Childhood and adolescence

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Mindfulness and meditation

idea

It’s time to hear what adolescents think of mindfulness in schools

Mindfulness for adolescents backfires when it imposes moral ideals, stirs up trauma, or fails to treat young people as agents

by Elena Hailwood, William Wannyn & Suparna Choudhury

Childhood and adolescence

idea

Young children use reason, not gut feelings, to decide moral issues

It’s not just ‘gut feelings’: humans form moral judgments that align with moral principles and beliefs from a young age

by Audun Dahl

Stone statue against a black background, depicting head and shoulders of a male figure with a severe expression.

Gender

guide

How to be a man

Old ideas of manliness make us miserable. Being labelled ‘toxic’ doesn’t help. A reimagined masculinity is the way forward

by Andrew Reiner

Abstract painting of various musical instruments, including drums, a trombone, a banjo, and a guitar, with a silhouetted figure in foreground.

Poetry

film

Childhood collides with the adult world in this haunting Bukowski adaptation

A film by Jonathan Hodgson

A girl swinging with a cityscape in the background, under a cloudy sky. The Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are visible.

Mental health

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Why does early puberty pose a risk to girls’ mental health?

Girls who start puberty earlier are at greater risk of depression and anxiety. To know why, we must look beyond biology

by Marjolein E A Barendse & Michelle L Byrne

Several children and a teacher interact happily at a table in a classroom, with one boy laughing and a girl in blue looking on.

Learning and education

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This is how to nurture curiosity in children (and yourself)

The curiosity that comes naturally to babies and young children can soon wilt – but there are ways to help it grow

by Shayla Love

Parenting and families

guide

How to raise a resilient child

Put that helicopter back in the hangar and let your children find their own way. Their independence will likely surprise you

by Judith Locke

Black-and-white drawing of a girl walking between busy sun loungers by a tiled pool area, seen from behind.

Childhood and adolescence

film

One girl’s long, scary route from changing room to swimming pool

A film by Elise Augarten

A child in a blue silk coat with a golden motif stands by a railway line, half-hidden behind an adult in similar attire.

Personality

idea

Childhood shyness can be advantageous – don’t pathologise it

Given their cautious vigilance, shy children are more likely to detect social threats and anticipate how events will unfold

by Raha Hassan & Kristie Poole

A young child passenger sits on the front of a motor scooter, with an older male rider partly visible behind. The rider has tattooed arms and a sign on the scooter reads ‘Thailand’

Personality

idea

How babies’ and children’s temperament varies around the world

International research reveals intriguing regional differences in temperament – the infant precursor to adult personality

by Matt Huston

Blurry image of a person sitting at a desk with books and magazines, appearing to be in motion.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

guide

How to empower a teen with ADHD

As they go through the most challenging period of their life, there are ways you can help them not just cope but thrive

by Margaret Sibley

Surreal scene of a person with a clay mask and blue hair at a table with others in masks in the background, in a dimly lit room.

Communication and language

film

Navigating a pub, Shaun’s anxieties are (quite literally) plastered on his face

Directed by Sam Gainsborough