CONTENTS
This month we explore HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
FEATURES Our ‘Exploring’ features provide depth and insight into issues affecting parents and teens.
Exploring Health and Wellbeing
6 Body Image and Eating Disorders Dr Simon Wilksch, Psychologist and Research Fellow at Flinders University, shares some of his research and insights on preventing eating disorders 8 Motivating Your Teen When it comes to motivation, external rewards have short-lived results. Dr Angela Mornane from the Faculty of Education at Monash University shows how to develop intrinsic motivation in your teen 12 Mindfulness Stress is the number one issue for teens. Rosana Wayand explains how mindfulness can help
Exploring Driving
18 Now That They Have Their Ls… Dr Bridie Scott-Parker has more invaluable advice for parents teaching their teens to drive
REGULARS 5 Have You Heard? 10 Your Teen’s World 16 Life With Teens 5 Things I Wish I’d Known about Parenting Teens by Michelle Tydd Humour Hidden Talents
Exploring Books
20 What Are They Reading? Another great selection from the well-read people of Dymocks
Exploring Gaming
13 Activating the Non-sporty Teen Wondering how to get your non-sporty teen off the couch? Ros Gillieatt has some options
21 What Are They Playing? Nathan Jacobs reviews some popular games using his exclusive parent-friendly rating system
14 Sexual Health in Teens Liz Walker, MD of Youth Wellbeing Project, has advice on helping teens develop a healthy and holistic approach to sexuality
Exploring Activities
15 Ergonomic Survival Tips Teens spend hours hunched over computers or mobiles. Deborah Singerman has some useful tips for avoiding aches and pains
Exploring Products and Services
17 Why Diets Don’t Work Dietician Meg McClintock helps parents promote a healthy body image, a healthyrelationship with food and healthy eating to their teens
22 What Can They Do? Our pick of activities to suit the most demanding teen 19 Services Directory A handy list of relevant services 23 What Can They Use? Some great products for teens
YOUR SAY This is what some of our readers had to say: I am the Teacher Librarian at a large boys’ high school in Sydney and have been receiving your wonderful magazine since its inception late last year. I want to congratulate you on the quality articles and the varied information about services available to teenagers that your magazine provides. Teacher/Librarian Brilliant magazine. INTELLIGENTLY AND WELL PUT TOGETHER. (I can say this as I used to be an editor) Susie I give a copy to parents to read while I work with the teens on their career plans. Great read thank you! Sandra Ongley Career Advisor I am really impressed with the content. The content speaks well to the concerns of parents and teens and it has been well varied in the content. As an educator, I appreciate a magazine like this that I can point parents to so that my knowledge of adolescents is backed up by a publication the parents can access and read for themselves. David Wilcox E-Newsletter Editor Adolescent Success
WWW.EXPLORINGTEENS.COM.AU 3
I am currently refining the vision/mission statement for Exploring Teens. Although it’s a year since the launch of publication, I’ve found that the more involved you become in something and the longer you spend time nurturing and developing it, the more you begin to really understand it. So while my first vision/mission statement still touched on what I see as the magazine’s raison d'être, it has evolved and become much clearer in my mind. For me, learning (and sharing what has been learnt) is at the core of what we do at Exploring Teens — learning from experts/specialists, learning about ourselves as parents, learning from other parents and importantly, learning from our teenagers. It’s this circular idea of learning that I see as critical in the way in which we convey and share information. Exploring Teens learns and then shares this with you. The other ingredient is love. Without the love of what I do, I couldn’t put the hours into bringing Exploring Teens to you. Without your love for your teens, you would have no use for the information we provide. It’s because you love and care for your teens that Exploring Teens can exist. As you learn from the content within these pages, you apply this knowledge in the loving and caring of your teen. Having arrived here, we now meet the ultimate reason/purpose/vision of Exploring Teens. That is, to help prepare the current generation of teenagers for their adult lives in which they are equipped to learn, share and care for the next generation. So in summary, I feel very passionately that Exploring Teens is all about SHARING, CARING and PREPARING. Sharing the knowledge we acquire to assist you in caring for your teen in order that they are prepared for life. And with that, let us fulfil this vision as we continue … Exploring Teens.
According to Mission Australia’s Youth Survey, body image is the third highest issue of concern to young people in Australia, and its an issue that has ranked in Mission Australia’s Youth Report as one of the top three concerns of teenagers since 2012. This suggests efforts to address the issue are not succeeding. We all want our teens to be strong and self-confident, but you can’t just talk them into it. Few adults are completely confident in their own bodies and most of us use fashion, makeup or other tricks to highlight our strong points. Listen to your teens and take their insecurities seriously. Take practical steps to help them feel more confident. It may be devising an exercise program or helping them follow a healthier diet. Encourage your teen develop his or her own unique style. Rather than criticise your teen’s appearance, help him or her to be happier with it. In this issue, we focus on the health and wellbeing of our teens. Whether it’s body image and eating disorder issues, advice on how to motivate your teen, alternative forms of exercise, addressing sexual health, diet and body image issues, or tips on teaching your teen to drive – our experts have it covered. All this and our regulars too! Happy reading!
Gillian
Mathea DON'T MISS OUR NEXT ISSUE ON TROUBLED TEENS AND COMMUNICATION. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE AT WWW.EXPLORINGTEENS.COM.AU
LearnMeter Competition winners Exploring Teens is excited to announce the following lucky winners:
1ST PRIZE of an iPhone 6 is Louise Colclough. 2ND PRIZE of an Apple Watch Sports is Samantha Roderick. Congratulations and thank you to everyone for entering.
EXPLORINGTEENS
EDITOR
PUBLISHER
A U S T R A L I A’ S M A G A Z I N E F O R PA R E N T S O F A D O L E S C E N T S
FROM THE
FROM THE
OCT/ NOV 2015 ISSUE SIX
Produced and published by Norwest Publishing Pty Ltd Founder/Publisher Mathea Viles ABN 64 167 026 913 PO Box 8149 Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 Editor Gillian Handley Graphic Design Melissa Kallas Print and distribution by Spotpress Pty Ltd Contributors Ros Gillieatt Nathan Jacobs Meg McClintock Dr Angela Mornane Dr Bridie Scott-Parker Deborah Singerman Michelle Tydd Liz Walker Rosana Wayand Dr Simon Wilksch Subscriptions Subscribe online at the Exploring Teens website Website www.exploringteens.com.au Facebook www.facebook.com/exploringteens
Contact us
Editorial (including Letters to the Editor) editorial@exploringteens.com.au Advertising advertising@exploringteens.com.au Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in Exploring Teens are not necessarily those of the publisher or editorial staff. Exploring Teens provides general information that cannot be regarded as a substitute for any form of professional advice. The accuracy of website addresses cannot be guaranteed at the time of publishing. No part of Exploring Teens can be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the publisher. Front cover image: Catalin Petolea/shutterstock.com
4 EXPLORINGTEENS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015 • ISSUE 6
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