Food for Thought

People communicate all the time but communicating well, especially with those we are close to takes thoughtful, ongoing effort. In close relationships it is important to be able to communicate effectively about feelings, needs and wants as well as...

All children are capable of extraordinary things. There is no happiness gene, no success gene, and no ‘doer of extraordinary things’ gene. The potential for happiness and greatness lies in all of them and will means different things to different...

You have an important part to play in your child’s life – even if it doesn’t always feel that way. Setting a good example your teenage daughter goes beyond teaching good manners and time management skills. Here are some thoughts on how to be a role...

Parents must have a strong sense of their moral authority – their right to be respected and obeyed. Psychologist Diana Baumrind’s research has identified three styles of parenting: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. Permissive parents are...

Whether it's going to school for the first time, making new friends or even going to school camp, children often experience difficulties that they need to overcome. Children's resilience is fostered when they overcome problems and manage unpleasant...

Everyone experiences stress in some or many forms throughout their life and loss, rejection, and failure are an inventible part of the human experience. Resilience helps kids to navigate setbacks and become confident in their ability to manage...

Snap Map has attracted a lot of media attention as the location-based aspect means that a user can choose to share their location with others. Because there are so many young people using the app this potential sharing is a cause for concern for...

Slowing down your thinking and avoiding jumping to conclusions is a great resilience skill that can be improved with practice. As a parent, you can model this type of thinking, reciting the possibilities out loud so your kids can see how it’s done...

In the past 20 or so years, parenting has become a significant focus on our society. We have discovered just how important it is that we get it ‘right’. The effects of or parenting are substantial, and long lasting. We affect our children, their...

This app is from Hugh van Cuylenburg who was quoted in last week’s article on ‘How to raise resilient children.’ The Resilience Project app is a daily well-being journal. Each day users will be prompted to identify their emotions, record moments of...