India, Dec. 2 -- By K.G. Mathew, Principal, Excel Public School, Mysuru

mathew@excelpublicschool.com

We are witnessing a growing number of troubling reports involving children and adolescents across the country, incidents of aggression, addictive behaviours, emotional distress and even self-harm.

As parents, educators and members of society, it is natural to ask why these behaviours are rising and where we must look for answers.

The challenges we notice in them, impulsivity, emotional volatility, declining attention and poor coping skills are outcomes of the shifts in their developmental landscape. Understanding this altered childhood is the first step towards helping them thrive.

The changed childhood

Jonathan Haidt, author of The ...