Life has difficulties and we can’t avoid them. What we can do is to prepare our children so that those difficulties do not knock them down. We can’t spare them, but we can help them to come out of them as well as possible, and even learn from them. When educating our children, it is important to project them into the future: adolescence is a difficult time, and you are not going to be their favourite person. This is not for nothing; it is a law of life. So when they are small, you can sow the most, and you…

Every day, we see news about technology addictions, mental health problems, developmental issues, increased suicide rates, and more among children and adolescents. Parents are frightened and often find themselves at a loss as to what to do. The first reaction is to limit screen time or control its use strictly. This debate has been intensified in recent months by the controversy emerging across Europe about the detriment to school performance resulting from the use of screens in schools. To illustrate the scope of these issues, consider some recent statistics. A study by the Pew Research Center found that 54% of…

We have all seen in Theme Parks rules that restrict the entrance of children under a certain age or set a height limit in some of the attractions. Sometimes, adults must accompany them; other times, they must supervise the kids. These are clear instructions at the entrance to a park and before some specific rides. We accept them; they are logical and common sense measures because they ensure the safety of our children. Why does the same not happen with technology, with access to the Internet, and why are there no more explicit rules to help us guarantee their safety?…

A few weeks ago, controversy erupted when TikTok launched its Bold Glamour filter. Many people had worn bunny ears on Snapchat, or flower tiaras on Instagram, or had tested how blue hair would look on them. But this new beauty filter, created by artificial intelligence, achieved in seconds what Snow White’s stepmother never achieved in her entire existence: the elixir of beauty. With astonishing quality, with hardly a hint that the face is not real, the filter erases wrinkles, tightens pores, marks cheekbones, grows eyelashes, removes dark circles, whitens teeth, fills in lips and gives you a makeover at the…

Healthy relationships in a family and any relationship are based on trust. To trust is to believe in someone, in their ability to act well. Trust takes time to build and must be nurtured so that it does not break. But that care has to be taken on both sides. For children and adolescents, knowing that their parents trust them can increase their sense of security in the world, boost their self-esteem and confidence when they try something new, and reassure them that they have someone to turn to when things don’t go according to plan. For parents and educators,…

I was watching Avatar 2 the other day. Jack Sully, the main male character of the first movie, has four kids now, and the whole point of all his decisions throughout the film is to keep his family safe. “A father protects; it’s what gives him meaning”. Does it sound old-fashioned? It sounds human. Parenthood is about caring, and it doesn’t stop. Parents always remain parents. But it’s not only an everlasting task. It always has to do with space. Parents remain parents everywhere. You don’t stop being a parent the moment your kid enters your Office. In fact, your…

On January 6, the public schools of the largest school district in Seattle (Washington, United States) filed a lawsuit against Snapchat, Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), Byte Dance (owner of TikTok) and Alphabet (parent company of YouTube) for encouraging addictive use of their respective social networks among minors. In the text, the plaintiffs allege that these platforms have consciously exploited the vulnerability of young brains to make them spend as much time as possible hooked, often exposing them to harmful content that undermines their psychological and physical health. This behaviour would have increased depression, anxiety, eating disorders and cyberbullying….

I still remember the voice of someone who told me, “once you open that door, you start a non-return path. You enter an amusement park of fantasies; you enter another world”. The door to Pornography today is more accessible, affordable and anonymous than ever. To the three “a’s” that mark the way to addiction, according to Alvin Cooper, one could add unlimited supply, high quality and interactivity. Welcome to what some call the new Pornography. The recent news of the rape of an 11-year-old girl in Barcelona by a group of boys, also minors, has shocked us. The Prosecutor’s Office…