Peer pressure and social conformity starts long before adolescence. When faced with a choice between telling the truth and backing a popular falsehood, even 4-year-old children will buckle. Yet kids also possess the ability to question — and even reject — majority opinion. What can we do to encourage children to think for themselves? Image … Continue reading
Telling kids they are smart might seem like encouragement, but it can backfire. Learn about person praise, process praise, and intelligence.
Permissive parenting might seem like the “no discipline” approach. A threat to civilization? Probably not, but outcomes depends on we define this parenting style.
Emotion coaching is the practice of tuning into children’s feelings, and helping kids learn to cope with negative emotions like fear, anger, and sadness.
Some people might spank children because they believe it will teach self-control. But the evidence tells us otherwise. In fact, research indicates that spanking actually interferes with the development of inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility — skills permit kids to resist impulses and respond appropriately to rules.
Most kids are ready to be cooperative. But they recognize limits to our power. When we overreach, kids reject our authority as illegitimate.
Working memory is often likened to RAM in a computer. The more you have, the more information you can juggle at once — allowing for faster processing. But of course we humans can’t improve our memory capacity by installing a new RAM stick. Nor can we expect new humans to perform at the highest level … Continue reading
Inductive discipline is linked with better child outcomes. What does it look like, and how do we know that it makes a difference?
Teaching self-control? Kids benefit when we remove temptations and distractions; offer timely reminders; and show kids how to stick to a plan.
What causes stress in babies? How can we protect babies from toxic stress? Here are evidence-based tips to avoid meltdowns, and foster healthy development.
Good news from researchers who study aggression in children: By changing our mental habits, we can help prevent aggression before it erupts.
Delayed gratification isn’t always a matter of willpower. When adults appear unreliable – or downright untrustworthy – kids choose instant rewards over future benefits. And children show an increased willingness to wait if they believe their peers will do the same.