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Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2008 – 2013 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Pure bullies are a distinctive group In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter learns a terrible truth: His late father had been a school bully. How disturbing. After all, Harry Potter’s father hadn’t been a social … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2006 – 2013 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved Evidence of preschool stress You send your child to preschool, hoping she will learn better people skills. Instead, she comes back with new behavior problems–increased rudeness, defiance, or aggression. Spending lots of time with peers doesn’t seem to have improved her … Continue reading
What’s in your breast milk? Covers colostrum, mature milk, fat content, calories in breast milk, and more. Tips for improving your milk.
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2009-2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved The capuchin monkey, indigenous to Central and South America, is a rather distant relation of humankind. We are Old World primates–more closely related to chimpanzees, orangutans, and even baboons. Nevertheless, we have much to learn from capuchins. They are the largest-brained, smartest … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Colicky infants cry excessively and inconsolably. Why? There are many possible answers. Long ago, people assumed that colic was caused by abdominal pain. But the link was unproven, so many researchers have adopted definitions of colic that make no reference to causation. In fact, some have argued that colic isn’t … Continue reading
Someday, educational video games may revolutionize the way we teach our kids. Are there any good games available now?
Yes, manufacturers market “girl toys” and “boy toys”. But are children’s interest in gender-typical toys entirely a matter of cultural training?
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2008 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Can we design better preschool science activities? Activities that stimulate curiosity, teach science concepts, and avoid overwhelming or boring children with lessons that are developmentally inappropriate? In the article below, I review the advice of educational and cognitive psychologists about … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2009-2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Some medical researchers recommend probiotics for kids with acute diarrhea and for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (Floch et al 2008). They note that probiotics may be helpful for certain other ailments, too. But before you go to the pharmacy or market, … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2009-2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Teaching critical thinking? You might wonder if kids will work it out for themselves. After all, lots of smart people have managed to think logically without formal instruction in logic. Moreover, studies show that kids become better learners when they are forced … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2008 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved What do babies know about numbers? Back in the 20th century, people assumed that infants lacked “number sense.” But today’s cognitive scientists have overturned the old ideas. Experimental research reveals a fascinating new world of baby cognition, one in which babies … Continue reading
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2009 – 2012 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Like probiotics, prebiotics are a popular new food additive. Should your family be consuming them? Experiments suggest that prebiotic supplements are safe. They are probably healthful, too. Here is an overview of the subject: What prebiotics are, where you can … Continue reading