The Parenting Science News Feed

The Parenting Science news feed alerts you to updates on the Parenting Science website and to new blog posts or articles written by Gwen Dewar about parenting and child development topics.

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Probiotics for kids: A parent’s evidence-based guide

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

Debate lessons improve critical thinking skills

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2011 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Kids benefit when we teach them critical thinking skills. What’s the best way to do it? Studies suggest that explicit lessons in logic and reasoning are effective, so much so that they may actually improve a child’s IQ. But few kids encounter … Continue reading

Fear of snakes: An evolutionary perspective on the way kids learn

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2011 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Know a child with a disgust or fear of snakes? How about a fearful toddler? Or baby? People aren’t born with such responses. We know that from experiments on infants. If you show snakes to 7-month old babies, they don’t act frightened … Continue reading

Homeschooling outcomes: How do they compare?

homeschooling supplies arrayed on a red desktop -- pencils, paper, rubber bands, tape, a ruler, etc.

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Homeschooling has received high marks…when parents provided structured lessons Are homeschooled students good students? When the topic comes up in conversation, people often cite studies showing that homeschoolers score higher on standardized tests. For instance, Eric Rudner analyzed the test scores of over 20,000 American homeschooled students and found them … Continue reading

Preschool science experiment: Making mud bricks

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin This preschool science experiment is designed for kids who have already had experience playing with mud — both mixing mud and drying out mud. For best results, try this experiment after your child has explored the properties of dirt and mud. Materials Multiple dirt samples (sand, topsoil, dirt-and-gravel, etc.) Dried … Continue reading

Social cognition and people skills: A parent’s evidence-based guide

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2006-2011 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved “Social cognition” refers to the ways we perceive, think, and learn about people. Looking for information about how these abilities develop? In these pages, you’ll find articles about the social abilities of newborns, what babies know about social dominance, and the ways … Continue reading

The case of Summerhill school: Are today’s parents too extreme to fit the original model of permissive parenting?

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2010 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Some people believe that kids shouldn’t be required to restrain their impulses. Adults shouldn’t tell them what to do or how to behave. Children should be free to express themselves and explore the world on their own terms. How far does this … Continue reading

Neuroimaging and your child’s brain: A guide for the science-minded

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2010 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved They’re the technologies that give us “snapshots” of the brain at work: Functional neuroimaging shows us what parts of the brain “light up,” or become active, when we are thinking, learning, or feeling. And this permits researchers to map the brain—pinpointing where … Continue reading

Is the Easter Bunny a fraud? Does Santa make kids gullible?

vintage 1920 Easter greeting card, with two rabbits hatching from a blue egg alongside a hatchling chicken

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2010 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Do you remember when you stopped believing in the Easter Bunny? Santa Claus? If you grew up speaking English (or any of the Germanic languages), these fantasy characters probably played a role in your early childhood. A positive role? I’ll bet most … Continue reading

Digital cameras for kids: Cool tools and windows into your child’s mind

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin © 2010 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Digital cameras for kids have many uses. They give us the opportunity to see the world from our kids’ perspectives. They are also useful learning tools–helping kids expand their vocabularies, hone their story-telling skills, and enrich their scientific investigations. Here I review … Continue reading

Healthful diets for kids: Why some seemingly natural diets can harm children

Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Everyone has heard about the perils of the high-fat, high starch, low-fiber diet common throughout the affluent, industrialized world. So shouldn’t we steer our families toward a more “natural” diet? Eat the way we were meant to eat. Eat like our hunter-gatherer ancestors and enjoy better health. It’s not a … Continue reading

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