Like you, there are certain topics I often wonder about - one of them is why yawning is contagious. I remember reading a theory somewhere suggesting that yawning allows more oxygen into our lungs and the contagious response is because our brain automatically assumes that if someone else is yawing, there's a shortage of oxygen and we need to respond accordingly! Could that be true? It was the best explanation I'd read ... until today. Read full article
Recording of webinar with Robin Grille on 29 October 2010 - The Influencing Parent - part 1. Robin Grille talks about a different approach to getting children to behave well, and not just 'do as they are told'. He talks about why punishment of children does not work but natural consequences do.In this podcast Robin Grille also discusses the value of intrinsic rewards and the transient effect of systems such as start charts. Questions and comments from audience and Yvette Vignando, publisher of happychild. Read full article
Recording of webinar with Robin Grille on 22 October 2010 - The Influencing Parent - part 1. Robin Grille talks about the power of empathy, the foundation of good behaviour and creating an emotionally safe environment for children. Questions and comments from audience and Yvette Vignando, publisher of happychild. Read full article
A content-rich podcast on the connections between emotional intelligence in children and academic success. Children with stronger social and emotional skills do better academically and socially. Professor Cohen defines "social and emotional learning" and shares the important research on character education and emotional intelligence education. This recording is a "must listen" for every parent and teacher. Read full article
We have three boys and like many other kids, I suspect, they have had a tendency to refer to things they don't like as "gay" or even "retarded". This is playground speak and some people might advise me to just let it go. But I detest this kind of language coming from kids or anyone...language is a tool much stronger than the proverbial "sticks and stones" and I feel strongly that children need to learn about its impact and develop some empathy for people... Read full article
Sorry, I can't answer the question posed in the title of this post. I'm fairly sure that the question can't really be answered at all. And the more research I read about this issue, the more convinced I am that it's important not to generalise and stereotype on the topic of giftedness and social skills. I do believe that often giftedness in children brings with it many social and emotional challenges but I do not believe that giftedness equals lower levels of emotional intelligence. Read full article
Dr Sophie Havighurst is a child clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne in the Child Psychiatry Department. Sophie is the principal investigator in the Tuning Into Kids Parenting Program. In part 2 of this interview, Sophie talks about teenagers, difficult children and resilience. Read full article
The writer McEwan said that "Empathy is the building block of our moral system" - teaching children empathy is in fact an important foundation for raising an emotionally intelligent child. Children with good social skills tend to be empathetic and use that skill to get on well with others. Read full article
