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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What do children’s drawings tell us about life at home?

children's colorful, cheerful drawing of a child walking in nature, with a baloon, while holding adult's hand

Children’s drawings can function as a fascinating window into how kids perceive and represent their world. They are also helpful tools for therapists, because children sometimes find it easier to communicate with imagery rather than words. But can children’s drawings — by themselves — function as trustworthy evidence that something is wrong? Research strongly indicates otherwise.

Track your baby’s development for free (and help researchers too)

Father sits in living room, on couch, baby on his lap, while he types on a notebook computer

July 4, 2023. Here’s an opportunity I’m excited to pass it on: Researchers at Brock University and the Université de Montréal are seeking parents to help them validate an online version of the Parent Observation Checklist (POC). In exchange for filling out a monthly questionnaire, participants will receive expert feedback about their children’s development. Interested? Here are the details.

Do babies feel empathy?

baby face, closeup, looking up with wonder and empathy at mother

Yes, babies feel empathy. They can “catch” other people’s emotions. They show sympathy, and even offer to help. But their behavior depends on how we treat them.

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