studies. Until marijuana is under the FDA, which would ensure consistent manufactures and dosage, it is still a challenge for patients.
OKLAHOMA CITY — The death of a nonbinary student the day after a fight inside an Oklahoma high school restroom has been ruled a suicide, the state medical examiner’s office said Wednesday.
A summary autopsy report was released more than a month after the death of 16-year-old Nex Benedict, a student at Owasso High School. Family members said Benedict had been bullied at school and the teenager’s death in February drew concern from LGBTQ+ rights groups, as well as attention from Oklahoma’s governor and the White House.
“From the beginning of this investigation, Owasso Police observed many indications that this death was the result of suicide,” Owasso Police Department Lt. Nick Boatman said in a statement. “However, investigators did not wish to confirm that information without the final results being presented by the Oklahoma Medical Examiners Office.”
The report shows Benedict had toxic levels of two drugs in their system and died of an overdose. A complete autopsy will be released in 10 days in accordance with state law, the medical examiner’s office said.
Boatman would not confirm whether or not police found a note from Benedict at the scene.
A lawyer for Benedict’s family, Jacob Biby, told The Associated Press that he was working on a statement from the family Wednesday but declined to comment further.
Benedict was conscious and alert after the fight on Feb. 7 when telling police about the attack by three girls that occurred after the teen squirted them with water, according to police video released last month.
In video footage from the hospital the day of the altercation, Benedict explains to an officer that the girls had been picking on them and their friends because of the way they dressed. Benedict claims that in the bathroom the students said “something like: why do they laugh like that,” referring to Benedict and their friends.
“And so I went up there and I poured water on them, and then all three of them came at me,” Benedict tells the officer from a hospital bed.
Paramedics responding to the family’s house performed CPR and rushed Nex Benedict to the hospital, where they later died.
“Bullying and harassment have a significant impact on students and, tragically, many of these youths believe that suicide is the only option for peace,” said Brandon Dilawari, a case manager at Rainbow Youth Project USA, an Indiana-based group that aims to improve the safety and wellness of LGBTQ+ young people. “This is not an isolated incident by any means.”
The group reported a dramatic spike in calls from Oklahoma to its national crisis hotline after news of the teen’s death became public.
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. teens say they feel happy or peaceful when they don’t have their phones with them, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.
In a survey published Monday, Pew also found that despite the positive associations with going phone-free, most teens have not limited their phone or social media use.
The survey comes as policymakers and children’s advocates are growing increasingly concerned with teens’ relationships with their phones and social media. Last fall, dozens of states, including California and New York, sued Instagram and Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children. In January, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about their platforms’ harms to young people.
Despite the increasing concerns, most teens say smartphones make it easier be creative and pursue hobbies, while 45% said it helps them do well in school. Most teens said the benefits of having a smartphone outweigh the harms for people their age. Nearly all U.S. teens (95%) have access to a smartphone, according to Pew.
Majorities of teens say smartphones make it a little or a lot easier for people their age to pursue hobbies and interests (69%) and be creative (65%). Close to half (45%) say these devices have made it easier for youth to do well in school.
The poll was conducted from Sept. 26-Oct. 23, 2023, among a sample of 1,453 pairs of teens with one parent and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
Here are some of the survey’s other findings:
— About half of parents (47%) say they limit the amount of time their teen can be on their phone, while a similar share (48%) don’t do this.
— Roughly 4 in 10 parents and teens (38% each) say they at least sometimes argue with each other about how much time their teen spends on the phone. Ten percent in each group said this happens often, with Hispanic Americans the most likely to say they often argue about phone use.
— Nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents of 13- to 14-year-olds say they look through their teen’s smartphone, compared with 41% among parents of 15- to 17-year-olds.
— Forty-two percent of teens say smartphones make learning good social skills harder, while 30% said it makes it easier.
— About half of the parents said they spend too much time on their phone. Higher-income parents were more likely to say this than those in lower income buckets, and white parents were more likely to report spending too much time on their phone than Hispanic or Black parents.
PARIS — As French cinema basks in Academy Awards attention, actors who allege they were teenage victims of sexual and physical abuse by directors decades older than them are shining the light on the repulsive underside of the country’s industry.
The latest step in the #MeToo movement could come at the French cinema awards on Friday.
French media are reporting that Judith Godrèche is to make a speech on sexual violence at the Cesar Awards ceremony, France‘s version of the Oscars, which is broadcast live on television.
Godrèche already sent a powerful message to the public through recent interviews in which she denounced an “omerta” in the industry.
It comes as French cinema is expected to shine next month at the Oscars ceremony with Justine Triet ‘s courtroom drama “ Anatomy of a Fall.”
Godrèche, 51, is well-known to French cinemagoers. She recently accused two film directors of rape and sexual abuse when she was a teenager. She formally filed a complaint earlier this month, the Paris prosecutor said.
She is accusing film director Benoît Jacquot, with whom she had a six-year relationship which started when she was 14, of rape and physical abuse. Jacquot, a prominent director in France, is 25 years her senior.
She is also accusing another film director, Jacques Doillon, of sexual abuse while he was directing a film when she was 15. Doillon is 28 years older than her.
Both Jacquot and Doillon have denied the allegations.
Speaking on France Inter radio earlier this month, Godrèche said she was never attracted to Jacquot, “but I ended up with him, in his bed, and I was his child wife.” Godrèche and Jacquot met in 1986 on the set of his film “The Beggars.”
“I was indoctrinated, it was as if I’d joined a cult,” she said. The relationship was marred by violence, confinement and control, she said.
Godrèche had previously spoken about her relationship with Jacquot, without naming him, in an autobiographical TV show called “Icon of French Cinema” that was released in December.
She was among the actors who spoke out in 2017 against U.S. film producer Harvey Weinstein amid the #MeToo movement, accusing him of sexual assault when she was 24.
Jacquot told Le Monde newspaper that he “doesn’t feel directly concerned” by Godrèche’s accusations, with whom he said he fell in love at the time. He denied any abuse of authority.
In a statement to international news agency Agence France-Presse, Doillon said “the just cause doesn’t justify arbitrary denunciations, false accusations and lies.”
Following Godrèche’s accusations, other women decided to speak out.
Isild Le Besco, 41, accused Jacquot of “psychological and physical violence” in a relationship with him that began when she was 16 and he was 52. She also accused Doillon of having picked someone else for a role she was supposed to get because she refused his sexual advances.
Another actors, Anna Mouglalis, 45, accused Doillon of sexual assault in 2011.
The French film industry earlier was shaken by sexual misconduct accusations against actor Gérard Depardieu.
In 2020, protests by women’s rights activists were staged during the Cesar Awards ceremony as director Roman Polanski won, in absentia, the best director award. Actor Adèle Haenel, who denounced alleged sexual assault by another French director in the early 2000s when she was 15, got up and walked out of the room.
Polanski is still wanted in the United States decades after he was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The remains of a teenager found more than 50 years ago have been identified through advanced DNA technology as a young woman who went missing from Portland, Oregon State Police said.
The remains are that of Sandra Young, a high school student who disappeared in 1968 or 1969, police said Thursday in a news release.
“Sandra Young has now regained her identity after 54 years,” Dr. Nici Vance, Human Identification Program Coordinator at the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, said in the news release, noting the diligence and collaboration between family members, law enforcement, medical examiner staff and DNA company Parabon NanoLabs.
“This is yet another example of the innovative ways the ME’s Office and investigative genetic genealogy can help Oregonians find closure,” Vance said.
A Boy Scout troop leader found the remains on Feb. 23, 1970. Police say Young’s skeleton was found on Sauvie Island in the Columbia River, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Portland.
Investigators believed trauma to her body indicated foul play, but what happened to her is still unknown.
In 2004, Young’s remains were moved to the state medical examiner facility in suburban Portland, along with over 100 additional sets of unidentified remains, police said.
A DNA sample from Young’s remains was uploaded into a computer software program database of DNA profiles at the time but no genetic associations were found.
A grant awarded to the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner’s Office in 2018 allowed for more extensive DNA testing and DNA company Parabon NanoLabs in 2021 was able to generate a prediction of Young’s facial characteristics.
In 2023, someone who uploaded their DNA into the genetic genealogy database GEDMatch was recognized as a potential distant family member of Young. With others then uploading their DNA, more matches were found and family trees developed.
Those family members indicated Young went missing around the time the remains were found.
After Young’s sister uploaded a DNA sample and talked with a Portland police detective, genetic evidence confirmed the remains belonged to Young, police said.
Genetic genealogy casework and confirmation testing have shown successful results but can cost up to $10,000 per case, police said.
With the high cost of prom, many students have trouble affording the dress and accessories to make them feel beautiful on the night of the dance.
Shoppers look for dresses during the “Project Prom Dress” event in Burtonsville on Saturday. (WTOP/Valerie Bonk)
Shoppers look for dresses during the “Project Prom Dress” event in Burtonsville on Saturday. (WTOP/Valerie Bonk)
With the high cost of prom, many students have trouble affording the dress and accessories to make them feel beautiful on the night of the dance.
That’s where “Project Prom Dress” steps in. It’s the third year for the annual prom attire giveaway event for all high schoolers.
The event is currently looking for you to go through that closet and find your old dresses, accessories and suits to donate for the event on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Celebrating prom is a ‘rite of passage’ for many students, unfortunately the high cost of prom apparel and accessories prohibit many students from participating,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Every student deserves the right to attend their prom. I encourage any resident or business with prom related items to donate to us and help provide this memorable experience to our young adults.”
Dresses, shoes, accessories and suits made from 2010 to the present, in “wearable condition,” can be donated from Feb. 12 through Feb. 29 at the Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There will also be special collection dates hosted by Montgomery County Recreation on:
March 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center at 4301 Willow Lane in Chevy Chase.
March 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Germantown Community Recreation Center at 18905 Kingsview Road in Germantown.
The items will be dry cleaned and put into the boutique on April 13. Any high schooler with a valid high school ID can go to the event, shop the racks, and get one free complete outfit.
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This post will show you the hottest fashion trends for teens in 2024.
Hello, 2024!
A new year means new fashion trends to try out, so let’s talk about the latest fashion trends you’re about to see everywhere.
If you’re a teen or a young adult, you may not feel like every fashion trend applies to you (there can be some pretty “out there” stuff on the runways), which is why I am breaking down the top 10 fashion trends for teens in 2024.
Stay ahead of the curve with our teen trend guide, along with the trendiest clothing and accessories under $100.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump right in!
Teen Fashion Trends for 2024
Coquette Aesthetic (Bows!)
If you’ve been scrolling on TikTok, there’s no doubt you have heard of the viral coquette aesthetic that has been taking over social media (and real life).
It’s a celebration of all things ultra-girly that involves bows, lace, rosettes, frills, and feminine silhouettes and colors.
This aesthetic is all about embracing your girliest self through your clothing and accessories, playing on other recent “core” trends like Ballet Core and Soft Girl Core, with a hint of vintage-inspired flair. (Think corset and A-line silhouettes, locket and pearl jewelry, knee-high socks, etc.)
Take part in this trend as much or as little as you’d like: whether you go full-on coquette or only accessorize your outfits with a cute bow in your hair, this feminine aesthetic is a fun one to try out in 2024.
Embrace your inner coquette with this mini dress that features a corset-like bodice and a pleated mini skirt, plus lace detailing, a bow, and frilly fabric under the neckline for a layered effect.
If you want to go full-on coquette, accessorize with a hair bow, delicate jewelry, and Mary-Jane shoes or ballet flats.
One of the trendiest ways to get in on the coquette aesthetic happens to be one of the easiest (and most affordable): wearing a bow in your hair.
Whether you go for a big bow or a small bow, you can’t go wrong with thisadorable hair accessory.
Incorporating a hair accessory also allows you to experiment more with your hairstyles; for example,this pink satin bow barretteallows you to wear your hair half up and half down or put it on top of a high ponytail for another cute style.
You can also DIY this trend by tying your own ribbon into a bow, which is especially easy if you wear your hair in braids.
Baby Pink
With girly, coquettish styles on the rise, it should be no surprise that baby pink is primed to be one of the trendiest colors in 2024.
This soft, feminine color is starting to replace the bright, bold Barbie pink that ruled last season, just in time for spring (because wearing pastels during the springtime is always a good idea).
Add this color to your wardrobe in the form of dresses, corset tops, and even loungewear, which will appear elevated thanks to this sweet shade of pink.
You will feel cozy in this feminine set which features Y2K-inspired details like a diamanté logo on both the top and pants, along with lace trim detailing on the top.
While athleisure and comfy clothing will never not be in style, in 2024, expect to see more elevated lounge looks that are a bit more form-fitting and put-together, like the option above.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Fashion
Sustainability is always in, and in 2024, it’s more important than ever.
This year, we’re going to shop from brands that are committed to sustainability by utilizing eco-friendly materials, offering recycling programs, employing ethical manufacturing practices, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course, thrifting and vintage shopping are arguably the best ways to shop sustainably, as they eliminate waste and make use of clothing that has already been made, but if you’re looking for other options, consider the following brands.
Reformation marries fashion-forward designs with sustainability so that you can “save the Earth and look damn good doing it.” Love that!
For example, this stylish knit long-sleeve top is made from deadstock fabric, which reduces waste by using fabrics that would otherwise go unused and end up in overflowing landfills.
The brand is in the process of becoming climate-positive and 100% circular by 2030, putting an emphasis on using recycled, regenerative, and/or renewable fabrics rather than new fabrics in the clothing it produces.
Reformation also offers a reuse program called RefRecycling, engineered to keep your clothes out of landfills by allowing you to either resell what you no longer wear or send the clothes back to the brand for them to rework into new products.
Beyond the brand’s transparent sustainability practices, they are known as being a top shopping destination for on-trend clothing (especially dresses).
Alternative Apparel is a casual clothing brand that uses eco-friendly materials and responsible manufacturing to make a “positive footprint” on the planet.
Their line of laid-back clothing includes t-shirts, hoodies, jogger pants, and other casual basics, so if you’re looking for a brand to shop everyday essentials from, give Alternative Apparel a try.
You can shop the brand’s collection on Amazon with Prime Try Before You Buy, which is another plus!
Gender-Neutral Clothing
Though it’s by no means a “trend,” gender-neutral clothing is on the rise, and for good reason.
Clothing free of gender norms that can be worn by everyone, no matter how they identify, should be on your radar in 2024.
Genderless fashion allows for inclusivity and removes the limitations placed on individuals who feel like they need to conform to a gender when getting dressed.
These all-gender clothing lines are helping to break societal gender norms and allow self-expression for everyone.
Asos offers a variety of unisex clothing options, both by its in-house brand and by other brands like Nike, New Balance, and Collusion.
This genderless football (soccer) jersey-inspired top is a great way to get into the sportswear trend (more on that below), and comes in a broad size range from 2XS to 3XL.
Clothing For Humans (also known as ClHu) is an all-gender clothing brand and community platform that is about conscious consumption and offers a canvas for personal expression through clothing.
In addition to offering a range of cool, casual garments, the brand has come up with its own color-based sizing method rather than traditional sizing labels in order to champion radical inclusivity.
Prep-School Fashion
Class is in session!
Fashion inspired by prep school uniforms is still going strong in 2024, so don’t stop wearing your pleated skirts, loafers, or sweater vests any time soon.
The best part about this trend? It’s a trend you can actually wear to school (so long as the pieces you pick pass the dress code, of course).
Go for a preppy vibe with a blouse that does the layering work for you.
Though it looks like a cardigan layered over a button-down blouse, it’s a single piece. This top will make getting dressed a breeze by giving you an effortless layered look.
Office-Inspired Fashion
Similar to (but not to be confused with) prep-school fashion is the trend of officewear.
In 2024, expect to see plenty of collared blouses, wide-leg trousers, vests, and other office staples — but with flirty twists. Think of a classic button-down that has been made trendy with a cropped silhouette, for example.
If you’re looking for “office core” outfit inspo, just look to celebs like Billie Eilish, Bella Hadid, and Tate McRae for proof that this is a must-know fashion trend!
This cropped poplin button-down shirt is a perfect example of the office core trend, which is all about putting a youthful, flirty spin on sophisticated, “buttoned-up” pieces that you’d find in a typical workplace.
Where sweater vests are a marker of the prep school trend, tailored vest tops fall into the office core category (I’m so here for both!).
This pinstriped vest top with a halter neckline is equal parts sleek and sexy, making it ideal for wearing on a night out.
Sports Jerseys and Athletic-Inspired Clothing
You don’t have to be a sports fan (or athletic, for that matter) to appreciate the sport-inspired clothing trend of 2024.
Remember last year’s “bloke-core” aesthetic? That vibe is continuing and shifting into an even sportier version of itself in the new year, so grab your jerseys, track pants, and soccer sneakers to “score” major style points this season.
The best part about this trend? It’s super comfortable since these pieces tend to be designed for movement.
If you don’t have an actual sports team to root for, have no fear. Thissoccer jersey-inspired top will give you the look of wearing a legit jersey — without needing to belong to a team.
Its yellow and green color combination makes it pop, while its oversized fit and breathable mesh design will keep you feeling comfortable (and cool).
They are extremely comfy, but when paired with street-style pieces like a faux leather bomber jacket and a corset or a bodysuit, they will look elevated.
Wear these to class or when chilling with friends for the ultimate trendy-meets-athletic look.
Flared Pants
This year, we are feeling the flares. Flared pants, that is!
Ditch your standard leggings for a flared pair instead. The flared silhouette has a vintage-inspired design that feels new again in 2024.
Their slouchy, loose fit gives them an ultra-laid-back look, but the waistband-less design with a low-rise cut makes an intentional style statement that won’t go unnoticed.
Show it off by pairing these with a crop top so that the waistband-free design is on full display.
Their loose yet not overly baggy silhouette is just right for wearing day or night.
Style them with sneakers and a baby tee during the daytime, or dress them up with heels and a cropped corset top at night.
Denim Everything Else
Denim is going to have a major moment in 2024 — just not in the way you might expect.
Yes, jeans are always going to be in fashion, but this year, denim is set to take over other categories, including tops, skirts, bags, shoes, and more!
In 2024, experiment by wearing denim in new ways, whether with a denim corset-inspired top or a pleated denim mini skirt.
Denim tube tops, corset tops, and crop tops are among the best ways to wear denim in 2024 — because wearing denim on top rather than on the bottom is definitely unexpected!
This denim tube top has a bustier-inspired design with stretch, which gives it a flattering fit. Exposed zipper details, front flap pockets, and a notched hem add to its eye-catching design, as well.
For a fashion-forward look, style it with a beige skirt or pants in a chino-like material.
The other trendy way to wear non-jeans denim this year? Denim mini skirts.
You’ll be seeing these everywhere in 2024, so get ahead of the trend by scooping one up immediately.
Pleated denim mini skirts are an especially on-trend option since these have the prep-school-inspired vibe we covered earlier in this post.
You can just as easily wear a pleated denim mini casually with sneakers and a t-shirt as you could dress it up with heels and a going-out top, making it a versatile piece to add to your wardrobe.
In 2024, we are moving away from the tiny bag trend and will be seeing bigger bags back in action, which makes this pick extra trendy.
The size of this tote bag is roomy without being huge, making it a great everyday bag that is enhanced by its Y2K aesthetic and denim fabrication. It also has plenty of pockets, which is always a plus!
What do you think of our teen fashion trends 2024 guide?
Would you wear these trends? Which teen fashion trend is your favorite?
Social media CEOs got grilled by Senate lawmakers this week in an emotional and often heated hearing about the dangers their platforms pose to children — sexual predators, videos encouraging suicide and glorifying eating disorders, bullying and addictive features, just to name a few.
Republican and Democratic senators came together in a rare show of agreement throughout the hearing, though it’s not yet clear if this will be enough to pass legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act or other proposed measures intended to protect kids from online harms.
Even with apparent bipartisan unity, making laws and regulating companies takes time. What are parents — and teens — supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media — for kids as well as their parents.
There’s already, technically, a rule that prohibits kids under 13 from using platforms that advertise to them without parental consent: The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000 — before today’s teenagers were even born.
The goal was to protect kids’ online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parents’ consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services, although it’s been widely documented that kids sign up anyway, either with or without their parents’ permission.
But times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. There’s bullying, harassment, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse.
For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade, or about age 13 or 14. Some wait even later, like 16 or 17.
But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit.
“There is not necessarily a magical age,” said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But, she added, “13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.”
The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. The problem? There’s no easy way to verify a person’s age when they sign up for apps and online services. And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services.
“Developers need to start building apps with kids in mind,” she said.
Some tech executives, celebrities such as Jennifer Garner and parents from all walks of life have resorted to banning their kids from social media altogether. While the decision is a personal one that depends on each child and parent, some experts say this could lead to isolating kids, who could be left out of activities and discussions with friends that take place on social media or chat services.
Another hurdle — kids who have never been on social media may find themselves ill-equipped to navigate the platforms when they are suddenly allowed free rein the day they turn 18.
Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggests that parents go through their own social media feeds with their children before they are old enough to be online and have open discussions on what they see. How would your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks them to send a photo? Or if they see an article that makes them so angry they just want to share it right away?
For older kids, approach them with curiosity and interest.
“If teens are giving you the grunts or the single word answers, sometimes asking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like, ‘What are you doing on Instagram?’ but rather, ‘Hey, I heard this influencer is really popular,’” she suggested. “And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window.”
Don’t say things like “Turn that thing off!” when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, says Jean Rogers, the director of the nonprofit Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network.
“That’s not respectful,” Rogers said. “It doesn’t respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device.”
Instead, Rogers suggests asking them questions about what they do on their phone, and see what your child is willing to share.
Kids are also likely to respond to parents and educators “pulling back the curtains” on social media and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people online and engaged, Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like “The Social Dilemma” that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media. Or read up with them how Facebook and TikTok make money.
“Kids love to be in the know about these things, and it will give them a sense of power,” she said.
Rogers says most parents have success with taking their kids’ phones overnight to limit their scrolling. Occasionally kids might try to sneak the phone back, but it’s a strategy that tends to work because kids need a break from the screen.
“They need to an excuse with their peers to not be on their phone at night,” Rogers said. “They can blame their parents.”
Parents may need their own limits on phone use. Rogers said it’s helpful to explain what you are doing when you do have a phone in hand around your child so they understand you are not aimlessly scrolling through sites like Instagram. Tell your child that you’re checking work email, looking up a recipe for dinner or paying a bill so they understand you’re not on there just for fun. Then tell them when you plan to put the phone down.
Social media platforms that cater to children have added an ever-growing array of parental controls as they face increasing scrutiny over child safety. For instance, Meta unveiled parental supervision tools last year that lets parents set time limits, see who their kid follows or is followed by, and allows them to track how much time the minor spends on Instagram. It does not let parents see message content.
But as with similar tools on other platforms such as TikTok, the feature is optional, and both kids and parents have to agree to use it. In order to nudge kids toward agreeing to set up the controls, Instagram sends a notice to teens after they block someone, encouraging them to let their parents “supervise” their account. The idea is to grab kids’ attention when they might be more open to parental guidance.
By making the feature optional, Meta says it is trying to “balance teen safety and autonomy” as well as prompt conversations between parents and their children.
Such features can be useful for families in which parents are already involved in their child’s online life and activities. Experts say that’s not the reality for many people.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said last year it’s unfair to expect parents to manage what their children do with rapidly evolving technology that “fundamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world — and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage.”
Putting all of that on the shoulders of parents, he said “is just simply not fair.”
Social media CEOs got grilled by Senate lawmakers this week in an emotional and often heated hearing about the dangers their platforms pose to children — sexual predators, videos encouraging suicide and glorifying eating disorders, bullying and addictive features, just to name a few.
Republican and Democratic senators came together in a rare show of agreement throughout the hearing, though it’s not yet clear if this will be enough to pass legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act or other proposed measures intended to protect kids from online harms.
Even with apparent bipartisan unity, making laws and regulating companies takes time. What are parents — and teens — supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media — for kids as well as their parents.
There’s already, technically, a rule that prohibits kids under 13 from using platforms that advertise to them without parental consent: The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that went into effect in 2000 — before today’s teenagers were even born.
The goal was to protect kids’ online privacy by requiring websites and online services to disclose clear privacy policies and get parents’ consent before gathering personal information on their kids, among other things. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their services, although it’s been widely documented that kids sign up anyway, either with or without their parents’ permission.
But times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. There’s bullying, harassment, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse.
For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade, or about age 13 or 14. Some wait even later, like 16 or 17.
But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit.
“There is not necessarily a magical age,” said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But, she added, “13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.”
The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. The problem? There’s no easy way to verify a person’s age when they sign up for apps and online services. And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services.
“Developers need to start building apps with kids in mind,” she said.
Some tech executives, celebrities such as Jennifer Garner and parents from all walks of life have resorted to banning their kids from social media altogether. While the decision is a personal one that depends on each child and parent, some experts say this could lead to isolating kids, who could be left out of activities and discussions with friends that take place on social media or chat services.
Another hurdle — kids who have never been on social media may find themselves ill-equipped to navigate the platforms when they are suddenly allowed free rein the day they turn 18.
Start early, earlier than you think. Elgersma suggests that parents go through their own social media feeds with their children before they are old enough to be online and have open discussions on what they see. How would your child handle a situation where a friend of a friend asks them to send a photo? Or if they see an article that makes them so angry they just want to share it right away?
For older kids, approach them with curiosity and interest.
“If teens are giving you the grunts or the single word answers, sometimes asking about what their friends are doing or just not asking direct questions like, ‘What are you doing on Instagram?’ but rather, ‘Hey, I heard this influencer is really popular,’” she suggested. “And even if your kid rolled their eyes it could be a window.”
Don’t say things like “Turn that thing off!” when your kid has been scrolling for a long time, says Jean Rogers, the director of the nonprofit Fairplay’s Screen Time Action Network.
“That’s not respectful,” Rogers said. “It doesn’t respect that they have a whole life and a whole world in that device.”
Instead, Rogers suggests asking them questions about what they do on their phone, and see what your child is willing to share.
Kids are also likely to respond to parents and educators “pulling back the curtains” on social media and the sometimes insidious tools companies use to keep people online and engaged, Elgersma said. Watch a documentary like “The Social Dilemma” that explores algorithms, dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles of social media. Or read up with them how Facebook and TikTok make money.
“Kids love to be in the know about these things, and it will give them a sense of power,” she said.
Rogers says most parents have success with taking their kids’ phones overnight to limit their scrolling. Occasionally kids might try to sneak the phone back, but it’s a strategy that tends to work because kids need a break from the screen.
“They need to an excuse with their peers to not be on their phone at night,” Rogers said. “They can blame their parents.”
Parents may need their own limits on phone use. Rogers said it’s helpful to explain what you are doing when you do have a phone in hand around your child so they understand you are not aimlessly scrolling through sites like Instagram. Tell your child that you’re checking work email, looking up a recipe for dinner or paying a bill so they understand you’re not on there just for fun. Then tell them when you plan to put the phone down.
Social media platforms that cater to children have added an ever-growing array of parental controls as they face increasing scrutiny over child safety. For instance, Meta unveiled parental supervision tools last year that lets parents set time limits, see who their kid follows or is followed by, and allows them to track how much time the minor spends on Instagram. It does not let parents see message content.
But as with similar tools on other platforms such as TikTok, the feature is optional, and both kids and parents have to agree to use it. In order to nudge kids toward agreeing to set up the controls, Instagram sends a notice to teens after they block someone, encouraging them to let their parents “supervise” their account. The idea is to grab kids’ attention when they might be more open to parental guidance.
By making the feature optional, Meta says it is trying to “balance teen safety and autonomy” as well as prompt conversations between parents and their children.
Such features can be useful for families in which parents are already involved in their child’s online life and activities. Experts say that’s not the reality for many people.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said last year it’s unfair to expect parents to manage what their children do with rapidly evolving technology that “fundamentally changes how their kids think about themselves, how they build friendships, how they experience the world — and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage.”
Putting all of that on the shoulders of parents, he said “is just simply not fair.”
Trends come and go for teenagers and pre-teens, but a recent surge of interest in anti-aging skincare might be harming their skin.
The internet has been awash with videos of young girls aged as young as 10 or 11 roaming around stores like Sephora, purchasing expensive and potent anti-aging skincare products containing ingredients like retinol and exfoliating acids.
Now, dermatologists are warning preteens and their parents that these products may actually be damaging their youthful skin.
Stock image of a young woman looking at her skin. Young teens using anti-aging products may be damaging their skin, dermatologists say. Stock image of a young woman looking at her skin. Young teens using anti-aging products may be damaging their skin, dermatologists say. ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Many of these tweens and teens have gotten into skincare after watching TikToks from their favorite creators, who have a detailed skincare regimen consisting of a cocktail of expensive brands such as Drunk Elephant or Fenty. However, using these strong products together has begun to cause damage, with many reporting outbreaks of eczema, rashes, and acne.
“Many products have what we call “active” ingredients — like salicylic acid, retinols, peptides. They are more suitable for mature skin to target wrinkles or skin with specific concerns like acne. But for tweens and teens, these ingredients can do damage, irritate the skin and cause the reverse effects they are hoping to achieve,” Carol Cheng, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology and board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatologist at UCLA Health, said in a statement.
As we get older, the amount of collagen our skin produces slowly wanes, leading to the development of wrinkles. On adult skin, retinol helps slow the process of aging by increasing the production of collagen in the skin, which reduces fine lines over time. However, before a person reaches their twenties, collagen has not yet begun to dwindle, making retinol redundant.
“Retinols and retinoids can sometimes be a problem for young children, especially if there is not a clinical indication such as acne. Retinols can sometimes cause retinoid dermatitis, a type of scaly rash. Additionally, retinols can make you susceptible to sunburn and sun damage,” Jayden Galamgam, a board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatology fellow at UCLA Health, said in the statement.
Many young people mix ingredients to create a “skincare smoothie”, which can alter the pH of the products and result in skin irritation. Additionally, using retinol improperly, i.e. in the morning or without sun protection, can result in increased sun damage to the skin.
Stock image of a woman looking at her skin. Young people’s skin may be being damaged by using retinol skincare products. Stock image of a woman looking at her skin. Young people’s skin may be being damaged by using retinol skincare products. ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Experts recommend that younger people interested in skincare stick to a basic routine that avoids stronger ingredients.
“A simple and practical routine is best. Cleanse the face once or twice a day with a gentle facial cleanser. Drugstore brands (Cetaphil, for example) are fine. Apply a ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or greater every morning is of utmost importance. At nighttime, add a facial moisturizer if the skin seems dry. That’s it,” Cheng said.
Using sun protection is the bastion of skincare, the experts say, and is a way for younger people who are concerned about wrinkles to avoid premature aging of the skin.
“The number one thing we stress is sunscreen. Kids should develop that habit early so that it becomes part of their normal daily routine. Also, they should cleanse their face with a facial cleanser. Facial cleansers are formulated to have a pH level closer to the skin’s natural pH level,” Galamgam said. “Preteens and teenagers also should avoid harsh exfoliating scrubs. These can cause dryness, redness and irritation. Other than a mild cleanser and sunscreen, people should find a facial moisturizer that works best for their skin type.”
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about skincare? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
As someone who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I pretty much only drank water when I was forced to. That’s all changed these days, though, when most kids are hip to the many benefits of staying hydrated. Now, every kid from preschool to college is toting around a water bottle at all times, and some bottles—like the omnipresent Stanleys—have even become status symbols in middle and high schools, with students singing the praises of what they believe to be the best reusable water bottles for school.
But with thousands of different bottles on the market today, which ones actually do what they’re purporting to? Which ones keep cold water cold and hot water hot, and which ones won’t leak all over their backpack? We looked for bottles that were durable, generally affordable, and weren’t too juvenile, and we looked for a range of styles, materials, and sizes. Here are our picks for the best reusable water bottles for school.
Our Top Picks:
Best Overall: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle – $23.05 at Amazon
Owala is the newest player in the “hottest bottle in school” game, and for good reason: The brand’s FreeSip has earned rave reviews for its push-to-open button top, sleek styling, and hip color combinations. We love that while the bottles come in a range of sizes, from 16 to 40 ounces, even the biggest bottles never seem bulky. We also love the bottles’ sturdy carry loops, leakproof lid, and wide-mouthed spout, which lets them both swig and sip, depending on what they’re into. It’s just an all-around great water bottle.
The Specs:
Capacity: Available in 16, 24, 32, and 40 ounce
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: No
Weight: 14.4 ounces
The Pros:
Easy to clean
Wide-mouth spout
BPA and phthalate-free
Fits in most cup holders
The Cons:
Can’t be used with hot liquids
Not dishwasher safe
Anti-slip silicone sleeve sold separately
What Others are Saying:
Wired calls the Owala FreeSip the “perfect” bottle, and Esquire dubbed it the best water bottle of all time. It also has an average 4.80star rating from over 30,000 reviews on Amazon.
The Thermos Funtainer doesn’t hold as much water as some of the other bottles on this list, but this bottle proves that good things can come in small-ish packages. At just 16 ounces, the Funtainer is petite enough to be portable, and if they don’t mind a couple of trips to the water fountain or water cooler during the day, the size can almost seem like a blessing, since it means their water is always fresh and cold. The bottle’s stainless steel exterior doesn’t dent or get dings, even after a good deal of roughhousing, and the push-button top keeps the bottle’s spout from being exposed to germs or the elements.
The Specs:
Capacity: 16 ounces
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Weight: About 9 ounces
The Pros:
Slim
Integrated handle
Easy to clean
The Cons:
Small size
Spout must be cleaned with a bottle brush
What Others are Saying:
Wirecutter named the 12-oz. Funtainer the best kid-friendly water bottle, and it has a 4.7-star rating from over 7300 reviewers on Amazon.
If you’ve got an athlete in the house, you’ll know the beating a good sports water bottle can take. Those things go from practice to game, from sideline to locker room, and without proper maintenance, they can end up smelling as bad as a pair of old hockey skates. Fortunately, cleaning up Frost Buddy’s Sports Buddy is a breeze, with the bottle’s wide mouth and easy sip straw lid wiping clean with a good old-fashioned bottle brush. It’s also got a cool paracord handle to help your teen tote it around, and the climbing clip means they can snap it onto whatever backpack or duffle bag they’ve got without a problem.
The Specs:
Capacity: Available 24 and 32 ounce
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: No
Weight: 12.8 ounces
The Pros:
Keeps water cold for more than 24 hours
Has a handle and paracord strap
The Cons:
Prone to leaking
Hand wash only
Hard to clean
What Others are Saying:
The Frost Buddy has an average 4.4-star rating from over 1200 reviewers on Amazon.
Don’t love the feel or look of a big old metal water bottle? Or maybe your teen wants to keep something chic inside their cup, like cucumber water or Liquid IV. Why not consider a glass water bottle, which not only lets them peek inside their beverage but also helps reduce their carbon footprint? That’s certainly the case with Purifyou’s Premium Glass Bottles, which are made of leak-proof borosilicate glass that’s non-porous, meaning they won’t be tasting yesterday’s coffee the next time they go to take a swig of nice cold water. The bottles’ silicone sleeve means they’re anti-slip and durable, too, so they won’t shatter after an accidental drop.
The Specs:
Capacity: Available in 12, 22, 32, and 40 ounce
Material: Borosilicate glass
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Weight: 1.19 pounds
The Pros:
Silicon sleeve has time and volume markings on the outside
Stainless steel stopper helps thwart leaks
One-year warranty for breaks and cracks
The Cons:
Narrow open
Glass won’t keep water cold as long as metal
Cap is easy
What Others are Saying:
Wirecuttercalled the Purifyou Premium the best glass water bottle on the market today, and Food & Wine dubbed it most durable. It also has a 4.4-star rating from over 6000 reviewers on Amazon.
There’s something to be said for a good, old-fashioned stainless steel water bottle. Takeya Actives’ bottle doesn’t have a bunch of design innovations or sleek and shiny features, but it keeps cold things cold and hot things hot, and that’s not always easy to find. It also has a spout they can open with one hand, a hinge lock so the cap isn’t always banging into their face mid-sip, and it comes in a robust range of sizes and colors. Who can ask for more than that, really?
The Specs:
Capacity: Comes in 18, 22, 24, 32, and 40 ounce models
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: No
Weight: 12 ounces
The Pros:
Mix and match straw and spout lids
Sweatproof and relatively lightweight
Gasket seals are easy to remove and wash
The Cons:
Bottle isn’t dishwasher safe
Not dent resistant
Not BPA Free
What Others are Saying:
The Takeya bottle has a 4.8-star rating from more than 25,000 reviews on Amazon, and Wirecutter calls it the most versatile bottle on the market.
Buy the Takeya Actives Insulated Stainless Sports Bottle:
If metal and glass don’t float your water bottle boat, you might want to check out something plastic. Our favorite in that space is the Yeti Yonder, which is both lightweight and shatter-resistant. The “lightweight” is key because, depending on the size you pick, one bottle can hold up to 50 ounces of water, which definitely isn’t light. Leakproof and see-through, the Yeti Yonder helps them keep track of exactly how much they’re drinking, and the bottle’s wide mouth makes it a breeze to clean.
The Specs:
Capacity: Available in 20, 25, 34, and 50 ounce
Material: Made from 50 percent recycled plastic
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Weight: 9.2 ounces
The Pros:
Bottle has a lightweight clip attached, so you can attach it to any backpack
Comes with a wide mouth and a “chug cap” attachment
Completely leakproof
The Cons:
Not very insulated
No volume markings
Can’t use with hot or carbonated beverages.
Expensive
What Others are Saying:
The Yeti Yonder gets high marks from Wired, CNN, and Reviewed, It also has a 4.7-star rating from over 1,800 reviews on Amazon.
At this point, as a parent, you’d practically have to be living under a rock not to know about the Stanley Quencher. A massive steel water bottle with an oversized handle and opaque straw, the Quencher seemed to be on every teen’s Christmas list this past year, and now people are lining up for hours to snag limited edition Stanleys. But while the Quencher’s popularity is certainly, in part, driven by hype, it’s also a virtue of its quality. The 30- and 40-oz. bottles are large and in charge, and they come in a very cute and diverse range of colors. The double-wall vacuum insulated cups purport to keep water ice cold for up to 48 hours, and the cup’s FlowState lid gives you the option to drink with a straw, slurp through an opening, or lock the whole thing down to (allegedly) keep all your liquids safe inside.
The Specs:
Capacity: Comes in30 and 40 ounce sizes
Material: Stainless steel
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Weight: 1.4 pounds
The Pros:
Wide range of colors and looks
Can be used for hot and cold beverages
The Cons:
Not leak-proof
Loud when dropped
Very expensive
What Others are Saying:
The Stanley Quencher has a 4.7-star rating from over 48,000 reviews on Amazon.
Buy the Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler:
Other Reusable Water Bottles for School to Consider
There’s something comfortingly classic about the Nalgene, a bottle that’s been used by campers and hikers for decades. That being said, not much has changed about the brand’s design in that time, and while they do make a stainless model now, we’re just not sure it’s as good as everything else on this list. The Nalgene 38-ounce Stainless Bottle is available at Amazon for $34.99.
We like Hydro Flasks a lot. That being said, they’re not the “best” of anything on our list, and we tend to find the bottle’s flip-up straw top a little annoying to clean. We love all the colors they’re going for these days—the berry is especially pretty—but at almost $50 for a 32-ounce bottle, it just feels overpriced for what you get. The Hydro Flask Stainless Steel Wide Mouth Bottle is available at Amazon for $49.95.
While we were swayed by how many Amazon reviewers seem to really love this bottle, we just can’t get behind the fact that the only way to really drink out of it is through a silicone soft straw, or as one Amazon buyer calls it, their “adult sippy cup” spout. While it’s well-priced and the design is nice, we prefer options in our cup lids—or at least an actual straw. The Ello Cooper Stainless Steel 40-ounce Water Bottle is available at Amazon for $25.99.
If you want the style and size of a Stanley Quencher without the hefty price tag, consider picking up Simple Modern’s 40-ounce Trek tumbler, which comes in a wide range of colors and styles and is a full $10 to $15 cheaper. While the brand offers simple, muted colors, a la the Stanley, they also offer cool combinations like Owala. The Simple Modern 40-ounce Trek Tumbler is available at Amazon for $29.99.
Why You Can Trust Us
As a reporter and critic for over 15 years, I’ve spent a measurable portion of my life separating the proverbial wheat from the chaff. I love to shop, and I take great pains in finding not only the best products on the market but also the best deals. Like so many other people, I’ve been trying to drink more water lately, so I’m always trying out and testing cups, just to say where my loyalty really lies.
To put this piece together, I pulled from my own (shamefully extensive) water bottle cabinet, which is full of things I’ve bought and countless water bottles either my husband or I have received as promotional items over the past five years. I asked my kids what they liked the best, and I considered what I really love, too—and what I hate. (Shoutout, tiny straws that are impossible to clean!) I also looked at user reviews on sites like Amazon, TikTok, and YouTube videos and checked out other review sites and listings to see what I needed to make sure to evaluate on my own. I tried to spread the list across brands and bottle sizes, and I tried to address the different needs teens of tweens, teens, and young adults.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Reusable Water Bottle
Credit: Amazon
What to Consider Before Buying a Reusable Water Bottle
Spout Style: There are straw, spout, and wide mouth options, so find out which they prefer and go with that. If they want a choice, some reusable water bottle lids offer multiple ways to drink.
Material: If they’re into keeping their cold drink cold for the longest time possible, they’ll want an insulated metal bottle. If they don’t want to taste yesterday’s leftover cold brew flavor in today’s nice cold water, then maybe get a glass bottle since it’s non-porous.
Weight: An already heavy water bottle is just going to get heavier once it’s full of lots of water. If they’re already bowing under the weight of an overloaded backpack, they may need a smaller, lightweight bottle rather than a heavier tumbler.
Ease of Cleaning: It’s something that’s important to consider, not just because it’ll save you some aggravation, but because it’ll definitely come into play if they’re taking the bottle with them to college.
What Size Water Bottle Should I Get?
Credit: Amazon
This is probably the biggest question when it comes to what kind of water bottle to get. You can get cups that range anywhere from about 12 to 60 ounces, so it’s worth considering a few things on how your teen plans to use their water bottle. If they’re trying to drink a ton of water, or they do a lot of sports and need to stay hydrated, then they might want something bigger. Then again, if they don’t want to lug around a truly massive cup, a smaller water bottle may be a better choice.
Another thing to consider is whether or not their water bottle will fit into cup holders in both their cars and in their backpacks. While backpack side pockets can certainly stretch to accommodate larger cups, they also become loose and floppy over time, meaning they won’t be able to hold smaller cups or bottles in the future.
What’s the Best Material for a Reusable Water Bottle?
That all really depends on what you like. Metal bottles are better insulators, meaning they keep water cold longer and hot drinks warm for hours. Glass bottles are less porous, though, so they tend to drink “cleaner,” meaning you won’t taste leftover flavors from previous beverages. They’re also more eco-conscious in some sense, since you can recycle all or at least part of them if you’re done using them. Some plastic bottles are recyclable as well, though that can vary wildly, and plastic bottles are also generally less durable and more prone to cracks and scuffs.
How to Clean a Reusable Water Bottle
While some reusable water bottles claim to be dishwasher safe—and some are, for sure—you really need to make sure to get into your bottle’s crevices and cracks with a good quality bottle brush. Hot water alone won’t clean inside a straw, either, so make sure you grab a straw brush if that’s something your bottle needs.
If you notice your bottle getting a funky smell or taste, don’t worry: Just put a teaspoon of bleach and a teaspoon of baking soda in your bottle and fill it with water. Let it soak overnight, then rise it out completely the next day. (You might want to do it multiple times, because we are talking about bleach here.) Let the bottle dry completely before using it again.
LOS ANGELES — A Texas man has pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl who was rescued in Southern California when a passerby saw her hold up a “Help Me” sign in a parked car.
A statement Friday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California said Steven Robert Sablan, 62, of Cleburne, Texas, admitted in a plea agreement that he sexually assaulted the victim while driving her from Texas to California.
The girl was rescued July 9 in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles, after a passerby called 911 to report seeing her hold up the piece of paper with the handwritten desperate plea for help.
Sablan, who has been in federal custody since July 2023, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, prosecutors said.
His attorney to not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday.
In July, Sablan was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
An FBI agent wrote in an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint that the girl was walking down a street in San Antonio on July 6 when Sablan drove up, raised a black handgun and told her, “If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you.”
A sentencing hearing was set for Oct. 25. Sablan will face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is out of the Australian Open after a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 third-round loss to 50th-ranked Linda Noskova on Saturday, leaving no top 10 players in the bottom half of the women’s draw.
Swiatek is a four-time major winner but has never been past the semifinals at Melbourne Park.
Even so, she was on an 18-match winning streak and expected to beat Noskova, who is making her main draw debut at the tournament.
Swiatek beat 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and 2022 finalist Danielle Collins in the first two rounds.
But after taking the first set against her 19-year-old Czech opponent, she struggled for rhythm.
After saving breakpoint in the seventh game of the second set, Noskova won 11 of the next 12 points to level the match at one set apiece.
Noskova continued to pound away and got the decisive break in the seventh game of the third set.
Swiatek held at love in the penultimate game and made her rival serve it out, then jumped to 0-30 lead in the 10th game.
But Noskova remained calm, winning the next four points to finish it off quickly. She earned match point with an ace and sealed it when Swiatek sent a forehand long.
Swiatek’s loss leaves No. 12 Zheng Qinwen as the highest-ranked player in the bottom half of the women’s draw and two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, at No. 18, as the only major winner.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, seeded second, U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, seeded fourth, and No. 9 Barbora Krejcikova are all on the opposite side of the draw.
The men’s draw remains stacked, with No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 3 Daniil Medvedev having straight-set wins Saturday to reach the fourth round. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, No. 4 Jannik Sinner and No. 5 Andrey Rublev already reached the last 16 on the top half of the draw.
Medvedev beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 and finished 2 1/2 hours before midnight local time. His second-round match finished close to 4 a.m. Friday.
He will next play Nuno Borges, who upset No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Wimbledon champion Alcaraz was leading 6-1, 6-1, 1-0 when the 18-year-old Shang Juncheng retired in the third set, ending the match in 66 minutes.
“It’s not the way you want to move on,” said the 20-year-old Alcaraz, who missed the 2023 Australian Open because of injury. “Last year I was watching the matches from my couch, wishing to be in the second week.”
Alcaraz will play Miomir Kecmanovic, who saved two match points before upsetting 2023 semifinalist Tommy Paul 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-0.
Paul led by two sets to one on Margaret Court Arena and had match points in the fourth, but Kecmanovic leveled and then raced through the deciding set for victory.
No. 9 Hubert Hurkacz is into the fourth round in back-to-back years after beating No. 21 Ugo Humbert 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3. He will next play French wildcard entry Arthur Cazaux, who beat 28th-ranked Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
French Open finalist and No. 11 seed Casper Ruud lost 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3 to No. 19 Cam Norrie.
Azarenka won back-to-back women’s titles here in 2012 and ’13. On Saturday, she took out 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko 6-1, 7-5 to make the last 16 here for the seventh time.
She trailed 5-2 in the second before winning five straight games, saving two breakpoints with aces in the last game before serving it out.
“I’m just ready to give whatever it takes. I’m going to stay out here as long as it needs to be,” Azarenka said. “I love the challenge. It makes me excited. It brings out the best in me.”
Azarenka’s next opponent will be Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska, who equaled her best Grand Slam performance with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 win over 27th-ranked Emma Navarro.
Yastremska was coming off first-round exits in her previous seven Grand Slam appearances and hadn’t been to the second week of a major since reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2019.
She will next play Oceane Dodin, who beat Clara Burel 6-2, 6-4 in a match between two French women.
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion and a runner-up at Roland Garros the following year, was ousted in a 6-7 (8), 6-1, 6-4 loss to Anna Kalinskaya.
No. 26 Jasmine Paolini advanced 7-6 (1), 6-4 over Anna Blinkova, who was coming off a big upset win over 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina in the longest tiebreaker in women’s Grand Slam history.
In the Rod Laver Arena opener, Zheng, a U.S. Open quarterfinalist last year, edged fellow Chinese player Wang Yafan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (8) to reach the fourth round in Australia for the first time.
Zheng told the crowd she was motivated by watching Li Na win the Australian Open title in 2014 and was surprised to see later that her tennis inspiration was on site to watch the match.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two teenage girls held at a troubled Kentucky juvenile detention center were kept in isolation cells for weeks in unsanitary conditions, including a padded cell with no toilet, a federal class-action lawsuit filed this week alleges.
The teens were held at the Adair County Youth Detention Center in late 2022, around the same time state police reported a riot at the facility that started when a juvenile assaulted a staff member. That and other violent incidents at juvenile facilities prompted Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration to enact new policies that placed male juveniles charged with serious crimes in separate facilities and create a female-only detention center in northern Kentucky.
The lawsuit filed Monday also details alleged incidents with other youths at the center, including one who it says was being held in an isolation cell with “a Spanish version of ‘Baby Shark’ playing on a loop” and another who it alleges “spent days soaked in menstrual blood” while staffers insulted her about her hygiene.
The lawsuit seeks other plaintiffs who “were held in isolation” and subjected to “abuse and neglect” at the Adair County facility. The Associated Press left an email message seeking comment with a spokesperson for Kentucky’s Justice and Public Safety cabinet Wednesday.
Both of the teenage girls who brought the lawsuit said they were kept in isolation during their entire stints at the Adair facility, with few opportunities to take showers. One of the teens, who was 17 and seven months pregnant at the time, said she was let out of her cell just five times in one month to take a walk, the lawsuit said. The other teen said she was kept in isolation for the entire four months she was there, including two of them in a padded cell with no toilet.
The lawsuit names several state officials, including the head of the state Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Kerry Harvey, and former state Juvenile Justice Commissioner Vicki Reed, who retired on Jan. 1. Harvey is due to retire at the end of the month.
The lawsuit alleges that juvenile detainees had their civil rights infringed upon at the facility in south-central Kentucky and that the center failed to properly train staff. It seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages.
The 2022 disturbance at the Adair County facility began when a juvenile assaulted a staff member, took the employee’s keys and released other young people from their cells. One staff member was hospitalized with injuries. Order was restored after law enforcement officers entered the facility.
The new state policy for juvenile offenders took effect in 2023 and places male juveniles charged with serious crimes in a high-security facility. It replaced a decades-old regional system that put juveniles in detention facilities based on where they live. The governor said at the time that the old model could result in a juvenile charged with murder being housed next to someone held for truancy.
TOKYO — Members of a group of men who say they were sexually abused as boys by a Japanese entertainment mogul are accusing the company behind the scandal, previously known as Johnny’s, of not being sincere in dealing with the victims.
Shimon Ishimaru, who represents the victims’ group, said many have not yet received compensation. The group has asked to meet with company officials, but that has not happened, he said at a news conference with three other men who said they were victims.
Ishimaru is among hundreds of men who have come forward since last year, alleging they were sexually abused as teens by boy band producer Johnny Kitagawa. Kitagawa, who died in 2019, was never charged and remained powerful in the entertainment industry.
The company finally acknowledged Kitagawa’s long-rumored abuse last year. The company’s chief made a public apology in May. The Japanese government has also pushed for compensation.
The company, which has changed its name from Johnny & Associates to Smile-Up, said Monday it has received requests for compensation from 939 people. Of those, 125 have received compensation, it said in a statement. The company has set up a panel of three former judges to look into the claims.
“We are proceeding with those with whom we have reached an agreement on payments,” it said, while promising to continue with its efforts.
It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday’s news conference.
The victims’ group said it has been approached by dozens of people who had been told by the company that there was not enough evidence to honor their claims. Details were not disclosed.
The company’s production business, known previously as Johnny’s, has continued under a different name, Starto Entertainment.
According to multiple accounts, Kitagawa abused the boys in his Tokyo luxury mansion, as well as other places, such as his car and overseas hotels, while they were performing as Johnny’s dancers and singers. The abuse continued for several decades.
The repercussions of the scandal have spread. In standup comedy, several women have alleged sexual abuse by a famous comic. He has denied the allegations.
The U.N. Working Group on Business and Human Rights, which is investigating the Johnny’s abuse cases, is to issue a report in June, including recommendations for change.
The Associated Press does not usually identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Kitagawa’s recent accusers have given their names. Critics say what happened and the silence of Japan’s mainstream media are indicative of how the world’s third largest economy lags in protecting human rights.
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Yuri Kageyama is on X https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
WASHINGTON — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.
The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.
More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.
“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”
Halpern-Felsher says she is “constantly” updating her curriculum to keep pace with new vaping brands and trends.
Nearly all the new products are disposable e-cigarettes, according to the sales data gathered from gas stations, convenience stores and other shops. The products generated $3.2 billion in the first 11 months of this year.
The FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes for adult smokers and is still reviewing products from several major companies, including Juul. Regulators consider nearly all other e-cigarettes to be illegal.
“Those committing illegal acts don’t advertise their crimes, and those trying to import illegal tobacco products into the United States are no different,” said FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a written response to AP questions. “The FDA and our federal partners are using tools, like import alerts, to stop these illegal tobacco products at the border and to deter countless others.”
The rise in e-cigarettes sold continues despite a record number of products detained.
An FDA database shows officials “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” goods last month, consisting almost entirely of vaping products from China. Refused imports are typically destroyed.
Through the end of November, U.S. officials had refused 374 such shipments this year, more than double the 118 refused in 2022.
This year’s items included $400,000 worth of Esco Bars, a disposable brand placed on a list of banned imports in May. The agency’s posted data is often preliminary because it takes time to finalize refusals.
But recent history shows how easily companies can maneuver around import bans.
In July 2022, the FDA barred dozens of e-cigarettes from Chinese manufacturer Fume, including flavors Pineapple Ice and Blue Razz.
Fume sales dipped after the ban, but the company launched a slew of new products, posting $42 million in U.S. sales in the third quarter of 2023, the data shows. Roughly 98% of sales came from products not on the FDA’s “red list” of products that can be detained.
Industry shipping tactics are also challenging the usefulness of import restrictions.
In July, FDA and customs officials intercepted $18 million worth of illegal vapes, including leading brand Elf Bar. But the shipments were mislabeled as shoes, toys and other items — not e-cigarettes — requiring officials to individually open and verify the contents of more than two dozen containers.
Circana, formerly IRI, restricts access to its data, which it sells to companies and researchers. A person not authorized to share it gave the AP access on condition of anonymity.
The FDA has no schedule for updating its import lists but said it is “closely monitoring” instances where companies try to avoid detection.
“The FDA has a variety of tools at our disposal to take action against these tactics,” FDA’s King said.
The agency has limited powers to penalize foreign companies. Instead, regulators have sent hundreds of warning letters to U.S. stores selling their products, but those are not legally binding.
Even as the FDA attempts to work with customs officials, it is struggling to complete a yearslong review of applications submitted by manufacturers hoping to market their products to adults.
The few tobacco-flavored products currently authorized by FDA are deeply unpopular. Their combined sales were just $174 million, or 2.4% of the vaping marketplace this year, according to Circana.
“Nobody wants them,” says Marc Silas, owner of 906 Vapor shop in Michigan. “If people wanted them, they’d be on the shelves and they’re not.”
Deeply frustrated with the pace of FDA’s review, public health groups have successfully sued the agency to speed up the process. The agency aimed to complete all major outstanding applications this year, but it recently said the process would stretch into next year.
The delays have raised questions about the viability of the the current regulatory framework for e-cigarettes.
“FDA is trying to operate with an old model when the whole environment has changed,” said Scott Ballin, a health policy consultant who previously worked for the American Heart Association. “They have this long line of products that have to be reviewed one by one and now they’re in a giant hole.”
One alternative approach would be to make decisions about entire classes of e-cigarettes, rather than individual products.
The idea initially came from small vaping manufacturers who did not have the money to conduct the large studies typical of FDA applications. Public health advocates concerned about the persistence of underage vaping have embraced it.
Halpern-Felsher, of Stanford University, is among those urging the FDA to ban all flavored disposable e-cigarettes, the products used by most of the 2 million underage teens who vape.
“If we continue down this path that we’re on, we’re just going to have new and continuing generations of young people addicted to nicotine,” she said.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
WASHINGTON — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.
The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.
More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.
“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”
Halpern-Felsher says she is “constantly” updating her curriculum to keep pace with new vaping brands and trends.
Nearly all the new products are disposable e-cigarettes, according to the sales data gathered from gas stations, convenience stores and other shops. The products generated $3.2 billion in the first 11 months of this year.
The FDA has authorized a handful of e-cigarettes for adult smokers and is still reviewing products from several major companies, including Juul. Regulators consider nearly all other e-cigarettes to be illegal.
“Those committing illegal acts don’t advertise their crimes, and those trying to import illegal tobacco products into the United States are no different,” said FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a written response to AP questions. “The FDA and our federal partners are using tools, like import alerts, to stop these illegal tobacco products at the border and to deter countless others.”
The rise in e-cigarettes sold continues despite a record number of products detained.
An FDA database shows officials “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” goods last month, consisting almost entirely of vaping products from China. Refused imports are typically destroyed.
Through the end of November, U.S. officials had refused 374 such shipments this year, more than double the 118 refused in 2022.
This year’s items included $400,000 worth of Esco Bars, a disposable brand placed on a list of banned imports in May. The agency’s posted data is often preliminary because it takes time to finalize refusals.
But recent history shows how easily companies can maneuver around import bans.
In July 2022, the FDA barred dozens of e-cigarettes from Chinese manufacturer Fume, including flavors Pineapple Ice and Blue Razz.
Fume sales dipped after the ban, but the company launched a slew of new products, posting $42 million in U.S. sales in the third quarter of 2023, the data shows. Roughly 98% of sales came from products not on the FDA’s “red list” of products that can be detained.
Industry shipping tactics are also challenging the usefulness of import restrictions.
In July, FDA and customs officials intercepted $18 million worth of illegal vapes, including leading brand Elf Bar. But the shipments were mislabeled as shoes, toys and other items — not e-cigarettes — requiring officials to individually open and verify the contents of more than two dozen containers.
Circana, formerly IRI, restricts access to its data, which it sells to companies and researchers. A person not authorized to share it gave the AP access on condition of anonymity.
The FDA has no schedule for updating its import lists but said it is “closely monitoring” instances where companies try to avoid detection.
“The FDA has a variety of tools at our disposal to take action against these tactics,” FDA’s King said.
The agency has limited powers to penalize foreign companies. Instead, regulators have sent hundreds of warning letters to U.S. stores selling their products, but those are not legally binding.
Even as the FDA attempts to work with customs officials, it is struggling to complete a yearslong review of applications submitted by manufacturers hoping to market their products to adults.
The few tobacco-flavored products currently authorized by FDA are deeply unpopular. Their combined sales were just $174 million, or 2.4% of the vaping marketplace this year, according to Circana.
“Nobody wants them,” says Marc Silas, owner of 906 Vapor shop in Michigan. “If people wanted them, they’d be on the shelves and they’re not.”
Deeply frustrated with the pace of FDA’s review, public health groups have successfully sued the agency to speed up the process. The agency aimed to complete all major outstanding applications this year, but it recently said the process would stretch into next year.
The delays have raised questions about the viability of the the current regulatory framework for e-cigarettes.
“FDA is trying to operate with an old model when the whole environment has changed,” said Scott Ballin, a health policy consultant who previously worked for the American Heart Association. “They have this long line of products that have to be reviewed one by one and now they’re in a giant hole.”
One alternative approach would be to make decisions about entire classes of e-cigarettes, rather than individual products.
The idea initially came from small vaping manufacturers who did not have the money to conduct the large studies typical of FDA applications. Public health advocates concerned about the persistence of underage vaping have embraced it.
Halpern-Felsher, of Stanford University, is among those urging the FDA to ban all flavored disposable e-cigarettes, the products used by most of the 2 million underage teens who vape.
“If we continue down this path that we’re on, we’re just going to have new and continuing generations of young people addicted to nicotine,” she said.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
A Minnesota judge has set aside the murder conviction of a man who was sent to prison for the 2004 killing of a man in a Minneapolis flower shop
ByThe Associated Press
December 11, 2023, 11:27 AM
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota judge on Monday set aside the murder conviction of a man who was sent to prison for the 2004 killing of a man in a Minneapolis flower shop, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.
Marvin Haynes, who was 16 at the time of the killing, was expected to be released from prison Monday. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says Haynes’ release comes after prosecutors agreed Haynes had recently proven in court that his constitutional rights were violated during his 2005 trial for the killing of Randy Sherer, 55.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement that a “terrible injustice” occurred when the state prosecuted Haynes.
“We inflicted harm on Mr. Haynes and his family, and also on Harry Sherer, the victim, his family, and the community. We cannot undo the trauma experienced by those impacted by this prosecution, but today we have taken a step toward righting this wrong.”
