Parenting matters more for some children than for others. Research shows that some children are just predisposed to be greatly influenced by the parenting they receive (for better or worse), while other children will do relatively well regardless of the parenting that they receive. And whether a particular child is highly sensitive to parenting or … Continue reading Positive Parenting for Adolescents at Risk of Depression
Why My Career is Important to Me as a Mother
A couple months ago I wrote a post about mothers with young children returning to work, citing research that found no disadvantage for children's academic achievement and behavioural adjustment (except perhaps a small disadvantage when mothers return full time). Now that I am myself a working mother with a young child, I have been reflecting on … Continue reading Why My Career is Important to Me as a Mother
Socialising Male Aggression: The Role of Fathers
Boys are more physically aggressive than girls. This is a statement that most people, and most parents, would agree with. But do boys’ aggressive tendencies come from biological differences between the sexes, or are we raising boys to be more aggressive than girls? While biology plays a role, there is clear research evidence that we … Continue reading Socialising Male Aggression: The Role of Fathers
Recognising the Hard Work of Motherhood
As a kid, Mother's Day was about handmaking cards covered in hearts and flowers at school, and cooking mom breakfast in bed. I got it, but I didn't really get it. My siblings and I often wondered why, if there was a Father's Day and a Mother's Day, there was no such day as a Children's … Continue reading Recognising the Hard Work of Motherhood
Helping Baby Sleep Through the Night – Product Reviews: What Worked and What Didn’t
At this point I feel like an expert on products marketed at helping babies to sleep longer, because I have tried them all! My son started out as a great sleeper, but around 4 months his ability to sleep longer than 2-3 hours went out the window and has never really recovered. He is now … Continue reading Helping Baby Sleep Through the Night – Product Reviews: What Worked and What Didn’t
5 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Develop Empathy
Empathy is the ability to feel or imagine another person’s emotional experience. When we see another person who is sad, hurt, or in distress, we can imagine what they are feeling and this motivates us to reach out and try to provide them with assistance. Children start to develop empathy soon after they are born … Continue reading 5 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Develop Empathy
The Earliest Signs of Autism – What Can Parents Do?
Abnormalities in social behaviour and attention are present for months and even years before a diagnosis of autism is made. As it is often the case that the parents are the first to notice that something is wrong, it is critical that all parents: 1) are aware of the early signs of autism and … Continue reading The Earliest Signs of Autism – What Can Parents Do?
Debunking Evidence in Support of Cry-it-Out
It's a decision most parents are faced with at some point – whether or not to sleep train their baby. I know it can be a touchy subject, and I know that parents have a number of reasons why they do or do not choose to sleep train. Although for the most part I don't … Continue reading Debunking Evidence in Support of Cry-it-Out
Are Children at a Disadvantage When Mothers Return to Work?
Compared to previous generations, mothers today are more likely to return to work after having children. Many women have spent a significant number of years in school and in the workforce building a career and are not willing to give that up to stay at home with children. Financial reasons also play a role, with … Continue reading Are Children at a Disadvantage When Mothers Return to Work?
Let’s Talk about Breastsleeping
Breastsleeping: breastfeeding mothers sharing the same or an adjacent sleep surface, (i.e. cosleeping*), with their infants in the absence of all hazardous factors. -- Breastsleeping is a new concept proposed by researchers from the University of Notre Dame. It is an important move towards normalising bedsharing for breastfeeding infants, allowing for proper education surrounding an … Continue reading Let’s Talk about Breastsleeping
The Rambling Mum 