PARENTING FOR THE SCIENCE-MINDED -- by Gwen Dewar, Ph.D
Founded by an evolutionary anthropologist, this parenting resource is for critical thinkers -- people who want to understand child development from the perspectives of psychology, anthropology, evolution, and cognitive neuroscience.
I’ve got opinions. But who cares? You might be a scientist, physician, or teacher. Maybe you're an educated, skeptical layperson who loves science. Whatever the case, you don't need a sermon. You need evidence. You can draw your own conclusions.
So here it is: No folk theories. No preachy advice. No authoritarian pronouncements or pseudoscientific political dogma. Instead, you’ll find my analysis of the research, fully-referenced so you know where to go if you want to dig deeper yourself.
Recent highlights
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ADHD in children: What you should know about diagnosis & overdiagnosis
Apr 14, 21 07:42 PM
What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? How is it diagnosed, and why is diagnosis on the rise? An evidence-based guide to ADHD in children.
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Why kids rebel (and what we can do to encourage cooperation)
Apr 06, 21 04:00 PM
Most kids are ready to be cooperative. But they recognize limits to our power, and when we overreach, kids regard reject our authority as illegitimate.
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Melatonin, milk, and breast pumps: Does timing affect infant sleep?
Mar 26, 21 06:22 PM
Breast milk produced at night contains higher levels of melatonin. Milk expressed in morning has higher levels of cortisol. So mistimed milk might cause trouble.
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Hunter-gatherers subsidize families...for the benefit of all
Mar 17, 21 08:08 PM
Freedom-loving, egalitarian, practical: Hunter-gatherers know parents can't afford to raise kids without help. So everybody pitches in, and society thrives.
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Iron rich foods: How to improve children's iron status through diet
Mar 06, 21 07:50 PM
Need to boost your child's iron levels? Iron-rich foods can help, but there's a catch. Many foods contain chemical barriers to iron absorption.
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
Copyright © 2006-2021 by Gwen Dewar, Ph.D.; all rights reserved.
For educational purposes only. If you suspect you have a medical problem, please see a physician.
