Zayda Slabbekoorn

Play is important for children early in life. Even when it seems meaningless, it's actually the center of their development

Feeling heard and valued is the key to connection, according to a PLoS One study on healthy communication.

Being both smart and loving is a rare and special gift that not everyone will recognize. But people with big hearts and even bigger brains usually have habits that make them irresistible when people take the time to notice.

Emotions and negativity are wildly contagious . That's why it's draining when you surround yourself with people who constantly complain and have nothing positive to say.

Living in a financially uncertain, unstable environment can negatively impact childhood development

Even for people who don't use internet slang or rarely use their phones, parents texting their grown children is inevitable.

Young people today feel completely overwhelmed by stress , even more so than their older counterparts. Unfortunately, they're turning to convenience and distraction to figure out how to survive.

Some people are literally always angry. From the moment they open their eyes to the second their head hits the pillow at night, they're seething with frustration that feels somewhat unexplainable.

All kinds of things divert our attention and make focusing difficult . Whether it's chronic stress or a lack of curiosity, these things influence how present we are.

Speaking up for what's right when others are afraid takes a special kind of bravery, and the person who possesses it has unique personality traits that make them who they are.