Want Your Kids to Keep Their Faith? New Research Says It’s About Conversation, Not Just Church Attendance
A new study of 16,548 U.S. Catholics and Protestants finds that childhood conversations about faith are the strongest driver of adult religious engagement, more so than service attendance. Children who discussed faith regularly with parents attend services more often as adults and are likelier to transmit faith to their own children. Parental marital status and father‑child relationship quality also shape outcomes, with divorce reducing later faith transmission and strong father bonds boosting forgiveness and belonging. The research highlights relational factors over mere institutional exposure in faith continuity.
Study Reveals How Parenting Styles Shape Babies' Willingness to Help Others
A Durham University study of 273 infants in the United Kingdom and rural and urban Uganda found that mothers' instructional style strongly influences early helping behavior. Ugandan mothers tended to use "assertive scaffolding," giving clear, direct commands, while UK mothers...
People Who Grew up in the 60s or 70s Are Often Praised by Their Adult Children as Having Been “Tough”...
The article examines how the label “tough” was used by 1950s‑70s families to describe children who silently coped with emotionally unavailable adults, not as a sign of true resilience. Adult children now praise their parents’ toughness, unknowingly echoing the same...
How Children’s Picture Books Comfort Harried Parents
Lisa Owens reflects on how daily‑structured picture books have become a lifeline for her and her children, turning chaotic mornings and evenings into moments of calm. She notes that despite a household full of streaming subscriptions, the family consistently returns...
Goldie Hawn Shares Her Advice For Raising Kind, Emotionally Resilient Kids
Goldie Hawn, longtime advocate for children’s mental health, has launched a middle‑grade book series, *The After‑School Kindness Crew: Pooch on the Loose*, co‑written with Lin Oliver. The books weave humor, kindness, curiosity and built‑in "brain breaks" to teach empathy and...
Why Mother’s Day Matters for Fathers Who Live Apart From Their Children
Mother’s Day offers non‑custodial fathers a concrete chance to reinforce a child’s emotional stability. Research shows that a father’s consistent care, respect, and support matters as much as his physical presence. Simple actions—helping make a card, encouraging a call, or...
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Can Babies Be Depressed?
Infant depression, though rare, is recognized as a genuine mental‑health condition that manifests through behavioral changes such as withdrawal, reduced smiling, and difficulty engaging with caregivers. Research estimates roughly one in 40 infants display these signs, and the Diagnostic Classification...
Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mother
Amy Julia Becker reflects on how moving for her husband’s head‑of‑school role halted her writing career and sparked a deep sense of regret. She describes the tension between motherhood duties and personal ambition, noting that her creative output dwindled as...
Thrifting Has Helped My Daughter Understand Life’s Thornier Topics
The author describes how thrift shopping became a practical parenting tool, helping her adopted daughter navigate a gender transition, financial responsibility, and difficult conversations about aging and death. Consignment stores offered affordable, gender‑appropriate clothing and the emotional concept of “rehoming”...
Moms, Forget Work-Life Balance! Seek Family Flourishing Instead
Nadya Williams argues that mothers should abandon the elusive work‑life balance ideal and instead aim for family flourishing. Drawing on her own transition from a tenured professor to a freelance writer and MFA director, she shows how pandemic‑induced career changes...
'Why Don't I Feel Bonded to My Baby?' Midwife Says Delayed Bonding Is More Common than Many New Mums Think
New mothers often feel pressure to experience an instant, overwhelming bond with their newborn, yet the NHS reports that delayed bonding is far more common than popular narratives suggest. Mental health midwife Tessa van der Vord explains that hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation,...
My Kids Are Taking Their First Big Exams – and Revealing My Own Anxieties About AI and Long Division |...
Emma Brockes recounts helping her 11‑year‑old with Year 6 SATs, admitting she still struggles with long division. She uses the experience to question whether traditional exams still serve a purpose as AI reshapes entry‑level jobs and university value. The piece contrasts...
Why Melatonin Shouldn't Be a Bedtime Go-To for Kids
Melatonin is a popular over‑the‑counter sleep aid for children, but pediatric experts warn it should not be the first solution for most bedtime problems. The supplement mainly shortens sleep onset and is regulated as a dietary product, so purity and...
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Can Formula Cause Constipation in Babies? Here's What Experts Say
Pediatric experts explain that formula‑fed infants often have fewer bowel movements than breastfed babies, and certain formulas can contribute to harder stools. Constipation is defined by difficulty passing stool, not merely infrequent poops, and may be linked to cow’s milk...
Gregor Sked: What a Children’s Story Tells Us About Protection
Gregor Sked warns that the 2026/27 tax year will see dividend tax rates rise while personal allowances stay frozen, tightening take‑home pay for both employees and business owners. The squeeze on income, higher minimum wages and modest Statutory Sick Pay...
A Skier’s Guide to Having Kids (Without Losing Your Turns)
A seasoned skier outlines a five‑step plan for having children without sacrificing mountain time. She recommends a season as a ski instructor to build childcare networks, selecting a supportive but not obsessive partner, vetting ski‑oriented families for reliable help, timing...
Sting Praises His Kids’ ‘Extraordinary Work Ethic’ While Doubling-Down on Not Handing His Fortune Over to Them: ‘I’m Spending Our Money’
Sting praised his six adult children’s strong work ethic while reaffirming he will not leave them a sizable inheritance. In a CBS Sunday Morning interview, the 74‑year‑old rock legend said he will continue to spend family money on education and...
Little Galaxy Introduces a New Blend: Play-Based Teaching and Montessori
Little Galaxy Childcare & Montessori in Peel Region has launched a hybrid early‑learning program that blends Montessori methods with play‑based teaching. The curriculum integrates language, math, science and arts through guided materials and imaginative activities, while emphasizing family participation and...
PPD Makes Bonding Harder Than You Expect
Post‑partum depression (PPD) affects roughly one in eight new mothers in the United States and often makes bonding with a newborn feel unusually distant or flat. Therapists identify five core drivers: emotional blunting, abrupt hormonal shifts—especially reduced oxytocin—heightened anxiety, overwhelming...
All My Dad’s Sons
Joe Bond’s essay "All My Dad’s Sons" chronicles his father’s lifelong work running group homes for dozens of troubled boys in eastern Kentucky. The piece starkly contrasts the homes’ chaotic compassion with a harrowing visit to a maximum‑security juvenile prison...
Mothers’ Humor During Sex Talks Can Make Teenage Daughters Less Open, New Study Suggests
A new study of 98 Israeli mother‑daughter pairs finds that teenage girls who use humor when discussing sexuality report more open communication and higher sexual well‑being. In contrast, mothers’ attempts at humor are linked to daughters’ reduced willingness to talk...
Dangerous Baby-Sleep Advice Given to Parents by Self-Described Experts, Secret Filming Reveals
A BBC investigation uncovered that self‑described infant‑sleep experts on Instagram are giving parents advice that directly contradicts NHS safe‑sleep guidelines, including recommending prone sleeping and placing towels or muslins in cribs. The undercover footage showed Alison Scott‑Wright advising a newborn to...
Listening to Teens Can Save Lives
May’s Mental Health Awareness Month highlights the life‑saving impact of listening to adolescents. A JAMA study linked the $1.5 billion federal investment in the 988 suicide‑crisis lifeline to a measurable drop in suicide mortality among teens and young adults. The article...
Kids' Executive Function Skills Took a Hit During COVID. What Can Schools Do?
A Harvard‑led longitudinal study of 3,100 Massachusetts children found that executive function skills grew more slowly during the COVID‑19 pandemic than in pre‑pandemic years. The research, published in Child Development, tracked children ages 3‑11 from 2018 to 2023, covering the...
Stop Apologizing For Your Kid's Personality
Parents often apologize for their child's exuberant behavior, fearing social judgment. Child psychologist Dr. Rachel Loftin argues that apologizing signals the child's personality is a problem, which can erode self‑esteem. She recommends replacing apologies with affirmations and clear boundaries, emphasizing...
Families Across the US Can't Find Childcare — This Map Shows Where It's Worst
A new Center for American Progress report reveals that nearly half of U.S. children live in childcare deserts, with Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho and Kansas facing the deepest shortages. Rural areas are hardest hit, where 70% of young children lack licensed...
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We Said No to Visitors After Our Baby Was Born—And Why I Have No Regrets
Second‑time parents chose a visitor‑free period after their newborn’s birth, emphasizing bonding, rest, and health benefits. The quiet start allowed the baby to adjust calmly, the older sibling to form a strong connection, and the parents to prioritize postpartum recovery...
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My Husband Didn’t Agree on My Birth and Feeding Plans—Here’s How We Worked Through It
A mother expecting her second child faced pushback from her husband over a planned vaginal birth after C‑section (VBAC) and a mixed breastfeeding approach. Experts explain that partners often react out of fear, past trauma, cultural expectations, or lack of...
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Poison Control Received More Than 20,000 Calls Over Water Beads—Here’s What Parents Need To Know
A new Academic Pediatrics study found more than 20,000 U.S. poison‑center calls for water‑bead ingestions among children under six between 2019 and 2024, with a staggering 6,532% rise in rates from 2019 to 2023. The trend showed a 24% dip...
Review Positions Early-Life Nutrition as ‘Systems-Level’ Intervention
A new review in Nutrients argues early‑life nutrition should be treated as a systems‑level intervention, linking brain, gut microbiome, and sleep development during the first 1,000 days. The authors propose a “brain‑gut‑sleep triad” model and highlight that a complementary set...
Denmark’s ‘Hands-Off’ Approach to Parenting Could Offer a Blueprint for Raising More Resilient, Self-Reliant Kids
Denmark consistently tops global happiness and child‑well‑being rankings, a feat attributed not only to generous parental leave, universal health care, and high social trust but also to a hands‑off parenting style that encourages unstructured, risky play. Danish children regularly engage...
Raising Kids in the Bay? It Comes With Compromises
KQED’s "How We Get By" podcast reveals how Bay Area families juggle space, walkability, and affordability to raise children. A San Francisco couple lives in a studio, converting closets into bedrooms, while an Oakland family bought a sub‑$1 million home, giving up...
Five Key Ways to Disciple Your Children
Jim Daly’s Focus on the Family broadcast with Barrett and Jennifer Johnson outlines five practical ways to disciple children. The framework centers on Abiding, Modeling, Teaching, Applying, and Connecting—each designed to nurture a personal relationship with Jesus and embed Christian...
The Man Who Never Let Me Break Alone
The Good Men Project essay “The Man Who Never Let Me Break Alone” recounts a daughter’s tribute to a father whose unwavering, non‑judgmental support helped her navigate addiction, early pregnancy, and emotional turmoil. Rather than fixing her, he stayed present,...
You Don’t Get Long in Parent-Teacher Interviews. Here’s How to Use the Time Well
Parent‑teacher interviews are typically five to fifteen minutes long, leaving little time for depth. The article advises parents to move beyond generic grade questions and probe learning habits, confidence, and problem‑solving approaches. It stresses sharing home observations and co‑creating simple,...
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6 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids to Actually Listen, According to Experts
Experts from the Institute for Parenting and the Erikson Institute outline six practical ways to improve children’s listening skills. They stress breaking instructions into manageable chunks, being concise, and using multimodal cues like eye contact and touch. Consistency, clear consequences,...
Screens Can Be Part of a Child's Healthy Bedtime Routine, Study Shows
A new meta‑analysis by Deakin Institute and the University of Queensland examined 4,562 participants aged three to 25 across 25 studies. It found that daily screen use before bed may delay bedtime slightly but does not significantly affect total sleep...
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10 Ways to Help Your Child Recognize and Avoid Unsafe Situations
Safety experts are shifting away from the traditional "stranger danger" mantra, emphasizing that most threats to children come from people they know. Statistics show 93% of perpetrators are familiar to the child, with 34% being family members and 59% acquaintances....
Psychology Says the Grandparents Whose Grandchildren Genuinely Want to Spend Time with Them Aren’t the Ones with the Biggest Gifts,...
Psychology research shows that grandchildren remember grandparents who treat them as genuine participants, not those who offer the biggest gifts or most exciting outings. Moments when an elder asks a child real questions, listens patiently, and shares authentic stories create...
People Love Fighting About Sleep Training. The Evidence for It Is Nuanced—But Very Clear on One Point.
Sleep training, which involves controlled crying, remains a polarizing practice among parents. Randomized trials consistently show that parents who use the method report longer infant sleep stretches, reduced fatigue, and lower depression scores, even though objective actigraphy data reveal little...
My 4-Year-Old Was a Picky Eater. Allowing Him to Cook Dinner Changed That.
A mother of a 4‑year‑old turned to kitchen participation to curb her child's extreme pickiness. Starting with simple tasks like cutting cucumber shapes, she gradually introduced age‑appropriate tools and supervised cooking steps. The hands‑on approach transformed mealtime chaos into focused...
After My Divorce, I Dreaded Any Type of Holiday Alone. A Group of Friends Changed That.
After her divorce, the author faced holiday loneliness until she joined an online community of single mothers that evolved into a real‑world support network. The "single mom club" now provides on‑demand childcare, emotional backup, and shared celebrations, turning solitary Mother’s...
Making Your Child’s First Dental Visit Fun and Stress-Free
The American Dental Association now recommends that children see a dentist by age one or within six months of a tooth’s appearance, yet many families postpone the visit. Early appointments, typically under 30 minutes, focus on gentle examination, counting teeth,...
‘I’m Not as Good as Them’, What to Do when Your Child Compares Themselves and How to Protect Their Confidence
Children naturally compare themselves as they form identity, but when comparison shifts from curiosity to criticism it can erode confidence and trigger anxiety. Netmums counsellor Emma Page advises parents to start with empathy, label the child’s feelings, and reframe setbacks...
Doctors Reveal the Screen Time Limit for Every Age – and Most UK Two-Year-Olds Are Already over It
UK children are now spending four to five hours online each day, with many two‑year‑olds exceeding two hours of screen exposure before nursery. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization advise no screens for infants under 18...
Rise of Child Care Deserts in Texas Fuels Worry
A new Children At Risk report identifies 263 chronic child‑care deserts in Texas, with East Texas bearing the heaviest burden. These deserts—areas lacking regulated child‑care for three consecutive years—contribute to an estimated $9.39 billion annual economic loss and force parents like...
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How Many Toys Is Too Many? What Experts Recommend for Kids
Experts recommend a less‑is‑more approach to children’s toys, citing research that toddlers engage in higher‑quality play with just four toys instead of sixteen. The data suggests that too many options cause overstimulation and shorter play sessions. Minimalist tactics such as...
Psychology Says the Children of the 1960s and 70s Absorbed an Unspoken Rule No Later Generation Has Been Given Quite...
The article argues that children raised in the 1960s and 1970s internalized an unspoken rule: the world would not soften for them, adults had their own problems, and they had to figure things out themselves. This early self‑reliance was cultivated...
Mom: Your Daughter Is Becoming You (In Ways You Don’t Even Realize)
An 8th‑grade dance illustrates how a mother’s protective instincts can subtly signal insecurity to her daughter, shaping the teen’s self‑perception. The article argues that such well‑meaning interventions often transfer the parent’s fears, limiting the child’s confidence to navigate alone. By...
3 Ways Good Parents Can Traumatize Their Children
Recent psychological research highlights that even well‑intentioned, financially stable parents can inflict lasting harm through emotional neglect. The article explains how a lack of consistent emotional attunement—illustrated by the still‑face experiment and attachment theory—creates gaps that children internalize as loneliness,...