A Sydney school’s move to a later start time is reigniting a big question for families: are early mornings setting teens up to fail? New research suggests school schedules may be out of step with how adolescent brains actually work, writes Ken Purnell This year, students...
When logic fails and big emotions take over, Linda Bosnic discovers that a little imagination can go a long way in helping children feel brave again. Bottled Up Fears The life of a four-year-old seems fairly easy and carefree. But every now and again you realise that...
If you’ve spent much time on TikTok recently, you may have noticed a strange new type of AI brain rot taking over: fruit dramas, report Niusha Shafiabady and Theresa Dicke These AI-generated short dramas feature odd-looking anthropomorphic fruit characters engaging in a range of ethically problematic...
It's defined as a traditional Japanese aesthetic: the beauty of something perfectly imperfect. Trevor Mazzucchelli asks "Will this Japanese philosophy make me happy?" The ceramic bowl with an uneven glaze. The teacup mended with gold lacquer. The images are calming and attractive. They are said to reflect wabi-sabi...
It’s hard to escape the news right now. From global conflict to political tension, distressing headlines and confronting images are never more than a swipe away — for us, and increasingly, for our children. As parents, we’re walking a delicate line. We want our kids to...
New global research shows Australian children were spending more than two hours a day on TikTok before the under-16 social media ban. But that’s only part of the story — gaming platforms, messaging apps and AI tools are quickly filling the gap. TikTok dominated children’s screen...
Teacher retention remains a significant concern in Australia, with stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction being major contributors to educators leaving the profession, writes Hugh Gundlach Numerous studies and media reports highlighting declining job satisfaction and deteriorating wellbeing among teachers make attracting new applicants challenging as well. Declining...
If you feel like your friendship circle has shrunk in recent years, what can you do about it? Asks Anastasia Hronis, Loneliness is quietly emerging as one of the most significant health issues in Australia, and it can affect people of all ages, backgrounds and life stages. Long-term...
Teenagers aren’t lazy—their brains are wired to run later. New neuroscience explains why early school start times clash with teens' sleep, mental health, and learning, and why some Australian schools are rethinking the school day. If your teenager struggles to get out of bed before school,...
Is it only just an increase in sick days? How can Australia fix this? ask researchers Jordana Hunter, Amy Haywood and Molly Chapman On a typical school day in Australia last year, about 11% of students were absent. In 2014, the figure was 7%. Two in...
