What is online safety and what can you teach your teen about it? By Mariana S. Mata Ruiz Let’s be honest, teenagers now probably know more about technology than most of us, as they have grown up with it their whole lives. Around one in three internet users is a child(1), and the pandemic increased…
What to do if I feel my teen is hanging out with the wrong crowd By: Mariana S. Mata Ruiz You are not expected to like all of your teen’s friends, but sometimes one or more can really rub you the wrong way. These kinds of situations can be a minefield if we are not…
Leaving the nest: A first year’s experience by Adrian Francis Irawan People often say that the first few weeks are the hardest. Every seemingly normal item suddenly becomes unfamiliar because nothing is the same. A new room, a new bed, and even new plates occupy your mind. Though this was the case for me, I…
Let’s talk about sexuality with teenagers Frequently, when we talk about sexuality, people tend to equate it immediately with sex. However, we know that they are two different things, though they do relate to one another. We could define sexuality, in the broadest sense, as a form of human communication and as a source of…
How to be Helpful not Harmful: Eating Problems in Adolescence Advice for parents Teen girls may turn to unsavoury coping methods when under too much pressure and don’t know how to handle that stress properly. In order for teen girls to thrive, their body image needs to be nurtured and guided-and you as the parent…
Teenage Burnout Burnout Factors for Highly Sensitive Teens (and Teens who learn and think differently) Burnout can happen to anyone. Sports players can burn out. Workers can burn out at work. Students in medical school can burn out. However, kids with different learning styles and perspectives may be more likely to burnout at school because…
My TCK Experience Growing up as a Spanish-born, French & British raised third culture child (TCK) with high sensitivity, I felt like a complete outcast.I spent the best part of my childhood living in the suburbs of Paris, in a commuter village outside Disneyland Paris called Magny-le-Hongre. At 7 years old, my parents would drive…
Highly Sensitive Adolescents & Suicide A highly sensitive person (HSP) is someone with a more sensitive central nervous system than the average person. They are known to have high sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). Believe it or not, this is responsible for their temperament, making them hyper aware of subtleties in their environment, as well as…
Recommendations for teens for a happy & healthy 2022 Dear readers, It has been 28 days since the beginning of the New Year. And yes, you’ve heard it all before: “New year, new you”. And while we don’t believe that goal-setting is exclusive to the start of a new year, the start of a new…
Conscious gift giving ideas to express gratitude With Christmas and the holidays approaching, we are officially entering a wonderful time for reflecting over the lived year and expressing gratitude for our loved ones. And this time of the year traditionally comes with making gifts which, as we all know, can be anywhere from a nightmare…
Cultivating compassion Towards us and others You Did not Choose your Brain or Complex Environment. We need compassion, because life can be hard sometimes… Compassion begins with a reality check.Evolution has shaped us – we are an emergent, species in the ‘flow of life’ so our brains, with their motives, emotions and competencies are products…
High Sensitivity Adolescents What is a highly sensitive adolescent? A highly sensitive adolescent or highly sensitive person (HSP) processes information very deeply. High sensitivity processing is a genetic trait which is shared by 20-30% of the general population, and in most classrooms around 20% of children are HSP’s. High sensitivity affects all sensory input, both…
9 survival tips for a summer holiday with teenagers We know the holidays are just around the corner, and unless you’re Dutch and already have a perfect summer plan, you’re probably still thinking about how to have a great holiday with your emotionally changeable teenager. We know that activities that are fun for you will…
What to expect when you have a teenager at home Do you remember arguing with your mum, throwing tantrums and condemning your parents and siblings with the words “I hate you all!”? As if these traumas weren’t enough, you also had to deal with acne and unwanted body hair. Guess what? Nothing’s changed. Well… almost…
Building a Network of Parents around Teenagers As we all know, parents have duties and responsibilities from when their child is born, but everything changes when their child begins adolescence. A transformation of the parental role is necessary, and parents adopt the role of advisors instead of the person in charge (1). Adolescence affects the…
Updates & Announcements Dear readers, March has been a long, intense and very fruitful month. But before sharing my good news, let me give you some background.Last November I embarked on the exciting and challenging adventure of building up my own company, STELD. As some of you know, I’m a psychologist, I work with people…
It’s time to let it RAIN It’s been almost a year since the first lockdown, and what a long and intense year it’s been! We’ve been cohabiting with our loved ones 24/7, trying to combine work and homeschooling with a stable and balanced routine; preferably with healthy food and exercise. We have all tried 100%,…
How to help your teenager develop a healthy and safe relationship with technology When I was a teenager, the telephone was in the living room. When I used it, my mother was aware. When I used it for too long; stayed up late, avoided my homework or my chores, she took note and asked me…
How to be more involved in your teenager’s education Between parental involvement to parental engagement The active and regular participation of parents in the education of their teenagers is essential for the teenagers’ integral development and good academic performance. Parents should accompany their teenagers in their day-to-day life and know how their teen feels about…
Kind and firm parenting for teenagers Positive Discipline Has your child’s behaviour ever left you feeling challenged, threatened, provoked or defeated? If your child is a teenager, the answer will probably be YES! I know, raising adolescents is a task that involves infinite challenges and the biggest one might be how to discipline them in…
Tips to prevent celebrations from becoming an alcohol risk for teenagers Social events are a time to celebrate and share, but it is during these times that teenagers have greater access to alcoholic drinks. Therefore, it is important that you establish some measures to reduce exposure to alcohol and help your teenager to understand the…
Five ideas to strengthen you and your teenager’s relationship during the holidays lockdown Take this opportunity to spend more time together and through simple conversations and activities you will be able to promote integral development and strengthen your relationship with your teenager. Here are some ideas on how to achieve that: 1. Spend more time…