Young boy is ridiculed for birthmark on his eye, then mom captures one kid’s kind compliment

The fourth-grader Grant was born with a large port wine birthmark with very noticeable reddish tint surrounding the area between his left cheek and eye.

At first, Grant didn’t seem to mind his birthmark, his mother Madeleine Schmidt said. However, the little boy started to get frustrated about all the reactions he received from other kids and on the street. He was always asked the same questions over and over again, asking him how he got the stain on his face and if they could touch it.

He always replied with “It’s just a birthmark”, but couldn’t handle the tough reactions anymore. Some people said things such as “Oh, I thought you got punched in the face.” Even though they didn’t mean to be hurtful, Grant broke down because of the harsh words.

One day, Grant said something to his mother that instantly broke her heart.

“I wish I didn’t have my birthmark.”

“It had never been a thing to him, so we naturally started asking questions,” Madeleine says. “We asked if he just didn’t like it anymore and he said ‘No, it’s fine. I’m just so tired of people asking about it or trying to touch my face.’ It broke my heart.”

He said this after hearing dozens of reactions, but it was one more reaction that would bring a smile to his face once again.

One of Grant’s schoolmates asked him the question he was asked hundreds of times. Grant expected to hear one of the standard responses but was absolutely stunned when the schoolmate simply said: “Well, your birthmark is really cool.”

This one reaction by an incredible kind boy immediately restored some self-confidence for Grant.

“When he told me, I knew I had to find this kid,” his mom said. “Grant said ‘I had the best day!’ I hadn’t seen that kind of joy in him for a while.”

Madeleine wanted to make sure that the child knew how much his reaction meant to Grant and wanted to find him. She had already heard that the child had red hair and figured that he would be around the same age as Grant. With over four hundred children in the same school, finding the kind boy wasn’t an easy task, but she managed to track him down.

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Source: Madeleine Schmidt, Love What Matters

It was Tucker who had talked with Grant, and funnily enough, it turns out he didn’t have red hair after all. Tucker is quite a shy person, as opposed to Grant who is rather energetic.

The two buddies met again so that they could catch up and Madeleine took a picture of them with their arms around each other, which quickly reached thousands of readers on social media.

“I was excited to see that it resonated with so many people,” she says. “What it did for my son is amazing.”

This one encounter with Grant’s new friend absolutely changed his life. He devoted his science fair project to birthmarks and thanks to his newfound confidence and the science project, his classmates started to treat him differently, saying his science project was cool and with some even being genuinely interested in it.

Grant’s mother Madeleine recalls a visit to the dermatologist after Grant and Tucker met, and asked him if he would magically remove his birthmark if it were possible.

His response is terrific.

“Are you kidding? No way! I love my birthmark.”

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Source: Love What Matters

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According to scientists, these are the best way to fix all of your sleep problems

Back pain. Neck pain. Tossing and turning. Snoring. Leg cramps. Everyone has their own unique set of sleep issues that keep themselves – and their partner, if they have one – up all night long. For many people, sleeping is EXHAUSTING!

Fortunately, sleep scientists (yes, there’s such a thing!) have discovered ways to cure all of your sleepless nights. By following these recommendations, you may be able to fix all of your frustrating sleep troubles for good!

Back Pain

If you wake up with a stiff or sore back, it’s extremely important that you maintain the normal curves of your spine. You can do this by doing the following:

Get a new mattress. An overly soft mattress is bad for people with bad backs. If your mattress is soft, look into getting a firmer one.

Sleep on your back. Individuals with back pain sleep best on their backs and with a pillow under their knees. The pillow helps to restore the natural curve of the spine as well as to reduce tension in the tendons. If you need additional support, place a small rolled towel under your lower back.

Like sleeping on your stomach? There’s a position for you too! Place a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis so that the small of your back is not inclined to bend forward.

Or maybe you’re a side sleeper? Sleep in the fetal position by drawing your legs up towards your chest and keeping your spine naturally arched. Place a small pillow between your knees to take tension off your lower back.

Shoulder Pain

If you wake up with a single sore shoulder every morning, it’s probably because you sleep on the same side every night. Avoid sleeping on your stomach as it causes misalignment of the shoulders.

Sleep on your back. Avoid fluffy pillows, as these also cause shoulder misalignment. Place another pillow on your stomach and hold it to ensure that your shoulders are in the correct and stable position.

Can’t sleep on your back? Try sleeping on the side that doesn’t hurt you. Draw your legs up into the fetal position and place a pillow between your knees. Avoid placing your hands under your head, as this causes your shoulders to move into and rest in an unnatural position.

Neck Pain

If you suffer from neck pain, your neck needs better support while you sleep.

Sleep on your back with a pillow under your head and two additional pillows under each arm. Choose your pillows very carefully, as much of your pain has to do with it rather than your sleeping position. Opt for an orthopedic or roll pillow.

If you’re a side sleeper, use a nice flat pillow – ideally one no bigger than 6 inches high. Ideally, your pillow should be no higher than the width of your shoulder. A pillow that is any higher than that causes your neck to rest in an unnatural position.

If you’re a stomach sleeper, use the thinnest pillow you can find. Sleeping on your stomach is one of the worst positions you can sleep in if you suffer from neck pain, but if it is the only way you can sleep, do so on a very thin pillow.

You Can’t Wake Up

Can’t wake up? Easy. Go to bed at the same early time each night, then set your alarm for the same time every morning (even on weekends). After a couple of week’s of doing this, your body’s internal alarm clock will start pushing you out of bed before your actual alarm even starts to go off.

Snoring

Snoring is one of those things that keeps other people up, and can actually harm a relationship. Fortunately, if you’re a snorer, there are things you can do to ensure your partner has a peaceful night’s sleep.

Avoid sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your back allows your throat tissues to sag and your tongue to fall backward into your throat, narrowing the airway, thereby causing the snoring.

Choose your pillow wisely. Overly soft pillows tend to exacerbate snoring, as they allow you to tilt your head back even more. If you want to use a soft pillow, place another pillow beneath it for more elevation.

Sleep on your side. With your head lying in its natural position, there will be no way for your airflow to become restricted.

Exercise the muscles of your tongue and throat. This will help strengthen them and reduce snoring.

Leg Cramps

Have you ever stretched just a little too much while sleeping and woken up with a screaming pain in your calves or other leg muscles? Charley horses are PAINFUL with a capital “P,” and despite popular belief, are not just a byproduct of dehydration.

Almost 80% of people suffer from leg cramps while sleeping, and can be related to some sort of nerve damage, disease, or lack of trace elements. If you get leg cramps in your sleep often, talk to a doctor. However, if it’s an occasional issue, simply stop the cramps as they arise by stretching the calf muscle. You can also try stretching or massaging your legs before bedtime.

Laying Awake

One reason so many people are unable to fall asleep these days is because of electronics. The blue light from phones, iPads and laptops affects our sleep cycles and urges your mind to stay awake when your body says it wants to sleep. I know it may be difficult but put all electronics away even as much as an hour before bedtime.

Additionally, don’t consume any caffeine at least six hours before bedtime. This means no chocolate – sorry!

Don’t just exercise in the mornings – come up with an afternoon routine too. This will help tone your whole body, improve circulation, and prepare your body for bed at a decent hour (as it will be exhausted!).

Frequent Waking

If you frequently wake up in the middle of the night, it may have something to do with your room’s temperature. The ideal sleeping temperature is 20-22 degrees Celsius.

Furthermore, don’t consume alcohol before bedtime, as alcohol disrupts the water balance in your body and negatively affects your sleep cycle.

Additional Sleep Problems

Do you suffer from heartburn? Lie on your left side, as this prevents stomach contents from making their way back up into the esophagus, thereby preventing heartburn.

If your legs ache at night, keep your legs lifted with a roll pillow or the foot of your bed. This will allow the venous blood to run downward, alleviating pain. Also, try lightly massaging your legs before settling down for the night, and avoid consuming any caffeine at least six hours before crawling into bed.

There you have it! Test out these great sleep tips, then let us know how you sleep!

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H/T: Bright Side

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Parents gift colorblind boy special glasses. When he puts them on, he bursts into tears of joy

Imagine what your world would be like if you had to live without color. You couldn’t see the beauty in the bright green leaves on the trees, the golden yellow petals of sunflowers, or the clear blue sky.

Living in a world with a monotone pallet isn’t ideal, but it is a reality for those who are color blind. However, those who can afford modern technology can receive the gift of living in a colorful world.

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Source: YouTube Screenshot

Xavier McCoury received this gift as an early birthday present earlier this year. The 10-year-old, who can only see in black, white and gray, was surprised with the mystery box he was given and excitedly opened it.

As he opens the box, his Aunt Celena tells him that the “special” glasses will allow him to see color. He smiles as he takes them out of the box.

And when he put them on he grins widely, but quickly starts to weeps at the beauty of the new world before him. His family got emotional too and started to cry happy tears at the sheer joy Xavier was experiencing.

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Source: YouTube Screenshot

“It’s impossible to describe how much this moment meant to him and the whole of our family,” his mother Melissa said, according to Caters Clips.

All Xavier could manage to say was, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“What can you see honey,” one of his family members ask.

“Color,” he says through his tears.

The wonder on his face as he looks at how different his surroundings are is just beautiful. You can watch the video of Xavier’s reaction to seeing color for the first time in the video below.

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Mom films toddler with autism saying “hello” at 7-weeks-old, but he hasn’t spoken a word since

Having children is full of ups and downs. Though there are the common struggles of changing diapers and baby-proofing the house, one of the finest joys is hearing a baby’s first words. Though most children only end up speaking proper words around 12 months of age, the little guy in the video was only seven weeks old.

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Source: facebook.comNTDTelevision

Baby Cillian was lying on his blanket with his mother above him. “Hello,” she keeps saying in a sing-song voice, emphasizing all the syllables. Cillian coos along with his mom with a smile, wiggling a little on the blanket. “Hello,” she says again, urging him on. After a few moments, Cillian very clearly articulates the word back: “Hello!”

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Source: facebook.comNTDTelevision

This video has been shared almost a quarter of a million times on Facebook. Although it’s definitely adorable, there’s another reason why this story has had so much traction on the web. While speaking clear words this early is an impressive feat for any child, what makes it all the more impressive is what happened later as Cillian grew up. As his mom Toni commented on Facebook:

This was a real and very precious moment. Cillian is 2 now, he has Autism and doesn’t speak…yet. I look forward to the day he says “hello” again.

Incredibly, Cillian was far ahead of the curve even though he has yet to repeat his achievement. Still, this story tugs at the heart strings for a few reasons. Raising children with autism can be a challenge because of how misunderstood the condition is. Although autism comes with additional challenges and setbacks, the truth is we are all born with virtually unlimited potential.

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Source: facebook.com/NTDTelevision

We definitely give credit to Toni and her beautiful child, Cillian, on their journey together—and we can’t wait to hear what Cillian’s next words will be! Be sure to check out the video below.

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Kids torment “red” girl with rare skin disease, doesn’t stop her from pursuing her passion

Though Mui had been abandoned by her birth mother, Rog and Tina Thomas immediately fell in love with her. Mui had a strange condition that left her with red skin and doctors believed that she wouldn’t live very long.

Despite the doctor’s sentence, Rog and Tina wanted to give Mui the best life she could have. However long that life may be.

“We wanted to give her a family life in the time she had,” Tina Thomas told CNN.

So, Rog and Tina adopted Mui when she was 3-years-old knowing that could pass away at any moment. The couple discovered that their daughter had a condition known as Harlequin ichthyosis which causes the skin to regenerate 14 times faster than normal skin does.

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Source: YouTube Screenshot

Not only does Mui have bright red skin, but it’s also irritated, sensitive, easily infected and constantly sheds. The uncomfortable and painful condition was difficult to live with, but Mui is strong and says she doesn’t feel like she is in pain. She was always a happy child and enjoyed her childhood.

“I really don’t think I knew that I didn’t look like everybody else,” Mui said.

However, as Mui got older, life became more difficult for her. She was bullied and called a “freak” for being different. The bullying became so bad that Mui tried to be “normal” and stopped taking the ointments and treatments that kept her condition in check.

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Source: YouTube Screenshot

Mui was so distraught over the abuse she was enduring that she even considered suicide. She dropped out of high school before getting her diploma instead. Mui said it was for the best anyway because the school she went to didn’t challenge her. She was constantly letting her disease get in the way of her growth.

So, Mui took charge of her own life and is now she is thriving against all odds. She got a full-time job working with people with special needs and trained herself to be a rugby referee.

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Source: YouTube Screenshot

“The doctors were convinced that our daughter would die,” Tina explains. “Now she is 22 years old and the world’s first referee with Harlequin ichthyosis.”

Now at age 23, Mui is the fourth oldest person in the world with the condition and is an anti-bullying and Harlequin ichthyosis advocate.

“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Mui says. “There is happiness. It doesn’t just have to be a dark tunnel.”

You can learn more about Mui and her mission in the video below and on her website The Girl Behind The Face.

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Source: Zoomin.TV World News

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