Asserts that family dinners deserve attention as a positive contributor to children's well-being. Maintains that family dinners give stability to a potentially confusing day, present a place for children to express themselves, and provide children's first community. Includes ideas for helping families identify their own dinner patterns and…

Prosocial behavior is important for the functioning of society. This study investigates the extent to which environment shared by family members, nonshared environment, and genetics account for children's prosocial behavior. The prosocial behavior of twins (9,424 pairs) was rated by their parents at the ages of 2, 3, 4, and 7 and by their teachers…

The daily educational experiences of a young child affect not only the child but also the family. The time and energy a family invests to achieve optimal educational experiences will likely impact the whole family system. As such, early education service providers are responsible for decreasing the challenges that parents experience so that…

This study examined mothers' teaching about home-safety issues to 24-30 month and 36-42 month old children, explored the relationship of teaching strategies to parenting styles, and assessed how these factors are related to children's risk of unintentional injury. A structured interview assessed home-safety issues relevant to falls, burns, cuts,…

Using data from the final two rounds of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a longitudinal study begun in 2001, this First Look provides a snapshot of the demographic characteristics, reading and mathematics knowledge, fine motor skills, school characteristics, and before- and after-school care arrangements of the cohort…

Parents, teachers, and other caregivers need to be aware of certain fundamental concepts to protect children from assault, abuse, and neglect. Among other things, children need: to understand what being a "stranger" means; to have sources of self-esteem (that thrive when children are loved unconditionally); to have good communication…

Emphasizing that beginning literacy consists of experiences during the first years of life that lead to reading and writing, this booklet offers practical tips for parents who wish to create a literate home environment for their young children. The booklet discusses reading with the child, listening and talking to the child, going to the library…

Written for parents and other caregivers, this handbook describes techniques and strategies to use to effectively change children's behavior when it is necessary to do so. The first three sections focus on the need for caregivers to understand themselves, their tolerance levels, preferences, and needs in order to clarify their strengths and…

A picture story about the preparation of a child for school is presented. Topics included are: the early years, the changing process, individual differences, preparing for learning, preparation for reading, learning with others, self-reliance, self-care, sharing, preparation for the future, reading readiness, and creativity. (CK)

Maintains that a positive self-image is of vital importance to a person who is to be successful in life, and is the most important gift parents, teachers, and caregivers can give a child. Also provides examples of how one can help build a child's self-image. (BB)

Compared marital adjustment of 210 employed wives with no children, infants, and/or preschoolers. Although childless wives reported higher levels of marital adjustment and emotional quality of home environment than did mothers, differences were primarily due to mothers with two children and mothers with male children. (NRB)

In this description of an unusual family, accounts are given of the later development of two sisters who had suffered severe social and emotional deprivation in infancy. The development of a half brother who was raised elsewhere is recounted, and discrepancies in development are discussed.(RH)

The "Everyday Learning" series has been developed to focus attention on the everyday ways in which children can be supported in their growth and development. Many of one's earliest memories are likely to be about time spent in the kitchen. Licking the bowl, setting the table, doing the dishes, chatting about the day, eating a meal,…

The "Everyday Learning" series has been developed to focus attention on the everyday ways in which children can be supported in their growth and development. It is for all those who are involved in children's development and learning, including people caring for young children in their own or others' homes, such as parents, grandparents…