Children and youth can face emotional strains after a traumatic event such as a car crash or violence. Disasters also may leave them with long-lasting harmful effects. When children experience a trauma, watch it on TV, or overhear others discussing it, they can feel scared, confused, or anxious. Young people react to trauma differently than…

This digest explores some of the reasons for spanking, examines its effectiveness, and suggests alternative discipline methods. Many parents believe that spanking will teach children not to do things that are forbidden, stop them quickly when they are being irritating, and encourage them to do what they should. Others believe nonphysical forms of…

When children play with a broad variety of toys, the experiences help them to develop to their fullest potential. This booklet is designed to help parents provide the best play opportunities for children. It describes how the toy industry and government work together to ensure toy safety and offers simple charts to guide parents in toy shopping.…