Are you a perfectionist? Perfectionism is on the rise.. so let's see how it impacts us..

/
Are you a perfectionist? Perfectionism is on the rise.. so let's see how it impacts us..

Are you a perfectionist? Do you think it helps you motivate yourself to aim high and make a concerted effort to do your best when facing challenges? The process of pouring your heart into accomplishing something that pushes against your limits and is both challenging and rewarding feels good. This is especially true, when you let go of a perfectionistic need to "win-at-all-costs" in order to feel extrinsically validated and worthy.  

On the flip side, too much...

Read More

The price of not letting our boys express their emotions

/
The price of not letting our boys express their emotions

One thing is clear: boys grow up in a world inhabited by a narrower range of emotions, one in which their experiences of anger are noticed, inferred and potentially even cultivated. This leaves other emotions — particularly the more vulnerable emotions—sorely ignored or missing in their growing minds. This is all the more concerning given that research from Harvard Medical School shows…

Read More

Maximising children's learning experiences for brain development

/
Maximising children's learning experiences for brain development

A newborn’s brain contains 100 billion brain cells or neurons. These neurons are highly connected as one of their roles is communication, and amazingly a single cell can connect with as many as 15,000 other neurons. These connections are created through experience and learning and lead to a network which is referred to as the brain’s “wiring”. In the research, it is known that “cells that fire together, wire together”. So cells which repeatedly connect or fire together, will create a stronger, lasting bond and will therefore wire together.

Read More

This is how stress derails healthy development

/
This is how stress derails healthy development

Learning how to cope with adversity is an important part of healthy development. While moderate, short-lived stress responses in the body can promote growth, toxic stress is the strong, unrelieved activation of the body's stress management system in the absence of protective adult support.

Read More

Let children run wild - it could even improve their academic performance

/
Let children run wild - it could even improve their academic performance

Physical fitness and agility are linked to bigger brains and better test scores....

Read More

Teenage substance abuse? Here is Iceland's answer to it. And it works, so why don't we adopt it?

/
Teenage substance abuse? Here is Iceland's answer to it. And it works, so why don't we adopt it?

Iceland knows how to stop teenage substance abuse. Smoking, drinking and drug use have been radically cut in the past 20 years. Emma Young finds out how they did it, and why other countries won’t follow suit.

Read More

Signs of stress in your children and teens

/
Signs of stress in your children and teens

Young people, like adults, experience stress. It can come from a variety of sources including doing well in school, making and sustaining friendships, or managing perceived expectations from their parents, teachers or coaches. Some stress can be positive in that it provides the energy to tackle a big test, presentation or sports event. Too much stress, however, can create unnecessary hardship and challenge. Adults can sometimes be unaware when their children or teens are experiencing overwhelming feelings of stress.

Read More

Confidence - research shows independent schools' focus on mental toughness

/
Confidence - research shows independent schools' focus on mental toughness

Pupils in independent schools are controlled, committed, confident and like a challenge, new research into soft skills and mental toughness reveals.

Pupil confidence high as research shows independent schools' focus on mental toughness Findings to enable schools to target and boost pupil wellbeing

Read More

Research shows why mums and dads should feel good about their children crying when they leave them with strangers...

/
Research shows why mums and dads should feel good about their children crying when they leave them with strangers...

We all need to leave our children at some point in their early development. No denying, it can be very distressing for both chid and parent, and when this happens, we wish that we could leave the room without them crying and they could just play happily until we return. Sounds good. However, if your child cries when you leave and is showing signs of distress, paradoxically, you should be rather happy.

Why?

Read More

Screen time - what we should know and what we can do

/
Screen time - what we should know and what we can do

From TV to smartphones to social media, our lives are dominated by 24/7 media exposure. Despite this, many children and teens have few rules around their media use. Media & digital devices are an integral part of our world today. The benefits of these devices, if used moderately & appropriately, can be great.

Read More