Research For ‘Rents

using psychology studies to pump up your parenting skills

Santa says Shhhh

Should you tell your kids the truth about Santa?

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Santa says Shhhh
WARNING: The following article is NSFK (Not Safe For Kids). Children, please stop reading this immediately, and go clean your rooms. Santa’s watching…

While scrolling through our Facebook feeds recently, an alarming headline from The Guardian caught our eye:

Belief in Santa could affect parent-child relationships, warns study

We responded the same way any thoughtful, concerned and loving parents (who have also been telling their kids to believe in Santa Claus their entire lives) would:

“Huh? No!”

“What have we done to our precious children?!”

“Our family is doomed! Doomed, I tell you!”

“AAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!”

Continue reading Should you tell your kids the truth about Santa? →

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kids better to give or receive

Do kids think it’s better to give or receive?

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kids better to give or receive

The holidays are here again – which means you’ve got wish lists, shopping trips and mounds and mounds of gift wrapping to attend to, don’t you?

Well give your tape dispenser a break for a minute, and spend just a few moments pondering this simple, age-old question:

Is it better to give or receive?

Continue reading Do kids think it’s better to give or receive? →

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pbs parents experiment

D+D on PBS: Why You Should Experiment on Your Child!

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pbs parents - experiment

As a parent, you want what’s best for your kids, right? That’s why you buckle them into their car seats, make them eat all their vegetables, and read plenty of parenting articles like this one. After all, if there’s something your babies need, by golly you’re going to give it to them!

There’s only one problem: it’s hard to always know what your children truly need…

Continue reading D+D on PBS: Why You Should Experiment on Your Child! →

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family traditions - avocado festival

Family Traditions Are Fantastic

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family traditions - avocado festival

Last weekend, the Doctor and the Dad packed up the car, buckled up the kids and headed up the coast for our absolute, no-doubt-about-it favorite event of the year: The California Avocado Festival.

For three days, our family consumed as much of the green stuff as possible, including fried avocado wedges, avocado ice cream, avocado whoopie pies, avocado beer (Mom and Dad only, of course), and chips with loads of delicious dip scooped straight out of the World’s Largest Vat of Guacamole.

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overly competitive mom at the play place

An Open Letter to an Overly Competitive Mom

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overly competitive mom at the play place

Hey, you. Yes, you. The Overly Competitive Mom I saw at the children’s play place the other day.

Remember me? I’m That Other Mom who was there all by herself, watching her kids. Well, technically I wasn’t so much “watching” as I was “frantically chasing” my 12-month-old daughter, trying to make sure she didn’t fall flat on her face or stumble directly into the path of some other gleefully reckless child.

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child throwing a temper tantrum

Six Tools for Taming a Tantrum

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child throwing a temper tantrum

Picture your perfect grocery shopping experience:

You are gliding effortlessly from aisle to aisle, instantly finding each and every item you need. Everything’s on sale, your list is overflowing with deeply satisfying checkmarks, and your shopping cart wheels are completely squeak-free.

Oh, and they’re playing Adele over the store’s loudspeakers.

Yes, this day is a complete and utter dream…

…until your tantrum-throwing toddler turns it into a total nightmare!

Continue reading Six Tools for Taming a Tantrum →

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pbs parents experiment

D+D on PBS: Three Things All Parents Should Teach Their Kids About the Brain

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pbs parents - brain

When you become a parent, you also become a teacher. Some things we teach our children are useful – letters, numbers, how to say “Mama” and “Dada,” and the fact that diving headfirst down the stairs causes serious “owies.” Other things aren’t quite so important. Why exactly do we think our kids need to know the sound every single farm animal makes anyway?

But there’s one thing we parents should teach our kids about that we rarely do: the brain.

Fortunately, our newest article on the PBS Parents website makes teaching your children about the brain simple, effective and fun!

Continue reading D+D on PBS: Three Things All Parents Should Teach Their Kids About the Brain →

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