Suor et al. (2017) present a compelling new evolutionary framework that offers an alternative interpretation of the well-established findings of cognitive deficits in children raised in harsh early environments. They argue that such findings do not convey a complete picture of those children's cognitive development, because children's cognition…

We greatly appreciate the astute comments on Lillard et al. (2013) and the opportunity to reply. Here we point out the importance of keeping conceptual distinctions clear regarding play, pretend play, and exploration. We also discuss methodological issues with play research. We end with speculation that if pretend play did not emerge because it…

Blair and Raver (2012) have provided an organism-in-environment conceptualization of the development of stress response physiology and its relation to the development of self-regulation. They argue that we must consider the context in which self-regulation and stress reactivity occur to understand their implications for developmental outcome. More…

Lillard et al. (2013) concluded that pretend play is not causally related to child outcomes and charged that the field is subject to a "play ethos", whereby research is tainted by a bias to find positive effects of play on child development. In this commentary, we embrace their call for a more solidly scientific approach to questions in this…

The author reflects on the history of the Circle of Courage model in creating resilient children in a world where virtually all young people can be considered to be at risk. The author stresses that those people in the Reclaiming Youth movement are in the business of humanizing youth work and childcare. They continue to call adults back to the…

In 1955, the first longitudinal study of resilience began on the island of Kauai. This research continues to the present. This article presents an interview with Emmy Werner, the principal investigator. In a series of five books published over a period of thirty years, she demonstrated the remarkable ability of children from difficult backgrounds…

J. E. Grusec and M. Davidov (this issue) have taken good steps in formulating a domain-specific view of parent-child interactions. This commentary supports the introduction of domain specificity to analyses of parenting. Their formulation is an advance over formulations that characterized parental practices globally. This commentary calls for…

The study by Tefft et al. (2011, in this issue) is one of the few studies that have explored the impact of pediatric powered mobility on families. The parents who participated in their study reported increased satisfaction with their children's social and play skills, ability to move independently, sleeping patterns, and public perception of their…

Early childhood educators frequently look for new ways to help children build social and emotional skills. Teachers want to use effective tools and strategies whether they are redirecting aggressive behavior or encouraging self-esteem and friendship. Persona dolls are one approach to supporting children's social-emotional development. Persona…

In this essay, Susan Engel argues that curiosity is both intrinsic to children's development and unfolds through social interactions. Thus, it should be cultivated in schools, even though it is often almost completely absent from classrooms. Calling on well-established research and more recent studies, Engel argues that interactions between…

If we want the best academic outcomes, the most efficient and cost-effective route to achieve that is, counterintuitively, "not" to narrowly focus on academics, but to also address children's social, emotional, and physical development. Similarly, the best and most efficient route to physical health is through also addressing emotional, social,…

In this commentary for the special issue on the social and character development (SACD) research program, the author identifies some of the dilemmas facing practitioners attempting to do evaluation research in SACD in schools and discusses some of the related concerns raised in this issue's papers. His familiarity with the SACD program derives…

This paper presents an interview with Dr. Alice Sterling Honig which took place in Syracuse, New York, in May 2009. Michele Jachim Barrett of Syracuse University conducted the interview using questions prepared by the editors of "ECRP." Dr. Honig is currently Professor Emerita at Syracuse University. Her work in early childhood development, care,…

Empirical and clinical literatures have challenged the myth that gifted students do not have unique social and emotional concerns. When this myth prevails, pertinent concerns are not recognized and addressed formally or informally, proactively or reactively. Educators, parents, coaches, and even counselors may miss indications of distress. Lack of…

The quality of the verbal environment sets the stage for young children's developing perceptions of themselves and others. This document provides hands-on, practical advice for practitioners to support children's self-perception and coping skills by establishing and maintaining a positive verbal environment. Positive verbal environments enhance…