By: Akos Balogh
A fascinating article appeared in the Wall Street Journal late last year. Erica Komisar, a well known and respected author and Psychoanalyst wrote a piece entitled ‘Don’t believe in God? Lie to your children’.
Parenting
7 Tips to Tackle Fussy Eating in Toddlers
Danielle and Jason are MasterChef fans, and feel like they have gotten in touch with their inner ‘foodie’. Their three year-old son, Jonah, does not share his parent’s enthusiasm for culinary sensations, picks at dinner, and avoids certain foods. His behaviour classifies the toddler as a ‘fussy eater’.
How to Teach Your Children Empathy – and Why It Matters
Every few days the news readers tell us another story (or five) that reminds us how terribly badly some people in our society treat others. (I’ve stopped watching the news, but that’s another story entirely.)
Mental Health Consequences of Hard Border Closures on FIFO Children
In March 2020 Western Australia shut its borders. While there may be well-meaning policies behind the border closures, there’s no escaping the fact that this decision has irrevocably changed people’s lives – especially for fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) families.
“Leave Them Alone and They’ll Come Home”
By: Robert Garrett
When our kids were little, people would say, ‘enjoy them now, because when they’re teenagers …’ Consequently, I had this sense of resignation that when they hit their teen years, we’d lose connection with our kids and there was nothing to do but wait in anticipation for their ‘return’.
Helping Children Face Their Fears
Doubt and fear seem to be intrinsically woven into the hearts of some children. Their worries and anxieties cause them to shrink, lean out, and avoid. Sometimes, as parents, we fail to recognise that fear responses are normal, healthy, and to be expected.
4 Lessons About Parenting Teens in a Hyper-Sexualised Age
By: Robert Garrett
In several recent blogs I reference experts encouraging parents to keep the channels of communication open with their teens.
Why a Teenager’s Brain is Like a Ferrari with Bicycle Brakes
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.
Sexting: What to Do if It Happens to Your Child
A friend of mine had an awful ‘sexting’ incident occur with her 11 year-old daughter. Her daughter was having an innocent conversation with a boy from school via text when he asked her to send “noodz” to him. I have two daughters and a son who are between 9 and 14. Is sexting normal now? How can I stop them having to deal with this?
Success at School: IQ vs Personality
A guy I know – let’s call him Justin – was a failure at school by nearly all measures. I (oops, “he”) had few friends. And academically… well, let’s just say that Justin’s report cards were never worth framing and putting on a wall. He was given full marks, however, for being an “underachiever”.