• The Telsa Cybertruck is thrilling to many younger kids — it's a cool-looking weird big truck!
• There are even songs and books for kids about Cybertrucks.
• As Elon Musk and his cars become a political symbol, kids are blissfully unaware.

The Cybertruck has become a nexus point of public opinion about Elon Musk and DOGE, a 4-wheeled emblem of our divided country. Cybertrucks are being vandalized, and drivers are being flipped off. Owners who just thought it was a cool car are stuck with making some sort of political statement — whether they wanted to or not.

For kids, it's a different story. Kids love Cybertrucks.

This makes sense. First of all, kids love trucks! For a preschooler, passing by an active construction site is like being a VIP at Coachella.

The Cybertruck is big, it's distinctive. It's rare. Seeing one on the road or even in a parking lot is a head-turner. It looks like it was made in Minecraft or out of Legos. It's absolutely aesthetically thrilling for a demographic that can't yet tie shoes.

"My 6-year-old loves Teslas but has no idea who Musk is, and that's intentional," said Mandy Shobar, a parent of two boys in Castro Valley, California. Shobar herself is not a fan of Telsa's CEO for reasons that would make sense to other adults but not a kindergartener. Her older son, 9, is less excited about the Cybertruck. "He says they look 'glitchy.'"

Around the Business Insider office, parents also noted their kids were obsessed with Cybertrucks. My boss's first grader recently brought home a piece of art from school dedicated to the EV.

My own kids get excited when they see a Cybertruck. My son went through a phase when he was around 6 or 7 when he was fascinated by Elon Musk as a character, and even brought home a book from the school library about Teslas. (The book, from 2018, didn't include too much about Musk himself.)

Imagine this through a child's eyes: Elon Musk is the richest man in the world who makes rockets and cool-looking cars. How could you not be intrigued? Kids are obsessed with superlatives: the fastest, the biggest, the most. It's why everyone knows the blue whale is the biggest, and the cheetah is the fastest. Kids talk about Usain Bolt's speed with reverence and compare heights to the Burj Khalifa (which, to be honest, I only learned is the world's tallest building from my own kid).

Elon Musk is becoming less popular with adults

Meanwhile, the idea that Musk is controversial because of his political opinions and role in DOGE is not really something that is easily explained to a small child.

It wasn't too many years ago that Musk seemed like an unproblematic aspirational STEM figure for young kids. But with his involvement in the 2024 election and now DOGE, the public's perception of Musk has changed. According to Nate Silver's The Silver Bulletin, Musk's favorability polling switched from positive to negative last summer, and he's now less popular than ever — with 53.5% "unfavorable" ratings.

Tom Cook (no relation to Tim) isn't some Telsa hater — he previously owned a Model 3. He thinks the Cybertruck, however, is aesthetically unpleasing. "There are some technical aspects of it that are good (electrical components where Tesla does good engineering), but the nexus of cost/practicality/looks/association with [Musk] make it just impossible to ever take seriously," Cook told Business Insider.

Still, he was surprised when his 3-year-old daughter made a piece of Cybertruck art.

There exists a world of Cybertruck paraphrenia for kids. Mattel's Hot Wheels makes a classic pocket-sized Cybertruck (my kids have one) and a larger die-cast light-up Cybertruck for about $20.

On Amazon and other online stores, you can find a variety of other remote-controlled Cybertruck-shaped toys from various no-name brands. (It is unclear if some of these actually have licensing deals with Tesla as Mattel does.)

Tesla sells a $1,500 battery-operated ride-on Cybertruck for kids, similar to Power Wheels. It can fit two kids, suggested age range of 6 to 12. Telsa also makes a "Cyberquad" for kids ages 9 to 12, which is an ATV-style ride-on toy, selling for $1,650.

There's even a world of media about Cybertrucks for kids. One person told me her 5-year-old truck-loving kid has discovered a song on YouTube Kids he plays on repeat. (I dare anyone to try to not tap your toes to this banger.)

There are non-fiction books for kids about the Cybertruck, not unlike the one on Telsa my son once brought home.

There's also a picture book, The Ugly Truckling: The Story of My Cybertruck." The Amazon summary reads:

When a dad brings home a Cybertruck, his daughter is less than impressed. With its unconventional and futuristic appearance, the truck seems like an ugly duckling in a world of familiar cars. But as the little girl begins to learn more about the Cybertruck's capabilities and its potential to help the world, she begins to see it in a whole new light.

For the parents who find the Cybertruck to be a totem of something they disagree with politically, it may be slightly jarring to see their kids squeal with glee when they see one cruising down the street.

But there are lots of things that kids love that can make parents cringe: room-temperature apple juice, "Baby Shark," the idea that being asked to put on shoes and coat in a timely manner is an affront to human dignity.

None of the parents I heard from who don't always share the same opinions about the Cybertruck put too much worry into it. To them, it was an amusing passing phase that reminded them of the vast gulf between how a child sees the world and how we see it.

Admittedly, I spend a lot of my day thinking about Elon Musk, and I wish I could have the free wonder to see a cool-looking car and just go, "Wow!"

• For my family's first trip to Disney World, we splurged on all-inclusive packages and extras.
• We thought doing this would prevent us from having more arguments about spending.
• Instead, my husband and I acted like monsters, obsessed with getting our money's worth on the trip.

Money has always been a minefield in my marriage.

My husband compares prices on toothpaste and won't toss a tube until every last drop has been squeezed from its lifeless body. I, on the other hand, operate on, ahem, vibes.

This difference in spending styles is especially pronounced when we travel. On vacation, I don't want to agonize over whether a $17 cocktail is worth it — I just want a lychee martini in my bloodstream as soon as possible.

And, more often than not, instead of having honest discussions about vacation spending, my husband and I just avoid them.

So when we planned our first-ever Disney World trip over February break, we thought we had cracked the code: Go all-inclusive.

We booked a room at Disney's Contemporary Resort and opted for the Disney Dining Plan. The idea was that if everything was prepaid, there'd be no decisions left to argue about.

Going all-inclusive quickly turned us into theme-park economists

At first, our plan totally worked! We tapped our MagicBands without a second thought to bickering over $12 Mickey-shaped pretzels.

When our 3-year-old had a full-scale meltdown at Chef Mickey's character dinner, we didn't feel the sting of wasted money — we just laughed and accepted that oversized cartoon heads on human bodies are, objectively, the stuff of nightmares.

But while the all-inclusive plan helped us avoid fights, it also unleashed something unexpected: the unrelenting need to maximize.

Suddenly, we weren't just skipping the money bickering — we were fully committed to extracting every ounce of value from our prepaid adventure.

This is how we found ourselves at 7 p.m., dragging two very sleepy children back into Magic Kingdom because, dammit, we paid for those full-day passes.

That's also how we ended up on The Little Mermaid ride, each adult cradling a completely unconscious child, whispering to ourselves, "This is the magic."

By day two, our warped logic had fully taken over. Did we need to be there for rope-drop at Epcot after staying out late for the Magic Kindom fireworks? No. But we could, and it was included, so we must.

Ironically, the very thing meant to reduce stress drove us into full-blown vacation optimization mode.

Fortunately, there are ways to find the sweet spot for sanity

By the time we left, my husband and I were both relieved and deeply aware of our own absurdity.

Yes, the all-inclusive plan helped us avoid our usual debates over spending, but it also made us act like we were strategizing for a corporate retreat rather than enjoying a vacation.

If you and your partner approach spending differently, especially on vacations, here are a few things I've learned:

Agree to a budget ahead of time — but allow some flexibility

Before you book anything, have the hard conversations upfront and decide on a spending plan together.

If one person needs a clear budget to feel comfortable, set that one in advance. If the other (hi, it's me) wants some spontaneity, build in a little wiggle room for guilt-free indulgence.

For example, next time, we'll establish some "no-questions-asked" splurge zones so our family can chug every mug of LeFou's Brew at Gaston's Pub without thinking too much about how it's basically just apple juice with a lot of ice.

Give kids their own spending budget

Walking the parks, it's easy to go overboard every time your kid begs for yet another $35 light-up fairy wand (especially knowing you could get almost the same thing back home at the dollar store).

For our younger kids, we told them they could each pick one souvenir under $40. My friend with older children actually gives them cash to buy whatever they want within that amount. Anything they don't spend is theirs to keep.

This is a sensible way to curb impulse buys on things you know are overpriced without having to argue.

Consider prepurchasing souvenirs

Another friend takes this a step further — she buys Disney-related toys on sale before they leave, hides them in her luggage, and surprises the kids with them throughout the trip.

It's a genius compromise between splurging and budgeting.

Remember not every expense needs to be optimized and that time itself is a valuable asset

An all-inclusive package can be great if it prevents constant cost calculations, but don't let it force your schedule.

Sometimes the best use of your vacation budget is simply resting — lounging in the shade with a Frozen ice cream shaped like Olaf's head.

Time is its own kind of currency, and spending it well is just as important as spending money wisely.

Balance efficiency with actual enjoyment

Yes, Disney is expensive, and yes, you'll want to make the most of yor trip — but the goal is still to have fun, not to create a perfectly executed itinerary.

Your kids won't remember if you got your money's worth on lunch. However, they will remember if you were relaxed enough on the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger ride to enjoy shooting that infrared laser cannon at Buzz's arch-nemesis. (And hopefully, they'll forget the expletives you uttered every time you missed).

Next time, we'll shoot for a balanced trip

On our next Disney trip — note that we need at least two to four years to recoverfrom this one — we'll aim for a middle ground.

Maybe we'll book a resort for the perks but pay for meals à la carte. Perhaps we'll accept that not conquering every ride is OK if it means we're actually soaking up moments instead of sprinting between them.

Because, in the end, the best vacation strategy isn't about spending more or less. It's about making room for the magic to happen without turning "magic" into another item on your to-do list.

… and it's about triple-checking that your "all-inclusive" includes babysitting for at least one night, so you can focus on what's really important: ditching your kids to ride Space Mountain.

• Posts about feminine energy are popular on social media.
• Creators say feminine energy can help any person trust their intuition and live authentically.
• Experts warn the message can get lost in translation when its watered down on social media.

Alexis Smith and Nadia Khaled were at a crossroads in their early 20s. Smith, 25, was reeling from an intense breakup, while Khaled, 26, needed a change after losing her job.

Then, they tapped into their feminine energy — and everything changed.

The concept of divine feminine energy, which believers feel is a force that exists in everyone and guides our emotional and creative sides, has been all over social media.

You might've seen videos of women breaking down their rituals to connect with their energy, inspirational Instagram graphics about how feminine energy can change your life, or clips of people discussing how they healed their feminine side.

Content creators like Smith and Khaled said that tapping into their feminine energy was key to creating the lives they wanted.

However, experts told Business Insider that the recent trend has some drawbacks, from reinforcing gender norms to opening the door to alt-right pipelines.

Say hello to divine feminine energy

It's tough to find an exact definition of divine feminine energy on social media. Still, it generally refers to a manifestation of creativity and emotion, complementing the action and logic that come from masculine energy, experts said.

The concept of femininity versus masculinity isn't new. It appears in different religions and psychological frameworks, like in controversial Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist Carl Jung's musings on the anima and animus, which he saw as the feminine side of men and the masculine side of women.

Author and physician Deepak Chopra also embraces the idea of the divine feminine, writing in a 2021 essay, "The adjectives that apply to the personal feminine are love, affection, forgiveness, compassion, allowing, nurturing, and creative. They need to be present in everyone's life, whether you are a man or woman, and every child needs to be exposed to them."

Smith and Khaled told BI they learned about the divine feminine online and through books like "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle and podcasts such as Jay Shetty's "On Purpose."

"It comes down to really tuning into my body and what my body is calling me to do as opposed to what my brain is telling me to do," Khaled said of how feminine energy functions in her life.

She said she tries to actively tap into her feminine energy by making herself feel present in her body, whether by taking herself on a date to Barnes & Noble, doing a more in-depth skincare routine, or listening to her body when she's exhausted.

"If I am feeling really burned out, I don't push myself to go harder," Khaled said. "I take that as a sign to step back and relax, and when I'm feeling inspired to take action, that's when I start doing the initiating and leaning more into that masculine energy."

Smith, a feminine energy coach and content creator, said she thinks of feminine energy as "life force" energy and a way to get in touch with her younger, most authentic self.

Meanwhile, she said she relies on masculine energy for her work but often needs to turn that "energy off," which "takes a lot of planning and organization."

Both creators also said focusing on their feminine energy enabled them to adopt an "attract, don't chase" motto in their personal and professional lives, which they say has made them more successful.

Khaled saw her social media following explode when she started approaching content creation with this mindset, and Smith said she's been happier while dating since she embraced it.

A form of empowerment

Although Smith and Khaled use feminine energy similarly, the term holds different meanings in other settings.

Erika Evans, a sexologist and relationship therapist, discusses the idea of feminine and masculine energy with her clients from a therapeutic lens. She said tapping into those sides can help her clients grow and trust their instincts.

Evans also encourages her clients to create rituals, such as dancing, journaling, or spending time in nature, to help them tap into their feminine energy.

Jessica Maddox, an associate professor of digital media at the University of Alabama, told BI she thinks there can be "power" in divine feminine social media content that tells women to trust their instincts.

"Women are often dismissed as being too emotional or hysterical," she said. "Anything that encourages women to listen to their own feelings and trust themselves is important."

"This divine feminine trend can push back against some sexist ideas that women are just hysterical and over-emotional," she added.

Still, she also sees potential risks with the trend.

A shrinking ideal of womanhood

Divine feminine energy is pretty innocuous as a mindset or spiritual concept. However, Maddox said that as it's watered down for 20-second clips on social media, it's easy to be oversimplified or become devoid of context, so some of the message's intricacies are lost.

"That's generally the problem with social media," Maddox said. "The more and more things spread and go viral, the more divorced from their original context and meaning they become."

For instance, Maddox said she could see how someone trusting only their instincts could lead them to disregard science or believe conspiracy theories.

Likewise, Khaled and Smith told BI that it's important for everyone to connect with their feminine and masculine energies, but some divine feminine content on social media shifts from focusing on energies to giving advice on what women should do versus men. That can reinforce a traditional gender binary and exclude queer or trans people. It can also suggest that there is only one way to embody feminine or masculine energy.

Evans uses the concept to help people of all gender identities explore what feminity or masculinity means to them as individuals. But that self-exploratory conversation with an expert isn't possible on social media.

Divine feminine energy content also isn't too far removed from other popular social media trends, like manifestation content and "soft living" posts, which oppose hustle culture and prioritize self-care and overall health. In some ways, this line of thinking offers a cheat code for success in an ever-more-competitive world, telling people the problem is that they're working too hard or that the corporate world isn't suited to their needs.

Still, those posts sometimes transition to anti-work content targeted at women. Some creators have also jumped on the stay-at-home girlfriend trend or pivoted to the much-discussed tradwife content that preaches one way to be a wife or mother and emphasizes domesticity.

This ever-softer archetype of a woman is met with an increasingly aggressive ideal of a straight man, which can be a harmful dichotomy as these models seep into the real world. Self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, who has been accused of human trafficking and sexual misconduct, aptly demonstrates the real-world risks of buying into the exaggerated gender binary. (Tate has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.)

So, while the concept of divine feminine energy might feel empowering for some, it can also lead to dangerous repercussions offline when it's used to weaponize feminity.

Approaching divine feminine with nuance

Evans thinks creators could fuel a more nuanced conversation around the divine feminine by balancing feminine and masculine energy in their content.

"I would love it if creators or content producers would spend equal time on divine feminine and masculine energies and how they play together because they don't exist in a silo," she said. "The reality is when you're talking about energy, they're always going to be in contrast with one another."

Maddox said that if you want to learn more about divine feminine energy, remember that it doesn't have to resonate with others, even if it holds meaning for you.

"As long as people continue to understand that everybody has their own idea of what gender is and means to them and how they can adopt it into their own lives, I think that's OK as long as they don't expect it to apply to other people as well," she said.

Smith's simple hope for what divine feminine energy can bring to people sums up the positive potential of the trend well: "Does it feel good for your body to do?"

"If the answer is yes, that is your feminine energy," she said. "Anytime something brings your soul joy, that is your feminine energy, and never let anyone tell you what it looks like because feminine energy is unique."