What if the secret to staying sharp in your golden years isn’t Sudoku or kale smoothies but good old-fashioned sibling hugs?

A groundbreaking study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B suggests that the quality of sibling relationships—starting in childhood—plays a starring role in maintaining cognitive health well into old age.

Yes, your annoying brother might actually be your brain’s best ally.

Sibling relationships are our longest-lasting family ties.

They are with us before we can tie our shoes and often outlast friendships, careers, and even marriages.

Yet, despite their longevity, sibling relationships are far from guaranteed havens of love and support.

In fact, sibling estrangement is on the rise, reflecting broader societal trends of disconnection and self-focus.

Sibling therapy is a growing niche in American family therapy that seeks to mend these vital, yet often neglected, bonds.

In this post, we’ll explore the roots of sibling estrangement, how sibling therapy addresses this growing issue, and why this innovative approach may be the key to healing fractured families.

Along the way, we’ll touch on the role of Cultural Narcissism as an aggravating factor.

What if the secret to resilience against trauma lies in a child’s earliest hugs, bedtime stories, and scraped-knee consolations? Turns out, science says it might.

A fascinating meta-analysis of 30 research studies has shed light on the powerful role of secure attachment in reducing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children and adolescents.

Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let’s explore what this means—and why you should care.

The internet is a powerful tool for learning, creativity, and connection, but it’s also a space that requires vigilance, especially for children.

According to a survey by Internet Matters, children spend an average of 4.4 hours per weekday online, which highlights the need for safe digital environments.

Parents often worry about their child’s exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, or other online dangers.

The good news?

There are many secure platforms designed specifically for kids to explore, learn, and socialize in a safe and engaging way.

To ease your concerns, I’ve carefully curated a list of 23 safe online communities for kids.

These platforms combine fun, education, and creativity while maintaining strict safety protocols like moderated chats, parental oversight, and compliance with privacy laws such as COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act).

Whether your child loves gaming, coding, writing, or socializing, these websites offer a safe space to nurture their interests and teach them how to navigate the online world responsibly.

Russia’s “Ministry of Sex” proposal isn’t just an eye-catching headline; it’s a response to a profound, urgent demographic crisis.

The country’s birth rate has been on a steep decline, worsened by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the economic struggles it brings.

In short, Russia’s population is shrinking, and the government is pulling out all the stops—however unconventional—to boost it.

This strategy isn’t as bizarre as it sounds when you dig into the historical and cultural factors at play. So, let’s break down the “why” behind Russia’s potential dive into state-sponsored romance.

Childhood friendships are often some of our earliest experiences with trust, loyalty, and even conflict.

They help us navigate the ups and downs of human connection at a young age, teaching us how to share, compromise, and stand up for ourselves.

Yet, these friendships are more than just fond memories or fleeting bonds; they leave a lasting mark on our emotional development, influencing how we relate to others in adulthood—especially in romantic relationships.

Unpacking this “emotional baggage” can bring valuable self-awareness to our adult relationships, offering insights into our attachment styles, our tendencies in conflict, and even our expectations for loyalty and trust.

In this post, we’ll explore the powerful effects of childhood friendships on adult relationships and how to process these influences in a healthy, constructive way.

Sewell Setzer III, a ninth-grader from Orlando, Florida, had been using Character.AI, an app that allows users to interact with AI-generated personas.

The lawsuit claims that Sewell became obsessed with a chatbot named “Dany,” based on Daenerys Targaryen from the hit HBO series Game of Thrones.

Over several months, the boy allegedly developed an emotional connection with the AI character, engaging in numerous conversations, some of which turned sexually suggestive. The AI chatbot failed to recognize or respond appropriately to Sewell’s expressions of suicidal thoughts.

As a marriage and family therapist, I often hear clients say things like, “If only I had more money, I’d be happy,” or “If my job were less stressful, I could finally enjoy life.”

It’s a common belief that our happiness is determined by external circumstances like wealth, health, and career success.

But here’s the surprising truth: personality plays a much larger role in our long-term happiness than we might think.

In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that 80% of your lifetime happiness can be traced back to just three key personality traits: emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness.

Becoming a parent can be one of the most transformative, challenging, and rewarding experiences in life.

But in a culture that often prioritizes personal fulfillment and individual success over family life, the idea of having children can seem daunting—sometimes even unappealing.

Enter the Bringing Baby Home program, created by relationship experts Drs. John and Julie Gottman, as a solution to help couples navigate the transition to parenthood without losing their connection—or their sanity.

This evidence-based program offers a modest antidote to what has been termed American Cultural Narcissism, and it may also have a role to play in addressing the growing reluctance to have children and declining birthrates around the world.

What is the Bringing Baby Home Program?

Parenting is a journey, and raising multicultural children adds depth and richness to the experience. For couples navigating international relationships, instilling a sense of cultural identity, spiritual grounding, and balance is essential.

This post explores the joys and challenges of raising multicultural children, with a special focus on the role of spirituality in fostering connection and resilience. Using social science research, we’ll dive into how parents can raise children who embrace both their cultural and spiritual heritage.

Parenting is always an adventure, but raising children in a multicultural or international relationship adds a unique layer of complexity—and reward.

Navigating different languages, traditions, and values can be challenging, but it can also create a richly textured family dynamic that celebrates diversity.

In this post, we’ll dive deep into the joys and challenges of raising multicultural kids, with insights backed by social science research. If you're in a multicultural family, this guide is for you.

The debate over when to introduce LGBTQ+ topics to children in school has gained significant traction in recent years, with some parents advocating for a delayed approach.

This preference is often grounded in the ideology of "sexuality blindfolding," which suggests that avoiding LGBTQ+ discussions at a young age can prevent bias and protect children from confusion.

However, the research on this topic presents a nuanced picture, with arguments both supporting and challenging the practice of delaying LGBTQ+ education.

By examining the core tenets of sexuality blindfolding and placing it in the broader context of developmental psychology, education policy, and social science research, we can gain a deeper understanding of this issue.