Parenting articles

Study Links Poverty to Depression among Mothers

Published on 2010-08-26 00:39:00

More than half of babies in poverty are being raised by mothers who show symptoms of mild to severe depression, potentially creating problems in parenting and in child development, according to a new study. In what was described as the first detailed portrait of its kind, researchers reported that one in nine infants in poverty had a mother with severe depression and that such mothers typically breastfed their children for shorter periods than other mothers who were poor. "A mom who

Stressed out: Studies Show Babies Become Anxious if Ignored for Even Two Minutes by Mother

Published on 2010-08-25 07:32:00

They may have barely mastered sitting up by themselves. But six-month-old babies become stressed out when they don't get the attention they feel they deserve. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol soar when they are ignored by their mother, and even a day later they are worried about the same thing happening again. A baby who is deprived of its mother's love for just two minutes is anxious about being ignored again the next day, a study found. Experts in child development sai

Young Children Make More Mistakes Learning New Words than Parents Expect

Published on 2010-08-25 07:25:00

Learning new words is not always as easy for young children as parents may think, according to the results of a new study. Research carried out by the Kent Child Development Unit at the University of Kent has found that five-year-olds often make mistakes when they are learning new words for actions. Kirsten Abbot-Smith, a lecturer in developmental psychology who led the research, said the findings were surprising. 'We know from other studies that by the age of two, children can use

CHILDUP BESTOF: How to Raise a Superstar

Published on 2010-08-25 06:55:00

The 10,000 hour rule has become a cliche. This is the idea, first espoused by K. Anders Ericsson, a pyschologist at Florida State University, that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice before any individual can become an expert. The corollary of this rule is that that differences in talent reflect differences in the amount and style of practice, and not differences in innate ability. As Ericsson wrote in his influential review article “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisit

Babies Feel and Remember Stress when Parents Don’t Respond

Published on 2010-08-25 06:32:00

There’s a reason that baby’s bedtime and the dropoff to daycare can be so painful. It isn’t just emotional for parents. A new study shows that when babies as young as six months old are stressed, they have a biological response and can remember it for at least 24 hours. But even more notable, infants can feel the stress all over again if they expect the same upsetting event is about to occur, University of Toronto researchers found. “The long-term implications

Classic Board-Games

Published on 2010-08-24 00:25:00

Playing chess, Scrabble and Monopoly is fun and educational for both young and old. These days, children have the privilege to pick and choose colourful custom-made toys and games from mega toy stores. On top of that, with today’s advanced technology, the young (and old) are spoilt for choice with electronic handheld games, video and computer games. Many classic board-games such as chess, checkers, Scrabble or Monopoly tend to get sidelined for these more modern versions of fun. B

Why British Graduates Are Losing Jobs to Immigrants

Published on 2010-08-24 00:17:00

British workers are too poorly educated to rival immigrants for jobs, a report warned yesterday. Employers believe that standards are declining fast among graduates and school leavers and want migrants to fill jobs instead, it said. One in five firms have recruited migrant workers this summer and a similar number will do so during the autumn. A third of the immigrant staff will be brought in from outside Europe, according to the study. Managers believe that British candidates do not

Mind & Meaning: Speedy Diagnoses Could Be Shape of Things to Come

Published on 2010-08-24 00:13:00

The media recently reported the great achievement that autistic spectrum disorder could be diagnosed in adults with a simple 15 minute MRI scan of the brain. MRI scans can allow the thickness and shape of the brain's grey matter to be measured. Abnormalities in brain development are believed to underpin autistic spectrum disorder. Having a child with autism is a source of sadness for any parent. The heartbreak of seeing a toddler who appears to be developing normally, talking, wa

Quality Early Learning Matters

Published on 2010-08-23 00:13:00

It is my considered opinion that the future of our democracy is in jeopardy. It is becoming more difficult for America to compete in the global economy and to have a well-educated work force. Thomas Friedman, in his book “The World is Flat,” stated that American education is not teaching our children creativity, problem solving skills and a passion for learning. All of which, he contends, are required for success in the global economy. The Economic Opportunity Index published

Children's Sight at Risk as Parents and Schools Shun Eye Tests

Published on 2010-08-22 01:26:00

Undetected vision problems in the under-eights blamed for learning difficulties, as opticians warn of an increased threat of blindness in later life. British parents and teachers are unwittingly putting children's eyes at risk by not making them wear sunglasses and not having their sight tested during the critical first eight years. New research estimates that a million children have an undetected vision problem, while almost 70% of schools do not have eye screening in what was descr