Author: Chien Liu
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What Is Positive Parenting? What the Research Actually Shows
Positive parenting is one of the mostwidely used terms in contemporary parentingculture — and one of the most variablydefined. To some parents it means praisingchildren frequently. To others it meansnever saying no. To others still it isa specific evidence-based approach witha clear definition and a strong research base. The research on positive parenting ismore specific…
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What Is Emotional Regulation in Children? A Parent’s Guide
Emotional regulation is one of the mostimportant capacities in child development —and one of the most frequently misunderstoodby parents who confuse it with emotionalsuppression. A child who is emotionallyregulated is not a child who never feelsdifficult emotions. They are a child whocan experience difficult emotions withoutbeing overwhelmed by them — who can feelangry without hitting,…
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How to Help a Child Who Is Being Left Out: What the Research Says
Being left out is one of the most painfulexperiences of childhood — and one of themost common. The child who is not invitedto the birthday party, who sits alone atlunch, who is excluded from the groupat recess — these experiences leave marksthat parents feel deeply and often do notknow how to address. The research on…
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Stepparent and Stepchild Relationships: What the Research Says
The stepparent-stepchild relationshipis one of the most complex and mostmisunderstood relationships in family life.It is a relationship that is asked tocarry enormous weight — to functionlike a parent-child relationship —while being built under conditionsthat are fundamentally different fromthose in which parent-child relationshipsdevelop naturally. The research on stepfamilies is morespecific and more nuanced than thepopular narratives…
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How to Help Siblings Get Along: What the Research Says
Getting siblings to get along is oneof the most common — and most challenging —parenting goals. The children who sharea home, a family, and a childhoodtogether are also the children whofight over toys, compete for attention,irritate each other with remarkableprecision, and can make an ordinaryTuesday feel like a battle zone. The research on sibling relationshipsis…
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Sibling Rivalry vs Sibling Conflict: What the Research Says
Sibling rivalry and sibling conflictare two terms that parents often useinterchangeably — but the researchidentifies them as meaningfully differentphenomena with different causes, differentdevelopmental trajectories, and differentimplications for how parents respond. Understanding the distinction is oneof the most practically useful thingsa parent of multiple children can do —because the response that helps withone can make the…
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How to Prepare Your Toddler for a New Baby: What the Research Says
The arrival of a new baby is one of themost significant transitions a toddlerwill face — and one that parents oftenapproach with more anxiety than necessary,or less preparation than would help. The research on toddlers and new siblingsis specific and actionable. This articlecovers what the evidence shows abouthow toddlers understand and respondto a new baby,…
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What Is Serve and Return? The Most Important Thing You Do With Your Baby
Serve and return is one of the most importantconcepts in early childhood development —and one of the least known outside ofprofessional circles. It describes somethingthat loving, attuned parents do naturallyin their best moments — and something thatthe research identifies as the primarymechanism through which infant brainsare built. This article covers what serve and returnactually is,…
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How to Handle Toddler Tantrums: What the Research Says
Toddler tantrums are one of the mostuniversal — and most exhausting —experiences of early parenting.The child who was happily playingone moment is on the floor screamingthe next. The parent who was calmlygoing about their day is suddenlymanaging a full emotional stormin the middle of the supermarket. The research on toddler tantrumstells a story that is…
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Birth Order and Siblings: What the Research Actually Shows
Birth order is one of the most populartopics in popular psychology — and oneof the most misrepresented. The ideathat firstborns are responsible andachievement-oriented, middle childrenare overlooked and people-pleasing,and youngest children are charmingand rebellious has become so embeddedin popular culture that many peopleaccept it as established fact. The research tells a more complicatedand more honest story.…