Showing results by author "Madonna King" in All Categories

An increasing number of Australian children are being diagnosed with variations in their brain development. These can include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and dyslexia. Authors Madonna King and Rebecca Sparrow have surveyed and interviewed almost 2000 Australians, including medical experts, educators, neurodivergent children and their parents, to gather together the best and most useful advice to ensure neurodivergent (ND) children take their rightful place in classrooms and workplaces.

At 10, we know how girls are pigeonholing themselves into what they think they should be. Whether they see themselves as academic or not, whether they are interested in boys, puberty is a reality, friendship fights are underway and the influence of social media is impacting. With heightened pressure from what they see in the media, in movies and on TV, our girls are leaving childhood behind well before they hit their teens. Not surprisingly, emotions can be heightened and relationships can be fraught.

The crime of sextortion has reached epidemic proportions, fuelled by both sex offenders and organised scammers targeting our most vulnerable online. Children are some of the internet's most prolific and most naive users, and increasing numbers are finding themselves caught in an evil web of networked manipulators. Saving Our Kids highlights the dangers lurking in every child's smartphone, web browser and computer game.

At one of the most critical times in their development—an age when they're ready to spread their wings and look to the future—they have had to deal with enormous disruption and dislocation, and come to terms with living life from their bedrooms. The long stints of remote learning and the anxiety of at-home exams has compounded with the ever-present pressure of the ATAR and worries around friendships and relationships, who they want to be, gender identity, alcohol, vaping, and sex, body image and mental health. Self-harm and eating disorders have risen dramatically.