#child-development

#child-development

The general attitude was, 'Well, what are you going to do? The technology is here to stay. This is the way the kids connect. You can't fight the future,' Haidt tells TODAY.com after his broadcast appearance on Sept. 11. He has been advocating for a play-based childhood rather than a phone-based one.

We've all heard it before: "You are the way you are because of your genes." And yes, biology does shape us. But it's not the entire story and definitely not the final one. Our genes don't hand us a fixed script. They just give us a rough draft, an opening scene, a few characters, and some possibilities. Then life shows up, changes the plot, adds new chapters, and helps us write something completely different.

Riding a bike as a kid wasn't just fun-it was independence. That feeling is one of the biggest reasons cycling became such an important part of my life. It gave me confidence. It gave me joy. And it taught me how to move through the world on my own terms. But I look around today, and I don't see nearly as many kids on bikes.

When my oldest son Edwin first started preschool, it was incredibly stressful. He was about 3, and it was the first time in a big classroom for him. As a sensitive, quiet child, he was very upset on the first day. He cried and clung to me, and it broke my heart to see his little hand reaching for me with tear-soaked eyes as I left him there. Needless to say, I cried too.

Ten is an age unlike any other. Childhood still lingers like a soft melody, yet the whispers of adolescence are beginning to stir. At ten, children live in a magical balance-half dreamer, half discoverer. They are bold, curious, and ready to stretch their wings, but they still find delight in wonder, play, and imagination. The toys we give a 10-year-old are more than gifts. They are tools of growth, bridges of connection, and vessels of joy. A toy at this age is not simply plastic and color-it is a spark that shapes confidence, creativity, and lifelong passions.

Despite studies, research and recommendations, there are still no uniform international rules on how much screen time is safe for children. Not only does every child have different needs, but by the time science has collected enough data to make a recommendation, technology and social norms are already several steps ahead. But there are a few principles that doctors, psychologists, addiction researchers, and media educators agree on.

Snowplow parenting, experts say, is usually born out of love and care, but can lead to issues for the child later in life. What Is a Snowplow Parent? A parent who regularly removes obstacles from their child's figurative path is often referred to as a snowplow parent. Just as a snowplow smoothes the path for those behind it, a snowplow parent steps in to smooth things over before their child has an opportunity to encounter a challenge.

What exactly constitutes a meltdown? As Lorain Moorehead, an individual and family therapist, explains, a meltdown is, on some level, a child's expression of their opinion or preference. "Their body is dysregulated either because of their real or perceived need not being met, and they are communicating it with the tools they have available in the moment, which in the case of a meltdown might be tears, volume, or other means to return to a state of control," she says.

In South American Indigenous communities, a child's place is wherever they choose to be. Babies crawl on the earthen floor, approach the fire, investigate anthills, and experience the world with their whole bodies. They learn by feeling: discovering limits, recognizing dangers, and gathering lessons no manual could ever teach. In urban contexts, by contrast, children are often confined to spaces designed for adults, filled with rules that-though well-intentioned-tend to distance them from essential experiences.

"Me help? Me help?" If you're a parent to a toddler, you've likely heard this enthusiastic phrase countless times. Toddlers are naturally curious and thrive on routine, and they genuinely get a sense of joy and accomplishment from helping around the house. However, finding toddler-friendly chores that are safe, age-appropriate, and manageable can sometimes be a challenge. Many household chores require fine or gross motor skills that toddlers simply haven't mastered yet, making it essential to find tasks that fit their abilities.

Children who practice metacognition learn to analyze tasks and estimate their own effectiveness.

Danielle expressed that parenting six individual children is challenging as they all want to go different directions, despite the days of diapers and naps being behind them.

During Rainy's first 3 years, we had noticed that she avoided other kids, struggling to handle the sounds, excitement and demands of group play.

Every baby, Klein saw, is destined to realize a painful truth: beloved caregivers are not always there, and are not always perfect.

Nintendo has announced a new app called Hello Mario! which features a giant Mario head that reacts to player input, reminiscent of Super Mario 64.

The CSF Center is a transformative space for children with disabilities in Shahzadpur, Bangladesh, promoting social responsibility and wellbeing for the entire community.

While part of me feels guilty that we didn't work on the core skills as intended, I probably wouldn't do things differently even if we could somehow do the summer over again. My daughter made significant advances in vocabulary from all of her audiobooks, now using words like "quivering" in sentences.

"When children enjoy what they are doing and where they are going, the entire family unit is strengthened. Happy, contented children are more motivated, focused, and have greater attention spans."

A new global study, involving over 100,000 individuals across 59 countries, suggests that owning a smartphone before the age of 13 may mark a critical threshold in a child's cognitive and emotional development.

Only 11 of 56 critical future skills involve technology. The rest are developed through daily conversations, focusing on essential human interactions and skills.

The central element of DEYA Day Care is a custom system of off-white canvas tents, metal frames, integrated lighting, and platforms, creating intimate multifunctional shelters for play and rest.

"I think of playgrounds as a primer of shapes and functions; simple, mysterious, and evocative-thus educational" Isamu Noguchi

Aiden, Jaiden, Kaiden ... any variant of those are, more often than not, handfuls!