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One big reason to quit your rom-com binge-watching
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Seriously. Romantic comedies could put you in danger. And not because you ran out of tissues. - photo by Herb Scribner
There are few times throughout the year when there isnt a romantic comedy movie playing somewhere. From Youve Got Mail in 1998 to The Longest Ride in 2015, youd be hard-pressed to not find a rom-com film in theaters or on television at some point.

But romantic comedies arent just an easy date-night choice or a way to pass the time on a rainy Saturday. The films have actually proven to be dangerous for viewers, putting into question why we often flock to them if they have such negative effects.

The most immediate danger comes from the behavior thats shown in these films. A new study from the University of Michigan has found that women who watch more romantic comedies tend to be more accepting of aggressive male behavior.

Thats because in some films, like Love Actually or Theres Something About Mary, the male characters engage in stalker-like behavior that women will sometimes tolerate in their real romantic relationships, The Guardian reported.

Women in the study were more tolerant of aggressive male behavior than women who watch movies that include actual male aggression, like Enough, a story about a single mother who leaves her abusive husband, or even some documentaries, The Guardian reported.

After watching excerpts from one of these six films, participants completed a series of survey measures, including one that assessed their endorsement of stalking myths, expert Julia R. Lippman of the University of Michigan told The Guardian. Stalking myths are false or exaggerated beliefs about stalking that minimize its seriousness, which means that someone who more strongly endorses these tends to take stalking less seriously.

This was most likely because the films with too much male aggressive behavior portray it in a negative light, whereas romantic comedies show it to be funny, comedic or even goofy.

These films also embrace the idea that love conquers all something that forces women to discount their instincts, Lippman said.

At their core, all these films are trading in the love conquers all myth, she added. Even though, of course, it doesnt. Love is great, but so is respect for other people.

This isnt an uncommon idea, either. The Atlantics Chloe Angyal wrote in 2011 that some actions in romantic comedies which some may classify as borderline stalking are portrayed as romantic. Simple acts of persistence are seen as goofy, when in real life they are darker than they appear.

In real life, when a boy won't stop texting the girl he likes even after she has asked him to stop, we call it relationship abuse, Angyal wrote. When a guy won't stop telling you he loves you, and when he shows up at your school and embarrasses you in front of your peers, we call that borderline stalking. In rom-coms, however, these things are called persistence and are considered romantic.

But that doesnt mean you should throw out your DVD copy of Love Actually just yet. Romantic comedies can be beneficial in certain situations when your life isnt going the way you think. That idea is called embodied cognition and refers to the idea that your perception affects your thinking, Dr. Marisa Cohen wrote for Science of Relationships.

This comes from a 2012 study that looked into how physical coldness affects how much one likes romantic movies. The study found that when youre colder, romantic comedy films will make you feel warmer and more comfortable in your environment.

To find this, researchers assigned 53 participants to drink something either cold or hot; the participants then were given information on three movies from the romance, action, comedy and thriller genres, Cohen explained.

The participants were then asked to rate how they felt about the movies. Researchers found those who had the cold drink liked romantic comedies more than those with hot drinks.

As many of us prepare to endure for what may be the coldest and worst part of the winter, take a tip from the research and queue up your Netflix for plenty of romance rentals, Cohen wrote. Not only will they be entertaining, but they may bring you some much-needed warmth.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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