Imaginary friends are a sign of a lively, creative mind. But they are leaving us

an article by Daisy Buchanan published in the Guardian

Research suggests that fewer children have invisible playmates. We must help them rediscover the art of being bored


Nursery workers believe children have fewer imaginary friends than they did five years ago, with 63% believing this to be a result of increased screen time.’ Photograph: Alamy

When I was three, I had a very good friend named Gemma. She was fearless where I was fretful, rebellious where I was conservative and dexterous where I was clumsy. She was also entirely imaginary. With Gemma’s help and support, I almost made it to the top shelf of the bookcase before my parents found me – and “Gemma said it was OK!” did not save me from a telling off. Gemma was also very fond of Discos crisps and Bourbon biscuits, and I became very good at smuggling them into my bedroom for her.

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Hazel’s comment:
I cannot remember. I wish I could but I have lost a lot of my childhood memories. Ah well, I have now learnt how to be bored and to be creative as an adult and I love it – just no imaginary friends.

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When You’re Overwhelmed with Being an Adult

a post by Margarita Tartakovsky for the World of Psychology blog



Working, paying bills, making meals, managing a household, running errands, making important decisions… adulthood isn’t for the faint of heart. Responsibilities regularly pile up. And it becomes a lot to juggle and handle on a regular basis.

And there isn’t exactly a class we take that prepares us for the nitty gritty of the day to day.

In fact, many of us go off to college with little to no training about how to handle the basics – like bills, budgeting and taxes. Psychotherapist Alyson Cohen, LCSW, works with many young adults who have a hard time “adulting”. In particular, her clients struggle with money: budgeting their expenses and spending above their means.

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Learning to cope with anxiety: Long-term links from adolescence to adult career satisfaction

an article by Maddison M.Miles and David E.Szwedo (James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA) and Joseph P.Allen (University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA) published in Journal of Adolescence Volume 64 (April 2018)

Abstract

This study examined the long-term effect of anxiety on career satisfaction for young adults in the United States.

The abilities to positively cope with stress and function competently as an adult were examined as potential moderators of this link, and adolescent developmental precursors of these abilities were also investigated.

Analyses revealed a negative association between anxiety at age 21 and career satisfaction at age 27. However, this association was ameliorated for youth with better coping skills and functional competence at age 24.

Autonomy and relatedness behaviors with best friends and mothers were examined as potential predictors of these moderators, with positive autonomy and relatedness from friends at age 13 emerging as the sole predictor of these skills.

Results suggest that although anxiety may inhibit career satisfaction for many youth, positive coping and adult functional competence skills may allow anxious individuals to achieve career satisfaction. Moreover, these skills may be promoted through peer relationships in early adolescence.

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Are You Ready to 'Adult'?

a post by Edie Weinstein for the World of Psychology blog



The commonly used word, ‘adult’, has had a makeover in recent years. A person is considered a chronological adult at the age of 18 or 21, depending on when they could vote, drink legally or be drafted. The concept of ‘adulting’ spills over into the realm of behavior. It could take the form of holding down a job, keeping appointments, being in integrity with one’s word, and paying the bills on time. There are moments when even the most responsible among us desire someone else who is ‘adultier’ to take charge. This 59-year-old recovering Type A, overachiever with a solid work ethic would love nothing better some days than to hang out in a blanket fort, wearing footie pajamas, and indulging in mint chocolate chip ice cream.

I was taught responsibility at an early age. Somewhere around four or five, I helped do laundry, by sorting and folding socks that my mother would dump onto the dining room table. Toasty and warm, fresh from the dryer. To this day, I enjoy doing laundry, in part because it is a Zen activity, and because it reminds me of my mom. In addition, over the years, I was asked to set and clear the table, clean my room, make my bed (I still do it each morning, since it is my first accomplishment of the day), dust, vacuum, cook, mow the lawn, and clean the bathroom. I would help my dad clean the garage, which generally meant moving the junk from one side to the other. Gardening gave me the opportunity to plant, weed and harvest whatever veggies and flowers we grew in the yard.

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