Why Parents Need to Aware of What Content Their Child Is Browsing?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

What Role Parents Should Play in Keeping Their Child Digitally Safe and Secure

Yesterday, one of my student’s parent calls me and ask me whether she let her 15-year-old kid to have a cell phone or not because what she believes that kids usually invest all of their spare time on a cell phone. Similarly, she also fears that what if her kid got access to some inappropriate content like pornography or start participating in hateful content or messages. What that parent shared is a fear of every parent, especially in today’s virtual era where kids have easy access to thousands of internet websites. Kids are now using tablets, and smart gadgets more commonly as schools are going virtual due to pandemic. However, what parents should do to keep their kids safe and secure? Do they start surveilling every website they visit and breach their sense of privacy and trust? Continue reading “Why Parents Need to Aware of What Content Their Child Is Browsing?” →

Why Do Teenagers Cyberbully Themselves?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Bullying has existed even before the internet, its impact has increased with the emergence of online communities

Over the past few years, where the internet makes distance learning and connectivity possible during catastrophic times like the present pandemic. However, the other side of the coin has a potentially harmful effect especially on teenagers, from the proliferation of fake news to online harassment. We have seen a massive increase in cyber abuse cases in India and Pakistan since the COVID-19 closure. Alone Pakistan has a tremendous 189% increase in cyber-harassment cases since April 2020. But these numbers are related to the victims who are virtually harassed by someone else, who might be known or unknown to them. What if the victim and the abuser would be the same?

Studies show that 13 percent to 18 percent of distressed teens physically injure themselves via cutting, burning or other forms of self-harm to cope with their pain. However, recent researches suggest that teenagers are now engaging in a newer form of self-aggression – Self-Cyberbullying. Digital Self-Harm is not a recent phenomenon, over the years the tendency of sending rude comments to themselves by teenagers over social media sites have increased rapidly. Continue reading “Why Do Teenagers Cyberbully Themselves?” →

Moving Blues: Helping Your Teen to Handle Emotional Challenges of Moving

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Why Especially Teenagers Feel Upset About Moving?

Last week, I moved out to a new apartment after spending almost 11 years in that apartment. While shifting my house-hold accessories, I was recalling many fond and cherished memories that I have made in all these years. Even the move was planned, I still felt on the last day that it was kind of a big step towards a whole new journey. This new experience reminds me of a student who, along with her parents, move to a new city. On her last day of school, she was devastated to meet her friends for the last time. Relocation is tough either from where you are living or studying. However, if you are a teenager, it is quite difficult to leave behind the school, friends, clubs and other commitments, as well as perhaps the only home you, have ever known. This transition from one place to another becomes more difficult for teenagers especially when so many emotional and physical changes already taking place in their lives.

Researchers believe that one of the major stresses in life is leaving behind friends, familiar places, and activities that eventually creates anxiety for everyone involved. One unexpected difference maybe school. It’s easy to assume that one school is pretty much like another, but for your kid, the new school may not use the same textbooks or procedures. Some of the classes may be different, or the teacher may have already covered topics your kid hasn’t learned about yet. It can be particularly hard for your kid if they are moving in the middle of a school year, but their teachers will understand and work with them to be sure they feel comfortable. Continue reading “Moving Blues: Helping Your Teen to Handle Emotional Challenges of Moving” →

Why Do We Need A Superhero in Our Lives?

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

“I am Captain Marvel! I want to help my dad who is a police officer to get the bad guys and make them dead” – 8th grader.

Recently I attended my niece’s virtual parent workshop arranged by her school. One of the attendees shared that her kid keep fascinates Captain Marvel (A character based on Marvel Comics). She even pasted posters everywhere in her bedroom. The mother seems really concerned that she asked whether her child’s behaviour is normal or does it hurt her child’s character development. The discussion went on, but I dived in a reflective mode and started recalling how I fascinate Superman in my childhood? Basically, the fictional character helped me to overcome some of the gruesome fears and anxiety in my youth. The question is, why we sometimes resonate with such fictional characters and how it impacts us?

Dr Janina Scarlet, a clinical psychologist who uses Super Hero Therapy at the CSAM, believes that we all experienced hard times in almost every phase of our lives. She suggests that identifying with fictional characters can actually be extremely beneficial as it can teach us empathy, remind us that we are not alone in our painful experience, inspire us to eat healthier, and allow us to better cope with difficult life transitions. Sometimes people who are more casual fans might think it’s strange to be so attached to fictional characters; however, it’s completely natural to have such an emotional bond with the fictional characters. Continue reading “Why Do We Need A Superhero in Our Lives?” →

How Teens Can Overcome the Imposter Syndrome That Haunts Their Success

Posted on by Ahmad Amirali

Why there are voices in my head that keeps telling me, ‘You’re not going to achieve it on your own’?

Earlier this year, I wrote about why students sometimes do not believe in their abilities and give all the credit to their LUCK? What makes them think as an ‘unworthy person’ and yet their ideas were just a result of copy and paste? This feeling where you consider yourself as an imposter or fraud. It means you somehow managed to bluff your way into the situation and in reality, you are not as talented as you showed. This feeling is called ‘Imposter Syndrome.’ Recently, I have encountered a similar kind of situation where one of my student’s parent asked me about the solution to this problem. She was so much concern about her kid that she believes that her kid’s progress and success is hindering due to this phenomenon.

Also Read | Why Do Students Feel Like an Imposter in Their Lives?

In this article, I will try to discuss some of the measures that help teenagers and parents to overcome that fear. However, it is essential to know why teens caught up with this syndrome in the first place and how you will know that you are struggling with Imposter Syndrome? Imposter Syndrome (IS) happens when we disregard our talents and abilities, especially when we are presented with a fantastic opportunity. For example, when Harry Potter was told that he is a wizard, his immediate reaction was to believe that there was some kind of a mistake, that he couldn’t possibly be magical or unique in any way. Continue reading “How Teens Can Overcome the Imposter Syndrome That Haunts Their Success” →