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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.
Continue reading "ADHD in children: What you should know about diagnosis & overdiagnosis"
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.
Continue reading "Why kids rebel (and what we can do to encourage cooperation)"
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.
Continue reading "Melatonin, milk, and breast pumps: Does timing affect infant sleep?"
Freedom-loving, egalitarian, practical: Hunter-gatherers know parents can't afford to raise kids without help. So everybody pitches in, and society thrives.
Continue reading "Hunter-gatherers subsidize families...for the benefit of all"
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.
Continue reading "Iron rich foods: How to improve children's iron status through diet"
Studies reveal the cognitive benefits of exercise for children. Moderate-to-vigorous activity may stimulate brain growth, improve focus, and help kids learn.
Continue reading "Exercise for children: How physical fitness benefits the brain"
Many babies begin to "sleep through the night" (at least 5-6 hours) by 3-6 months of age. But some take longer, and night-to-night variability is common.
In Western countries, many kids begin toilet training between 24 - 36 months. But elsewhere, early training is the norm, and it may be more beneficial. An evidence-based look at choosing the right potty training age.
Continue reading "What's the right age to start potty training? It depends on your goals"
Why do we fall for fallacies? Biases and cognitive skills matter. But the most crucial factor is whether we take the time to pause and reflect.
Continue reading "Teaching critical thinking: The first step is to pause and reflect"
What happens when adults lie to children? Kids tend to become more dishonest, and they might be at higher risk for aggressive and antisocial behavior problems.
Continue reading "What happens when adults lie to children?"
Peer pressure starts long before adolescence. When faced with a choice between telling the truth and backing a popular falsehood, even 4-year-olds will buckle.
Continue reading "When does peer pressure start? Early. Very early in life."
When do babies sit up? Most reach this milestone between 4 and 8 months, but it depends on us. We can give babies a boost by helping babies build key muscles.
Continue reading "When do babies sit up by themselves, and what can we do to help them?"
Are kids intrinsically selfish? No. When given the chance, young children tend to show kindness. And like adults, they can experience the warm glow of giving.
Continue reading "Want to make kids happy? Help them experience the warm glow of giving."
What social skills are important to preschoolers? And how do we nurture these abilities? Evidence-based tips for fostering preschool social skills.
Continue reading "Preschool social skills: How to raise kind and competent kids"
Wish you knew the risk of contagion at local venues and events? This online tool -- created by researchers -- can help.
Continue reading "Data-driven tool for making wise decisions about social distancing"
Overwhelmed by parenting stress? Try these research-based tips.
Continue reading "Parenting stress: 12 evidence-based tips for making life better"
Our kids aren't getting the world they deserve. How do we persuade others to vote on their behalf?
Continue reading "Vote for your child's future: How to persuade people to cast a ballot"
If you want learning to "stick," a single, long lesson is usually less helpful than multiple, short lessons. Read more about the spaced learning effect.
Continue reading "Spaced learning: Why kids benefit from shorter lessons -- with breaks "
How can we help kids make friends? Here are twelve tips based on the latest research.
Continue reading "Help kids make friends: 12 evidence-based tips"
What are the best books for beginning readers? Books with simple, minimalist illustrations can help kids focus -- and better understand what they are reading.
Continue reading "Choosing books for beginning readers: Sometimes less is more"
How do newborns perceive the world? Can they see in color? How blurry is their vision? Can they recognize you by scent? Learn more about the newborn senses.
Continue reading "The newborn senses: What can babies feel, see, hear, smell, and taste?"
The science of infant toilet training. Information about potty training techniques, baby bladders, and the potential benefits of early toilet training.
Continue reading "Infant toilet training: The scientific evidence"
Parents and children suffer when politicians make bad choices. What can we do about it? Vote!
Today is National Vote Registration Day in the United States. For help getting registered, visit:
https://vote.gov/
And don't delay! In some states, the registration deadline is coming up fast.
Yes, children notice stereotypes about race, gender, wealth. And the effects aren't good. Read about stereotype threat, and how we can help kids overcome it.
Continue reading "Stereotype threat: How exposure to stereotypes can hinder performance"
Spatial skills are crucial for success in STEM and the visual arts. Try these evidence-based activities to boost your child's spatial reasoning abilities.
Continue reading "Improving spatial skills in children and teens: 12 evidence-based tips"
Unconscious biases can make us perceive anger where none exists. How many children's "behavior problems" are caused by adults getting it wrong?
Continue reading "Not actually angry: Black children and boys more frequently misjudged"
Can we nurture empathy in children? Yes. Evidence-based tips for teaching empathy, based on the latest discoveries in psychology and neuroscience.
Music training can help kids process speech, and it can boost other cognitive skills too. But the effects depend on the duration and content of training.
Continue reading "Music and intelligence: Do music lessions improve cognitive skills?"
Boosting working memory performance helps kids succeed. How can we improve a child's ability to focus, concentrate, and follow instructions?
Continue reading "Working memory tips: How to help kids focus and stick to a plan"
Bedtime problems are common in young children, but they aren't inevitable. Why won't kids fall asleep at bedtime, and what we can do to turn things around?
Continue reading "Bedtime problems in children: Solutions for the science-minded parent"
Got a child who won't fall asleep at bedtime? Bedtime fading is a technique for re-aligning your child's internal clock with the bedtime you desire.
Continue reading "Bedtime fading: An evidence-based, step-by-step guide (with examples)"
Is there such a thing as baby sleep deprivation? How do we know if a baby is getting enough sleep? Here are the signs -- and the reasons we should care.
Continue reading "Baby sleep deprivation: How to tell if your baby isn't sleeping enough"
People who connect with nature are happier. Kids are better-behaved. So how can we help our families feel a greater sense of connectedness? Evidence-based tips.
Continue reading "How to connect with nature: Tips for tuning into the natural world"
How does nature benefit children? Studies suggest that kids have fewer emotional problems - and behave more prosocially - when they feel connected with nature.
Continue reading "Kids who feel connected with nature are happier -- and better-behaved"
To adapt kids to an earlier schedule, we need to expose them to the right environmental cues…and more. A comprehensive guide to resetting your child's internal clock.
Continue reading "How to reset your child's internal clock for an earlier bedtime "
White parents need to talk with their kids about race, but mistaken beliefs often get in the way. Here's what parents need to know to become better agents of change.
Continue reading "6 mistakes that white parents make about race - and how to remedy them"
Toilet training in less than a day? Fast-track toilet training techniques can be effective, but they aren't for everyone. Here's what parents need to know.
Continue reading "Toilet training techniques: The fast track"
Babies expect us to share resources equally. They prefer people who behave with fairness. But they are also learning about favoritism. Can we nurture fairness?
Continue reading "Babies expect fairness, and prefer people who behave with fairness"
Do you know a teenager who is interested in volunteer work? Or an elementary school student who could use some online mentorship and tutoring?
The Covid Nineteen project brings together high school student volunteers and elementary school kids who are stuck at home.
Using Zoom, teens provide free, online activities and one-on-one academic tutoring to kids in grades 1 through 5.
The project is based in California, so schedules are geared to Pacific Standard Time. But organizers say they welcome participants from outside the state. Learn more about it at covidnineteenproject.com
How do you teach kids to be helpful? Studies suggest we should avoid heavy-handed tactics and bribes. We need to nurture our children's natural inclinations to do good.
Continue reading "Raising helpful kids: Tips for teaching generosity and kindness"
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.