The seven papers in this issue address a variety of challenges that parents in several different cultural places encounter as they do their best to ensure their children's safe, happy, and successful development from infancy through middle childhood: infant sleep, developmental agendas, temperament, preschools, academic success, and learning to be…

Comments on an article by Rentfrow. The existence of real differences in personality-related characteristics across geographical regions is becoming increasingly clear. The current authors believe that the research reviewed by Rentfrow (September 2010) linking U.S. state averages of self-reported responses to personality surveys to a wide variety…

Grant Wood's "American Gothic," intended to represent the Depression Era, Midwestern farmer, has been regarded by many as the stereotypical representation of a true American farmer for decades. While this painting does represent farmers in the early part of the 20th century, the author feels obliged to say that it is time to drop this…

The author, a psychologist who has been specializing in end-of-life issues for over a decade, uses the death of his fiancee (Becky), following the withdrawal of a ventilator and the refusal to place her back on the machine, to discuss research and analysis of end-of-life care in the United States. After briefly discussing his own background,…