"Screen time" has become a loaded phrase, conjuring images of sedentary, isolated children absorbed in a virtual world... so-called "screen zombies"! However, it's crucial to recognize that not all screen time is created equal. In this article, the authors explore the imperative of providing educators and caregivers with…

If global warming has an upside, it may be the development of an enhanced awareness of the environment and the dangers faced due to profligate and destructive habits. The ways in which most people live in the industrialized world separate those from the natural world and hence make it difficult for them to understand and care about the planet that…

Children growing up in today's fast-paced, disconnected world are in need of family customs and legacies. Although we tend to associate traditions with elaborate holiday celebrations, these can, and should, be an important part of our day-today lives. In its most basic form, a tradition is a regular event that helps define and distinguish your…

Suggests ways of encouraging young children to write that are preferable to forcing them to try to have their work professionally published. Points out negative aspects of young children writing for publication, and offers more constructive alternatives. (SKC)

Explains the benefits of pet ownership for young children. (SKC)

Discusses ways for parents (and educators) to use the life stories of heroes, such as individuals who rescued Jews from the Holocaust, to foster children's moral courage, sense of right and wrong, and commitment to others. (MDM)

Describes the celebration of death in Mexico and gives an alternative perspective from which to examine current U.S. attitudes and practices concerning death. Discusses the role that children play in the Todos Santos, or Day of the Dead, festival and the imagery and ceremonies of the festival. (LB)

What should parents of a child who stutters do if their child speaks more than one language? Research shows that a child's language skills can affect his or her fluency, according to the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation of America. However, it has not been proven that speaking two languages in the home since birth causes stuttering. If the child is…

What is play? Many researchers have made numerous attempts to discover what play really is. In order to answer the question, a working definition of play must be found. If children learn through play, then it is of utmost importance that parents, children's first teachers, provide opportunities for play at home. Furthermore, parents need to…