Research on French and European American mothers' childrearing practices, and potential effects of these differences on children's behavioral development, is scarce. This study compared 33 French and 39 European American 20-month-old children and their mothers on exploratory, symbolic, and social play and interaction. French children engaged in…

A university child development/early childhood education professor renews her relationship with young children and with current public school teaching by spending 5 weeks in kindergarten. This article describes some highlights of her experience: the children's daily journal writing, an in-class and take-home math activity, and teaching the…

Providing children with a variety of play materials at different levels of challenge and in a variety of interest areas responds to children's individual differences and needs in the classroom. In this book excerpt, the author lists materials for play in the categories social and fantasy; exploration and mastery; music, art, and movement; and…

A portfolio assessment is an individual collection of daily drawings, photographs, writings samples, audiotapes, video recordings, and other materials that provide visual and/or auditory documentation of a child's strengths. In this article, the authors present steps on how to complete a portfolio assessment. These are: (1) Identify type of…

The loss of a family member is a traumatic experience for any child, affecting every aspect of life. In this article, we describe many of the needs of the child experiencing a loss, focusing on parental bereavement. A rationale for using support groups with grieving children is presented. Furthermore, we provide a review of best practices from the…

This paper explores the potential for using narrative to foster children's spiritual growth. It discusses the nature, origin and appeal of story and presents theoretical perspectives which form a rationale for using non-sectarian children's, adolescent and young adult literature for spiritual development. Such books avoid church-and-state…

During toddlerhood the ability to organise actions for accomplishing goals rapidly increases. The developmental changes in actions and self-process that become part of this motivational system have seldom been studied simultaneously. Fifty-seven toddlers between the ages of 15 and 35 months were observed for two sessions while working on mastery…

This study examined the changes in children's social network and specific self-perceptions during the transition from elementary school to junior high school (JHS). The participants were 200 preadolescent children (104 girls, 96 boys). Children's self-perceptions (global self-worth, perceived academic competence, and perceived social acceptance)…

This article reports on Australian research investigating the meaning and function of prayer for children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 60 primary school participants selected from six different schools in Melbourne, reflecting some of the diverse philosophical and religious traditions found in the Australian society. The three…

Learning to move and moving to learn are vital aspects of every child's growth and development. Physical therapists and educators have consistently advocated the importance of being involved in a range of movement activities and games. Movement can provide an avenue for learning and interaction with others and can be linked to language and…

This article discusses the potential differential effects of parental alcohol versus drug abuse on the family environment, dyadic adjustment, and parent functioning. How these differences may be associated with development and adjustment differences of youth in these homes is then examined.

A growing number of community childcare programs are including children with developmental disabilities. While some studies have explored the effects of inclusion for preschool and school-age children without disabilities, there is little knowledge about inclusion for typically developing toddlers enrolled in such programs or about parent…

The study of peers who dislike one another, termed mutual antipathies, is being recognized as an important aspect of a child's social world. An overview of this area and a review of the literature concerning mutual antipathies is provided. Particularly of interest is the type of mutual antipathy known as an "enemy" relationship, and…

Although a large number of children are directly abused, an even larger number may indirectly experience the effects of abuse as witnesses of family violence. However, the effects on children who witness such violence have long been unaddressed, although a growing body of research indicates that these children are affected in various domains,…

In this article, the authors talk about the Paideia program of the Asheville Middle School (AMS). Paideia is a Greek word that expresses the idea of nurturing the whole child. The Paideia Program is a systemic school transformation project based on the work of philosopher Mortimer Adler. The authors discuss the principles of the Paideia Program.…