Everyone loves a good rescue story, but some pets don’t immediately open up. It takes a loving, patient parent to ease their fears so they’ll learn to trust again. Rescued Cockatoo, Chloe, is one of those pets, and it’s taken 780 days to finally do the one thing these birds are known for—and it’s a beautiful moment.

If you’re in need of a heartwarming, tear-jerker of a video, this is it. Watch as Chloe chooses to take the leap and trust that her new mom will never hurt her, and will remain a steadfast, loving figure she can count on.

Chloe’s been in her new home since January 2023, and is just now beginning to understand she is safe. This sweet girl’s progress to let love in has been slow, and not always “linear,” as @apparrotly shares, but she’s still grateful for any progress at all.

In a previous clip, the timid Cockatoo let Mom pet her for the very first time—14 months after her rescue, and when Chloe first got close enough to explore Mom’s feet, she shared the clip explaining, “Chloe doesn’t let me touch her or even move my hands around her when I’m looking at her.”

So as you can see, it’s been quite a journey to get to this point, but Chloe’s getting there little by little. The video brought longtime fans who’ve followed Chloe’s story to tears.

“She’s gonna be your sidekick I know it,” famous Cockatoo Cumulus’ Mom wrote. Another added, “I am literally crying! I have been watching you build this relationship for so long!” And another offered praise writing, “I knew she would eventually get there. Trust, love and a lot or patience can overcome so much.”

Related: Precious Cockatoo Loves His Doctor So Much He Sings a Special Song About Her

How To Help a Rescue Cockatoo Adjust

Chloe’s journey is inspiring, but it’s taken a lot of work to help the reserved Cockatoo get where she’s at. Northwest Parrot Rescue explains that the acclimation process in a new home can be done in a few steps, and the first 72 hours are crucial for setting the tone.

The first is to create trust and bonding. Keep your bird in an uncovered cage for 48 hours to become familiar with the new surroundings and only the adopter should feed, water, and care for and speak softly to him/her. This is very important for forming a bond.

On the second day, only the adopter should open the cage and let the Parrot out on their own volition. The home should be distraction-free and quiet. Asks the bird to step onto your hand to slowly walk through the house. No one else should be involved. again, this matters!

Step two is strengthening the bond. The adopter shouldn’t show affection to any other pet in the home for the first three days to avoid jealousy and unwanted behavioral issues. Also, avoid responding to the Parrot if they’re making loud cries or unwanted phrases. Now’s the time for boundary-setting.

They may be acting out to see what they can get away with or to get attention—just like kids! Practice positive reinforcement by rewarding them with time out of their cage for being quiet. Do this for 30 days to set the routine. Likewise, ensure you’re giving them plenty of attention when they are out because Parrot species require a lot of dedicated time with their main person.

The org suggests offering attention in small increments of 10-15 minutes at first so any schedule changes don’t throw them off. Cuddling should be 30 minutes or less and be consistent. Parrots thrive on scheduling and consistency so if any of these things are broken in the first week home, they state to start over.

Some rescues just need a little more time to adjust, and that’s okay. Look at Chloe. 780 days later, she’s finally able to give Mom the same love in return.

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At a luxe island resort in Thailand, three childhood best friends are on vacation, having left their jobs, kids and partners at home so they can reconnect and recharge with the help of Reiki, yoga and wine. That hotel? The White Lotus — the fictional setting of Max’s hit TV show, now in its third season. The comedy-drama provides an incisive take on politics, class, gender roles and relationships — and this season, it’s the trio’s fraught friendship that’s under the microscope.

To a casual resort guest, it may seem like Kate (played by Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Jacklyn (Michelle Monaghan) are just gal pals enjoying some time off. But in reality — and what is apparent to viewers — their friendship is anything but easy. The trio subtly competes for who has the lowest body fat mass. They have snarky side conversations about whatever friend went to bed early that night’s plastic surgery or political choices. They pass not-so-subtle passive-aggressive judgment on one another’s love lives and parenting styles. This friendship is stressful — for those watching along at home and to the friends who, when alone, look like they’re having anything but fun. The biggest mystery on The White Lotus isn’t the identity of the dead body teased at the beginning of the season … it’s whether this group will remain friends when they leave the island.

“This is a pretty realistic version of female friendships, especially ones who have known each other since high school,” commenter Annette Hunt shared on Max’s Instagram page. “Any time you have an odd number of friends, someone’s gonna get ganged up on by the other ones.”

As Hunt notes, the pop culture threesome is true to life. TikTok creator Sahar Dahi shared a similar experience. “Every single group of three I’ve ever been in has been a complete disaster,” she said. “I’ve decided I’m never gonna travel with groups of three, go out in groups of three, have a main group of three … there’s too much, like, ganging up, a lot of talking s*** and bullying.”

Then there’s Brandon Edelman, co-host of the “Between Us Girlies” podcast, who said that he’s happy with his four-person squad because groups of three are a recipe for disaster. “Anytime I’ve been in a friend group of three, someone is always the third wheel,” he reflected. “Especially in high school, when you’re younger, two people latch on to each other, and the third person notices — and everybody notices. And I honestly feel like sometimes as an adult, that still happens.”

So are groups of three actually problematic, or do they just get a bad rap? Here’s what some experts have to say.

You’re inviting exclusion into your friendship

Groups of three aren’t inherently bad but they do add an extra layer of complexity to friendship than when two people are hanging out.

Psychotherapist Barbie Atkinson of Catalyst Counseling tells Yahoo Life that while three-person friendships can be “really enriching,” you have to be “more intentional” than you would be in two-person friendships to avoid conflict and hurt feelings.

Spending time in a group of three can easily leave one person feeling left out. No two friendships are exactly the same, so it’s natural for someone to feel like the other two are closer or that their voice carries less weight in the group because, often, that’s the reality. But according to Atkinson, this imbalance isn’t always personal or malicious — it’s simply harder to give two people equal attention at the same time.

One example Atkinson gives is when planning a dinner with your trio. If you live closer to one of the friends, you will likely end up picking a place more convenient for two out of the three people — at least, if you’re not intentional about it. “You naturally exclude, and that can feel tricky,” she says.

Three-person friend groups can lead to triangulation

Sometimes, however, the hurt caused by a friendship with a group of three goes beyond inadvertent exclusion — especially when the group’s balance is thrown off by conflict.

One of the biggest problems with three-person friend groups is the likelihood of “triangulation,” Victoria Kress, professor of psychological sciences and counseling at Youngstown State University, tells Yahoo Life. This is when two people bond at the expense of the third person — like on The White Lotus, when Jaclyn and Laurie gossip about Kate’s political and religious leanings after she’s gone to bed for the night. While this talk connects them with each other, it alienates Kate in the process — and when she witnesses it, she’s left feeling hurt and uneasy.

“If one person is experiencing tension with another person in the group, they’ll often go to the person they aren’t experiencing tension with to try to diffuse it, so they don’t feel so alone and feel connected,” she explains, “but this is a really unhealthy and unfair dynamic to the person who is being talked about, because they don’t get an opportunity to protect or defend themselves.”

And you might end up triangulating with different members of the group at different points, as is the case on The White Lotus. That means that whatever conflict you’re having never really gets resolved: You’re talking about people without actually talking to them.

“Healthy relationships involve people talking directly with each other about their issues and concerns and communicating those and working through those so that they can become closer and build genuine intimacy,” Kress says.

Power imbalances come into play

There are also power imbalances at play with groups of three, Kress says, as often one person in the group wants to be the leader. This isn’t a problem if that person is operating from a place of kindness and looking out for the needs of the group. But as Kress explains, if they’re more interested in control and status, that can open up room for conflict, particularly if there are people in the group who don’t really assert themselves.

You know how Regina George (Rachel McAdams) is the leader of The Plastics in Mean Girls — while Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) is content to be walked all over … until her whole “we should all just stab Caesar” freak out? Kress says that groups of three can create this type of pressure cooker.

“Sometimes what you see is those people who don’t assert themselves is that they can explode,” Kress says. “They’re frustrated that people aren’t asking what they think or what they want.”

Plus, Atkinson says that these different imbalances can also occur when one person feels closer to another in the group, which can “inadvertently fuel jealousy and competition for attention or perceived ‘best friend’ status,” Atkinson says.

When fights do happen, they can ramp up in intensity quickly, says Atkinson. A disagreement between two people within the group “suddenly involves the third,” which can “unnecessarily escalate the conflict” by bringing “a whole other person’s energy into it.”

The bottom line

Atkinson stresses that just because friend groups of three have unique challenges doesn’t mean they’re impossible to maintain healthily — but you have to “make a concerted effort” if you want to avoid the drama.

That means paying attention to how you’re communicating. Instead of triangulating when you have a conflict with a group member, it’s important to communicate directly. And while it’s normal for friendships to go through phases where people feel closer to one person than another, being mindful of giving everyone an equal voice in the friendship is also important. (That may mean heading to your furthest friend’s neighborhood for dinner occasionally!)

“If done well,” Atkinson says, “it can be really cool, and you can have so many different points of view, and know that everyone has your back and you have theirs.”

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I went for our annual checkups seven months ago. We were both overweight and told by our respective doctors that we needed to make some lifestyle changes to improve our health. Since that time, I have made the needed changes. As a result, I have lost 40 pounds, and all of my vitals are in a healthy range.

My wife has not made any changes. There has been no weight loss, and she has to take medication for a couple of issues. While I have made sacrifices, she has made excuses. I love her dearly, but I am very frustrated. I have been positive and encouraging, but it doesn’t seem to help.

We are both at an age at which we need to take our health seriously. This isn’t about looks or appearance; it’s about health. I really want us to have long and healthy lives together. If there is any advice you can provide, I am open to hearing it. — FITTER IN INDIANA

DEAR FITTER: Other than modeling healthy exercise and eating habits for your wife, there is nothing you can do to force her off the trajectory she is on. Changing one’s lifestyle (or not) is a personal choice. Motivation has to come from within, and she has to be determined to make the effort. Her doctor, not you, should discuss making those changes with her and the reasons for it. Even small changes can make a big difference.

DEAR ABBY: I have a 7-year-old great-granddaughter, “Emma.” She’s beautiful, smart, happy and just wonderful. Her dad, my grandson, and her mother are no longer together, but they share custody. My grandson has since gotten together with Baby Mama No. 2 and has two other children with her.

Emma’s life has not been the easiest because of the fighting and disagreements. Her mother is also with another man and has other children. Her mom’s boyfriend is not nice to Emma. My grandson is trying to get full custody of her.

Emma is bright and intelligent. I would like to talk to her about independence and not depending on any man to support her. I know at 7 she’s still too young to understand. What is a good age to teach her independence and how to provide for herself, and rather than “need” a man, it’s healthier to be with someone without depending on him? — HER “GEE-GEE” IN COLORADO

DEAR “GEE-GEE”: This is not a one-time lesson you are trying to convey. It’s a lifelong process. The first thing you should do is become a role model for Emma. Expose her to books and videos about women who are independent, building careers and lives for themselves rather than depending upon a man. Then teach her self-respect. If you do, those are lessons she will take with her into adulthood.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Last week, a measles outbreak claimed the life of a person in New Mexico. Late last month an unvaccinated child died in Texas in a separate measles outbreak. The deaths come as the U.S. public health programs and agencies are rocked by the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, as the new secretary of health and human services.

It also comes at the five-year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Dr. Mike Osterholm, one of the country’s top health experts, spoke to The Advocate recently about the anniversary and his concerns about U.S. public health.

During the height of the pandemic, then-President Joe Biden appointed Osterholm to his COVID advisory committee because of his expertise in pandemic preparedness, disease outbreak investigations, and public health practice. Osterholm is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health and the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, where he’s taught for almost 50 years.

Osterholm has been vocal about the potential negative impacts of Kennedy’s appointment on both national and global health.

“One of the immediate actions taken under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership was the suspension of critical vaccine advisory meetings,” Osterholm said. “The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is responsible for recommending vaccine protocols, and a similar committee advising the Food and Drug Administration on flu vaccines, have both had their sessions canceled.”

Osterholm expressed deep concern over these cancellations. “I don’t see any reason why we would need to have a total pause in the sharing of information,” he pointed out. “Such disruptions could jeopardize the ability of agencies like the CDC and FDA to respond to emerging public health crises.”

He also pointed to the CDC’s delayed response to the measles outbreak in Texas, attributing it to the necessity of clearing communications through the Department of Health and Human Services. “Effective public health relies heavily on good communication; without it, challenges become more pronounced, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he explained. “Effective communication enhances the likelihood of successfully addressing public health emergencies and bringing them to a resolution.”

The importance of maintaining robust communication as well as vaccination programs is being underscored by the measles outbreaks. In Texas, that outbreak has resulted in over 130 cases. The death in the state is the first U.S. measles fatality in about a decade.

During a recent Cabinet meeting, Kennedy downplayed the severity of the outbreak, suggesting that measles occurrences are routine and misstating hospitalization protocols.

“What he said was not true,” Osterholm said. “He had a number of misstatements…He also said that the children that were hospitalized were being quarantined. Quarantine is something we use to basically take people who might be infectious and capable of transmitting and in a sense isolating them from doing that. That is not true. These children are all hospitalized because they’re severely ill.”

In the last week, Kennedy, who first seemed to tout fish oil instead of vaccines, has taken to Fox News to recommend the measles vaccine.

On top of all this, Osterholm characterized the administration’s approach to governing as being led by a “wildly swinging machete” rather than a “finely precisioned surgical tool,” suggesting that necessary changes should be implemented thoughtfully and strategically. “While it’s essential to assess workforce productivity and make necessary adjustments, such actions should be executed with precision, akin to using a surgical instrument, rather than through broad and hasty measures, because some of our finest doctors and researchers as well as grants might be part of that machete cut.”

He further criticized the abrupt withdrawal of support for numerous global health programs aimed at combating diseases and promoting healthy lives for children. “I compare it to suddenly denying a patient a lifesaving drug without warning because these moves by the administration will have immediate and severe consequences,” he said.

He predicted that these decisions could lead to a crisis, especially with anticipated major cuts to federal health agencies like the CDC, FDA, and National Institutes of Health.

Addressing the potential cuts in funding for programs targeting diseases like AIDS and malaria, Osterholm asserted that these diseases “don’t know borders, but they love chaos.” He explained that reduced attention and resources can enhance the transmission of these diseases, leading to a “double whammy” where the elimination of international borders for transmission is compounded by increased spread due to diverted focus.

“The damage inflicted by such neglect may be immediate but will have long-term implications, making recovery challenging,” he noted.

Regarding the bird flu problem, Osterholm emphasized that it requires a long-term solution, particularly the development of reliable, durable, and safe vaccines. He criticized the current minimal investment in vaccine research and development for both flu and coronaviruses. “It’s a major mistake that will incur a significant price in the future,” he said. “Having more effective vaccines readily available and ensuring public willingness to receive them are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of future pandemics.”

The convergence of leadership that undermines vaccine efficacy, coupled with policies that disrupt both domestic and global health initiatives, presents a precarious future for public health, setting up a perfect storm, he said.

“Everything that I could define as a disrupter is what’s happening in terms of public health in this country,” he cautioned. “The proof is in the pudding of what’s happening right now. When people used to ask me how concerned I was about public health, I always said I sleep with one eye open, and lately I feel like I’ve been sleeping with three eyes open.”

A mother is debating whether she was wrong to refuse to feed two children who came to her kid’s birthday party unannounced.

On Feb. 26, she penned a lengthy post on the UK-based parenting site Mumsnet’s “Am I Being Unreasonable?” forum, writing under the username itsmeits. The mom explained that she arranged a bouncy castle party at a local leisure center for her 8-year-old child to celebrate with up to 40 other kids.

She sent out invites for the event three weeks prior and followed up by asking parents to confirm if their child would be attending on two separate occasions in the weeks leading up to the party. Due to food allergies, the mom said she was preparing individual lunch boxes for each child and wrote on the invites “ NO RSVP = NO Food Provided.”

“I now had 18 from school confirmed + 6 siblings and 8 family. Happy days,” she wrote on Mumsnet. “Sunday (the party) I did the 32 Boxes and set up the party, you guessed it, 2 extra rock up from school.

Related: Woman Says She’ll Be ‘Upset Forever’ After Husband of 8 Years Confesses He Doesn’t Want to Have Children

“Both Moms didn’t stay, were late, dropped kids at the door, pointed over and ran,” she continued. “Children weren’t fed. Moms were not happy when children told them when they collected them – 15 mins late, may I add.”

The mom vented about the expense of children’s parties and parents’ poor communication as she claimed to have arranged many events throughout the years.

She said even when parents RSVP there’s no guarantee that they will bring their child to the celebration.

“One of the school mums I have known for 10+ years couldn’t believe I said it and went through with it and didn’t provide extra on the off chance,” she said of her decision not to feed the two unexpected children.

“DD BF’s [dearest daughter’s best friend’s] mum thinks it’s hilarious and said she’s doing same May!” she continued.

“It wasn’t a buffet, it was tailored boxes due to allergies – I am not putting my niece at risk,” she added. “It also cost me less than a buffet doing the boxes for everyone. Also much less waste.”

The mom was quickly reassured by members of the forum that she made the right decision to only prepare food for the children who were confirmed to be attending.

“The thing with spares is how many do you do though?” a commenter wrote. “Also some kids can drop out due to illness, change of circumstance on the day, and they end up wasted. You followed up and made it clear there would be no food for them without an rsvp.

“It’s also very rude to drop off kids at the door and not even take them to the parent hosting and at least say hello,” they continued. “I’m not exactly the most social person but I make the effort to do this at the very least and wish the birthday kid a Happy Birthday. You were not unreasonable.”

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Related: Passenger Says Pregnant Woman’s Partner Began ‘Swearing’ at Her for Asking the Expectant Mom to Get Out of Her Seat

However, other commenters argued the mom’s actions “punished” the children who turned up for their parents’ actions.

“They’re children and they’ve been singled out compared to the other children and must have felt so unwelcome,” one person wrote. “I think this is awful behaviour and I felt so sad for those kids reading this, it’s not their fault it’s the parents. Shame on you to make a child feel like s— to prove a point.”

Agreeing, another said, “I would have done a few extra because you’ve punished the children for their parent’s thoughtlessness.”

Read the original article on People

Cockatoos are some pretty incredible birds. They are intelligent and have impressive mimicry skills that make them highly entertaining, magnetic creatures to interact with.

But some of these birds, such as Toad the cockatoo, are also exceptionally well-mannered. Just check out this adorable video where Toad kindly says “please” before his mom gives him a tasty treat, and you’ll see that this incredibly beautiful bird is also a true gentleman.

Wow, Toad is such a polite little gentleman!

Notice how he doesn’t grab at the Cheerio. He patiently waits for his mom to hand it to him. He also manages to say “please” without fail each time in a variety of settings.

Clearly, Toad is a very sweet guy. He’s also a handsome little fella, and with his manners, he is definitely a real charmer! Boy, we wish that we could hang out with Toad and feed him Cheerios.

Related: Funny Cockatoo ‘Demands’ Sip of Mom’s Water with the Most Convincing Little Argument

Many people in the comments section just loved how sweet and polite Toad was. Several people commented that he is actually more polite than most human beings. Somehow, this doesn’t surprise us, unfortunately.

Other people in the comments section shared how their own cockatoos also say things like “please” or “thank you” when they give them treats. If that isn’t sweet enough to give you some feels, we don’t know what will.

The Incredible Mimicry Skills of Cockatoos

Cockatoos have long been renowned for their capacity to mimic human speech. As part of the parrot family, cockatoos have the ability to mimic human speech at a very high level.

They have been known to learn extensive vocabulary, sometimes memorizing more than 100 words. Additionally, these charismatic avians can also mimic other human sounds, like laughter or coughing. They truly are masters of vocal imitation.

Cockatoos have this unique ability because of a specialized vocal organ called the syrinx. The syrinx, which is located at the base of the trachea, allows cockatoos to create a wide range of sounds.

Even though these birds have the ability to mimic highly articulated sounds of human speech, this is not an innate skill for them. Cockatoos have to learn how to imitate humans through training and interacting with them.

Conclusion

While not all cockatoos can mimic human speech as well as Toad in the video, teaching them to talk like humans requires a lot of patience. At first, it is best to start with simple words and phrases before attempting to teach a cockatoo complex vocabulary.

Something simple, like “please,” and rewarding a cockatoo with a treat, like this woman does in the video, is a good place to start. It is also important to keep in mind that while some cockatoos exhibit a real affinity for mimicry, others can show very little interest in it or struggle to mimic sounds.

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