A Guide for 21st Century Parents with Michael Carr-Gregg
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg certainly knows what he is talking about! Last night in his talk to parents he covered everything from mental health and wellbeing, resilience, the impact of alcohol on the developing brain, the power of the teenage brain, technology and cybersafety.
He reminded parents to really know their children and to parent for each child’s indvidual temperamant – and to be a guiding parent rather than trying to be a ‘best mate’.He shared the latest research from Mission Australia’s Youth Survey and Black Dog Institute, detailing the top concerns for young people – coping with stress, school or study problems, body image and depression.
Dr Carr-Gregg talked about the importance of abstaining from alcohol until 18, the impact alcohol has on the developing brain and the relationship between the risk on alcohol dependency for those who start drinking underage. He also shared great insights into the teen brain, and stunned us with some statistics such as the electrical signals in the teen brain move at 420km per hour and can generate 25 watts!
He agrees social media has some key benefits but strongly believes children need guidance and provided some great strategies for parents and children living in a digitally-driven world where the average 18 – 25 year old checks their phone 56 times a day (or every 15 minutes).
He shared some wonderful resources for parents and it was a great night. Thank you Dr Carr-Gregg for also sharing your personal stories with us and making a talk about such serious topics, so entertaining.
Resources
,, theothertalk.org.au – conversation starters and advice to help families talk about drugs and alcohol
,, brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au – a free online program to help children cope with their worries
,, moodgym.anu.edu.au– a fun and free interactive program helping people understand and manage their emotions
,, getcoldturkey.com – cold turkey is a program that can block distractions to help you concentrate on your work
,, ourpact.com – an app for parents to help their children manage their screen time
,, familypeace.org.au – a charity focused on promoting family peace
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