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Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

Parenting teenagers can be challenging, but a new study shows that those efforts ultimately pay off. <div class="copy"> When teenagers report higher levels of “parental warmth”,” communication” and time spent together, they are more likely to experience significantly higher general health, optimism and romantic relationships in early adulthood. That’s according to a paper by US paediatricians and social workers <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802677" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in JAMA Network. “The overall pattern of these results suggests strong relationships between adolescents and their mothers and fathers leads to better health and well-being in young adulthood,” <a href="https://www.chop.edu/news/chop-researchers-find-strong-adolescent-parent-relationships-lead-better-long-term-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said the paper’s lead author</a>, Dr Carol Ford from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Efforts to strengthen parent-adolescent relationships may have important long-term health benefits.” Using data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, the study followed a cohort of more than 15,000 adolescents aged 12-17 years in 1994-95 through to young adulthood (24-32 years) in 2008-09. The researchers found positive teen-parent relationships were also associated with lower levels of stress, depressive symptoms, nicotine dependence and substance abuse in young adults. The data was gathered by asking secondary-school-aged participants a series of detailed questions about their relationships with each parent, including topics such as warmth, communication, time together, academic expectations, discipline, relationship satisfaction. The aim of the study was to better understand the significance of parent-adolescent relationships for adult health. The study looked at the characteristics of mother-teenager and father-teenager relationships and tried to define what a “warm” relationship is, and what “communication” means. The researchers followed up with the participants once they reached adulthood, to ask about health, mental health, sexual behaviour, substance use and injury. “Adolescents’ perception of parental warmth had the most consistent favourable associations with adult outcomes across domains,” the researchers found. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=240457&title=Teenagers+who+have+positive+relationships+with+their+parents+tend+to+have+better+outcomes+as+adults" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/teenagers-positive-relationships-with-parents-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock. Images: Getty </div>

Relationships

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

While Roger Federer’s adult life has been filled with fame and success on and off the tennis court, a throwback photo has revealed that his teenage years were more similar to most of ours than we might expect. A photo of the tennis maestro’s bedroom has been doing the rounds on social media and shows a 17-year-old Federer grinning for the camera with bleach-blond hair, some spots, and wearing a baggy Nike sweatshirt. The future World No. 1’s bedroom walls were covered in posters of his teenage idoles, including Pamela Anderson, and NBA stars Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A 17-year-old Roger Federer with pin-ups of Jordan, Pamela Anderson and a Macedonian flag 🇲🇰 in his bedroom in Basel 😀 <a href="https://t.co/IPEIqzV9sw">pic.twitter.com/IPEIqzV9sw</a> — Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) <a href="https://twitter.com/gigicat7_/status/1584598092065648642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2022</a></blockquote> Other items dotted around his room included what appears to be an Akubra hat, along with the Montenegrin flag, a mini basketball hoop and a collection of trophies. Just five years after the photo was taken, Federer would win his first Major at Wimbledon in 2003. Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the photo, with many sharing lighthearted jokes and commenting on how normal the future star’s room looked. “Lol i like the 90s randomness of it all,” one person shared. “Looks like any normal kids room at the time,” another said. “Really been living up to his two as the blandest white guy on earth since day one,” a third teased. “The GOAT with my country’s flag 😍,” one fan enthused. As for his bleached locks, one fan dubbed it his “Eminem phase”, referencing American rapper’s iconic bleach blond hair which he had during the 1990s and 2000s. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Outrageous attack on mum of two by teen in broad daylight

A 15-year-old has been arrested after allegedly attacking a mother out on a walk with her two children. The 37-year-old mother was out for a walk while pushing her two very young children in a pram in Ashfield in Perth, when she was passed by the teenager on a narrow pathway spilling into a suburban cul de sac. Horrific CCTV provided by WA Police then shows the teen rushing back and yanking violently downwards on the mother's long hair while she struggled to retain her grip on the pram. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWA.Police%2Fvideos%2F3266776533596810%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Moments later, the teen then appears to pull down even harder on the woman's hair to the point that the pram falls backwards with the children still inside. Their legs are clearly visible kicking in the air from a prone position. The video then cuts to the moment WA Police arrest the 15-year-old and take her to the station where she was charged. The 15-year-old was charged with one count of robbery and is due to appear in the Geraldton Magistrates Court on September 13. Police will also allege in court that the teenager tried to steal the mother’s handbag. Images: WA Police

News

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Within hours of its release to the general public, a 14-year-old boy had cracked the codes hidden on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/coins-covered-in-coded-clues-will-test-your-spy-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a coin released by an Australian intelligence agency</a> - but some had solved them days earlier, due to an unusual legal rule. A 50-cent coin celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) was released last Thursday containing four levels of codes with hidden messages. But, the puzzles were already being discussed online ten days earlier, with some codes already being solved by August 20. This was due to requirements on the Australian Government to include the characters featured on the coin in legislation, available online, before the coin was made available to purchase on September 1. As well as a celebration of the agency’s history, it’s hoped the coin will act as a kind of recruitment drive and attempt to raise the profile of the ASD among the general public, with the agency planning to recruit another 1,900 people over the next decade as part of a $9.9 billion expansion. Dr Richard Bean, a research fellow at the University of Queensland who solved the coin’s puzzles within two hours of getting his hands on it, said the move was about attracting those interested in a career with the ASD. "The kind of people who would sit down and solve this kind of code on the coin, they're the kind of people the ASD wants to attract — innovative thinkers to solve difficult problems in cryptography in both an offensive and defensive sense," Dr Bean said. "So solving other nation's codes and protecting Australian government communications security. "It's about attracting the right candidates and putting the ASD in their mind, instead of having to go out in traditional recruitment channels." But let’s go back to our teenage whiz kid. Though the Tasmanian boy’s identity hasn’t been revealed, it’s clear he has talent and instinct according to Distinguished Professor Willy Susilo, who also directs the Institute of Cybersecurity and Cryptology at the University of Wollongong. “[What] is very important is actually not about whether you can crack the code or not, [what] is important is the thinking behind it, how to solve this kind of puzzle,” he told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-05/how-to-solve-spy-australian-signals-directorate-50-cent-coin/101405266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “To me, I think to get a person who, especially in this case, is 14 years old, can crack the code within just one or two hours is actually incredible in my opinion. "That really is the kind of skill needed in the Australian Signals Directorate." Image: ASD

Money & Banking

Grieving parents call for change after Aussie teen dies on school trip

The parents of a teenager who died on an overseas school trip say more should have been done to prevent the death of their “fit and healthy” 15 year old. Blackburn high-school-student Timothy Fehring was meant to be on the “trip of a lifetime” when he attended a school trip in Germany in 2019, along with 16 other students and two teachers who chaperoned during the trip. But, after departing Melbourne and arriving in Germany on June 23, Timothy became ill. His mum, Barbara, received a text from Timothy that read: "I almost threw up and am working on getting better so I can have a better time." Barbara and her husband Dale said their son wasn’t one to complain and rejected claims he was just “homesick” in the leadup to his death. "He was a super fit and healthy child and he would never want to make a fuss or bring attention to himself," Barbra told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/timothy-fehring-family-speak-after-melbourne-schoolboy-dies-on-school-trip-in-europe/b8144abe-790c-46d1-8a35-f2dedfd5f1ff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. As he continued to participate in activities, TImothy became violently ill, vomiting multiple times and eating very little on the first two days of the trip. When a teacher took him to a chemist and explained his symptoms, he was given some medication. Waking up the next day, Timothy asked his mum to get him home. "He expressed dissatisfaction about how he was being treated," the coroner’s findings read. Timothy was then taken to Munich Children’s Hospital and “thoroughly examined” by a doctor, and left six hours later with a diagnosis of a combination of homesickness, constipation and gastroenteritis. On June 27, he joined the group on a walking tour in Vienna, Austria, with the coroner’s findings stating he carried a “vomit bag”, walked slowly and looked tired. He asked to go back to the hospital, but staff denied his request. Then, when he threw up his dinner that night, staff contacted Timothy’s parents and made arrangements so he could fly home alone on June 29, which would include making a trip to a GP to secure a fit-to-travel certificate on June 28. But, after walking into the hallway to get some air, Timothy was found unresponsive with blood trickling from his nose. He was hospitalised but died on June 28, with an autopsy revealing he had a “highly acute” infection in his stomach and lungs, and had suffered a heart attack. Barbara and Dale said they weren’t made aware of the severity of Timothy’s illness, and are calling for change to staffing for overseas school trips. His mother acknowledged that the two teachers were trained in first aid, but said a school nurse would have had a better understanding of his illness. "They would have picked up on the signs quicker and we wouldn't be here today," she said. “He wasn’t homesick,” she continued, adding that having more adults accompany students would have helped save her son. "When he said he was sick and said something wasn't right, that was the truth. "No one was being his advocate, we think it's important to have more adults to student ratios.” In his findings on Timothy’s death, Coroner Simon McGregor called on the Department of Education and Training to increase the staff to student ratios on these trips, and recommended that organisers should ensure there were enough resources available if someone did fall ill. "With the benefit of hindsight, staff made the wrong judgement call that Tim's complaints were not sufficiently serious," McGregor commented. Since then, the department said a group the size that Tim was in now requires three adults, not two. The Fehrings continue to mourn their son, with Dale saying it has been a “hard three years”. “Children shouldn’t die, this is so tragic,” he said. "It hits you hard and it has been a hard three years. We have tried to cope." Images: Nine

Travel Trouble

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Life really comes at you quickly. One day you’re out laughing with a few mates after work then BAM, you’re retired and have all the time for whatever you want. It got us thinking here in the office, we’re quite a young team and it wasn’t that long ago that we were teenagers. But something that we really liked doing that is irrelevant today is having dial-up internet. Another said she misses playing Snake on a brick Nokia phone. So we decided to get a glimpse into the life of our audience and see what is something you liked to do as a teenager that’s irrelevant today. Check them out below. Deborah Buchanan - Put iridescent posters on my bedroom walls, turn the black UV light on and listen to Iron Butterfly. Shirleyand Trevor Wilson - We would go to a dance in a country hall starting at 8 and finishing at midnight. If anyone wanted to drink alcohol they had to be a certain distance away, not sure how far. The girls would sit around the hall and the boy's stood together at the back of the hall and when the music for dance started they would choose which girl to ask. They would have a ladies choice a couple of times and the girl could go and pick out who she would like to dance with. Jeanette Doherty - Listen to the short wave radio that my brother made whilst I was lying in bed. Got the best reception at night! Margaret Inglis - Go out to clubs and get home at 4am. Now I'm waking at 4am and going to sleep when I get home. Gwen Gibbs - Drive in movies and local dances Friday and Saturday nights, some even had supper. Chris Thomas - Listen to the radio and call in requests that were then put to air. Teresa Hamilton Gross - Write letters to my cousin in Indiana. It was long distance to call on the telephone and very expensive. Pamela Kinloch - Have friends over just to sit around and listen to records. Dianne Parlor - Going to the local milk bar and dancing to the music from the jukebox. Elizabeth Lussetich – Anticipation of everything. No technology so you would bike it in order to talk to a friend. Janette Nelson - Had five pen pals in different countries, loved writing to them and getting letters from them. Share some of your memories over <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid0zzR6swC5rH8upNtKQ6E5re2jKqPB7kGvx4RR3cPCVieqTq4U3v9K2ny8VKqybHurl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

A generous teenager has helped change the life of one of NSW's flood victims by giving him a car. Harry Ledger, a 17-year-old from Kiama, had recently travelled to the flood-affected area of Lismore to help in the mammoth clean up effort from devastating floods. After doing everything he could to help the clean up, Harry decided he wanted to do more than just get his hands dirty. With the help of his family, Harry took the car he recently bought (after saving up for more than two years) and gave it to Dylan: a local who had lost everything in the flood. Natasha Shearer, who helped coordinate Harry’s generous donation, posted about the moment Harry handed over the keys at the weekend. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnshearerlambert%2Fposts%2F10159694343075926&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="809" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “Dylan was at work at the time and had no idea Harry was about to hand him a car,” Natasha wrote. <div id="ad-slot_out-of-page-mobile_section-index-1_pos-2" data-section-index="1"></div> “Dylan was in shock and really couldn’t believe that someone especially a beautiful young 17-year-old would come and hand over a car like that.” Harry had been saving over the last few years to buy the champagne-coloured Nissan, and decided to give it to the man who had lost his own home and car, and was couch-surfing for a place to stay and getting around on a pushbike. “We brought him out to the car,” Natasha told the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-12/teenager-donates-car-to-northern-nsw-flood-victim/100982504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. “We told him we had a few things for him in the car and, the next thing, Harry handed him the keys." “He cried, he couldn’t believe it. He was very, very appreciative and in shock.” While the clean-up efforts are continuing in Northern NSW, one local's life is now a little easier. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

The last words said by a 14-year-old boy who died before falling from a drop tower amusement park ride have been revealed. Tyre Sampson was enjoying a night out with his family and friends at ICON Park in Orlando, Florida on Thursday when he decided to ride the Orlando Free Fall. Described as the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower at 131 metres, the ride spins around the tower when it’s reached the top before dropping at 120km/h. Tyre hopped onto the ride with his two friends who sat next to him, but he felt something was wrong. “When the ride took off, that’s when he was feeling uncomfortable. He was like ‘this thing is moving,’ you know what I’m saying. And he was like ‘what’s going on?’” Tyre’s father Yarnell Sampson told <a href="https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/father-of-14-year-old-killed-on-the-free-fall-drop-ride-wants-answers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WOFL-TV</a>. Tyre began to freak out and asked his friends to deliver a heartbreaking message to his parents. “And he was explaining to his friends, next to him, ‘I don’t know man, if I don’t make it down safely, can you please tell my mamma and daddy that I love them. “For him to say something like that, he must have felt something.” Horrific footage of the incident was shared to social media, showing a body being flung off the ride just before the ride stopped its descent. Mr Sampson said most of the rides rejected his son because of his height and weight, however the Free Fall staff said they could take him. Tyre stood at almost 2m tall and weighed 154kg, which made his father question why his son was allowed on the ride. "This one particular ride said, ‘We can take you, come on! Get on!’ No one else allowed him to get on the ride, so I’m wondering what happened between now and then that made them say, 'Come on, get this ride’. "This should never happen to anyone else's child ever again, and if I have anything to do with this, it will not happen ever again." Emergency calls made when Tyre fell out of the ride were released describing the horrific situation. “The thing (Orlando Free Fall) went down to drop and, like, when they got closer to the bottom, when it hit the break, the guy fell right out of the seat,” one caller told 911, <a href="https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/03/25/hes-not-breathing-calls-to-911-released-after-teens-deadly-fall-from-orlando-drop-tower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click Orlando</a> reported. “He’s not responsive. It looks like his arms are broken and his legs,” another called said. “He’s face down, there’s blood everywhere. He’s not breathing. I’ve checked his pulse, there’s no pulse.” Investigations into how Tyre died are continuing with ICON Park releasing a statement offering their condolences to the family. "A tragedy occurred last night at the Orlando FreeFall and our hearts are heavy with sadness. "The owner of the attraction is fully cooperating with authorities and ICON Park is doing everything we can to assist. "The Orlando FreeFall will be closed pending a full investigation. Other businesses at ICON Park are scheduled to be open during their normal business hours." OverSixty has chosen not to share the video due to its graphic nature and out of respect to the family. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Last selfless act on behalf of teen killed on e-scooter

After their 13-year-old son was tragically killed in an e-scooter accident on Saturday, Calym Gilbert's heartbroken parents are making sure his legacy lives on. The young teenager and his friend were riding the e-scooters in Perth when they collided with a Ford Ranger at an intersection, "ejecting" both boys from the scooters and leaving them seriously injured. Calym's life-threatening injuries saw him places on life-support, with his parents making the devastating decision to turn off the machines on Wednesday, with Calym passing away a short time later. According to 7News, his parents have decided to donate their son's organs, allowing the teenager to "leave behind a legacy", by giving six other people a second chance at life. Ever since the incident, Calym's father has issued a plea for others to be careful on the road. "Wear a helmet," he told 7News. "He is our baby boy, the love of my life, ripped from us so suddenly and way too soon," his heartbroken mum added. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-calym-gilbert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by Calym's relatives to ease any financial "worry" in the wake of the boy's untimely death, with generous supporters already donating over $8,000 to the grieving family. "Calym had a gentle soul and would do anything to help all of those around him. Calym was full of life and love - his internal light filled any room and left a lasting impression on all those that knew him," the page says. Image credits: GoFundMe

Family & Pets

Random act of Kmart kindness found by teenager

A Queensland teenager has shared a heartwarming story of how she found a hidden gift while shopping for Kmart candles. The girl's mum Katherine shared a picture to a Kmart decor Facebook page that showed a $20 note with a note attached that reads, "If you found this, it's yours." "Keep it as a reminder of your abundance! Money is energy and there's an infinite supply available." Katherine added in the post, "Whomever you are who shared your wealth to people, may God bless you and your family." <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/KMART-MONEY-NOTE.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Image credits: Facebook Kmart customers and social media users quickly noticed that the thoughtful gesture came from influencer Isabelle Grace, who shared a photo of her hiding the notes and cash on her Instagram story. The young mum told <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/the-unbelievable-story-behind-one-kmart-shoppers-20-cash-find-in-local-queensland-store-c-5701605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> that she had placed the four $20 bills around the store with the intention of making someone's day a little brighter. "I did four, I wanted to do five and take out $100. But I needed $20 notes, so ended up getting out $80 so I could do four different notes," she said. "And I went around and hid them in different spots around Kmart and I kind of felt a little bit like a weirdo for some reason, but it was actually lots of fun." Katherine said her teenage daughter will keep the cash and "pay it forward" to pass on the kind gesture. The post on Facebook has racked up thousands of likes, with many commenting about the selfless act from the influencer. "I love random acts of kindness, the domino effect of it is truly so amazing and humbling," one person wrote. "That's a lovely gesture. Hope you found your abundance, I feel it doesn't have to always be money," another added. Image credits: Facebook - Kmart Home Decor & Hacks / Instagram @Isabellegrace

Family & Pets

Teen with “a lot of courage” nabs her dream home at auction

Though she’s fresh out of high school, an 18-year-old has managed to buy her very own dream home.Angela - whose last name has been withheld - beat three other bidders to the punch at the Saturday auction of a 600-square-metre house with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage.An estimated 40 onlookers witnessed the sale and were reportedly shocked when they realised the 18-year-old had won.The TAFE student secured the property for $1.025 million ($NZD 1.1 million), after bidding began at $940,000 ($NZD 1.01 million).Angela was able to afford the million-dollar price due to a medical payout she received when she was younger, The teen received substantial compensation from the hospital where she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, after it was discovered she could have been diagnosed sooner.When she realised she had won the auction, Angela reportedly burst into tears of happiness.Martin Millard, the managing director of the company that ran the auction, said Angela’s win was incredible.“I went up and said congratulations with a little tear in my eye. That’s next level [what Angela achieved],” he told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/buying/heartwarming-moment-18yo-with-cerebral-palsy-buys-her-first-home/news-story/68aaf2a47ffe2f9e31bd08b1d8b36440" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>.“It takes a lot of courage to bid at an auction.”<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/auction-teen1.jpg" alt="An estimated 40 people watched as the young woman secured her dream home. Image: news.com.au" width="1280" height="720" />An estimated 40 people watched as the young woman secured her dream home. Image: news.com.auWith decades of experience in the real estate industry, Mr Millard said he’s never seen anything quite like what he witnessed at Saturday’s auction.“I’ve seen rich parents’ kids get given houses and things like that,” he said.“And I’ve seen poor parents give their kids houses.“I’ve never seen an 18-year-old turn up to an auction where there’s multiple bidders and win with her own money.”Mr Millard added that it was unusual to see young people buy their own home, but that it wasn’t impossible.Though he has seen 20-year-olds buy homes off their own back, he said there was something different about this that stood out to him.“Eighteen is a lot younger, you don’t see many 18-year-olds,” he said.“My kids’ dad is a high profile real estate (agent) and yet none of my kids have gone out to an auction and displayed that ability.”After finishing her end of school exam last year, Angela is studying a Certificate Three in Early Childhood.Speaking to <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/teenage-battler-buys-1m-home/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">realestate.com.au</a>, she said instantly fell in love with the home but “didn’t know what to expect” from the auction.“I just fell in love with the place as soon as I saw (it),” Angela said.“I didn’t know what to expect. It [the auction] was way more intense than any Year 12 exam.”Angela also hopes that her purchase will show her twin sister, who also has a disability, that they can achieve anything.Image: news.com.au

Real Estate

Terminally ill teen donates his life savings to a boy with cancer

A teenager who has been given just months to live has donated his life savings to a young boy's cancer battle. Rhys Langford, 19, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that starts in the bones, in October 2020. After 16 months of extensive chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgeries, the Welsh teenager was declared cancer-free. However, in November last year, he started to get sick again. “I ended up with sepsis and a massive blood clot in the femoral vein, I spent nearly five weeks in hospital again, underwent further tests, MRI’s, CT scans, to be told on 4th January this year my cancer has come back,” he wrote. “Now there is nothing more that can be done for me,” he said. “I am dying.” Rhys had come to terms with the fact that his journey was coming to an end, and was devastated to learn that six-year-old Jacob's battle with cancer had just begun. Jacob was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before Christmas 2017, prompting his family to raise thousands of pounds for experimental treatments. After several months of chemotherapy and surgeries, he too was declared cancer-free in 2019. After two years cancer-free, a new lesion appeared on Jacob's liver in January, instilling the worst fears in his family's mind that his cancer had returned. When Rhys learned of Jacob's plight, he donated $1,900 to Jacob's treatment and set up a GoFundMe page, which has since raised more than $88,000. “I know nothing can be done for me now but as one of my many last wishes I would like to help Jacob and help him fight this awful disease,” Rhys said, “I know what the treatments and awful drugs do to your body. It’s hell.” “Jacob is now six and has been fighting this disease most of his life. It should not be this way.” Jacob’s family said their “thoughts and love go out to this young man”, thanking him on behalf of Jacob and his “fight team”. “We have had a fantastic donation of £1,000 from a wonderful person called Rhys ... he was reading about Jacob’s relapse and got really upset and wanted to do something to help him,” they said. “His words were, ‘If they can’t save me I would like to help save this little boy Jacob’.” Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook

Caring

Self-taught 14-year-old artist offered thousands for paintings

During lockdown, it was not uncommon for most people to try a new hobby they had been putting off. But for 14-year-old Makenzy, it was a starting point for incredible success. During a period of self-isolation in Wales, Makenzy Beard found some old acrylic paints and an easel that once belonged to her mother, and decided to try her hand at painting. Her first piece, an incredible portrait of her farming neighbour John Tucker, went viral on social media. She told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-57670603">BBC</a> that the portrait took about 20 hours to complete over a three-week period. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COGXvlHH1Ax/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COGXvlHH1Ax/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> "I was very busy at the time I decided to do this one, so I was taking five minutes before school, an hour after school before sport. It was all broken down, I never spent one long extended period of time on it", she said. Makezny said her subject John “is a wonderful person and has a really lovely, kind and friendly demeanour," and thought he would be the perfect person to paint. The post racked up thousands of likes online, as she was encouraged by art fans around the world to keep up her extraordinary talent. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpfvXipcmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpfvXipcmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> After adding more works to her collection, Makenzy has had her works displayed in a gallery in Cardiff. Some pieces have captured the attention of international art dealers, with one of her paintings selling for $18,000AUD. One of the pieces in her showcase is a portrait of her grandfather Bernard Davis, but Makenzy said she will be keeping the artwork due to its sentimental value. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUid6kGo0n6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUid6kGo0n6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> Despite having international offers on her artwork, Makenzy is still keeping her options open in regards to her future. While she is passionate about art, the 14-year-old is happy just keeping her talents as a hobby as she focuses on school. Director of Blackwater Gallery, Kimberley Lewis, said, "I think anyone can be a good portrait artist, but I think it takes a lot to show real personality and the soul of a person through their pieces and I think for someone so young, Makenzy does this brilliantly." Image credits: Instagram @makenzy_beard

Art

Mum's desperate plea after deodorant leaves daughter with brain damage

A Queensland mother has shared a desperate plea for parents to discuss the dangers of solvent abuse with their kids. The emotional appeal comes after Sarah Nevins found her 16-year-old daughter Chloe lying in bushland without a pulse. Chloe has been inhaling toxic fumes from a deodorant aerosol can with her boyfriend on June 1st when she went into cardiac arrest, cutting off the oxygen supply from her brain. The concerned mum told The Courier Mail that her daughter was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital with a hypoxic brain injury, and remains confined to her hospital bed over a month later. Sarah said, “I had no idea she was chroming, I didn’t even know that people did that.” Chroming, more commonly known as solvent abuse, is when people try to get high by inhaling chemicals like paint, glue, petrol or other solvents. Sarah said that paramedics performed CPR on Chloe for almost 30 minutes before she was admitted to the Brisbane hospital. The mum posted a series of photos and videos of her unconscious child with a tracheostomy tube in her neck fighting for life. “It’s upsetting because you’re looking at a wasted life,” she told The Courier Mail. “Her quality of life is going to be severely impacted for the rest of her life.” Sarah is hoping the shocking images of her daughter will prompt parents to their children about the dangers of chroming. She is also campaigning for manufacturers to remove toxic ingredients from their aerosol products to prevent further issues of solvent abuse. Image credits: Facebook

Caring

"Unbearable pain": Olympic hopeful dies after training accident

Olympics hopeful Alegna Osorio Mayari has died aged 19 after being hit in the head by a hammer in a tragic training accident. The teenage athlete was struck by a hammer at a track and field stadium in Cuba in April. After going into a coma as a result of her severe head injuries, it has been confirmed that she passed away on Tuesday. “We share this unbearable pain with her family,” said Osvaldo Vento, the president of Cuba’s national sports institute. “Cuban athletes are in mourning. After an accident during training and a tough battle for her life, athlete Alegna Osorio passed away,” said Reynaldo Varona Martinez, a Cuban sports director. “From Deporcuba we send the most sincere message of support to [her] family, friends and the great family of Cuban athletics in this difficult hour. “Rest in Peace, Lots of light for your soul.” Team USA hammer thrower Gwen Berry also shared her condolences with Mayari’s family. “Wow. Sending love to her family during this time. This is so sad,” she said. Mayari won bronze at both the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics and the 2019 Pan-American under-20 championships. Cuban media outlet <a rel="noopener" href="https://noticiascuba.net/fallece-atleta-medallista-de-los-juegos-olimpicos-de-la-juventud/" target="_blank">Noticias Cuba</a> have described Mayari as one of the country’s “young promises of athletics”. Image: Osoldo Vento / Twitter

Caring

Teen entrepreneur calls out the older generations

An Australian high schooler who has become a multi-millionaire off of his online business ventures has called out older generations for labelling millennials as “lazy” and “entitled”. Jack Bloomfield has become a successful ecommerce entrepreneur through a series of ventures. The 17-year-old has penned an open letter, saying young people are “doing incredible things”. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard yet another insult about Millennials like me, I could probably actually afford to be every bit as lazy as we’re always accused of being,” he wrote in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/17yo-selfmade-millionaires-open-letter-to-adults/news-story/3ab4fd514b3aa838b14b5ca12f96ca40" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> piece. “Honestly, it feels like kids my age should all be walking round with helmets on given just how much of a beating we take from older generations. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxrT1FTl-Kg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxrT1FTl-Kg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jack Bloomfield (@jackbloomfield)</a> </div> </blockquote> “All we get told is how lazy and entitled we are. “But you know what? We’re not listening. “We don’t want to spend 40 years chained to a desk taking a pay cheque like you did. “We want to be in charge of our own future. “And we’re making it happen whether you like it or not.” Since starting his first business at the age of 12, Jack has gone on to become a multi-millionaire and public speaker. He told Today Extra last year that schools needed to do more to support aspiring entrepreneurs. “It all comes back down to support of kids like myself who want to go out there and start something really big with their lives,” he said. “No one’s really talking about starting a business, especially teachers and schools around the country, so it was all self-education. “Instead of watching Minecraft or whatever I watched at the time, I started typing up how to start your own online business just on YouTube, just spending hours and hours educating myself trying to figure out how this whole thing’s going to work.” Bloomfield concluded his piece by praising the achievements of other young people who are "trying to launch the next revolutionary business that will change the way we live or work". "We want to be in charge of our own future," he said. "And we're making it happen whether you like it or not." Image: Jack Bloomfield / Instagram

Retirement Income

“Slept through the whole pandemic”: Teen wakes from year-long coma

Jokes were thrown around last year about "skipping 2020", but for one family it was an unfortunate reality. UK teen Joe Flavill was just 18 when he was hit by a car in Burton on March 1 last year, causing a traumatic brain injury. Until only a few weeks ago, he was in a coma - just a few short weeks before the UK entered its first COVID-19 lockdown. But even though he was completely unaware of the pandemic wreaking havoc around the world, Mr Flavill ended up contracting the virus while in hospital. Although he regained consciousness a few weeks ago and is gradually becoming more responsive, his aunt Sally Flavill-Smith said they weren't sure how much he understood of what had been happening in the world while he had been "away". "We also don't know how much he understands as his accident was before the first lockdown and it's almost like he has slept through the whole pandemic," she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/burton-news/teenager-coma-before-covid-pandemic-4915032" target="_blank">Staffordshire Live</a>. "It's hard as we know he is more alert, but how do you explain the pandemic to someone who has been in a coma? "A brain injury is very much the unknown, so we haven't been given an idea of what to expect really." Ms Flavill-Smith is helping raise money for Mr Flavill's recovery and to support his mother, Sharon. "He has been following commands, for example, touching his left and his right ear when asked to do so, he is able to move both of his legs, he is answering yes and no through blinking and the most amazing step is that he has shown us his incredible sense of humour," she wrote online last week. The family hopes that soon Mr Flavill will be able to undertake physiotherapy, which has been delayed due to the ongoing pandemic. He had been studying for his A-Levels (roughly equivalent to an ATAR) and was a passionate sportsman. He had been achieved a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, which he would have been due to receive at Buckingham Palace in May last year.

Body

"She should be in prison": Outrage over teen who married 89 year old man

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A teen bride has generated online fury after marrying an 89-year-old man with dementia for his money. The 19-year-old's intentions became known after private messages to friends and social media posts were leaked after their wedding. One text shows the bride bragging to her friends about being "the sole person who gets his inheritance". Another social media post shows the teenager gloating that she is "one day closer to being widowed" by the age of 30. It's believed the dementia patient's wife and children have all passed away, which means there's no-one left to challenge the woman's actions. “This is heartbreaking,” said one. “I hope someone steps in and has this marriage annulled.” Added another: “She should be in prison.” </div> </div> </div>

Relationships

Teenager leads discovery in finding COVID-19 cure

Scientists across the globe are on a race to find a treatment for COVID-19, however the standout in all of this is a teenage girl. Anika Chebrolu, a 14-year-old from Frisco, Texas, has just won the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge and a whopping A$35,230 prize for a discovery that could give a potential therapy to COVID-19. Anika's invention that won the prize uses in-silico methodology to uncover a lead molecule that can bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The teen submitted her project while she was in the 8th grade, but she admitted her goal was not initially to find a cure for COVID-19. Her original intention was to use in-silico methods to identify a lead compound that could bind to a protein of the influenza virus. "After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this," Anika said. "Because of the immense severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus." Anika revealed she was inspired to find potential cures to viruses after learning about the 1918 flu pandemic. "Anika has an inquisitive mind and used her curiosity to ask questions about a vaccine for COVID-19," Dr Cindy Moss, a judge for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, told CNN. "Her work was comprehensive and examined numerous databases. She also developed an understanding of the innovation process and is a masterful communicator. Her willingness to use her time and talent to help make the world a better place gives us all hope." Anika said winning the prize and title of top young scientist is an honour, but her work is not completed. Her next goal is to research and work alongside scientists and researchers who are fighting to "control the morbidity and mortality" of the pandemic. She will aid in developing her findings into an actual cure for the virus. "My effort to find a lead compound to bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus this summer may appear to be a drop in the ocean, but still adds to all these efforts," she said. "How I develop this molecule further with the help of virologists and drug development specialists will determine the success of these efforts." Image Credit: NIAID-RML (AP/NIAID-RML)

Caring

Greta Thunberg’s mother opens up on teenager’s childhood struggles

Climate change activism helped Greta Thunberg overcome bullying and an eating disorder, the teenager’s mother has revealed in a new book. The Thunberg family detailed the 17-year-old’s early life in Our House is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis, due to be published in March. In an extract published on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/23/great-thunberg-malena-ernman-our-house-is-on-fire-memoir-extract">The Observer</a>, opera singer Malena Ernman explained that her daughter started struggling with selective mutism and eating disorder at the age of 11. “She was slowly disappearing into some kind of darkness and little by little, bit by bit, she seemed to stop functioning,” Ernman wrote. “She stopped playing the piano. She stopped laughing. She stopped talking. And she stopped eating.” Thunberg lost 10kgs in two months. Her parents later found out she was experiencing bullying at school, ranging from being shoved in the playground to being “lured to strange places”. But the school thought it was “Greta’s own fault”, because other students reported that she had “behaved strangely and spoken too softly”, Ernman wrote. Thunberg was later diagnosed with Asperger’s and obsessive-compulsive disorder. She turned a corner after watching a film in class one day about rubbish in the oceans. The whole class was affected, but her classmates soon moved on to other topics, including their teacher’s upcoming trip to New York and other cities with great shopping. “Greta can’t reconcile any of this with any of what she has just seen,” her mother wrote. “She saw what the rest of us did not want to see. It was as if she could see our CO2 emissions with her naked eye.” In the summer of 2018, Thunberg began her first school strike for the climate and started eating again. Her protests started gaining traction around the world. “We get death threats on social media, excrement through the letter box, and social services report that they have received a great number of complaints against us as Greta’s parents,” her mother wrote. “But at the same time they state in the letter that they ‘do NOT intend to take any action’. We think of the capital letters as a little love note from an anonymous official. And it warms us.”

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Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

Outrageous attack on mum of two by teen in broad daylight

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Grieving parents call for change after Aussie teen dies on school trip

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

Last selfless act on behalf of teen killed on e-scooter

Random act of Kmart kindness found by teenager

Teen with “a lot of courage” nabs her dream home at auction

Terminally ill teen donates his life savings to a boy with cancer

Self-taught 14-year-old artist offered thousands for paintings

Mum's desperate plea after deodorant leaves daughter with brain damage

"Unbearable pain": Olympic hopeful dies after training accident

Teen entrepreneur calls out the older generations

“Slept through the whole pandemic”: Teen wakes from year-long coma

"She should be in prison": Outrage over teen who married 89 year old man

Teenager leads discovery in finding COVID-19 cure

Greta Thunberg’s mother opens up on teenager’s childhood struggles

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Teenagers who have positive relationships with their parents tend to have better outcomes as adults

See inside Roger Federer’s teenage bedroom

Outrageous attack on mum of two by teen in broad daylight

Incredible teenage boy cracks coded coin in hours, but he isn’t the first

Grieving parents call for change after Aussie teen dies on school trip

Readers Respond: What is something you liked to do as a teenager that's irrelevant today?

Teenager donates newly-bought car to flood victim

Teenager dies after being flung from ride

Last selfless act on behalf of teen killed on e-scooter

Random act of Kmart kindness found by teenager

Teen with “a lot of courage” nabs her dream home at auction

Terminally ill teen donates his life savings to a boy with cancer

Self-taught 14-year-old artist offered thousands for paintings

Mum's desperate plea after deodorant leaves daughter with brain damage

"Unbearable pain": Olympic hopeful dies after training accident

Teen entrepreneur calls out the older generations

“Slept through the whole pandemic”: Teen wakes from year-long coma

"She should be in prison": Outrage over teen who married 89 year old man

Teenager leads discovery in finding COVID-19 cure

Greta Thunberg’s mother opens up on teenager’s childhood struggles

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