I was speaking to a friend this week and she was talking about the focus on mental health and wellbeing in her daughter’s new school. Like most parents she was pleased to see the school shift in this direction but she had also observed a change in her daughter’s choice of words. Words like worry and sad were being replaced with words like stressed, anxious or depressed. And while more sophisticated use of language is part of the normal developmental trajectory it got me wondering about how our young people are making sense of their feelings within this new world of embracing mental health. Mood swings are a defining feature of adolescence. During this period of development our kids will experience their emotions more intensely than any other time in their lives. This happens because their brains are under construction – they are getting faster and more specialised, ultimately supporting our kids move into adulthood. ...