For parents

Discussing Teen Sex: Talking to Your Teen About Sex

Many parents feel uncomfortable when discussing sex with their teens and leave it in the hands of the school. But we should not count on sexual education to happen only at school. It must happen also at home. In this article, we give you information and tips, so you feel more confident when talking sex. 

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[1] Grossman, J. M., DeSouza, L. M., Richer, A. M., & Lynch, A. D. (2021). Father-teen talks about sex and teens’ sexual health: The role of direct and indirect communication. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18), 9760. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189760 

[2] Secor-Turner, M., Sieving, R. E., Eisenberg, M. E., & Skay, C. (2011). Associations between sexually experienced adolescents' sources of information about sex and sexual risk outcomes. Sex Education, 11(4), 489-500. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2011.601137 

[3] Stidham-Hall, K., Moreau, C., & Trussell, J. (2012). Patterns and correlates of parental and formal sexual and reproductive health communication for adolescent women in the United States, 2002–2008. Journal of Adolescent Health, 50(4), 410-413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.06.007 

[4] Robert, A. C., & Sonenstein, F. L. (2010). Adolescents' reports of communication with their parents about sexually transmitted diseases and birth control: 1988, 1995, and 2002. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(6), 532-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.11.201 

[5] Byers, E. S., Henderson, J., & Hobson, K. M. (2009). University students’ definitions of sexual abstinence and having sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38, 665-674. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-007-9289-6 

[6] Grossman, J. M., Lynch, A. D., Richer, A. M., DeSouza, L. M., & Ceder, I. (2019). Extended-family talk about sex and teen sexual behavior. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(3), 480. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030480 

 

Ask Dr. Ana: How Does Divorce Affect Kids Differently?

Question:

How does a divorce affect young boys and girls differently? 

Dr. Ana’s Answer:

This question has not been examined much by researchers in the last few years. Girls and boys tend to cope differently with divorce, rather than one gender coping better than the other. The impact of divorce depends on many factors such as age, personality, parental support, or the level of conflict between the parents.  

The Importance of Parenting

Every few years, the debate about "do parents even matter?" reappears. As we hear experts claiming that parent don’t matter at all, others saying that they matter a lot, parents are left confused around the dinner table. Should we just give up and let the kids go wild?  

Not quite yet—parents do matter. But maybe not as much or not in the way you think.  Let me explain you why.  

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[1] Harris, J. R. (1995). Where is the child's environment? A group socialization theory of development. Psychological review, 102(3), 458. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.102.3.458 

[2] Pesta, B. J., Kirkegaard, E. O., te Nijenhuis, J., Lasker, J., & Fuerst, J. G. (2020). Racial and ethnic group differences in the heritability of intelligence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Intelligence, 78, 101408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2019.101408 

[3] Nas, Z., Herle, M., Kininmonth, A. R., Smith, A. D., Bryant‐Waugh, R., Fildes, A., & Llewellyn, C. H. (2025). Nature and nurture in fussy eating from toddlerhood to early adolescence: findings from the Gemini twin cohort. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 66(2), 241-252. https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.14053

[4] Gibney, E. R., & Nolan, C. M. (2010). Epigenetics and gene expression. Heredity, 105(1), 4-13. 

[5] Laukkanen, J., Ojansuu, U., Tolvanen, A. et al. Child’s Difficult Temperament and Mothers’ Parenting Styles. J Child Fam Stud 23, 312–323 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9747-9 

[6] Retnowati, D. A., & Sukmawaty, N. I. P. (2024). The effect of authoritative parenting style on individual development: A literature review. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 21(1), 205-209. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.21.1.2662

 

Parenting Advice: Advice for New Parents

Announce that you are expecting a baby and get prepared to receive advice. A lot of it. A lot of it will be unsolicited advice. Everyone has an opinion on parenting. Get ready! 

You must decide which advice to listen to and which to ditch. You must decide who to listen to and who to ignore. As a child psychologist and as a mum of four, here are the 12 parenting advice tips that I strongly believe that every parent should be aware of.  

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[1] Ramaekers, S., Suissa, J. (2012). Good Enough Parenting?. In: The Claims of Parenting. Contemporary Philosophies and Theories in Education, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2251-4_4.

[2] Orchard, E. R., Rutherford, H. J., Holmes, A. J., & Jamadar, S. D. (2023). Matrescence: lifetime impact of motherhood on cognition and the brain. Trends in cognitive sciences, 27(3), 302-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.002.

[3] Suls, J., Martin, R., & Wheeler, L. (2002). Social comparison: Why, with whom, and with what effect?. Current directions in psychological science, 11(5), 159-163. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00191.

[4] Featherstone, B., & Hollway, W. (Eds.). (2002). Mothering and ambivalence. Routledge. 

[5] Cichy, K. E., Lefkowitz, E. S., Davis, E. M., & Fingerman, K. L. (2013). “You are such a disappointment!”: Negative emotions and parents’ perceptions of adult children’s lack of success. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 68(6), 893-901. 

[6] Nowland, R., Thomson, G., McNally, L., Smith, T., & Whittaker, K. (2021). Experiencing loneliness in parenthood: a scoping review. Perspectives in public health, 141(4), 214-225. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579139211018243.

[7] Glatz, T., & Lippold, M. A. (2023). Is more information always better? Associations among parents’ online information searching, information overload, and self-efficacy. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 47(5), 444-453. https://doi.org/10.1177/01650254231190883.

What Is Parallel Play? Understanding Parallel Play

Parallel play [1] is when children seem to be playing together with other children but in reality, they are just playing side by side. They do not interact with each other, nor do they share toys.  

An example of parallel play is two children quietly building their own block towers next to each other. Or for example, two toddlers playing in the same toy kitchen but each of them is cooking on their own.  

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[1] Neal, J. W., Neal, Z. P., & Durbin, C. E. (2022). Inferring signed networks from preschoolers’ observed parallel and social play. Social Networks, 71, 80-86. https://www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/.

[2] Scott, H. K., & Cogburn, M. (2018). Peer play. 

[3] Dodd, H. F., Nesbit, R. J., & FitzGibbon, L. (2023). Child’s play: examining the association between time spent playing and child mental health. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 54(6), 1678-1686. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01363-2.

[4] Robinson, C. C., Anderson, G. T., Porter, C. L., Hart, C. H., & Wouden-Miller, M. (2003). Sequential transition patterns of preschoolers’ social interactions during child-initiated play: Is parallel-aware play a bidirectional bridge to other play states?. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 18(1), 3-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0885-2006(03)00003-6.

[5] Dyer, S., & Moneta, G. B. (2006). Frequency of parallel, associative, and cooperative play in British children of different socioeconomic status. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 34(5), 587-592. 

[6] Parten, M. B. (1933). Social play among preschool children. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 28(2), 136. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0073939.

[7] Groenwoud, Cameron, "The Use of Picture Prompts to Generalize Play Skills and Parallel Play for Children with Autism" (2010). Honors Projects. 53. 
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/53.

[8] Kuo FE, Taylor AF (2004) A potential natural treatment for atten-tion-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence from a national study. Am J Public Health 94(9):1580–1586.

ADHD in Toddlers

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder [1] . People who experience it have difficulties paying attention, and/or controlling their impulses and regulating their behaviour.  

Children [2] with ADHD are more likely to:  

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[1] Nikkelen, S. W. C., Valkenburg, P. M., Huizinga, M., & Bushman, B. J. (2014). Media use and ADHD-related behaviors in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Developmental Psychology, 50(9), 2228-2241. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037318.

[2] Barkley, R. A. (2014). ADHD and injuries: Accidental and self-inflicted. The ADHD Report, 22(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1521/adhd.2014.22.2.1.

[3] Polanczyk, G., De Lima, M. S., Horta, B. L., Biederman, J., & Rohde, L. A. (2007). The worldwide prevalence of ADHD: a systematic review and metaregression analysis. American journal of psychiatry, 164(6), 942-948. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.942.

[4] Nigg, J. T., Sibley, M. H., Thapar, A., & Karalunas, S. L. (2020). Development of ADHD: Etiology, heterogeneity, and early life course. Annual review of developmental psychology, 2(1), 559-583. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-060320-093413.

[5] McGoey, K. E., Eckert, T. L., & Dupaul, G. J. (2002). Early intervention for preschool-age children with ADHD: A literature review. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 10(1), 14-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/106342660201000103.

[6] Nigg, J. T., Blaskey, L. G., Stawicki, J. A., & Sachek, J. (2004). Evaluating the endophenotype model of ADHD neuropsychological deficit: results for parents and siblings of children with ADHD combined and inattentive subtypes. Journal of abnormal psychology, 113(4), 614. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-843X.113.4.614.

[7] Miller, C. J. (2023). Mindfulness Interventions for ADHD. In Clinical Handbook of ADHD Assessment and Treatment Across the Lifespan (pp. 631-647). Cham: Springer International Publishing. 

Navigating Parental Alienation

Over the last few years, parental alienation has been discussed in the media quite a lot. But do you know what parental alienation really means? Do you know that there is huge controversy amongst professionals because they don’t even agree if parental alienation is really a thing? Keep reading to find out what’s all about.  

What Is Parental Alienation? 

Parenting

Sources +

[1] Bernet, W. (2023). Recurrent misinformation regarding parental alienation theory. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 51(4), 334-355. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2021.1972494.

[2] Bernet, W. (2020). Parental alienation and misinformation proliferation. Family Court Review, 58(2), 293-307. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcre.12473.

[3] Lowenstein, L. F. (2013). Is the Concept of Parental Alienation a Meaningful One? Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54(8), 658–667. https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2013.810980.

[4] Joyanna Silberg & Stephanie Dallam (2019) Abusers gaining custody in family courts: A case series of over turned decisions, Journal of Child Custody, 16:2, 140-169, DOI: 10.1080/15379418.2019.1613204.

[5] Meier, Joan S. and Dickson, Sean and O'Sullivan, Chris and Rosen, Leora and Hayes, Jeffrey, United States Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations: What do the Data Show? (January 01, 2020). GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 2019-56, GWU Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2019-56, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3448062 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3448062.

[6] Baker, A.J.L. (2018). Reliability and validity of the four-factor model of parental alienation. Journal of Family Therapy, 42, (1), 100-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6427.12253.

[7] Tavares, A., Crespo, C. & Ribeiro, M.T. What Does it Mean to be a Targeted Parent? Parents’ Experiences in the Context of Parental Alienation. J Child Fam Stud 30, 1370–1380 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-01914-6.

[8] Harman, J. J., Kruk, E., & Hines, D. A. (2018). Parental alienating behaviors: An unacknowledged form of family violence. Psychological Bulletin, 144(12), 1275–1299. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000175.

[9] Baker, A., & Andre, K. (2008). Working with alienated children and their targeted parents. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 11, (2), 10-.  

[10] Garber, B. D. (2011). Parental alienation and the dynamics of the enmeshed parent–child dyad: Adultification, parentification, and infantilization. Family Court Review, 49(2), 322-335. 

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