SIBLING RIVALRY

What causes sibling rivalry?

- Each child tries to develop a(n) (1) __________ and wants to show they are separate from their sibling(s).

- One child may feel that he/she is getting an unequal (2) __________ of parental attention.

- Younger children may want to copy or join in with an older sibling's activities, (3) __________ the older child.

What can be done about it?

- Parents must treat their children fairly, (4) __________ equally. Age must be taken into account.

- Siblings should be encouraged to co-operate with each other, not to be aggressive or competitive.

- Siblings need (5) __________ to be on their own sometimes with their own things and their own friends.

Remember!

- Things often get better over time. Siblings usually (6) __________ much better with each other as they grow older.

(Adapted from Friends Plus)

TEEN TRIPS

Next year, TEEN TRIPS will be giving away loads of free holidays. Why?

Because this year is our tenth anniversary! (1) __________ the end of the year, we'll have been organising educational holidays for a whole decade! We'll have sent thousands of young people to more than twenty countries on four continents. To celebrate our special birthday, we're adding some exciting new destinations, (2) __________ Sapa, Seoul and Florence! All our trips are designed to be (3) __________ and fun, so whatever you're into, there's a trip that's ideal for you. (4) __________ you've registered online, you'll have received our newsletter by now, so we hope you'll already be reading about all our fantastic trips. Don't forget (5) __________ the prize draw to be in with a(n) (6) __________ of winning a free holiday!

(Adapted from Friends Global 12)

Environmental justice demands that all communities, regardless of income or race, (1) __________. If governments had implemented fair policies decades ago, many disadvantaged areas would not be suffering from pollution today. Unfortunately, the reality is that low-income neighborhoods often bear the heaviest environmental burdens, (2) __________.

The movement for environmental justice, which began in the 1980s, continues to fight against these problems through community action and policy change. Clean air and water are basic human rights; (3) __________. Urban planners must consider fairness when designing new green infrastructure projects, yet economic interests sometimes come before community needs. (4) __________.

Many successful projects involve local residents in decision-making processes, creating solutions that truly meet community needs. Environmental justice supporters, studying the issue deeply and developing practical approaches, (5) __________. Green solutions must be accessible to everyone, not just wealthy neighborhoods.

Communities facing environmental injustice are being supported through education, resources, and political representation. True environmental justice will only be achieved when all people, regardless of their background, can enjoy healthy environments and participate in the green economy that is rapidly developing worldwide.

(Adapted from https://www.eesi.org)

1. One of the most glaring offshoots of social media is the rise of flex culture - a phenomenon where showcasing wealth, luxury, and success has become the norm. Flex culture didn't appear out of thin air. It's a product of social media's design: platforms built to reward visual content and instant gratification. With likes, shares, and comments acting as digital currency, the allure of flaunting an enviable lifestyle has drawn millions into the game of showing off.

2. At its core, flex culture is all about displaying status. It's that Instagram post featuring a perfectly plated meal at a high-end restaurant, the shot of a sports car in front of a luxury home, or the humblebrag caption about closing a multi-million-dollar deal. It's the digital equivalent of peacocking, where users flaunt their wealth, status, and lifestyle to garner admiration and envy from their followers. Flex culture can manifest in many ways, including material flexing (posting pictures of expensive items - watches, cars, outfits, or gadgets - to showcase wealth), experience flexing (sharing moments from exotic vacations, exclusive events, or VIP experiences), and success flexing (broadcasting business wins, promotions, or major life milestones to establish oneself as a "winner.")

3. While there seems to be nothing inherently wrong with celebrating one's success, the problem with flex culture is its impact on those on the other side of the screen. Constantly being bombarded by images of people living lavish lifestyles can make ordinary life seem dull and unremarkable. This creates a skewed perception of success, where anything less than luxury is seen as a failure. The pressure to "keep up" leads many to compare their everyday reality to someone else's highlight reel, fostering feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction. Many people go to great lengths to appear wealthy or successful on social media, even when their real lives don't match up. This includes renting luxury cars, posing with borrowed items, or staying in high-end hotels just for the photo op. Some influencers have been caught using stock images, photoshopping their pictures, or creating staged setups to maintain the illusion. This trend perpetuates a cycle where authenticity is sacrificed for the sake of appearance, making it hard for others to distinguish between what's real and what's not. Excessive social media use can also lead to anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. When people constantly see others flaunting success and wealth, it's easy to fall into a negative loop of comparison. For some, it becomes an unhealthy obsession to "measure up", leading to burnout, stress, and a decline in overall mental well-being.

4. It's time to shift the narrative. Instead of using social media to flaunt what we have, let's use it to share who we are. Instead of competing for attention, let's strive to make genuine connections.

(Adapted from https://medium.com)

1. Concert halls, movie theaters, and museums host a wide array of artistic experiences, yet they share a common capacity: the ability to evoke a profound sense of awe. This emotion, often regarded as both aesthetic and moral, extends beyond mere admiration. It can redirect attention away from the self and toward the needs of others, encouraging a broader, more socially oriented perspective. In this sense, awe may contribute to the development of generosity and prosocial behavior, not only in adults but also in children. [I]

2. Awe typically arises when individuals encounter something vast, whether physically or conceptually, that challenges their existing understanding. Although such experiences may make individuals feel small, this effect is not inherently negative. Rather, it can situate the self within a larger social context, weakening the perceived boundary between oneself and others. As a result, individuals may become more attuned to others' needs and more inclined to act in ways that benefit the collective. [II]

3. While awe is often associated with mature cognitive processes, children appear capable of responding to it meaningfully once they develop a basic sense of self. [III] By middle childhood, many can recognize their relationship to others and translate emotional experiences into behavior. [IV] Exposure to awe-inspiring stimuli, such as visual scenes, may lead children to prioritize others' well-being over their own. In certain situations, they may invest greater effort in helping tasks or even relinquish personal rewards to assist those in need.

4. However, the effects of awe are not entirely consistent across contexts. Although it may enhance certain forms of prosocial behavior, such as generosity, it does not uniformly increase all types of helping actions. This suggests that its influence may depend on situational factors and the specific nature of the behavior involved.

5. Physiological responses further reflect the distinctiveness of this emotion. Experiences of awe appear to be associated with patterns of bodily regulation linked to social engagement, particularly within the parasympathetic nervous system. Such processes may support emotional regulation and contribute to the emergence of cooperative and compassionate behavior from an early age.

(Adapted from https://www.psychologicalscience.org)