Preparing for the Teen Years: What Parents Should Expect
Knowing the Adolescent Brain Adolescence is a wild ride, not only for the adolescents but also for their parents. The teenage brain, a marvel of development that accounts for much of their behavior, is at the center of this turbulent time. During these years, the...
Understanding Your Child’s Fear of the Dark
A Brief Overview of Childhood Fears As they become older, kids deal with a wide range of anxieties, from monsters under the bed to the huge, uncharted frontiers of their own imaginations. Despite being frequently disregarded, these anxieties are vital to their emotional growth. Early...
Understanding Adolescent Social Development
A Brief Overview of Teenage Social Development An important time in a young person’s life, adolescent social development encompasses the passage from childhood to adulthood. Not only are there major physical changes during this time, but there are also significant emotional and social changes. It...
How to Talk to Your Child About Peer Pressure
Understanding Peer Pressure Children and teenagers’ behavior and decision-making are shaped by peer pressure, a potent factor. It can take many different forms, ranging from overt verbal advice to deceptive nonverbal clues. The sources, which range from personal friends to social media influencers, are as...
How to Deal with Teenage Defiance and Rebellion
Understanding Teenage Defiance and Rebellion Teenage rebellion and defiance are sometimes viewed as two sides of the same coin, yet they have different connotations. One definition of defiance is the inability to submit to authoritative figures or rules, a problem that many parents frequently encounter....
Dealing with Peer Pressure: Guiding Your Child Through
Understanding Peer Pressure Peer pressure, a force as subtle as it is powerful, shapes the behaviour of children and teenagers, guiding them through a maze of choices, both good and bad. It comes in various forms, from the overt urging of friends to engage in...
Encouraging Positive Behavior in Children Through Reward Systems
Introduction to Positive Reinforcement Positive reinforcement is essentially a potent technique that increases the likelihood that a desired behavior will be repeated by adding a rewarding stimulus after it has been demonstrated. Positive reinforcement concentrates on forming positive habits as opposed to negative reinforcement, which...
Understanding the Impact of Social Comparison on Teen Self-esteem
Understanding How Social Comparison Affects Adolescent Self-Esteem In the digital age, social comparison—a process where people assess their own value by comparing themselves to others—has flourished. Teens are inundated with images of other people’s lives on social media, which frequently prompts negative comparisons. Teens’ feeling...
The Influence of Celebrity Culture on Teens
A Brief Overview of Celebrity Culture and Its Omnipresence Celebrity culture is a phenomenon that has changed dramatically over the years, combining the power of celebrity with societal influence. Born out of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s golden age, it has evolved over time...
Addressing Childhood Fears and Anxieties
Understanding Fears and Anxieties in Childhood Although they are sometimes used synonymously, fear and anxiety have different meanings, particularly when it comes to young people. Fear is an instantaneous, visceral, and focused reaction to a particular threat. On the other hand, anxiety is a more...