According to a new study published in the journal, Developmental Science, hesitant speech may help children learn new vocabulary words.  When a toddler hears a speaker using “um” or “uh” while speaking, the hesitancy serves a cue that a new word is coming next.  While the ability to use disfluencies as learning clues seems to develop over the second year of life, researchers are still curious to learn more about out what exactly children know and understand about the “ums” and “uhs” in speech. 

http://www.livescience.com/13719-speech-stumbles-teach-toddlers.html

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/News/pages/Depression-in-Dads-Affects-Parenting-Behaviors.aspx

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences tracked a socioeconomically diverse group of children in New Zealand from birth to age 32.  Results found that children who scored higher on assessments of self-control as toddlers were more likely to be successful as adults, in terms of indicators such as health and financial security. 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704279704576102164041456434.html

 A recent study conducted by the Internet Security Company AVG found that 52% of children ages two to five years old are able to operate a smart phone or tablet computer, while only 20% could swim and only 11% could tie their own shoes.  The article briefly summarizes the series of studies that examine how young children’s interaction with technology is evolving.

http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/434010_kids24.html

For a paper in Psychological Science, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Virginia looked at 750 pairs of American twins who were given a test of mental ability at the age of 10 months and then again at the age of 2.  The studies found that generally, in measuring many traits from intelligence to self-control, factors such as genes and peer groups are far more influential than the home environment. 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703954004576090020541379588.html

A new study conducted by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health examines the impact of intensive early education programs on the health and health behaviors of low-income children.  

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110114155340.htm

Early childhood experts such as Roberta Golinkoff, Kathy Hirsh Pasek, and Joan Almon discuss the importance of play in childhood, and the potential harm less time for play may have on healthy development.  The article includes way that parents and the society at large can help foster free play and playful experiences.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/garden/06play.html?_r=2

A recent study, which appeared in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, found once again that television watching for infants and toddlers is not only not educational, it may even stunt their development.  One specific finding from this study  concluded that babies who watch TV are more likely to have delayed cognitive development and language at 14 months, especially if they’re watching programs intended for adults and older children. 

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/parenting/tv-watching-bad-babies-brains

This article explores the significance of babies’ babble, and how these first sounds and utterances lead to more advanced communication, including both receptive and productive language.  It appears that babies’ around the world babble in similar ways, and researchers are becoming increasingly interested in interpreting these sounds and the impact they have on both cognitive and social development.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/health/12klass.html?_r=1

Supporting young children’s development means providing limits as well as opportunities.  Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute explains why discipline is important and how it can be used in ways that support the healthy social and emotional growth of toddlers and preschoolers.   

 http://www.king5.com/on-tv/Learning-for-Life-How-to-best-discipline-your-young-children-90099932.html

http://www.king5.com/news/learning-for-life/Learning-for-Life-That-Talaris-Institute-80946497.html

Boeing continues to be a leader in supporting early childhood education by providing child care on site and offering parenting education classes from Talaris Institute.  Employees appreciate the emphasis on family agree that it promotes a positive and productive work environment.  

http://www.king5.com/news/learning-for-life/Learning-for-Life-Boeing–80946357.html

Katie Simons, Executive Director of Talaris Institute, explores the role of the private sector in influencing early education and how organizations like Talaris Institute can best support parents and caregivers.

http://www.king5.com/news/learning-for-life/Learning-for-Life-Interview-with-executive-director-of-Talaris-Institute-80946692.html

Time, love and patience are perhaps the three most important gifts parents can share with their children.  Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute explains how these pillars of positive parenting help to create a strong and secure foundation for a child’s healthy growth and development.

http://www.king5.com/on-tv/Learning-for-Life-Give-your-time-love-and-Patience-79240512.html

The baby-parent bond serves as the foundation for a child’s social and emotional development and continues to develop as the child grows and gets older. Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute explains how parents serve as role models for their infants and toddlers and how they help their children develop socially and emotionally.

http://www.king5.com/archive/64597227.html

Playing is learning, but parents definitely tackle it from different angles. Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute addresses the different but important benefits that mothers and fathers offer as their children’s playmates. Fathers tend to be a bit louder, rowdier and rougher when they play with their children, while mothers are more cautious and intentional.

http://www.king5.com/news/local/60834377.html

University of Chicago professor James Heckman is one of the nation’s leading proponents of early childhood education. Heckman basis his advocacy on the belief that investing in children from birth through five years of age is essential and pays enormous dividends. The educator explains his theory and how he thinks schools can help children build a healthy foundation for life.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111572288&sc=emaf

Becoming a parent can be a dramatic, and even traumatic, experience for many people. Roles shift. Sleep becomes a distant memory. And then there’s the new reality that there’s no “time off” from parenting. Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute explores the transition to parenthood and some of the most important ways to prepare emotionally.

http://www.king5.com/archive/60424507.html

Words are good. Conversation is better. That’s the message of a study released today in the journal Pediatrics that links young children’s language skills to the amount of time that adults engage them in back-and-forth exchanges. Past research has shown that cognitive abilities are strongest among children whose parents use many words in speaking to them. Today’s study builds on those findings, showing what many child development experts have stressed for years—that some of the strongest learning moments happen in interactions between caregivers and young children.

http://www.newamerica.net/blog/early-ed-watch/2009/ucla-study-give-young-children-chance-converse-12838

Children need play. Before the age of five, experts agree, playing is learning. It’s how children explore the world around them and grow physically and mentally. Carolyn Pirak from Talaris Institute discusses the importance of play and how it differs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

http://www.king5.com/archive/60068777.html