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Parents, Not Kids, Are the Biggest Abusers of Technology
Tweet Share on Facebook February 9, 2011 Comment (11)Parents complain that their kids spend too much time texting and surfing the Web. But it may be that the biggest abusers of new technology are parents themselves. Sherry Turkle, a clinical psychologist and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies how people use technology, says she has found that children are worried that their parents’ love affairs with BlackBerries, iPhones, and computers are fracturing their families. Turkle elaborates in her new book, Alone Together (Basic Books, $28.95), and in this edited interview.
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Optimism Protects Teens From Depression, Health Risks
Tweet Share on Facebook January 13, 2011 Comment (2)Parents are always telling kids they need to be optimistic, but there hasn't been much evidence that optimism really does them any good. Looking on the bright side may even hurt teenagers, say some experts, because it can make them downplay the risks posed by smoking and drug abuse. That's in stark contrast to older adults, who are generally healthier and happier the more optimistic they are.
But researchers in Australia say that optimism may help protect teenagers against depression. That news, reported in the journal Pediatrics, could matter to many teens, since 10 to 15 percent of adolescents have symptoms of depression at any given time. Depression is a huge risk factor for suicide and increases the risk of substance abuse, trouble in school and relationships, and physical illness.
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How to Be a Better Parent in 2011
Tweet Share on Facebook January 5, 2011 Comment (1)If getting kids back in the groove after the holidays has you about to tear your hair out, you're not alone. I'm sure I could be a better parent if I wasn't working, cooking, commuting, paying bills, and doing all the other super-fun things on my to-do list.
But I took heart from David Palmiter, a clinical psychologist and father of three children in Clarks Summit, Pa., whose new book, Working Parents, Thriving Families: 10 Strategies that Make a Difference (Sunrise River Press, $16.95), focuses on how hectic parents with limited time and energy can do better by their kids in 2011. Here's an edited version of our conversation:
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Even Kids on Sports Teams Don't Get Enough Exercise
Tweet Share on Facebook December 8, 2010 Comment (5)Like most parents, I send my child off to soccer practice thinking she's getting plenty of exercise. But that probably isn't true.
Only about 25 percent of children who play organized sports get the government-recommended 60 minutes of activity each day, according to new research in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The children studied were active for 45 minutes on average—which is not so bad—but the young athletes spent 30 minutes standing around or sitting during each practice.
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TV Watching Is Bad for Babies' Brains
Tweet Share on Facebook December 7, 2010 Comment (33)Babies who watch TV are more likely to have delayed cognitive development and language at 14 months, especially if they're watching programs intended for adults and older children. We probably knew that 24 and Grey's Anatomy don't really qualify as educational content, but it's surprising that TV-watching made a difference at such a tender age.
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Four Loko May Be Gone, but Dangerous Alcohol Drinks Remain
Tweet Share on Facebook November 23, 2010 Comment (9)Caffeine and alcohol don't mix well, which is why the Food and Drug Administration has ordered the manufacturers of Four Loko, Core High Gravity, Moonshot, Joose, and Max to stop selling the amped-up drinks. According to the FDA, caffeine is an "unsafe food additive"—at least when it's mixed with a potent slug of alcohol.
The FDA's ban on caffeinated alcohol has been a long time brewing, but an incident in October, when nine students at Central Washington University ended up at the hospital after drinking Four Loko, might have pushed the FDA to act. The drink had 12 percent alcohol in each 23.5-ounce can; by the ounce, that's three times the amount as in a typical beer, and the alcohol equivalent of four glasses of wine. The drink comes in flavors like lemonade and watermelon. So it's no wonder that someone could down several and find himself in serious trouble.
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Ouch! How to Make Shots Less Painful for Kids
Tweet Share on Facebook November 17, 2010 Comment (1)No kid likes getting a shot, and for many children, the fear and pain surrounding immunizations can make them dread every doctor visit. But doctors can make children's shots less of an ordeal, and parents can borrow from their playbook to reduce the misery of shots.
A new study in Pediatrics detailing how doctors can make shots less miserable couldn't have come at a better time. My usually cheery second-grader fretted over whether she'd need a shot at the doctor's this morning, and was upset when she was told she would. I'd come armed with lollypops, since I'd read up on research saying that a bit of sugar just before the shot reduces pain, even in tiny babies. And I also had "The Brave Monkey Pirate," by Hayes Roberts, loaded on my iPhone for just this occasion. The story explains how Modi overcomes his fear of shots, with the help of his dad, a crab wizard, and a rock that transports him into the future. My daughter read it while waiting for the dreaded shot.
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Monkey See, Monkey Do: Teens Mimic Parents' Helmet-Wearing Habits
Tweet Share on Facebook November 15, 2010 Comment (2)Teenagers do pay attention to what adults do, at least when it comes to wearing motorcycle helmets. That's the news from a study in Pediatrics, which found that teenagers are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries in motorcycle crashes in states where helmets are required for motorcyclists under age 21, but not for adults.
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Dolphin Moms Do Best With Help From Female Friends
Tweet Share on Facebook November 3, 2010 Comment (3)Being a mom is hard work, as any mom can tell you. No doubt that's why dolphins rely on their female friends to improve their chances of producing healthy, happy baby dolphins.
Dolphins are social and intelligent, just like humans; they live in extended families and maintain long-term friendships. Now scientists report that female dolphins are more successful at reproduction if they had female friends or relatives who were good at calving, too.
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Former 'Bad' Kid Dishes on How to Deal With Problem Children
Tweet Share on Facebook October 28, 2010 Comment (3)There are lots of parenting guides on how to deal with defiant children, but this is probably the only one written by a former defiant child. Joe Newman knows all about the kids that drive parents bonkers. After being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and being put on Ritalin in second grade, he went on to achieve success in business before deciding to make a career out of helping problem kids. He has spent the past 20 years working with teachers, parents, and children on managing behavior problems. His new book, Raising Lions (CreateSpace, $18.99), explains why children today are fiercer than they used to be. I spoke with Newman; here's an edited version of our conversation.
On Parenting
Parenting may be an art, but there's a lot of science behind raising healthy, thriving children. Contributing Editor Nancy Shute explores the latest discoveries and developments affecting children's health and parenting. Send her your comments and questions at onparenting@usnews.com.
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