A Mental Health Hormone Is Released When Kids Play With Dogs

Beating "the blues" in children: Playing with a dog causes the release of the mood-elevating and antidepressant hormone oxytocin in children and their pet dogs as well.

Beating "the blues" in children: Playing with a dog causes the release of the mood-elevating and antidepressant hormone oxytocin in children and their pet dogs as well.

How the Start of the Academic Year Impacts Student Stress

As the school year begins, uncover how hidden stressors can affect your child’s well-being and gain expert insights on helping them manage challenges and build resilience.

As the school year begins, uncover how hidden stressors can affect your child’s well-being and gain expert insights on helping them manage challenges and build resilience.

Using Theory of Mind to Enhance Connection

Just three simple words can keep a conversation going and help you be perceived as a caring person with ever-increasing value.

Just three simple words can keep a conversation going and help you be perceived as a caring person with ever-increasing value.

Changing With the Times? Attitudes About Nonparental Care

Nonparental care is the cultural norm. But is it the preference?

Nonparental care is the cultural norm. But is it the preference?

3 Ways Humor Improves Serious Situations

If you're looking for better ways to communicate with children, lighten stressful situations, or share political information, humor is an effective tool to have in your skill set.

If you're looking for better ways to communicate with children, lighten stressful situations, or share political information, humor is an effective tool to have in your skill set.

Is Parenting Really the Latest Public Health Crisis?

A Personal Perspective: When normal life challenges are labeled dangerous.

A Personal Perspective: When normal life challenges are labeled dangerous.

Gorging on Grit and Greatness

What fuels an unstoppable drive to be the best may trigger physiological states of threat, leading to an endless pursuit of greatness while festering feelings of unworthiness.

What fuels an unstoppable drive to be the best may trigger physiological states of threat, leading to an endless pursuit of greatness while festering feelings of unworthiness.

Resilience During a Time of Transition

Back-to-school is an exciting season that offers challenges and opportunities. Building resilience helps children weather these times of transition.

Back-to-school is an exciting season that offers challenges and opportunities. Building resilience helps children weather these times of transition.

Why Sleeping Close to Your Baby Matters

Sleeping close has an important impact on a baby's physiology

Sleeping close has an important impact on a baby's physiology

Mom Is Smothering My Younger Brother

This is a true story of what happens to a son when his mother overparents and smothers him following the death of her husband.

This is a true story of what happens to a son when his mother overparents and smothers him following the death of her husband.

Is It OK to Let Your Child Quit?

While "quitters never win" is often parents' default response, quitting can sometimes help children grow. These 3 strategies can help families navigate these tough conversations.

While "quitters never win" is often parents' default response, quitting can sometimes help children grow. These 3 strategies can help families navigate these tough conversations.

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence in Kids: A Parent's Guide

Emotional intelligence plays a key role in children's well-being and success. It's important to educate kids on emotions and give them opportunities to practice their skills.

Emotional intelligence plays a key role in children's well-being and success. It's important to educate kids on emotions and give them opportunities to practice their skills.

Adversity's Brain-Shaping Impact

Children exposed to abuse may suffer long-term emotional and physical problems.

Children exposed to abuse may suffer long-term emotional and physical problems.

Research Finds That Hearing "Thank You" Really Matters for Parents

Of course, it would be nice to hear “thank you” every once in a while, but does experiencing gratitude from those you love really matter?

Of course, it would be nice to hear “thank you” every once in a while, but does experiencing gratitude from those you love really matter?

Shifting From Mindless Scrolling to Mindful Engagement

Awareness around our devices and social media usage, paired with boundary-setting practices, can allow us to show up more mindfully, present, and meaningfully engaged in our lives.

Awareness around our devices and social media usage, paired with boundary-setting practices, can allow us to show up more mindfully, present, and meaningfully engaged in our lives.

What if Presidential Debates Followed the 30-Second Rule?

If political debates adhered to one simple elementary-school rule, we could model respect, shift our focus to policies, and improve media and public discourse.

If political debates adhered to one simple elementary-school rule, we could model respect, shift our focus to policies, and improve media and public discourse.

Race and Ethnicity, Social Class, and Early Achievement Gaps

Why do racial and ethnic achievement gaps occur in U.S. schools? A new report highlights social class as a key cause.

Why do racial and ethnic achievement gaps occur in U.S. schools? A new report highlights social class as a key cause.

Helping Young Children Navigate Election Anxiety

Help kids understand election anxiety by limiting media, creating a safe space for questions, and teaching emotional regulation techniques

Help kids understand election anxiety by limiting media, creating a safe space for questions, and teaching emotional regulation techniques

"No Mommy, I Can't. You Do It!"

Parents doing tasks kids can do themselves limits kids' opportunities to build a strong sense of confidence and independence. Here's how to change that.

Parents doing tasks kids can do themselves limits kids' opportunities to build a strong sense of confidence and independence. Here's how to change that.

When Trauma Goes Unnoticed During Childhood

Childhood trauma could go unnoticed. Different circumstances reveal how trauma manifests differently but similarly impacts growth.

Childhood trauma could go unnoticed. Different circumstances reveal how trauma manifests differently but similarly impacts growth.

Are Bored Kids Happier?

Modern parents and childrearing institutions discourage boredom by structuring activities for children. Would it be better if we let them structure activities themselves?

Modern parents and childrearing institutions discourage boredom by structuring activities for children. Would it be better if we let them structure activities themselves?

What Can Play Therapy Offer Immigrant Children?

Here's how therapists can help immigrant children facing specific challenges using play therapy.

Here's how therapists can help immigrant children facing specific challenges using play therapy.

Introspection—The Key to Navigating Life Effectively

The better we understand ourselves, the more chance we have of accomplishing what we want.

The better we understand ourselves, the more chance we have of accomplishing what we want.

Back-to-School Sensory Overload and How to Prevent It

The back-to-school season can be especially difficult for children with sensory sensitivities. Here are 5 tips for creating a calm and happy return to the classroom.

The back-to-school season can be especially difficult for children with sensory sensitivities. Here are 5 tips for creating a calm and happy return to the classroom.

Let's Stop Calling 3-Year-Olds Bullies

Labeling kids as young as 3 as "bullies" becomes a life sentence that limits the chance they will get the help they need to learn to be kind. This is a loss for all.

Labeling kids as young as 3 as "bullies" becomes a life sentence that limits the chance they will get the help they need to learn to be kind. This is a loss for all.

Stories Can Help Children Learn to Explore

Children learn a lot about how to navigate the world from others. New research demonstrates how stories play a role in that learning.

Children learn a lot about how to navigate the world from others. New research demonstrates how stories play a role in that learning.

10 Reasons Today's Kids Are More Anxious Than Ever

Today's generation is facing never-before-seen rates of anxiety among young people. There are many factors contributing to the troubling mental health trend.

Today's generation is facing never-before-seen rates of anxiety among young people. There are many factors contributing to the troubling mental health trend.

8 Reasons a Kind Person Can Come From Difficult Parents

Children of difficult parents are doubly likely to resemble their parents, due to both genes and environment. How do some people far exceed expectations?

Children of difficult parents are doubly likely to resemble their parents, due to both genes and environment. How do some people far exceed expectations?

A Quick Guide for Grandparenting

Being a parent is difficult, but the role is fairly clear. Being a grandparent is anything but clear. It is both wonderful and stressful. Asking the right questions can help.

Being a parent is difficult, but the role is fairly clear. Being a grandparent is anything but clear. It is both wonderful and stressful. Asking the right questions can help.

Toddlers Treat Rich People Better Than Poor People

New research shows that toddlers show a preference for wealthy people as early as 14 months of age. Why?

New research shows that toddlers show a preference for wealthy people as early as 14 months of age. Why?