Research Confirms That Chores Are Good for Kids

Put away the silverware. Fold the towels. Feed the dog. Bring in the mail.

There is a myriad of ways in which kids – starting as early as age 2 – can help out around the house. While some of this “helping” isn’t actually that helpful, there is strong evidence that you should require your kids to do chores anyway. [Read more…]

How Harsh Parenting Harms Kids

You’ve probably been out in public and heard a parent shouting, swearing, or calling a child names. Or maybe you’ve found yourself in the position of losing your temper with your own children.

Harsh parenting is defined as regularly engaging in negative coercive behaviors; it can include yelling, name-calling, hitting, criticizing, shaming, and isolating children. A large body of research demonstrates that harsh parenting is bad for kids. [Read more…]

The Psychological Impacts of Donor Conception

Researchers estimate that there are upwards of 1 million Americans who were conceived using donor egg or sperm. Anonymous donation, in which the donor’s identity is not available to the donor-conceived person, is common in the U.S. and Canada, while many European countries require the donor’s identity be disclosed when the donor-conceived person turns 18.

[Read more…]

The Dangers of Perinatal Depression

Experiencing depression during pregnancy or the first year after a child is born significantly increases a woman’s risk of attempting suicide or dying by suicide, according to two new large studies. [Read more…]

The Long-Term, Underappreciated Damage of Verbal Abuse

When out and about, you may have heard parents shouting at their children. In fact, few people make it all the way through parenthood without ever yelling. But a new systematic review finds that regular verbal abuse—including shouting, threatening, belittling, humiliating, and name-calling—has negative consequences for children that can last a lifetime. [Read more…]

New Guidance Promotes Treating Childhood Obesity

The American Academy of Pediatricians is recommending a new approach to childhood obesity that addresses the condition as a complex disease and recommends intense behavioral treatment.

Twenty-one of the nation’s top experts in childhood health developed new guidelines after reviewing the body of evidence on childhood obesity; this is the first time in 15 years the group has addressed the topic. [Read more…]

Why Your Teen Doesn’t Listen to You

“Can you please put your dishes in the sink?”

“Please put your dishes in the sink.”

“I’m not sure you heard me. Can you put these dishes in the sink?” [Read more…]

The Ideals and Realities of Family Dinner with Young Kids

Family dinner is a cultural norm that most families in the U.S. strive for; it’s a goal that has endured for decades. Just think of an episode of “Leave It to Beaver” with June and Ward Cleaver and their two sons sitting around a table set with fine China and a white tablecloth, discussing the day and eating a healthy meal. [Read more…]

Parenting Programs Can Help Prevent Child Abuse

Child abuse remains a serious problem: Nearly 700,000 children are abused in the U.S annually. No one needs an academic study to understand that abuse and neglect take a terrible toll on young people, their families, and society. We now have clear evidence that child abuse has long-term effects on its victims’ mental and physical health throughout their lives. [Read more…]

Women Carry Most of the Mental Load of Running a Household

It’s well-documented that in the majority of U.S. families, women do more of the household chores compared to men, even when both spouses work full-time jobs. When you factor in that women working outside the home tend to work fewer hours compared to men working outside the home, women still take on a disproportionate share of household chores. This is amplified when kids come into the picture, and frequently leads to psychological distress for women. [Read more…]

The Pros and Cons of Social Media for Youth

More than 90 percent of teenagers in the U.S. have a smartphone. Access to this type of technology and social networking changes the playing field for young people who are simultaneously developing a sense of identity and new social relationships. [Read more…]

What We Know About Opioids and Child Mistreatment

Opioid use has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data show the use of fentanyl and methamphetamine climbed steeply in 2020 and drug overdose deaths jumped by 18% last year.

The opioid epidemic has serious consequences for millions of Americans. Opioid misuse increases the risk of illness from COVID-19 and leads to long-term consequences for mental and physical health. People who misuse illegal substances are more likely to experience job loss, interpersonal violence, and become involved in criminal activity. [Read more…]

Skip to toolbar