We are so honored that we have been awarded a grant by the Cummings Foundation. To date, Cummings Foundation has awarded  nearly $600 million in grants to nonprofits based in greater Boston. It seeks to provide vital funding to mostly local charities that are working to improve the lives of community members through education, healthcare, human services, and social justice programs. We are so grateful to be among the 150 non-profits to receive support! Check out their amazing work here!

Brainrot, “Maxxing” and the Teen Brain: Understanding the New Language of Growing Up Online

What do “brainrot,” “looksmaxxing,” “sleepmaxxing,” “mewing,” “locking in,” and “aura” actually mean and should parents be concerned?

Teenagers today are growing up in an online world filled with new language, trends, and constant messages about appearance, health, productivity, and self-improvement. While the slang may be new, the underlying adolescent needs are not: belonging, confidence, acceptance, achievement, and feeling good enough.

In this article, Vanessa Keeney, Ph.D., explores what parents need to know about “brainrot” and the impact of excessive short-form content on attention, sleep, emotional well-being, and everyday life. Rather than suggesting that social media literally “rots” the brain, the article examines how constant stimulation can make slower activities, such as reading, studying, conversation, creativity, and even boredom feel harder to engage with.