While many kids might throw tantrums or resort to antics to get what they want, this girl took a different approach. When she wanted a cat, she didn't pester her parents or throw a fit. Instead, she created a PowerPoint presentation listing thoughtful reasons why she should get a pet, and her effort even impressed Microsoft.
Representative Image Source: Pexels | Rdne
Christopher Doyle, a Toronto resident and Nextdoor's Managing Director in Canada, shared a post on X that read, "Our daughter made a PowerPoint." He included four screenshots showing the slides of the presentation titled "Pros of getting a cat."
Representative Image Source: Pexels | ekaterina bolovtsova
In the first slide, the girl outlined several benefits of owning a cat, adding touches of childlike humor that made viewers chuckle. One point humorously noted, "All of my fellow siblings, though their opinions are less important, would love to have a cat."
Representative Image Source: Pexels | ekaterina bolovtsova
She also mentioned that having a cat can "lower stress levels" and make a person "happier." Additionally, she pointed out that a cat wouldn't need daily walks, and she would take responsibility for cleaning the litter box and other chores. Plus, she noted, the cat would be adorable.
In the second slide titled, “A cat oh yeah yeah,” the little girl added two illustrations, one of a cat, and one of a hamster. Beneath the cat graphic was a note that read, “If we were to get a cat, I could keep it with me downstairs in my room. Of course, I would let it out of my room but overall I would be in charge of it.” Below the hamster graphic, she typed the text that said she was promised a hamster 5 years ago but never got one, thus, she truly deserves a cat this time. "Just let me have this," she quipped.
The third slide showcased her persuasive skills with the bold headline, “C’mon guys!” Here, she listed three compelling points, explaining that she had been researching pet care for five years and was fully prepared. "It would literally be the happiest day of my life, please," she pleaded.
The fourth slide featured a picture of a cute white cat and a thank you message, urging her parents to consider her appeal. The adorable presentation caught the attention of thousands, who were impressed by her effort.
@richburroughs said, “Get her the cat. She’s going to be a CEO someday and you want to be on her good side.” @archduketyler hilariously stated, “Look, I'm not a cat person, but I'm fairly certain you're legally obligated to get your daughter a cat after that.” @otherliztaylor said that her daughter made a similar presentation a few years ago, and now they have the dog that was requested through the presentation.
Doyle’s post went viral and even caught the attention of Microsoft which left a comment from its official X handle, "A very compelling presentation! She has us convinced." Seeing so much support flood in, his daughter was thrilled and enjoying all the limelight, said the dad.
Doyle thanked people for their attention and support, writing that his family "read through most all the replies, and had a lot of laughs."
In a comment, someone asked Christopher whether he was eventually going to let his daughter have a cat, and he said it was hard to say no at that point. Later, he shared a photo of a cat adoption questionnaire form, informing his followers that he was working on having one. To this, one user, @ThatRachelH, hilariously commented, "I will consider us truly thanked when we see a photo of your new cat."
The following day, his family visited their local pet shelter, but owing to the pandemic, the appointment was available only for the rescue cats, and they had no luck.
Finally, in September 2020, Christopher posted an update saying that they had adopted a cat from a local shelter. “We’ve adopted a rescue kitten and she’s finally home! Our daughter and her three younger siblings have named her Tokyo. They are in love” he described in a tweet.
People were very happy with the update and one user, @shyhooper, commented, "And they lived happily ever after." Doyle also asked his followers to follow the account @tokyopurr on X for updates on their new family kitty.
Man in oversized pants.Image via 
Weight loss drugs and tape measure.Image via 
FDA approved. 
A woman deprived of her sleep.Image via 
A Looney Tunes classic. 
Artist's rendering of a brain overlaid a woman's head.Image via 
Ultrasound of human baby.Image via 
IVF animated process.Image via 
A couple speaks with a fertility professional.Image via 
Love, Mom.Photo from Heidi Johnson 
A teen boy having a hard time. 
Why do some folks use social media but don't engage?
Psychologist says people who never comment on social media share these 5 positive traits
For over 20 years, social media has developed into a staple in many people’s day-to-day lives. Whether it’s to keep in communication with friends and family, following the thoughts of celebrities, or watching cat videos while sipping your morning coffee, there seem to be two types of social media users: commenters and lurkers.
The term “lurker” sounds equally mysterious and insidious, with some social media users writing them off as non-participants at best or voyeurs at worst. However, mindfulness expert Lachlan Brown believes these non-commenters have some very psychologically positive and healthy traits. Let’s take a look at how each one of these traits could be beneficial and see how fruitful lurking might be even though it can drive content creators crazy.
1. Cautious about vulnerability
Consciously or not, making a post online or commenting on one puts you and your words out there. It’s a statement that everyone can see, even if it’s as simple as clicking “like.” Doing so opens yourself up to judgment, with all the good, bad, and potential misinterpretation that comes with it. Non-commenters would rather not open themselves up to that.
These silent users are connected to a concept of self-protection by simply not engaging. By just scrolling past posts or just reading/watching them without commentary, they’re preventing themselves from any downsides of sharing an opinion such as rejection, misunderstanding, or embarrassment. They also have more control on how much of themselves they’re willing to reveal to the general public, and tend to be more open face-to-face or during one-on-one/one-on-few private chats or DMs. This can be seen as a healthy boundary and prevents unnecessary exposure.
Considering many comment sections, especially involving political topics, are meant to stir negative emotional responses to increase engagement, being extra mindful about where, when, and what you comment might not be a bad idea. They might not even take the engagement bait at all. Or if they see a friend of theirs post something vulnerable, they feel more motivated to engage with them personally one-on-one rather than use social media to publicly check in on them.
2. Analytical and reflective mindset
How many times have you gone onto Reddit, YouTube, or any other site and just skimmed past comments that are just different versions of “yes, and,” “no, but,” or “yes, but”? Or the ever insightful, formerly popular comment “First!” in a thread? These silent browsers lean against adding to such noise unless they have some valid and thoughtful contribution (if they bother to comment period).
These non-posters are likely wired on reflective thinking rather than their initial intuition. Not to say that all those who comment aren’t thoughtful, but many tend to react quickly and comment based on their initial feelings rather than absorbing the information, thinking it over, researching or testing their belief, and then posting it. For "lurkers," it could by their very nature to just do all of that and not post it at all, or share their thoughts and findings privately with a friend. All in all, it’s a preference of substance over speed.
3. High sense of self-awareness
Carried over from the first two listed traits, these silent social media users incorporate their concern over their vulnerability and their reflective mindset into digital self-awareness. They know what triggers responses out of them and what causes them to engage in impulsive behavior. It could be that they have engaged with a troll in the past and felt foolish. Or that they just felt sad after a post or got into an unnecessary argument that impacted them offline. By knowing themselves and seeing what’s being discussed, they choose to weigh their words carefully or just not participate at all. It’s a form of self-preservation through restraint.
4. Prefer to observe rather than perform
Some folks treat social media as information, entertainment, or a mix of both, and commenting can feel like they’re yelling at the TV, clapping alone in a movie theater when the credits roll, or yelling “That’s not true!” to a news anchor that will never hear them. But contrary to that, social media is a place where those yells, claps, and accusations can be seen and get a response. By its design, social media is considered by experts and the media as performative, regardless of whether it is positive or negative. Taking all of the previously mentioned traits into account, one can see why they would prefer to “observe the play” rather than get up on the stage of Facebook or X.
On top of that, these non-commenters could be using social media differently than those who choose to fully engage with it. Using this type of navigation, there may be nothing for them to comment about. Some commenters are even vying for this for their mental health. There are articles about how to better curate your social media feeds and manipulate algorithms to create a better social media experience to avoid unnecessary conflict or mentally tiring debate.
If you go on a blocking spree on all of your accounts and just follow the posters that boost you, it could turn your social media into a nice part of your routine as you mainly engage with others face-to-face or privately. In terms of commenting, if your curated Instagram is just following cute dogs and all you have to offer for a comment is “cute dog,” you might just enjoy the picture and then move on with your day rather than join in the noise. These non-commenters aren’t in the show and they’re fine with it.
5. Less motivated by social validation
The last trait that Brown showcases is that social media users who browse without posting tend to be independent from external validation, at least online. Social media is built to grow through feedback loops such as awarding likes, shares, and reposts of your content along with notifications letting you know that a new person follows you or wants to connect. This can lead many people to connect their activity on social media with their sense of self worth, especially with adolescents who are still figuring out their place in the world and have still-developing brains.
Engaging in social media via likes, shares, comments, and posts rewards our brains by having them release dopamine, which makes us feel good and can easily become addictive. For whatever reason, non-commenters don’t rely on social media as a means to gauge their social capital or self worth. This doesn’t make them better than those who do. While some non-commenters could have healthier ways to boost their self worth or release dopamine into their systems, many get that validation from equally unhealthy sources offline. That said, many non-commenters’ silence could be a display of independence and self confidence.
Whether you frequently comment online or don’t, it’s good to understand why you do or don’t. Analyzing your habits can help you determine whether your online engagement is healthy, or needs to be tweaked. With that information, you can then create a healthy social media experience that works for you.