SPECIAL REPORTS

  • Social Media Influencers

    SPECIAL REPORT: Social Media Influencers

    "Social media influencers often present a highly curated and filtered version of their lives, showcasing only the positive aspects. This can create unrealistic beauty standards, success and happiness for children. Constant exposure to this may lead to feelings of inadequacy, low self-worth and dissatisfaction."

    Dr Emma Woodward

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  • Mobile Phone Separation Anxiety

    SPECIAL REPORT: Mobile Phone Separation Anxiety

    "Critics argue that there is no evidence that a mobile phone ban is effective. However, this is a mischaracterisation of evidence. Peer reviewed literature shows that there would be a number of positive impacts for students relating to such bans at school."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • Managing Homesickness

    SPECIAL REPORT: Managing Homesickness

    “Although all transitions are tricky, they’re also an invitation to grow. There may be occasions when your child may try to push your buttons, making you feel guilty and worry about them, but homesickness is a very human emotion."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • Respectful Language

    SPECIAL REPORT: Respectful Language

    “If you swear at someone, or about someone, you are actually committing an act of verbal violence. You transgress the usual rules of social interaction, impinging upon someone's self-image and their sense of dignity."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • Managing Overwhelm

    SPECIAL REPORT: Managing Overwhelm

    “As human beings, our brains haven’t evolved fast enough to adapt to the digital world that we now live in. This means that the overload of messages that we receive through ever-present media platforms often results in stress, anxiety, and overwhelm."

    Dr Emma Woodward

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  • Vaping

    SPECIAL REPORT: Vaping & E-Cigarettes

    “Vaping is quickly becoming an epidemic due to the ease of accessing and hiding vapes. This trendy, but risk-taking activity, is causing significant peer pressure and there is mounting evidence that long-term repeated use of e-cigarettes will cause lung injury and respiratory symptoms."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Starting Year 7

    “The transition from primary to secondary school is a significant time of change. It comes with a number of mixed feelings. So much is changing and they’re about to start a whole new set of subjects, meet new people, create new friendships and take on new challenges."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • Having to Alcohol Discussion

    SPECIAL REPORT: Having the Alcohol Discussion

    “A formula in dealing with adolescents is force equals resistance. Sometimes it just isn’t possible to stop them doing whatever it is they want to do. Regardless of everything, all you want is for them to come home safe, so start the conversation today!"

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Wellbeing Checklist for Secondary

    “Research shows there are specific risk factors that increase the likelihood of teenagers developing a mental health problem. Some are set in stone, and others are modifiable. It can impact their ability to function and perform normal activities."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Surviving the Final Year

    "It’s no secret that the end of school can be a huge source of anxiety for both students and parents alike. Final year students suffer from high-level anxiety or stress, with many also suffering from depression."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Moving to a New School

    "Starting at a new school is a big deal! Your child is going to meet lots of new people and be thrown into new situations. That’s bound to make them feel lots of different emotions."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • Surviving Christmas

    SPECIAL REPORT: Surviving Christmas

    "For many Christmas is a wonderful day filled with family, friends, gifts, good food and good times. But for some people, the reality is often quite different due to increased loneliness and hardship."

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • The Hunting

    SPECIAL REPORT: The Hunting

    “The series is confronting viewing. It’s not easy to watch, as a young person or an adult, but it shouldn’t be. It should make us nervous and wake us up.”

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Parenting Styles

    “Many parents today are afflicted with a Vitamin N deficiency…the inability to say, “No” to their children. It's incredibly important that parents set limits and boundaries. The consequences of bad parenting has both short and long-term effects.”

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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  • SPECIAL REPORT: Talking to kids about Christchurch

    “Terrorism is not an ideology like communism or capitalism. Rather, it is a tactic, a strategy, used to achieve a specific end. The violence we saw in Christchurch is designed to create fear in the targeted population.”

    Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

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