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Why do adolescents take risks – a lot? It’s almost like they feel they’re immortal. Adolescents are impulsive. They seek constant stimulation. They don’t weigh risks before they dive headlong into situations. Continue reading “Why a Teenager’s Brain is Like a Ferrari with Bicycle Brakes”
By: Robert Garrett
In my blog on teens and social media I shared that we haven’t yet allowed our teenagers to have their own social media accounts. I drew the analogy that simply giving them access to social media when they turned 13 would be like giving them the keys to the family car and wishing them all the best.
By: Michelle Mitchell
The feeling of packing your bags up and heading home is always bittersweet, especially if it wasn’t in the original plan. Continue reading “Home Will Be the Hero: Creating a Safe Place for Our Tweens and Teens”
A few Saturday nights ago (only 36 hours before all restaurants and cafes were closed by the government) my 17-year-old daughter grabbed the car keys, called out “See ya Dad!” and ran down the front steps to head out with friends. Continue reading “How to Get Your Teen to Take Isolation and Social Distancing Seriously”
By: Collett Smart
Part of my day job sees me lucky enough to spend time with teens. I have run media literacy seminars for students, in schools around the world, for a number of years now. Whenever I ask a group of tween or teen boys what they think the main area of body focus is, for boys, they yell out, ‘A six-pack!’ (I’ve even heard 9-year-old boys talking about and trying to compare their six-packs.) This line is the same, whether I am in Zimbabwe, New Zealand, the USA or Australia. Continue reading “Boys Have Body Image Issues Too”
By: Collett Smart
One thing that continually strikes me about the young people I work with is that they really do want to become good men and women who have rich, meaningful relationships. They are just sometimes unsure how to go about it. They need our support and guidance. Continue reading “Developing Relationship Intelligence in Teens”
By: Collett Smart
When I worked as a school psychologist, for more than 10 years, some of the most common lunch time chats I had in my office were with one girl or a group of girls. Inevitably, because something had ‘gone wrong’ in their relationships. This resulted in some tears, sometimes heartache, often internal wrestling or questioning. Continue reading “When Friendships Go Wrong For Girls”
Dear Dr Justin,
I have a teenage daughter who has been sending inappropriate photos to boys, and one has been shared around amongst her peer group. We’ve raised her to know that’s wrong, but she still doesn’t seem to get it. What should we do?
Continue reading “What to Do When Your Teen is Caught ‘Sexting’”
Dear Dr Justin,
My daughter started high school and already there are parties and outings organised where no parents are allowed. She’s only 12 and I think too young to go unsupervised. Am I being unfair?
Continue reading “Navigating Your Teen’s Quest For Independence”
Dear Dr Justin,
My husband and I have some family friends. Their daughter is friends with our daughter. I recently heard their daughter telling my daughter about her ‘private’ Instagram account. My daughter has told me that her friend is sharing sexual images, and images with alcohol and cigarettes on that account. Her parents (my friends) would be mortified. Do I tell them?
Continue reading “How to Tell Your Friend What Their Teen Is Doing on Instagram”