Parenting While Abroad

A paper published in the journal Psychological Science shows that very young children can be far more attuned to the "desires, preferences, beliefs [and] emotions" of others, including adults, than previously believed. The paper suggests that young children possess a skill many adults assume they lack: they are able to judge when a human behavior is statistically probable versus when it is unusual. Very young kids, it turns out, often know when adults are not acting as they usually do.

A recent meta analysis of paternal depression revealed that men also suffer from prenatal and postpartum depression. Depression was evident in about 10% of men in the reviewed studies and was relatively higher in the 3- to 6-month postpartum period.

A study released in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine this summer adds to the debate over whether television impairs children's language development. It found that parents and children virtually stop talking to each other when the TV is on, even if they're in the same room. For every hour in front of the TV, parents spoke 770 fewer words to children. Adults usually speak about 941 words an hour.

New research on infant sleep appears to deal a blow to those in the cry-it-out camp. A US researcher examined the role of emotional availability on infant sleep and found that regardless of a family’s night-time routine, infants with parents who were responsive and warm had fewer night wakings and an easier time drifting off. The work adds to a growing skepticism toward sleep training – not only that it may not work, but that it may, in turn, affect the parent-child relationship itself.

Wondering whether you should give your baby another cuddle? Go ahead and do it. A study has revealed that children whose mothers showed them lots of affection at 8 months were healthier, happier adults. "These findings suggest that early nurturing and warmth have long-lasting positive effects on mental health well into adulthood."

A new technology that analyzes recordings of children's voices can help diagnose autism and language delays earlier than previously possible, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system is attached to specially-designed clothing worn by the child and records all the sounds he makes in a typical day at home.

Giving infants a few drops of cow's milk may protect them from a dangerous milk allergy later on, according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The study contradicts the widespread recommendation that women breast-feed exclusively for the first six months of life. Researchers found babies exposed to cow's milk in baby formula in the first 14 days after birth seemed to be protected from developing an allergy to milk protein later in life.

Parents worry more about their children being murdered than much more widespread health problems such as obesity, a survey suggests. The findings, in a YouGov poll of 1,244 parents, contrast with data showing the risk of a child being killed by a stranger is a million to one. The risk of severe health problems for children due to lack of exercise is one in three, figures have suggested.

Wondering what an expat life means for your child? Check out TCK Academy's first free teleclass "7 Things Every TCK Should Know" and download the e-book. (Scroll down until you find the class and e-book). Registration required.

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There is no reason why we cannot say 'No' to children in just as kind a way as we say 'Yes'. -- John Holt