A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
David Cameron rates the idea of measuring happiness, and from the Office for National Statistics we learn that, when asked the question, Indians and those of Indian descent in the UK emerge the happiest. They number about 1.4 million – our largest visible minority – and on average, they rate life satisfaction as 7.5 out [...]
Most girls as young as 6 are already beginning to think of themselves as sex objects, according to a new study of elementary school-age kids in the Midwest. Researchers have shown in the past that women and teens think of themselves in sexually objectified terms, but the new study is the first to identify self-sexualization [...]
In last week’s newsletter I wrote about the sense of relief that students feel upon the completion of their studies and how the media exacerbates this by reporting on the HSC every day. You can set your watch by it can’t you? Seriously. Well, twenty-four hours before NSW student sat for their first [...]
When it comes to substance abuse like smoking or abuse of intoxicating drugs, it is very difficult to determine what a “safe” limit of exposure is. Quite often, the initial exposure to mood altering substances like nicotine occurs during the teenage years. The period of adolescence is marked by a tendency towards risk-taking behavior which [...]
HSC students are taking illegally obtained prescription medication used to treat ADHD to help cram for their final school exams, which start tomorrow. The Sun-Herald spoke to students from five schools across Sydney last week who admitted to using the medication, saying it improved their focus during study. But medical experts warn that they are [...]
With screen time (computer, TV, online games, iPad, mobiles, etc) taking up more and more of children’s time and attention it is important that they are encouraged to burn off excess energy by getting up and out. They should aim to ‘move it move it’ and engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes [...]
Some of the state’s most vulnerable children will be traumatised further after the Department of Child Protection failed to complete their child welfare assessments. The Department of Child Protection’s annual report for 2011-12 showed that 631 child notification assessments were unable to be completed. This figure was revealed alongside a significant increase in child welfare [...]
Even though children may not be watching it, even having a television on in the background may be bad for development, according to a new study. Researchers wrote in the journal Pediatrics children between eight months and eight-years-old are exposed to nearly four hours worth of background TV a day, compared to the 80 minutes [...]
Dan Haesler asks which should come first, wellbeing or education? This is a no brainer - and possibly the wrong question altogether! The national and international evidence is quite clear: though we have yet to persuade all school principals across Australia - and probably most politicians - to believe the evidence. It is unequivocal that [...]
It seems that the older children get the further away from you they become both emotionally and physically. This is the experience of many parents and developing and maintaining a deep and healthy connection as they grow is a balancing act that requires constant nurturing. Psychologists refer to this bonding process as ‘attunement’. It is [...]
