Children

Analysis and Comment (26)

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There is mounting evidence that babies might have more of a moral compass than we once thought. Baby image from www.shutterstock.com

Young morals: can infants tell right from wrong?

By Evan Westra, University of Maryland

Psychologists from Yale and the University of British Columbia think they have found a way to show that infants in their first year of life possess the psychological building blocks of a moral sense…
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For women and children the risks when crossing borders are far greater than men. EPA/Yuri Kochetkov

Deadly borders: women and children seeking asylum

By Sharon Pickering, Monash University

Crossing borders is far more dangerous for some. The facts are that women and children are more likely to die crossing borders in environmentally hazardous conditions than men. When boats sink or encounter…
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Storytelling is increasingly being left behind in a crowded curriculum. Storytelling image from www.shutterstock.com

Once upon a time: reclaiming storytelling in schools

By Julie Faulkner, Monash University

With high stakes testing and a crowded curriculum, something fundamental is being left behind in education – storytelling. Some might argue that speaking and listening have always been undervalued in…
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Reading from an early age can instill healthy habits for a lifetime. “Possum Magic”, by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas. Scholastic

Worth a thousand words: the top 10 best Australian children’s picture books

By Nicholas Reece, University of Melbourne

The academics and the “mummy bloggers” are in furious agreement – reading picture books to children is one of the best things you can do for a child’s development. It also happens to be, in the opinion…
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We may have to apologise for intercountry adoptions in future, just as Victoria has apologised to the children of forced adoption mothers here. AAP/Paul Jeffers

The politics of ‘orphans’ and the dirty tactics of the adoption lobby

By Patricia Fronek, Griffith University

You might not have realised it, but it is Adoption Awareness Week. Every year at this time lobbyists pull out the big gun – the celebrity card – and Deborra-Lee Furness hits the airwaves. The messages…
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Telstra listened to customer complaints about data privacy, but they could have done more. gailjadehamilton

Telstra’s revised cyber-safety service could (and should) be better

By Mark Gregory, RMIT University

Telstra’s first attempt to introduce a cyber-safety service for mobile customers in June was a flop of significant proportions. Customers and concerned members of the public reacted strongly to the collection…
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The videogame classification scheme was revised to better protect minors from inappropriate content. Ian Muttoo

R18+ rating added for videogames … but are children protected?

By Elizabeth Handsley, Flinders University

New guidelines for the classification of videogames have been released by Federal Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare and, despite being a step in the right direction, the revisions are largely disappointing…
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Bad NAPLAN results can lead parents to seek help, but which learning programs can they trust? Test image from www.shutterstock.com

Nasty NAPLAN results: what should parents do next?

By Anne Castles

The latest NAPLAN results have arrived, and soon enough thousands of Australian parents will tear open the envelope containing their child’s NAPLAN results. They will be faced with a series of graphs…
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Schools fear of litigation could be driving bans on “risky” playground activities – like cartwheeling. Cartwheel image from www.shutterstock.com

Banning cartwheels: school litigation fears are unfounded

By Prue Vines

A few schools have hit the headlines recently for banning traditional playground activities like cartwheels, handstands, ball games and even high fives. Parents are rightly objecting to the bans, and…
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Birdbrains or copycats: Aesop’s fable offers insight as to how children and birds think. 'Playingwithbrushes'

Fable or truth: are birds as brainy as children?

By Mark Neilsen

Humans are very good at innovating and it would seem reasonable to expect our children would be too. But a recent study questions these assumptions, suggesting young children’s ability to problem-solve…
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Questions of cuckoldry and fidelity have always existed – and comfort has come from religious customs. More Good Foundation

In the name of the father: the links between religion and paternity

By Rob Brooks

Religious leaders and holy texts share deep preoccupations with sex and reproduction. From Islamic purdah to Jewish menstrual purity laws, to Vatican neuroses about everything from contraception to masturbating…
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Praising kids all the time might lead to inflated self-esteem and low regard for others. Flickr/ymc_photos

Can excessive parental praise turn good kids into bullies?

By Helen McGrath, RMIT University

When most people picture the typical school bully, they think of a kid who is likely to have been bullied themselves. A child with low self-esteem who is trying to make themselves feel better by picking…
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Finally children’s rights will be represented at the national level in Australia. Flickr/vastateparksstaff

A long wait: Australia finally gets a Children’s Commissioner

By Paula Gerber, Monash University

A national Children’s Commissioner to champion the rights of Australia’s young people was announced last week by the Gillard government. The long overdue announcement is a welcome development and should…
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The Federal government has secured rare uniform cooperation from the states on its early years learning reform. AAP/Paul Miller

The best start in life for the price of a cup of coffee

By Collette Tayler, University of Melbourne

Would you pay the equivalent of a coffee a day to guarantee a system whereby Australian children got the best start in life? From January this year, the Australian education system is changing its approach…
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Convicted murderer Keli Lane is one of Australia’s most famous cases of infanticide. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Safe haven: preventing women from harming their babies

By Lorana Bartels, University of Canberra

In December 2010, Keli Lane, a former champion water polo player, was convicted of the 1996 murder of her two day old daughter, Tegan. The new-born girl was never seen again after leaving the hospital…
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Children remember advertisements and, more often than not, they want what they see. Dimitris Papazimouris

Fat Free TV – one step towards tackling childhood obesity

By Kathy Chapman

The impact of junk food advertising on childhood obesity is a topic often debated in the media. One side calls for banning junk food advertising during children’s television viewing times while the other…
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Quality relationships and time spent together is what’s important when it comes to children’s wellbeing. Flickr/disgustipado

Shared parenting: what’s really important when dads move out

By Nina Lucas, La Trobe University and Jan Nicholson, Queensland University of Technology

The media often blame a lot of society’s problems on the break down of traditional family structures and the increase in single parent homes. When fathers no longer live at home, policy makers focus on…
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Are hormone therapies the answer to transgendered children? Flickr/PhotoComiX

Eugenics and the practice of transgendering children

By Sheila Jeffreys, University of Melbourne

The practice of eugenics is returning to contemporary Australia in the treatment of transgendered children. With the cooperation of the Family Court, children as young as ten are being put on puberty…
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ABC’s The Slap investigates the complex and very personal views of those at the heart of a smacking case. ABC

The legality of ‘The Slap’

By Bronwyn Naylor, Monash University and Bernadette Saunders, Monash University

In last night’s ABC program, The Slap, an impulsive slap changed everything. A man struck someone else’s child at a barbecue provoking a legal challenge. In real life, that would be an assault, though…
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A year four slump can be avoided if children are given the tools to read when very young. Flickr/Éole

As easy as ABC: the way to ensure children learn to read

By Kerry Hempenstall, RMIT University

Human speech has long been present in every culture, and our brains have evolved specialized features to enable its rapid development when we are exposed to the speech of others. Reading however is a relatively…
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Helping children recognise the sounds in words can improve their reading ability. Pratham Books/Flickr

Sounding off about teaching children to read

By Kerry Hempenstall, RMIT University

There are two main approaches to teaching children to read. Phonics, involves teaching children to recognise combinations of characters and establish the meanings of words based on combining them. The…

Research and News (3)

Research Briefs (19)

Moving tougher on poor children

Cornell University

Children who move frequently while young are more likely to have behavioural problems – but only if they’re from low income…

Six signs your child may become a bully

Iowa State University

Researchers in the US have identified six risk factors that help predict the likelihood of a child bullying others. These…

Babies show computers how to learn

University of California, Berkeley

Research into the cognition of babies and small children may help scientists program computers to think and learn more like…

Media ratings for children not working

Iowa State University

Parents prefer a media rating system for movies, video games and television that focuses on detailed content information…

Participants (103)