Discusses the benefits of attachment parenting, which emphasizes parental commitment, a low-stress pregnancy, childbirth preparation, breast-feeding with child-led weaning, prompt response to the baby's crying, flexible sleeping arrangements, close-knit father-mother-baby functioning, and the avoidance of detachment parenting. Attachment parenting…

Discusses parents' roles in introducing music to children before birth, in infancy, and throughout childhood. Children need encouragement to listen, enjoy, and explore sounds, music, and rhythm. Schools must continue the process of music education. The article includes a discussion of how parents can tell if schools are successfully exposing…

Presents information on parent courses offered in the context of Montessori philosophy. Suggests that the program creates a strong bond between parents and school: carefully chosen topics recognize parents' concerns and provide support and solutions; when parents truly understand what a Montessori education accomplishes, they are more likely to…

The extent to which students' home characteristics, school factors, teaching and learning variables account for the variance of a measure of students' (n=2059) attitude toward science was investigated. The results indicate that most students come from homes that may not foster positive attitudes toward science and that variables that could lead to…

Examines four dimensions of peacemaking that teachers at all grade levels can practice with students in the classroom and encourage parents to support at home. Focuses on the importance of an affirming climate, modeling and promoting cooperation, teaching conflict resolution skills, and family/class meetings. (DMM)

Maintains that parents and physicians should adopt a tender love, rather than a tough love, approach when dealing with adolescents with behavior problems. The discussion is highlighted by a case study of a 15-year-old boy. (BB)

A device for organizing practitioners' observations, the Maternal Characteristics Scale is used here to identify traits that distinguish samples of Caucasian neglectful mothers from those who are not neglectful. This replication of the scale supported earlier findings that relatedness, impulse control, confidence, and verbal accessibility were…

Provides an evolutionary account of the human affectional system. Warmth is conceptualized as a reward system which evolved to facilitate cohesive family relationships and paternal investment in children. Warmth must be distinguished from security of attachment. Relationships based on warmth can coexist with relationships based on exploitation.…

Notes that parents need to be supported, valued, and educated to contribute to healthy sexual development of their children. Presents rationale for counselors to guide parents as primary sex educators for their children through collaboration with counselors, administrators, and parents. (Author/NB)

Describes investigation exploring relationships between adolescents' reports of fathers' interest in them, fathers' interest in adolescent relative to a sibling, and adolescent self-esteem in postdivorce, mother-headed families and two-parent, always-married families. Suggests adolescents with low-interest and differentially interested fathers had…

Reports the results of interviews with three-, four-, and five-year-old children at various child care centers in Columbia, South Carolina, concerning their fears. The fear of "monsters" was most often reported. Suggests what parents and teachers can do to help children cope with their fears. (BB)

The significance of ethnicity in the development of self-concept is addressed in an article that focuses on African-American children. Topics include the transmission of cultural values through oral tradition, the proverb tradition in the socialization of African-American children, and implications for parents and early childhood teachers. (GLR)

Study of problems experienced by ninth and eleventh grade Israeli students (n=1,645) indicated that younger adolescents were concerned with studies/career problems and with social "I"; older adolescents were concerned with existential issues and army/national service. Boys were concerned with existential issues, army/national service,…

Surveyed adults who were parents of preschool children and employed in dual-earner families. Found that adults' high commitment to roles was not associated with psychological well-being; diverse sources of support for women were linked with their psychological states; and men's well-being was responsive to wives' support. (BC)

This naturalistic study analyzed videotape recordings of nine individualized family service plan meetings in early intervention programs attempting to actively involve parents in the planning process. Results indicated that parents have attained partial decision-making power, but greater attention to parent participation is needed in goal setting,…