A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
I have a saying that my teaching colleagues will be able to appreciate. Interesting kids have very interesting parents. I spent the past two years resisting invitations from schools to give parent talks. My reasoning was that whilst after 15+ years teaching, I can speak with some authority with regards to working with school students, [...]
Jesuit missionaries knew something about human nature when they said, in the 16th century: "Give me a child until he is 7 and I will give you the man." Five hundred years later, author Maggie Hamilton argues, our society is less interested in saving a child's soul and more interested in capturing his or her [...]
Like other dystopian authors, Aldous Huxley held a pretty bleak view of society. In A Brave New World, his future looks something like this: We live to consume. We're brainwashed by advertisements and institutions that make us feel as though we're free, even as they wipe out any originality and creativity in us. We lack [...]
We have to be vigilant about who we bring into our children’s lives. We have to be wary. But we also have to trust in others and in society to help us raise our children. Once the checks and balances are made, the safety parameters are installed we need to make a leap of faith. [...]
AUSTRALIA has a drinking problem - and it's only going to get worse. A study has revealed more than 75 per cent of people believe we drink too much. More than four million Australians are drinking to get drunk, including two million who get rotten at least once a month. The Foundation for Alcohol Research [...]
In 2012, schools have to acknowledge the fact that their teachers have more face-to-face access to teenagers than their parents. This means that schools have a responsibility for so much more than just the academic performance of the students in their charge. Research by Professor Ian Schochet suggests that school attachment is vitally important, and could bear a [...]
In the face of this nonstop barrage of technology-induced stimulation, a question on the minds of many parents, educators and scientists is: how is this affecting young brains? via Brain Development in a Hyper-Tech World - Dana Foundation.
RESEARCHERS have found that a growing number of people are reporting toxicity from energy drinks in Australia, especially teenagers. Red Bull and V were the most common causes. Click here to read the report
A recent Headspace survey revealed how Australian young people felt about the recent christmas season: Only half of young people would be disappointed if Christmas got cancelled, while one in five would actually be relieved; One third said Chrismas made them feel worse than usual, while one third said it made them feel better, and one [...]
As christmas approaches toymakers have ramped up advertising, and children are turning their attention to their wish list. Sexualised dolls such as Bratz and Barbies are very attractive to young girls but underneath the bright colours and glitter these dolls convey a more subtly damaging message to their owners. Psychologists are genuinely concerned about the potential [...]
