Growing core coping skills isn’t just a matter of learning not to be triggered by children’s strong feelings; it’s also about creating positive meaningful activities that promote mutual bonding.
The need to keep a physical distance conflicts with adolescents’ natural desire to connect with friends - their regular source of distraction and emotional support.
Beatrice Maina, African Population and Health Research Center; Boniface Ushie, African Population and Health Research Center, and Caroline W. Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center
Equipping parents with the right information on what to talk about, and how to talk about it, is a key step in addressing challenges to sexual health.
Many boys stop singing at adolescence – but with the right support, they can continue to sing through their voice change and emerge as lifetime singers.
Underlying social and structural causes of behaviour - such as poverty and gender disparities - are often ignored. But these are potential drivers of HIV infection among young people.
Some experts were concerned about the creation of unrealistic expectations, links with gender-based violence, and the potential for addiction. Others said education might help to offset these harms.
Yalda T. Uhls, University of California, Los Angeles
Understanding others’ emotions is a crucial social skill. Counter to concerns about screen time stunting kids’ development, one study suggests they’re getting better at recognizing emotion on screen.
Together the social and emotional ‘jobs’ of adolescence – developing intimate friendships and achieving autonomy – make teens uniquely resistant to calls for social distancing.
Targeting kids with a weight loss app could perpetuate body image issues and lead to disordered eating. Yes, childhood obesity is a problem – but we must tread carefully when delivering solutions.
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary
Assistant professor, School of Psychology, Scientist, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa