Evidence-based parenting:

Links for the science-minded

© 2009 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved


Enough with the unfounded opinions and patronizing advice.

Parenting Science readers are interested in the evidence. They are also avid consumers of science news, in fields ranging from anthropology to neuroscience to zoology.

Where else can you go to find rigorous, fully-referenced analysis of the scientific and pediatric evidence about kids?

Here are a few suggestions.

Developmental psychologist Charles Fernyhough, whose work is profiled in my article on mind-minded parenting, has an excellent blog where he analyzes the latest research about child development. If you're interested in how kids think, don't miss it.

The University of Michigan Evidence-Based Pediatrics website features a database of “critically-appraised topics,” i.e., brief, thumbnail summaries of recent studies on medical topics like peanut allergy or the influenza vaccine. The summaries provide key information—like study design and results—at a glance. Full references provided.

Polly Palumbo of Momma Data is a psychologist and mother who battles irrationality with her evidence-based blog about health and child development. Check out her posts about the ways that the media misreports important medical and pediatric stories in the news.

Other links: Finding like-minded parents

Rationalmoms.com features intelligent discussion from bloggers who are both maternal and skeptical.

Are you looking for parents who practice attachment parenting? Check out the links on this page.

Praise for Parenting Science

"[A] welcome antidote to the opinion dressed up as science that parents are constantly fed. Tear up your parenting books and get yourselves over there..."

- Charles Fernyhough, Ph.D., developmental psychologist and author of A Thousand Days of Wonder: A Scientist's Chronicle of His Daughter's Developing Mind



"...[O]ne of the most awesome websites I’ve seen in a long time…In addition to being helpful to academic parents, I see this site being useful in anthropology courses on human sexuality, life history, parenting, evolutionary medicine, evolutionary psychology, etc. Please check it out!"

- Julienne Rutherford, Ph.D., University of Illinois biological anthropologist and founder of the Biological Anthropology Developing Investigators Troop (BANDIT)


"I came across a great website run by Gwen Dewar, one I wish it had been available to me when my children were young. I hope everyone interested in math and kids will look at In search of the smart preschool board game and other pages on this site."

- Bill Marsh, Ph.D., in mathematics and author of MathInking, a blog about teaching math


"Gwen Dewar, a Ph.D. in biological anthropology, analyzes the latest research about parenting and kids. Check it out. You might even learn something about evolutionary psychology, or brain chemistry, or stereotyping."

- Polly Palumubo, Ph.D., psychologist and author of the blog, Momma Data: Children’s Healthy in the Media