Myths Debunked About Only Children

Only children get a bad rap. They are often perceived as selfish, spoiled, anxious, socially inept and lonely. And my profession, psychology, may be partly to blame for these negative stereotypes.

When we are born, our brains have a lot to learn. For the newborn baby, everything they learn about the world around them comes from their senses.

Perhaps evolution’s most wondrous manifestation is visible in the unparalleled elegance and versatility in the design of the human hand.

Nearly half of parents in a new national poll say they’ve declined a playdate because they didn’t feel comfortable leaving their child in the other parent’s care.

The host of Sunrise breakfast television show, David Koch, aka Kochie, has stirred controversy by saying mothers should breastfeed “discreetly”...

Children develop at varying rates in all sorts of ways, from when they take their first steps to when they understand that their own perspective might be different to someone else’s.

From an early age, children can make decisions about what kinds of information to teach other kids, according to new research.

Public health agencies are warning parents about using cannabis in the presence of their children. However, parents who use cannabis say that it makes them more empathetic, more patient and more caring towards their young ones

Instead of being the coolest kid in the room, how about being the kindest? Once a child understands the im­portance of their actions, good deeds, and the joy of helping others, kindness becomes fun and is highly contagious. What’s wonderful about kindness is that it is a skill that can be learned.

It’s a problem many teachers are familiar with, a student apparently struggling in class, but in fact just suffering from something that’s easily fixed – vision problems – with an inexpensive pair of glasses.

Depression is a leading cause of disability and disease for people around the world. It often begins during adolescence, especially for females, may continue or recur in adulthood and tends to become a lifetime chronic health condition.

Homework. Whether you’re a fifth-grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something a student dreads.

The UK has seen a sharp increase in teenage drug use in the last few years: the NHS reports that 37% of 15-year-olds have used drugs, and that deaths resulting from drug use are at their highest since records began in 1993

Google recently agreed to pay a US$170 million fine for illegally gathering children’s personal data on YouTube without parental consent, which is a violation under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

What is it about saying, flat out, 'I love you' to our children that has been shunned by many and may still constitute a taboo among middle-aged parents today? Novels, movies, indeed most cultures invest 'I love you' with strong erotic content. The deep, romantic, feeling-tone of the phrase reinforces the taboo...

Another school year is upon us, and both parents and children have a lot to remember as people are coming and going on new schedules: make and take lunches, bring an item for show-and-tell, carry cups to the table for dinner when asked.

Parents are often concerned when they observe their child telling lies. However, lie-telling can give us a window into understanding children’s social and cognitive development.

Parents and caregivers often wait until their children are older to talk about sexual consent. And many parents often leave “the sex talk” altogether – hoping that schools will do it instead.

The book ignited a revolution, breaking free from conventional wisdom that said children required schedules, discipline and little affection.

“Jamal” is a 16-year-old boy who sustained a concussion in a skateboarding accident in July.

With decisions to make every day, small and big, of momentary and far-reaching consequence, people who become parents put themselves on a fast track towards adulthood. They are responsible for the life of a little one now and so they move up in the ranks of generations.

Teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to report high levels of behaviors that may indicate mental health problems compared to adolescents who do not use social media at all, according to a new study.

Fidgeting is usually considered as a sign of boredom or lack of attention which can be distracting to others.

Though it’s not easy, it is possible to change the poor sleep habits of children in preschool and elementary school, experts say.

Around 1% of the population has an autism spectrum disorder, with estimates ranging from one in 150 to one in 70.

If you’re a parent of a preschooler, you might be wondering how you can help set your child up for success once they enter kindergarten.

When parents separate or get divorced, it inevitably disrupts the lives of children, and can take a toll on their mental wellbeing.

Diagnoses of mental disorders and drug prescriptions among school-age children have skyrocketed over the last two decades.

Kids are less likely to have concentration problems and behavioral issues if their parents make a greater effort to engage with their schooling earlier in the year, according to new research.

The numbers of women undergoing elective egg freezing across the Western world has increased rapidly over the past few years.

There’s been a surge in measles cases across Europe, putting people’s lives at risk according to new findings from the World Health Organization.

Inquiry-based learning emphasises a student’s role in the learning process and asks them to engage with an idea or topic in an active way, rather than by sitting and listening to a teacher.

Because I conduct research about reading, parents often ask me the same question: “What can I do to help my child become a better reader?”

Schools across the country encourage parents to help their children with homework.

It is well established that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have detrimental effects on the developing foetus.

In a recent TED talk titled No Philosophy, No Humanity, author Roger Sutcliffe asked the audience whether a flagpole was a place. Around half the audience said yes, the other said no.

The beach offers a wide open playscape where children are fuelled by curiosity.

The American software consultant I interviewed told me about an exercise he did ages ago that has stayed with him his whole life. The participants in the workshop he was in were asked to write their own eulogy, then deliver it to the class, speaking about how they wanted to be remembered.

Human breast milk is more than a meal – it’s also a clock, providing time-of-day information to infants.

The Lion King is a movie about a young lion cub named Simba, who idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and is eager for his own royal destiny.

Injury is the leading cause of death for U.S. children and adolescents, accounting for over 60% of all deaths in this group. Firearms are the second leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents, after car crashes. Firearm deaths occur at a rate over three times higher than drownings.

For all of human history, babies have been born where their mothers lived – whether in a house, hut or cave.

The deaths of twins in the backseat of their father’s car is yet another reminder of how tragedies can occur when the brain goes into an autopilot mode and loses awareness of crucial events.

In 1970, only three countries – Italy, Japan and Mauritius – banned corporal punishment in schools. By 2016, more than 100 countries banned the practice, which allows teachers to legally hit, paddle or spank students for misbehavior.

People often say that babies are like little sponges — with their ability to soak up language quickly and easily.

Imagine that your son Tommy is about to turn two. He is a shy and sweet little boy, but his behaviours can be unpredictable.

Have you heard this tale? In ancient times, an escaped slave hid in a cave only to encounter a wounded lion. Although afraid, the man helps the lion, removing a thorn from its paw.

Students who feel a greater sense of belonging with their peers, family, and school community are less likely to participate in bullying, according to new research.

As the use of mindfulness has increased globally, its importance in education has also been recognised. Though it is not yet on any curriculum, it is being used in schools around the world to improve pupils’ well-being, mental health, social and emotional learning, concentration and cognition.

Is it safe to drink alcohol and breastfeed? As physicians, we have always cautioned patients not to. As mothers, we look forward to the occasional glass of wine.

A preschooler’s day is a world of adventure fuelled by an unbridled imagination. Sparked by curiosity, they set out to discover anything and everything new while sharing about their discoveries.

There are many brands of kids’ “gummies” on the market. They are promoted as deliciously flavoured and a great way for growing bodies (and fussy eaters) to get the nutrients they need.

Babies born to mothers who have obesity are more likely to develop cancer in early childhood, a new study reports.

The term “personalized learning” is becoming more common. Indeed, 39 states mention personalized learning in their school improvement plans, as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act. Not only are states legislating personalized learning, but philanthropists are funding it and, in some cases, families are pushing back against it.

When it comes to news articles about the impact that summer has on student learning, the news is often bad.

Many parents today will tell you that they're not getting what they want from their children. Quite a few parents have actually thrown in the towel. By contrast... we believe that many frustrating and seemingly insurmountable problems actually have simple, easy to understand causes, as well as equally simple and easy to understand solutions.

More than 90% of Australian women start breastfeeding soon after the birth of their baby, but only 15% are exclusively breastfeeding at six months, despite national and international recommendations.

Not every child is a bookworm, but research shows that developing a love of reading early in life can provide many benefits.

Reminding children of their many roles—friend, neighbor, and daughter, for example—can lead to better problem-solving and more flexible thinking, research finds.

Most parents would agree that parenting is extremely complex and challenging. What works for one child, might not work for another – even within the same family.

If you want your child to have a rich and fulfilling life, one of the best things you can do is help build your child’s vocabulary.

Summer is finally here, which means we can all look forward to some fun in the sun!

For thousands of years, mothers have sung lullabies to help their babies and children fall asleep.

What does it mean to be a “good father?” While playing catch as a form of father-son bonding can be a good thing, it is necessary to challenge our idealized concepts of fatherhood gleaned from popular culture and Hallmark-style greeting cards.

What if there was a simple, inexpensive and fun way to address some of the major challenges facing humanity today.

Despite all the research that tells parents how good it is for their children to spend time playing outside, they are spending more time indoors than ever before.

Hippocrates said circa 400BC that “food should be our medicine and medicine should be our food”.

One of the most valuable lessons parents can teach their children about money might be how to give it away.

We are born to connect. As human beings we are relational and we need biological, emotional and psychological connection with others.

The benefits of music education are widely reported. Playing an instrument has been shown to have significant cognitive benefits.

Young people get a huge amount of their news from social media feeds, where false, exaggerated or sponsored content is often prevalent.

Parents often receive books at pediatric checkups via programs like Reach Out and Read and hear from a variety of health professionals and educators that reading to their kids is critical for supporting development.

Over the past few decades of Australian life, government policies have gradually offered more support to working mothers, particularly through childcare subsidies and parental leave.

Both in Europe and the US, more than 90% of adolescents have their faces buried in screens before bed. 

At the parent-teacher conference, I sat across the table from my first grader’s teacher in a chair made for a 6-year-old. 

You may have heard of play. It’s that thing children do – the diverse range of unstructured, spontaneous activities and behaviours.

Imagine you’re a 14-year-old girl on the train on your way home from school, when out of nowhere a “dick pic” appears on your phone. Surprise! You’ve been cyber flashed.

I recently worked a shift in the emergency room at a Toronto-area hospital and was asked to see a 12-year-old boy who had cut himself for the first time, on his wrist.

You know something though,” she quipped “compared to the WWIIs, the baby boomers, well … they’re so … emotionally needy!

What’s the best way to raise your child? It’s a question that has provoked the publication of numerous books, and seen authors race to coin the next quirky name for a new style of parenting.

Some Australian students are reportedly shunning Year 12 exams in favour of more favourable, and less stressful, pathways to finishing school.

The use of self-tracking and personal surveillance technologies has grown considerably over the last decade. There are now apps to monitor people’s movement, health, mindfulness, sleep, eating habits and even sexual activity.

The human species is one of the very few, along with orcas and pilot whales, where females cease to be fertile after approximately 45 years of age.

The Age newspaper recently highlighted the issue of so-called “helicopter parenting” at universities.

Each May, the United States celebrates Mother’s Day, and for good reason. According to surveys I’ve conducted, over 25% of Americans cite their mother as their number one hero.

Spatial reasoning measured in infancy predicts how children do at math at age 4, a new study finds.

Private tutoring is a growing business, with people spending hundreds of billions of dollars. But is it worth it? And how does a person pick among all the options?

The world is still reeling in the aftermath of the horrific shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attack has also raised a number of side issues, including the ethics of broadcasting the live stream of the attack, which was later shared on other platforms.

Death is, unfortunately, an inevitable consequence of life. In most animals growing old is accompanied by progressive deterioration in health and vitality, leading to an increasing likelihood of death with age.

It’s 4pm on a Thursday, and your child is on the couch with the iPad. You need to leave for the weekly music lesson in half an hour.

ClassDojo is one of the most popular classroom communication apps in the world. It claims to assist teachers to create happier classrooms and bills itself as “the simple way to build an amazing classroom community”.

Homeschooling is on the increase globally. The BBC recently reported that the number of homeschooled students in the United Kingdom increased by 40% from 2014 to 2017

Between 2011 and 2017, the number of children homeschooled in Australia grew by more than 80%. In Queensland, it nearly quadrupled during this period. This suggests one in 200 Australian students were home educated in 2017.

Warm, nurturing messages need repeating over and over again with our children.

Imagine listening to your favorite song, how it makes you feel, and the flood of memories the sounds bring with them.

A successful homeschooling experience happens when children and parents know the expectations, set targets and enjoy it.

Around 80% of secondary school students who had classes about diverse religions claim to have positive views of Muslims. This compares to around 70% who had not attended such classes.

Helping our children to develop healthy eating, exercise and screen-time behaviours is an important public health goal globally.

A New Zealand-led international study published today provides the strongest evidence yet that women can more than halve their risk of stillbirth by going to sleep on either side during the last three months of pregnancy.

Pregnant women who use cannabis may slightly increase the risk their child will develop psychosis later in life, according to a new study.