It seems like common sense to address the teens of the nation like the individuals they are, but simple categories of “boys” or “girls” just doesn’t seem to cut it these days. Sure there are jocks, nerds, preps, and populars, but there are also; goths, punks, emos, skaters, drama people, choir people, non-conformists, gangsters, tomboys, metal-heads and pop-princesses to name a few. So with so many different “types” of teens…why would we expect that only a few “types” of messages, channels…

W e have become a community of digital narcissists, assert Steve Maich and Lianne George in their book, The Ego Boom.

The authors believe we are living in the “golden age” of self-actualization, and that as a result, atomization -- the breaking apart of social systems into ever smaller pieces—is emerging as the most powerful force shaping Western society.

We’re used to getting what we want, when we want it, and our “me first” attitude extends to our online…

Discussion about the use of antidepressants  in children, which is always a hot topic, boiled over in recently when hearings revealed that both the drug industry and the Food and Drug Administration had hidden evidence about dangers associated with the most widely prescribed drugs, a class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

The analysis, which pharmaceutical companies failed to release to the public and which the FDA sat on for a year, indicated that these SSRIs double…

“Free play,” as scientists call it, is critical for becoming socially adept, coping with stress and building cognitive skills such as problem solving. Research into animal behavior confirms play’s benefits and establishes its evolutionary importance: ultimately, play may provide animals (including humans) with skills that will help them survive and reproduce.

One study found that kids who played with blocks scored higher on language tests…