Blog Posts by Elise Solé, Shine Staff

A school with no homework or grades sounds like a child's dream but for the students of Toronto, Ontario's Alpha Alternative School, opened in 1972, that was very much the reality. The public school's policy was founded on the principal of democracy and according to Debbie O'Rourke, the school's volunteer coordinator, kids learn at their leisure. "We value general knowledge, social sciences, arts, and literacy but kids are valued and not judged," O'Rourke told Yahoo! Shine. "There are no grades and we don't waste kid's time by loading them up with homework. Allowing them to learn organically through playing and interacting with other kids in a nurturing environment will help them grow into smart individuals." For the school's 40th anniversary in September 2012, former Alpha student and photographer Michael Barker shot portraits of alumni in a series called "Alpha Alternative School 1942/2012." So what happens to kids who don't get grades or take tests? See for yourself.

Is this relationship not meant to be? (Photo by Touchstone Pictures)Imagine surviving school without your best friend.

For the students of Thomas’s Private Day School in Battersea, London, having a bestie is an idea that should become extinct, according to the Ben Thomas, the school's headmaster.

After parents recently complained that their children were "no longer allowed to have best friends," Thomas told the London Telegraph, “There is sound judgment behind it. You can get very possessive friendships, and it is much easier if they share friendships and have a wide range of good friends rather than obsessing too much about who their best friend is. I would certainly endorse a policy which says we should have lots of good friends, not a best friend."

Thomas added that girls in particular were more likely to form cliques and exclude others.

Sound familiar? Films and television shows such as "Heathers," "Mean Girls," "Clueless," "The Craft," "Beverly Hills 90210," and "Gossip Girl" (and the list goes on) are satires of the perils of best friendship, but

Caitlin Tiller/FacebookJust like any other high school student, Caitlin Tiller of Trinity, North Carolina was excited to take her official senior portrait in the summer of 2012.

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That year, Wheatmore High School students were allowed to be photographed with a prop of their choice. Their only directions: "Bring something that represents you and helped you achieve something." For Tiller, then a 17-year-old junior, it was a no-brainer: She brought her 3-month old son, Leelin.

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"I picked my son because he's helped me be a better person," Tiller told Yahoo! Shine. "By having him, I grew up quickly but I learned how to be responsible."

Although Tiller didn't tell anyone that she was planning to bring Leelin, the photo shoot, which took place in the school cafeteria, went smoothly. "Lots of kids were there and the photographer thought Leelin was so cute. Everyone was asking to hold

ThinkStockHow many times have you bought a product to get the flawless skin promised in its ad only to discover that, after applying it, you don't look perfect?

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One Orthodox Jewish woman is suing makeup giant Lancome (owned by parent company L'Oreal), claiming that its "24-hour" foundation doesn't last a full 24 hours, preventing her from looking flawless through the Sabbath, reports the New York Post.

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Rorie Weisberg of Monsey, New York claims she was tricked into believing that the company's new Teint Idole Ultra 24H provides a full day and night of "lasting perfection" as the product's website states. Her lawsuit reads: "The 24-hour claim was central to plaintiff's purchase decision, as a long-lasting makeup assists with her dual objectives of compliance with religious law and enhancement to her natural appearance." According to court papers, Weisberg "is an Orthodox Jew and abides by

Once regarded as the dowdy uniform for mothers of the bride or women trying to conceal a few extra pounds, the all-white pants suit is now proudly marching its way to the altar. We're seeing bridal pantsuits on the runways, on Pinterest boards, and all over bridal websites. The notion of marriage is drastically evolving-and so are our fashion choices. So the bridal pants suit, a gender-bending equalizer between the girly gown and stiff tuxedo and a crafty solution for women who don't love dresses, may be here to stay.

Do you have one of these? (photo via AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com)As cool as you and your mom are now, we're willing to bet that like so many of us, you've shared some pretty awkward moments. Maybe as a teen you were obsessed with multi-colored bajas and your mom was a slave to pleated denim. Or perhaps you two enjoyed an off-beat family tradition that looking back, makes you cringe (tap lessons? Glamour shots?). Or maybe you have some funny outtakes from your recent family photo shoot—you know, the shots that didn't make it on the holiday card for good reason.

In honor of Mother's Day (and inspired by Awkward Family Photos), we're rounding up our readers' most awkward "mom and me" photos, moments that are as timeless as the holiday itself. The most hilarious and painfully awkward photos will be featured in a wonderfully entertaining slideshow and posted on Yahoo! Shine for all the world to see.

Send us your favorite ridiculous photo memories by end of day Wednesday, May 8.

Email to imagesforshine@yahoo.com or tweet us submissions on @yahooshine with

H&M

Hands down, there's nothing more frustrating than flipping through a swimsuit catalog filled with tanned, stick-thin, bikini-clad models lounging in boats and hammocks.

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That's why it's so refreshing to log onto retail clothing company H&M's website where they've recently unveiled their new beachwear line featuring a model of normal, healthy proportions wearing both one-piece suits and (gasp!) bikinis. There's no a mention of the suits being plus-sized—it's just a woman wearing some bathing suits and she happens to not be super skinny.

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The model, 23-year-old Jennie Runk, is reportedly six-feet-tall and considered plus-size per industry standards. For a clothing company with a history of featuring tanned, taut models (and most recently, Beyonce writhing sexually on the beach in a bikini for a campaign), prominently showcasing a woman with healthy proportions—not