© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Studies link religion with health benefits, but that doesn’t mean that being religious makes us healthy. What’s more likely is that religion is one of many ways that people can find social and emotional support, and discover a sense of meaning and purpose. For...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved What is colic? The quick facts are these: “Infantile colic” is the term that doctors use for excessive crying and fussing that has no obvious cause. To make a diagnosis, many use the “rule of three,” which identifies a baby as colicky if he or she...
© 2009 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved What are the effects of television on language learning? Studies report a link between TV and language development in young children. The more time kids spend watching television, the more slowly they learn to talk. What’s going on? Some people...
© 2017 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved The infant feeding schedule reconsidered In the past, Western “baby experts” often instructed parents to feed their babies at regularly-spaced intervals of 3- or 4-hours. Today, official medical recommendations have shifted in favor of letting babies decide. Why the change? There...
© 2010 – 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Myths about bedwetting? There are several, and they aren’t helpful. Ever heard the claim that kids wet the bed out of laziness? Or that kids require counseling — talking therapy — in order to break the “habit?” Or how about...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved The difficulty of identifying ADHD in children Diagnosing ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is intrinsically problematic. The symptoms—distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity—are consistent with the normal behavior of young children. So when kids are diagnosed, the implication is that they are more distractible,...
© 2018 – 2021 GWEN DEWAR, PH.D., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Is childhood rebellion inevitable? Not really. Most kids are ready to be cooperative. But they recognize limits to our power: They resist when they perceive us as trying to control their personal lives. So what’s the solution? Be fair-minded. Listen...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Does the composition of breast milk change over the course of the 24-hour day? Yes. The “drowsy” hormone, melatonin, reaches peak concentrations in breast milk at night. Cortisol — a stress hormone that promotes alertness — is typically at its highest in the morning....
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Egalitarian, cooperative, and fiercely-protective of their personal freedoms, hunter-gatherers are also very practical. They know that parents can’t afford to raise kids without help. So everybody pitches in — and society thrives. Family subsidies. Childcare help. Support for parents struggling to make...
© 2009 – 2021, Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved The smart consumption of iron rich foods If your child has been diagnosed with an iron deficiency, it makes sense to examine his or her diet. But boosting iron levels isn’t just a matter of eating iron-rich foods. Some foods...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Experts recommend that kids get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each day. Why? Such activities are crucial for cardiovascular health. But exercise for children is important for other reasons too. It appears to stimulate brain growth. It helps kids focus,...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved Studies suggest that most babies begin to “sleep through the night” (at least 5-6 hours without parental intervention) by 3-6 months of age. But some infants take longer, and the road to progress can be bumpy. Even after babies experience their first,...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved In Western countries like the United States, many children begin toilet training sometime between 24 and 36 months. But from an historical and cross-cultural standpoint, this timing is very late, and it comes with a downside. So what’s the right potty training age?...
© 2021 Gwen Dewar, all rights reserved Why do we fall for fallacies? Why do we get duped by lies? It isn’t because we lack brain power, and it isn’t because we are helpless to overcome our own biases. Instead, what’s really crucial is whether we take the time to...
Like everyone else, children sometimes need to save face when they make a mistake or don’t behave well. Be sensitive to children’s needs in these situations.
It is OK to let children know when you disapprove of their behaviour. Approval and disapproval are compelling tools for shaping children’s behaviour.
Make co-operation fun Children are more likely to co-operate and behave well if it is fun to do so. Help children start and finish things Let’s see how much of this you can do before I get back. Use singing, rhymes and rhythm Use tunes you know or make up...
You can make things worse by focusing on unwanted behavior. Too much attention to unwanted behavior teaches children that misbehaving is one way of getting the attention they want and need
Distraction It is normal for a toddler to refuse to do what adults want – it’s a normal part of their development. Getting angry with young children doesn’t work – in fact, it can reinforce unwanted behaviour and lead to tantrums. Both you and your child will end up feeling...
Rewarding children for good behaviour works better than criticising and punishing children for unacceptable behaviour. Positive attention and praise are the best rewards parents can give to a child of any age. Even small children really want to please their parents.
