Tips of the Month — Families

Research out of the University of Michigan and reported in the March 2006 issue of The Journal of Research on Adolescence found that adolescents who use TV for companionship (as a substitute for friends) are far more likely to accept uncritically the dominant messages that they see on the screen, as compared to adolescents who turn to television as just a fun way to pass the time.

If you're living with a spouse (and kids) under one roof, you're co-parenting. If you're divorced and both you and your ex are involved in the children's lives, you're co-parenting. IIf you're raising a child together with someone you may never have been married to — whether you're living together or apart — you're co-parenting. Research out of Ohio State University found that supportive co-parenting contributed to children being better able to regulate their behavior…

Decades of research by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, PhD, has shed light on why some people persist in the face of apparent failure while others throw in the towel (or filament, as the case may be).

A study published in the March/April 2010 journal Child Development reported that sibling conflict involving older teens tends to erupt primarily around personal boundary issues. Here are some steps you can take to help minimize conflict between your teen and his or her siblings.

With our increasingly "plugged in" lifestyles, the ubiquitous availability of entertainment, and the trend to over-schedule the kids, something's gotta give. Too often, it's sleep — our own and our childrens'.

If the thought of adolescence is enough to turn your stomach, here's something to chew on: eating meals with your teenager may enhance his or her well-being. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that the more often adolescents ate with their families, the less likely they were to perform poorly at school, feel depressed or suicidal, and use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Studies out of Columbia University support these findings, leading investigators to…

Research reported in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology underscores how much a parent's own psychological condition affects the quality of their parenting, and, in turn, the emotional well-being of the children.

"Helpful" and "cooperative" are probably not the first words many parents would use to describe their young children. But surprising new research suggests that human beings are innately helpful.