Kids across the country are off school and enjoying summer vacation. This typically means more time spent at the park, swimming pool or beach, as it should! It often means more time in front of the TV too. And that almost always results in less time engaged in educational pursuits like reading, math and problem solving. [Read more…]
Parents can eliminate summer learning loss
July 22, 2015 By 1 Comment
Poor health among kids harms education
July 16, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Social scientists have clearly documented the link between education and poor health: Essentially, people with lower levels of education are more likely to suffer from illness and injury, and ultimately an earlier death. (More on that next week.) [Read more…]
New evidence on bullying
June 30, 2015 By 3 Comments
The problem of bullying has received increased public attention in the U.S. and across the world over the past decade. In response to being bullied by their peers, adolescents have often taken drastic measures – including committing suicide. [Read more…]
Parental age and autism: What we know
June 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment
If you’re a regular reader, you likely saw our post earlier this month regarding the prevalence of mental health problems among youth in America.
Last week, another new study raised additional questions about the factors that lead to autism among youth. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychology, is the largest of its kind examining the relationship between parental age and autism. It includes more than 5.7 million children in five countries born between 1985 and 2004. [Read more…]
The upside to educational television
June 16, 2015 By 1 Comment
Our modern world is filled with screens: televisions, tablets, computers and mobile devices. As a result, children spend more time than ever before with these devices. We’ve written before about the downside of screen-time for small children and for the importance of moderation when it comes to technology. [Read more…]
The science of avoiding jet lag, revisited
March 30, 2015 By Leave a Comment
This week, my family is headed to England to visit my in-laws. So once again, I find myself searching for the latest proven methods for coping with jet lag. [Read more…]
The evidence on children and napping
March 10, 2015 By Leave a Comment
For most stay-at-home moms, naptime is a much-welcomed break during a hectic day. Personally, having 2 hours to myself every afternoon allows me to catch up on messages, start preparing dinner, do some cleaning, and generally enjoy quiet that is elusive when my young children are awake. [Read more…]
How much sleep you need
February 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Sleep is one of the holy grails of feeling good each day. Get too much and you may feel groggy and sluggish. Get too little and you may feel irritable, depressed, anxious, unable to focus and plain old sleepy In fact, a growing body of evidence shows that sleep problems increase one’s risk for chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. [Read more…]
New policy: Doctors should encourage early literacy
February 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Evidence established long ago that reading to young children – especially if you engage in a dialogue with them while you’re reading – helps them develop language skills and prepare for school.
Now the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new policy encouraging doctors to talk with parents about reading aloud to children, and providing books to low-income families at pediatric well visits. [Read more…]
Recess before lunch to improve eating habits?
January 30, 2015 By 2 Comments
When my son started kindergarten last year, I was astonished at how little of his lunch he actually ate. I would pack a nutritious meal displayed in a cute, compartmentalized tray, and often he only took a small bite of each item I packed. [Read more…]
The link between body image and media
January 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment
On a daily basis, we are surrounded by unrealistic images of women: celebrities on the covers of gossip magazines, animated cartoons depicting attractive female characters, and models advertising beauty supplies, to name a few. How do all of these images affect how women view their own bodies? [Read more…]
Evidence-based health: Lose those extra pounds now
January 5, 2015 By 1 Comment
Christmas cookies are my worst dietary weakness. If they’re in the house, I can’t help but munch on them. So I’m coming back from a lovely holiday break at least a few pounds heavier than before. [Read more…]
