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Transgender teens are unhappy -- or unhappy teens blame their gender
More than 3 percent of high school students identify as transgender, more than double the number a few years ago.

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 12, 20241 min read
0 comments


An 'F' for grading: Can expectations go any lower?
Grading may be stressful, writes George Leef on the Martin Center for Academic Renewal. It may deliver unwelcome news to students or...

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 4, 20242 min read
4 comments


Parents, don't drive yourself crazy
"Intensive parenting" is driving parents crazy.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 22, 20241 min read
1 comment


It's a school, not a mental-health clinic
School-based mental health programs don't improve mental health or academic outcomes, concludes an analysis of the research by Carolyn D....

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 15, 20241 min read
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90% of teachers support cellphone bans
Ninety percent of teachers in a NEA survey want their schools to ban cellphones in class, and 83 percent back all-day bans.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 3, 20242 min read
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The anti-anxiety experiment: Friends without phones, adult-free camping
British mother persuaded teens to go smartphone-free for a month, then camp out for the weekend on their own.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 15, 20243 min read
1 comment


Bullying, violence are up: 1 in 10 teens are afraid to go to school, says CDC
Teens aren't quite as sad or suicidal as they were in 2021, reports the CDC, but violence, bullying and school avoidance are up.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 12, 20242 min read
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Let's stop terrifying children
New York state will ban "active shooter drills" with actors playing shooters and victims, reports Shayla Colon in the New York Times. ...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 27, 20241 min read
6 comments


US follows the politics -- not the science -- on gender care for kids
Britain's new Labour government plans to continue the ban on puberty blockers ordered by the Tories."We will always put the safety of...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 13, 20242 min read
1 comment


Teachers don't have time to be therapists, cops, nurses and social workers
“Students who are habitually ungovernable should be removed from teachers’ classrooms so teachers can actually teach and students can...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 1, 20242 min read
15 comments


Growing up is hard to do: 'Puberty hits like a wrecking ball'
Pixar's new Inside Out 2 is about dealing with puberty and growing up, writes Emma Camp on Reason. Inside Out, released in 2015, featured...

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 30, 20241 min read
9 comments


No phones, no Moms, just kids playing in the park
Parents should band together to "say 'no' to smart phones and social," writes Laura Yuen in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. She dreams of...

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 23, 20242 min read
7 comments


Teaching depression: Mental health programs can make students feel worse
Mental health awareness campaigns aimed at teenagers may backfire, writes Ellen Barry in the New York Times. While the truly troubled may...

Joanne Jacobs
May 11, 20242 min read
4 comments


Digital addiction starts early: 30% of K-2 kids use TikTok
Young children are becoming digital addicts, hooked on fast-paced scrolling, swiping and mini-rewards designed into platforms such as...

Joanne Jacobs
May 4, 20242 min read
4 comments


Evidence is 'shaky' for 'gender affirming care,' says UK report
There's no reliable evidence that puberty blockers, hormones and surgery are the best treatment for children with "gender-related...

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 15, 20243 min read
1 comment


How to succeed at college: Try doing the work
Anxious about their children's anxiety, parents are going into crisis mode when their 18-year-olds face the normal challenges of college...

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 14, 20242 min read
6 comments


Childhood's end
Phone-centered childhood is a disaster, writes Jonathan Haidt in The Atlantic. In the early 2010s, "adolescents in rich countries traded...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 24, 20243 min read
1 comment


Four years after 'two weeks to flatten the curve' ...
Four years ago, schools across the country closed their doors. It was supposed to be for two weeks or three or . . . Most schools stayed...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 22, 20242 min read
9 comments


Happy habits: Get out of your head and your house
California wants its citizens to be happy, reports Lynn La on Cal Matters. The Legislature, which once made "self-esteem" a running joke...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 17, 20242 min read
5 comments


The 'gold standard' for autism therapy may be ineffective -- or harmful
As autism diagnoses soar -- 1 in 36 U.S. children is now considered autistic -- providing therapy is a booming business, writes Beth...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 10, 20242 min read
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