Hi, I’m over here checking every day for crocus in my garden….no crocus yet, but it is already time to plan for Spring Break. Hopefully by the time it gets here we will have daffodils. I’m looking forward to warmer weather so the kids can play outside. Many of our...
Key takeaways for caregivers of young girls going through puberty: Puberty is not a singular process, so girls’ feelings about each change will not be uniform. Parents can celebrate changes their daughters are excited about while also making space for negative feelings about other changes. Girls who feel more prepared...
I played a simple yet rousing guessing game recently that I kept thinking would be great for my students with ADHD and other learning differences. The game has many versions and names, including “Who Am I?” and Guess the Famous Person. We simply know it as the Tape Game. It’s...
© 2009 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_fde4b284c2605d937cc752f3a99a9794 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } By definition, colicky babies cry excessively and inconsolably. But why? Sometimes it’s because babies are suffering from a physical ailment — like allergies, migraine, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. In these cases, symptoms of...
Many of us are tired of worrying about COVID and just want our kids to get out there and learn and have fun. Others of us have a vulnerable family member or family member suffering from long COVID. We know that the chances of getting long COVID are very high...
© 2008 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_5338db9aa81f9e2ba94c8a9689a4a20b .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Night terrors in children — also known as “sleep terrors” — are sometimes confused with nightmares. Both cause distress and disrupt sleep, and though terrors are less common than nightmares, they...
© 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_46f8b5c39faf960f5f682ac882de1f73 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Some children experience nightmares on a regular basis – once per week, or more. What can parents do to help kids cope? If your child has just awakened from a nightmare, and comes...
In June 2023, Chelsea Piers Brooklyn will open with premier gymnastics, soccer and swimming facilities in a 60,000 square foot location at 595 Dean Street. The Olympic-level gymnastics training center will include all equipment for all women’s events, specialty preschool instructional areas, plus a tumble track and two trampolines. They...
© 2017-2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_569fcf772973d206da135785586e630f .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Cooperative board games have a lot in common with competitive board games. There’s a board; there are game pieces. Individual players take turns. But cooperative games differ in one key respect: Everyone is...
Key takeaways about childhood fears for caregivers Children can develop fears from direct experiences, but they often develop them through information they receive from others. Childhood fears often form within the family context. Caregivers’ own fears and the way they talk about them influence children’s developing attitudes and fears. Being...
© 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_5cf1c9be599a53be0c168ff7a9a8c531 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Electronic media devices are useful for communication, education, and entertainment. For many parents, they are also tools for keeping the peace — a quick and reliable way to calm down a child who...
Key Takeaways for Caregivers on Talking to Babies Baby girls tend to have bigger vocabularies than baby boys, but that might not be due to gendered parenting practices. Parents talk more to babies after the babies have said their first words, regardless of whether the baby is a boy or...
© 2008 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_fa8928d6cdf63d7d6ad938367ac0d883 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Science supports many of our intuitions about the emotional and cognitive benefits of play. Playful behavior appears to have positive effects on the brain and on a child’s ability to learn. Want specifics?...
© 2019 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_fff5c29951ef49f38e6338a61c224515 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Fantasy has ancient roots, but it gets a bad rap. Some worry that fantasy fiction may confuse young children. Others dismiss fantasy as silly or frivolous. Should kids steer clear of...
© 2008 – 2023 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_d8193d29f900a2915d58969c45bfc250 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } As every parent knows, the world of newborn sleep is exotic and strange. Babies rack up lots of sleep overall, averaging 16-18 hours a day during the first two weeks. Yet...
© 2010-2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_b4187306e91512f3959b29c621d25340 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Developmental toys and educational games for kids are relatively recent inventions. Do they work? Throughout most of human history, children got little or no formal instruction. Instead, they learned by imitation, and by...
© 2019 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_ee4376fe2fbe3901f1fcb44c7dfbbc1e .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } When do babies crawl for the first time? Studies suggest that approximately 50% of babies begin crawling by 8 months. But some babies may start before 6 months, and others may...
© 2020-2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_a1a5a8b1c48178a6784cf8ca467d244e .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } Are little kids hopelessly selfish? Many people assume so. But scientific research suggests otherwise. Like adults, children experience the warm glow of giving. And it’s a motivating force for good. Psychologists call it...
Key takeaways for caregivers Before children enter formal schooling, a good way for parents to help children learn math is through activities such as playing games that involve numbers. Once children enter formal schooling and have homework, these activities become less frequent. Unfortunately, parents often have more negative feelings (e.g.,...
© 2012 – 2022 Gwen Dewar, Ph.D., all rights reserved #author-byline-block_ee9c9722bcb302343ba6bfeb8a16fbe9 .author-byline-text{ font-size: 16px; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); } A baby sleep chart can’t tell you exactly how long your baby needs to sleep. Researchers don’t fully understand baby sleep patterns, let alone baby sleep requirements. But researchers have collected information from parents...
