Tracy Tresidder

Having recently returned from the Second Australian Positive Psychology in Education Symposium I am buoyed by the passion and commitment of the educators, psychologist, counsellors, coaches and practitioners that attended. This article will focus on some of the key takeaways from the Symposium and how we can integrate this into our parenting.

Gratitude is one of those things that we wish the teenagers of today showed more of. Often, as parents, we forget to express our own gratitude for the people and things we have in our lives that make it so special. Teens model their parent's behaviour so start today with showing an attitude of gratitude and your teens will begin to as well!

Technology is taking over our teens lives! Research shows that the addiction is disruptive to their learning and can increase anxiety levels when they are kept away from it. Discover how to prevent a technology addiction and get your teen back to normal family interaction.

Many parents believe the only way to get their children to do something is to praise them constantly or even offer bribes or rewards. Recent research shows that too much praise can actually be a bad thing. Parents need to learn how to use words of encouragement rather than praise.

As parents we all want our children to grow into responsible, independent young adults. Discover how we can empower them to become just that by learning this important distinction.

Webster's dictionary defines resilience as "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change". Teenagers learn to understand the depths of their resourcefulness and resilience through adverse conditions such as failure, disappointment, loneliness, grief and sadness. Our job as a parent is to let them have these experiences and not try to rescue them from their pain and discomfort.

The Teenage brain is still under construction and with new modern imaging technology scientists can actually view the human brain while it is alive and functioning. Neuroscience can help parents understand the importance of delaying their teens' alcohol consumption.

The obstacles in golf contribute to the high pressure nature of the game. Although the variables are beyond your control, altering how you perceive them in your mind is the key to turning a fearful situation into a challenging one.

Focusing your attention on your playing partner’s performance creates additional stress – and additional strokes. Learn how developing your relationship with the golf course will give you the competitive advantage you desire.

Performance suffers when the attitude takes a negative turn. Isolating your mistakes and learning to press forward can turn a bad situation into a learning experience. If you can learn to let things go, your next shot will have a fighting chance.