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Childhood and adolescence

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Photo of a group of young people in casual clothing sitting on a concrete bench outside a historic building, some using phones.

Technology and media

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Why teenagers are deliberately seeking brain rot on TikTok

Talking to teens reveals a hidden sophistication to their media use. Rather than policing it, maybe we could learn from it

by Emilie Owens

Photo of school assembly with pupils in uniform, many faces blurred. One student is in focus in the centre of the image.

Mindfulness and meditation

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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

Sepia photo of a girl in worn clothing standing on a dirt path between houses, two people walking by, and another child sitting on a step.

Childhood and adolescence

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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

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

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

Two women wearing bathing suits sit on a rock by a waterfall in nature; one has her arm around the other. Towels are draped over the rock.

Nature and the environment

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Rewilding attachment theory by recognising Earth as a caregiver

We are raised by people, but we are also raised by the Earth – here’s what that means for our emotional development

by Vanessa Chakour

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

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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

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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

Close-up of a hand holding a smartphone, finger hovering over a social media app displaying an image of a woman in a black dress.

Sex and sexuality

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Teenagers are going to sext, let’s teach them to do it safely

Preaching abstinence doesn’t work – in sex as in sexting. Instead, we should teach how to reduce risk and sext safely

by Joris Van Ouytsel

Black-and-white photo of a child standing in front of a large aquarium, watching big fish swim by.

Transcendent experience

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To thrive, children need to experience awe – and you can help

Alongside love, sleep and play, awe is precious for children. There are small, everyday ways to make it a part of their lives

by Artemisia O’bi & Fan Yang

Photo of a child in a pink shirt concentrating on writing in a notebook while an adult assists, showing a learning activity.

Parenting and families

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Why are tiger parents willing to trade love for success?

Growing up under tiger parenting, I’ve seen that pushing a child to succeed often fails – and isn’t worth the emotional cost

by Louis Li

A child meeting Santa in a mall looks disbelieving

Childhood and adolescence

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At what point does the Santa myth become a harmful deception?

Exactly when and how children discover they’ve been duped makes an important difference to the revelatory experience

by Shayla Love