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Musician son adds real trombone sound effects to his mom's daily life and it's hilarious

Pete Montzingo has gained a huge following joyfully advocating for his unique family.

Peet Montzingo/YouTube

Peet Montzingo following his mom around with a trombone is delightful family entertainment.

Peet Montzingo and his mom have the most delightful relationship, as evidenced by their joint videos on Montzingo's social media platforms. And one viral video sums up the sort of fun Montzingo and his unique family engage in.

The video is a compilation of clips of Montzingo following his mom around with a trombone, making silly sound effects as she goes about doing chores and normal daily life things. It's simple and silly, which is what makes it so wholesome. People can't get enough of their gentle bantering.

Watch:

The impromptu Star Wars duel is the best, isn't it?

Montzingo has millions of followers on YouTube and TikTok, where he regularly shares videos about life in his family. At 6 foot 1 inch tall, Montzingo stands out—literally—from his parents and siblings.

As his mini bio from IMDB reads:

"Peet is from Seattle, Washington. He is the only average height member of his family (his mom, dad, brother and sister are little people), which immediately put him in the media spotlight growing up. In February of 2019, he scored a spot as a touring/recording artist in the band 5WEST, touring South Africa, Spain, and Europe. They did their first arena tour as the supporting act for Boyzone autumn of 2019. During the pandemic in 2020, Peet cultivated a massive presence on Tiktok and continues to post his wholesome videos alongside his singing career."

Montzingo advocates for little people in a way that is humorous and light-hearted in addition to being educational. For instance, watch him and his mom illustrate how to (and how not to) talk with short people:

@peetmontzingo

i actually get this question all the time so hope this helps!!! @queenmamadrama #little

"I actually get this question all the time so hope this helps!!!" he wrote in the caption of the video demonstrating various cringey ways to talk to a little person before ultimately showing that you should just stand normally.

Montzingo addresses lots of questions people have in his videos, including whether or not he's actually adopted. This makeover video with his mom is surefire proof that he's got her genes, as the resemblance at the end is uncanny.

@peetmontzingo

low key this process was traumatizing😭 @queenmamadrama

What makes Montzingo's videos so popular is the way he and his family use humor to destigmatize dwarfism and normalize the lives of little people. His mom's house is designed for little people living, with short counters, sinks and furniture, and Montizingo laughs at his challenges as a tall person when he visits her. It's what he grew up with, however, and he shows how much he loves his family and the physical differences between them.

Montzingo's unique role in his family means he can help bridge gaps as an advocate for little people, and it's great to see him doing so in such a wholesome and entertaining way.


This article originally appeared on 12.9.21

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Joy

Mom shares her autistic son's 'sensory friendly' movie experience and how to find them

"Nobody is looking at you weird because all the families are there for the same reason."

@momentsofjoypodcast/Instagram, @momentsofjoypodcast/TikTok

Camille Joy shared her excitement at getting to take her son to a movie showing that worked for him.

Going out to see a movie is a classic fun family activity, but for some families, it's an outing that causes far more stress than it's worth. When you have a child who needs to move or make sounds in order to function, sitting quietly through a two-hour movie simply isn't going to happen.

That's why major movie theater chains have started having dedicated "sensory showings" of feature films for families with autistic members or others who have sound and movement needs that don't mesh well with traditional moviegoing etiquette.

Camille Joy of the Moments of Joy Podcast shared a video her son, Maison, enjoying a sensory showing of Disney's "The Little Mermaid." Maison can be seen walking up and down the aisle stairs during the film in the post, with Joy sharing how the experience went.

"In my stories the other day I was expressing my desire to bring Maison the movies but I knew he wouldn’t do well in a typical theater setting," the mother of five wrote on Instagram. "A few of you told me about sensory movie days so I googled this in my area. There were so many theaters that do this."

"Sensory movies are for children like ours," she explained. "They are advertised as safe space where guests are free to express themselves by singing, crying, dancing, walking around, talking or shouting while enjoying Hollywood’s latest films!"

"Maison got to be himself," Joy continued. "Singing, loudly humming, walking throughout the theater and he wasn’t the only one, that was my favorite part! Nobody is looking at you weird because all the families are there for the same reason. I had minimal anxiety in this atmosphere and Maison was singing his little heart out."

@momentsofjoypodcast

#fyp #fypシ #asd #autism #autismawareness #adhd #autismacceptance #specialneeds #autistic #autismmom #autismfamily #aspergers #autismspectrumdisorder #autismspectrum #autismsupport

Other parents chimed in with their own experiences with their kids with unique sensory needs. While some still find movies a challenge because their kids are sensitive to sounds in general, others loved having the dedicated showings where their kids could feel free to be themselves without worrying about disturbing others.

"Yes!!!! Regal Movie theaters in NYC do early viewing," shared one parent. "I was able to tell my Tyler to see his Mario Movie, which was such a relief. Only time he's ever sat through one. He did get up and became restless but stayed focused. There are fewer people and it is such a relief. I'm glad our Maison was able to enjoy the movie."

"I love this our son did great," shred another. "We're definitely doing this again."

But the majority of comments were from people who had no idea this was even a thing and were so relieved to hear about it.

Taking your child to the movies is something many parents look forward to, and the fact that parents of kids with sensory needs now have a way to do that without worry is huge. And it appears all of the major movie theater franchises have some version of this offering for families.

According to AMC Theatres, the lights are turned up and the sound is turned down at their Sensory Friendly Films "so you can feel free to be you at these unique showings for people living with autism or other special needs."

Regal Cinemas calls them "My Way Matinees," which also have the lights up and the sound lowered and where "guests are free to express themselves by singing, crying, dancing, walking around, talking or shouting."

Harkins' Sensory Friendly Screenings "include brightened light levels, reduced sound volume and room for guest interaction." They also allow outside snacks to be brought in.

Studio Movie Grill's website says, "Special Needs Screenings are shown with the lights up and the volume lowered and children are free to move around, talk, or even dance in the aisles during the movie. The sensory friendly screenings are free for children with special needs and their siblings." (Adults still pay a "before-noon price.")

Each theater chain has its own schedule for these special showings, so check with your local movie theaters to see when they offer them. Joy recommends Googling "sensory movies near me," but if you aren't in a major market you may have to call your local theater to find out if they offer sensory-friendly film showings.

Sometimes inclusivity involves welcoming everyone into the same space and sometimes it means creating special spaces for people whose needs differ from others. Three cheers for movie theaters recognizing this need and providing a way for everyone to experience the joy of watching movies on the big screen.

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Kids surprise deaf cafeteria worker by learning sign language to communicate with her

Their teacher helped them learn new words every week.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Kids surprise deaf cafeteria worker by learning sign language.

Here at Upworthy, we try to bring you heartwarming stories, so when we came across this story by My Modern Met, we knew we had to share it.

Kids are always surprising adults with questions or new skills they've learned. Young students at Nansemond Parkway Elementary School in Suffolk, Virginia, wanted to be able to communicate with the cafeteria worker who served them breakfast and lunch everyday. So they learned how.

Leisa Duckwall is deaf and had been working at the school for four years serving the students and staff. Because Duckwall cannot hear, she and the students did the best they could to make it work, until a teacher had an idea. Kari Maskelony, who teaches fourth grade, spoke with Duckwall using American Sign Language (ASL) and noticed the cafeteria went silent.

Students watched in awe as the two women used their hands to communicate. Maskelony grew up in a family that was hard of hearing, so sign language was part of her life, according to My Modern Met. After seeing the reaction of students, Maskelony asked the kids if they would like to learn the language.

One in eight people aged 12 and older in the United States have hearing loss in both ears. Around the world there are more than 70 million people who use sign language to communicate, yet not many people outside of the deaf community know sign language. The lack of access to sign language from the hearing world makes moving through life more difficult for deaf people. While places like Starbucks and Disney are working to include ASL, it's not widely used by businesses.

Now this cafeteria worker may finally be able to communicate with the students that come through her line. According to My Modern Met, the principal got wind of what was happening and decided to make it a schoolwide effort, including having morning announcements via video that taught a new word in sign language weekly.

Duckwall told My Modern Met, “Not only is it great for the kids because they can learn a new skill that they can carry with them and actually use with other people that they meet,” she said, “but I think it (is) great because equal inclusivity and equal access is so important. It’s just something that we don’t often see.”

The elementary school posted a video of the children ordering lunch using ASL and people in the comments can't get enough of the exchange. Kimberly Duncan wrote, "I wish all schools taught asl! This is a great idea!" Cheyenne Smith said, "This touched my heart in a way like no other."

All of the comments under the video praised the teacher and the school for teaching the children such an amazing skill that they can carry with them outside of the elementary school walls.

If Duckwall had any doubt that her school cared about her experience there, she can now rest assured that her students worked hard to make sure they could communicate in a language she could understand. That's the sweetest gift these little ones could give.

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Health

Georgia introduces all-terrain wheelchairs to make its state parks more accessible

The great outdoors belong to everyone.

@Aimee_Copeland/Instagram

Aimee Copeland is a quadruple amputee and advocate for those with physical disabilities.

We all know that Mother Nature is often the best medicine to relieve stress, improve fitness and increase happiness. However, these benefits aren’t always accessible to everyone. Hiking trails are next to impossible for many with physical disabilities, especially wheelchair users.

That’s why the Aimee Copeland Foundation, an organization created by a master social worker and quadruple amputee to help build a more inclusive community, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have collaborated to provide an innovative way to make outdoor recreation more obtainable—through a fleet of all-terrain, free-to-use wheelchairs scattered across 11 of Georgia’s state parks and historic sites.

Each chair is equipped to hike, hunt, fish and easily travel through difficult terrains like mud, water, sand and snow. And since the devices were designed with safety in mind, certification and a “buddy” are required to qualify for use. That said, visitors who qualify include those with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries and lower limb amputations.

“Our mission is to provide outdoor opportunities for every Georgia citizen and visitor,” said Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Director Jeff Cown in a press release. “I am proud to partner with the Aimee Copeland Foundation to offer access to visitors with mobility or physical disabilities.”

As Cory Lee, 32-year-old travel blogger and wheelchair user, notes in an interview with The Washington Post, this could be life-changing for many people. Lee has covered accessible adventures throughout the world, and yet has never been able to properly explore his home state of Georgia, as his regular wheelchair couldn’t handle the trails.


Lee had previously traveled to other states that provided terrain-ready wheelchairs, like Muskegon State Park in Michigan. Traversing the three-mile shoreline in his rented all-terrain wheelchair “allowed me to have so much independence on the sand,” he said. Now, he and others will be able to have that kind of independence in even more places throughout the country. In addition to Michigan and Georgia, South Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota have similar programs.

Independence and mobility have been noted to be the most vital factors in determining quality of life for those with disabilities. Despite the stigmas surrounding them, wheelchairs are valuable tools for providing this kind of autonomy. It’s lovely that more advancements are being made to improve a device that already helps so many fully live their lives. Hopefully even more take on this idea.

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