THE ROAD MAP

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

🚦 First stop (The rise of ‘bigorexia’ in boys)
🛤️ Site-seeing at mylemarks.com (NEW: Empathy Conversation Cards )
📣 A word from BetterHelp
📡 On the Radar (Middle child, security cameras, and more)
📣 Learn about Hopscotch Play
🤗 Sharing is Caring (spread the mylemarker love and earn)

Let’s go!

FIRST STOP

💪 The Rise of "Bigorexia" in Boys

While parents today are more aware of body image-related mental health conditions like anorexia, experts warn that a lesser-known issue is on the rise, particularly among boys—muscle dysmorphia, or “bigorexia.” This psychological condition, a type of body dysmorphic disorder, leads individuals to obsess over muscle size, believing they are not muscular enough, even if they already have a bodybuilder-like physique. A 2019 study found that 22% of adolescent boys engaged in disordered eating behaviors to gain muscle, with many turning to supplements, dietary restrictions, and even performance-enhancing drugs.

Experts point to biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors as contributors. Boys with a family history of mental health disorders, low self-esteem, or perfectionist tendencies are more vulnerable. Trauma, bullying, and societal pressures also play a role. Additionally, social media has become a major influence, with young people constantly exposed to images of hyper-muscular physiques through influencers, athletes, and celebrities. These unrealistic portrayals—often enhanced by lighting, angles, filters, and even dehydration regimens—fuel body dissatisfaction and an unhealthy drive for muscularity.

Early intervention is key—left unchecked, bigorexia can have life-altering consequences. Read the article here to learn tips on how to help clients who may be struggling.

SITE-SEEING at mylemarks.com

Now Available: Empathy Conversation Cards

Empathy Conversation Cards offer 56 thought-provoking scenarios to help kids build empathy, perspective-taking, and emotional awareness. Use them in therapy, classrooms, or home to spark meaningful discussions and encourage compassionate thinking. These cards make social-emotional learning engaging and practical and perfect for group conversations, role-play, or individual reflection.

Check out our collection of Conversation Cards here!

Additional Related Resources

Did you know Mylemarks has FREE social-emotional videos with millions of views? Our YouTube channel features engaging content with millions of views! Watch our empathy video below, and explore more free videos on our channel.

A Word from BetterHelp

Life Feeling Heavy? A Better You Starts with BetterHelp

Stress, anxiety, relationship struggles—life doesn’t pause when things feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to go through it alone. More than 5 million people have turned to BetterHelp, finding support from licensed therapists in as little as 48 hours.

Therapy should fit into your life, not disrupt it. That’s why BetterHelp lets you connect with a therapist in the way that works best for you—by phone, video, or text. You can even use your FSA or HSA funds to help cover the cost, and for a limited time, you’ll get 30% off your first three months.

Don’t put your mental health on hold—take the first step today.

Start Therapy Today

Supporting Child Therapy with Interactive Play

Hopscotch Play is a web-based platform offering therapy games, activities, interactive worksheets, stories, and more—all designed to support your work with kids.

With Hopscotch Play, you can:

✅ Access a growing library of interactive therapeutic and rapport-building games
✅ Engage with virtual clients in real-time, making sessions more dynamic
✅ Create personalized client accounts to track individual progress
✅ Use guided meditations, deep breathing videos, and other self-regulation tools

Start with a 14-day free trial, and if you continue, get 20% off your first month with the code MYLEMARKS at checkout.

ON THE RADAR

🧩 Middle Children More Cooperative and Honest

A large-scale study published in PNAS suggests that middle-born children are more cooperative, honest, and agreeable compared to their older, younger, or only-child counterparts. Analyzing data from over 710,000 participants, researchers found that larger family size was also linked to higher levels of fairness and modesty, likely due to increased sibling interactions and resource-sharing.

Using the HEXACO personality model, the study revealed that middle-borns scored highest in Honesty-Humility and Agreeableness, while only children ranked the lowest. Additionally, only children and firstborns showed slightly higher levels of Openness to Experience, possibly due to greater parental attention or leadership expectations. While birth order effects were statistically significant, they were modest—a person from a large family has a 60% chance of being more cooperative than an only child. Researchers caution that multiple factors beyond birth order shape personality, and they plan to explore whether these findings hold in non-Western cultures.

📹 SC Bill Proposes Classroom Cameras

A new bill filed in South Carolina proposes requiring security cameras in all public K-12 classrooms to monitor instruction. Schools would be responsible for notifying parents and securing written consent for students to be recorded. If passed, the bill would require schools to store all recordings for five years while ensuring student and teacher privacy by blurring faces in the footage. SC Rep. Mike Burns argues that classroom cameras would ensure curriculum adherence, stating that while most teachers follow guidelines, a small percentage may introduce inappropriate material. He cited concerns such as math classes incorporating unrelated ideological discussions. Opponents argue that the bill is not aimed at improving education but rather policing teachers.

🤖 AI Unlocks Learning Potential for Neurodivergent Kids

70% of neurodivergent children thrive with visual learning, yet creating customized materials is time-consuming for parents, educators, and therapists. AI is emerging as a powerful tool to fill this gap, offering real-time adaptability to different learning styles, from generating custom visual aids to assisting non-verbal communication. Experts emphasize that AI enhances strengths rather than "fixing" neurodivergence, boosting pattern recognition, problem-solving, and reducing anxiety around transitions. However, ethical concerns around data privacy and algorithm transparency must be addressed, ensuring AI remains a supportive tool, not a replacement for human connection.