Child Development

Years ago-- and for much of human existence-many parents felt they had a simple, effective response to a child's misbehavior: "a good smack". Today, although smacking, is far from uncommon, many thoughtful parents reject the practice. They understand that physical punishment does not necessarily work very well to prevent misbehavior. Read More

My reading about life in many different hunter-gatherer cultures has led me to conclude that their work is play for four main reasons: (1) It is varied and requires much skill and intelligence. (2) There is not too much of it. (3) It is done in a social context, with friends. And (4) (most significantly) it is, for any given person at any given time, optional. Let me expand on these, point by point. Each point is relevant to our lives, today. Read More

On June 21 2009 an arsonist set fire to the Main Building of the Dougy Center, a flagship center for programs for grieving children, in Portland Oregon. Read More

The recent announcement of Jon and Kate's separation reminds us that reality TV, particularly when it involves children, can be most tragic. Read More

Remember playing "Simon Says" when you were a kid? The leader gives commands to the followers-- "hands on your head", "step back two steps", "hold your nose". According to the rules of the game, the followers obey only if the leader has said "Simon says" first-- just the order, without "Simon says" is NOT to be obeyed. Read More

One of the first and most often reinforced lessons that children learn in school is that work and play are opposites. Work is what one has to do; play is what one wants to do. Work is burdensome; play is fun. Work is essential; play is trivial. But when we leave school and go on to the "real world," at least some of us, the lucky ones, discover that work is not the opposite of play. In fact, work can be play, or at least it can be imbued with a high degree of playfulness. . . . When work is play, it is humanizing. Read More

Dr Michael Fitzpatrick, author of Defeating Autism, recently talked to me about how raising a child with autism can be made infinitely harder - emotionally, financially and practically - by the charlatanic ‘war on autism'. Read More

These days we hear a lot of talk about teaching kids values. According to a major survey by the organization Public Agenda, more than six in ten American adults identified "as a very serious problem" young people's failure to learn fundamental moral values, including honesty, respect, and responsibility for others. Read More