Maria Riegger discusses how parents and caregivers can help teenagers build healthy boundaries. Rather than focusing only on rules and restrictions, the idea is to guide teens in practising self-control, understanding their limits, and respectfully interacting with others. It emphasizes that when teens are taught boundaries in a safe environment where they can try things out, make mistakes, and learn; they often respond with less resistance and feel more empowered.

The talk also highlights the shift from “adult does everything for the teen” to “adult supports the teen in doing things for themselves.” This means parents gradually step back and let the teenager take more responsibility for choosing how to act, while still offering support and guidance. When teens feel they are part of the process, rather than simply being told what to do, they are more likely to engage and follow through.

The overall message is helping teens form strong boundaries is not about controlling them, but about giving them tools to understand themselves, make wise choices, and feel secure in their growing independence.

 

To watch this Ted Talk, click here!

Erin Mulroy

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Parents are often encouraged to read to their children, but the conversation is usually centered around toddlers and preschool-aged children. However, research suggests that reading aloud to infants in the first year of life has a measurable and meaningful benefit long before language is outwardly visible. 

Infants starting at 2 weeks old in this study were provided books and followed throughout their first year. Families who read at least seven books per week demonstrated significantly higher expressive and receptive language scores by 9 months of age, with even greater difference by 12 months. 

Research from this study has shown that language development begins far earlier than expressive speech. Infants are actively building the neurological foundations for vocabulary, comprehension, and communication from birth. Reading aloud provides rich language exposure, prosody, rhythm, repetition, and shared joint attention which contribute to early neural wiring for future literacy and academic success. 

Importantly, the study also showed that simply giving parents clear directions to read daily increased the number of books they read early in infancy. Establishing reading expectations and routine matters. Early reading does not require long sessions or perfect attention. Infants benefit from short, frequent, positive experiences with books, even if they are moving, feeding, or only tolerating a few pages at a time. Repetition is beneficial along with familiarity, presence, and interaction. One short book per day is a realistic and powerful target. 

If you want to read more, click here! 

Angelina Stofka 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

 

The answer to last week’s question: At what age do autobiographical memories become reliably accurate?  

Is 4 years old! 

Today’s trivia question is:  

When can babies begin eating solid foods? 

     A. 3 months

     B. 6 months  

     C. 10 months  

     D. One year old  

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this week’s question! 

 

Learning to read and write in two languages can actually increase the development of phonological and phonemic awareness and metacognitive abilities in children. This systematic review explores how bilingualism affects the literacy development in children. Researchers analyzed 50 studies on bilingual children’s reading and writing development and found that biliteracy enhances cognitive flexibility, metalinguistic awareness, and phonological skills. In other words, bilingual kids become better at noticing how language works and being able to handle multiple mental tasks. It was also found that children who learn to read and write first in their home language tend to perform better when learning these skills in their second language. Bilingual education programs, especially dual-language models, help children strengthen both languages at once.  Parents and communities also play a big factor in the literacy of children, as supportive home environments, access to books in both languages, and positive attitudes toward bilingualism all contribute to literacy success. On the other hand, low socioeconomic status or limited school support can make biliteracy development more challenging. Being bilingual doesn’t just build linguistic skill, it also shapes identity and confidence. Children who see their languages as assets feel more empowered in school and later on in life.

To read more, click here!

Alexandra Lagaros

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Hi, my name is Jada Clarke, and I’m a research assistant for Dr. Rhiannon Smith’s Social and Emotional Development Lab (UConn IRB Protocol H24-0059).  In this study we’re looking into gaining more insight on how high school age adolescents deal with the pressure of addressing prejudice within their community. This study interests me since personally in high school it can be a little nerve-racking standing up for the right things and I would like to see how times have changed for current students.  I’m a sophomore majoring in Psychological Sciences, with a potential minor in Human Development Family Sciences and at the University of Connecticut. I am passionate about advocating for minorities and individuals who fall through the cracks of the system. A core part of my mission is to change the stigma surrounding mental health and address the issue of misdiagnosis, which can leave individuals feeling isolated. My approach is focused on uplifting, encouraging, and giving others a sense of purpose. I am dedicated to listening to people’s stories and ensuring they know they are not alone in their daily struggles. I deeply understand the feeling of being a burden and the hesitation to reach out for help, and I believe we need to actively foster environments where seeking support is encouraged. With my chosen major, I aim to help as many people as possible and ultimately become a child psychologist. Aladdin is my favorite movie because it brings back great nostalgia and makes me feel very happy. 

Thanks so much to Jada for being our Friday Feature this week! Stay tuned for our next feature!

Martyn Richards talks about how adults can better connect with teenagers. He explains that being a teenager is a time of big changes in the brain, emotions, and identity. Many adults see teens as difficult or rebellious, but Richards reminds us that most of the time, they are just trying to understand who they are and how they fit into the world.

He shares that one of the best things adults can do is to really listen. Instead of jumping in to fix problems or give advice, we should try to understand what teens are feeling and saying. Listening helps them feel heard and respected. Richards also suggests that adults share power with teens when possible. This means working with them, asking for their opinions, and making decisions together instead of always telling them what to do.

Additionally, Richards talks about the importance of staying connected even when there is conflict. Arguments and mistakes will happen, but those moments can still help build stronger relationships if adults stay calm and open. His main message is that when we treat teens as partners instead of problems, we can build trust and help them grow into confident, thoughtful adults.

A toddler’s relationship with a stuffed animal or blanket is actually a part of early development: attachment to inanimate objects. While it might look like simple affection, new research suggests this behavior may be a deeper coping strategy tied to early childcare experiences and even genetics. 

Researchers have explored this phenomenon using data from over 1,100 pairs of three-year-old twins.  The researchers found that these “security objects” often serve as a way for kids to cope with separation and daily stress, especially when they spend time away from parents during the day. 

As more children spend their days in childcare, early separation from caregivers has become part of modern family life. The study suggests that some kids cope with this separation by forming attachments to “security objects”. Examples are soft toys, blankets, or other items that provide comfort and continuity. 

The study also found that both genes and environment play an equal role in whether a child develops an attachment to an object. Some kids may simply be more likely to seek comfort in familiar, cozy items. 

Researchers found that comfort objects are a normal and healthy part of child development. They help children handle big emotions, sleep more easily, and feel secure when parents aren’t around. Over time, most kids naturally grow out of needing them as they become more independent, but when they’re in their young childhood, it’s something that provides needed comfort for them. 

If you want to read more, click here! 

Angelina Stofka 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

The answer to last week’s question: About how many hours do newborns sleep per day? 

Is 16-17 hours! 

This week’s trivia question is: 

At what age do autobiographical memories become reliably accurate?

1. 1 year old  
2. 2 years old 
3. 3 years old  
4. 4 years old  

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this week’s question! 

    Race is such a diverse construct, and it is so interesting to think about how children understand, or don’t understand, race. Often times we tend to think of race and the concepts of different races as an innate knowledge that we are simply born with the ability to identify. This article dives into the idea that children’s socialization in accordance with race is a conceptual idea that children develop due to what they see, hear, and are told, and it is not an innate understanding. The article explains that in multiple experiments the idea of race is different than common sense or naive biology.  

    This article indirectly emphasizes the importance of adult interactions in children’s understanding of the world around them. Children are not born with all the knowledge in the world, but they are born with a brain ready to learn and absorb loads of information. This is why it is so important to guide children and help them understand prejudice and social concepts in order for them to gather information to form opinions on the ideals that surround them. This article is very interesting and dives into the ideas of race theory in children and does a good job of showing, through experiments, how this is developed rather than innate.  

 

If you want to read more, click here! 

Jenna Coplon  

UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

In her TED Talk, Austėja Landsbergienė encourages parents and caregivers to focus less on perfection and more on meaningful connection. She explains that modern parenting often revolves around high expectations–wanting children to achieve, behave, and succeed according to adult standards. However, these expectations can create unnecessary stress for both parents and children, causing kids to feel pressured rather than supported.

Landsbergienė suggests that what children truly need are positive memories, like moments of kindness, presence, and genuine attention. Instead of worrying about how well a child performs, she urges parents to think about how their children will remember them years later. By being patient, playful, and emotionally available, adults can create a nurturing environment that builds confidence and emotional health. Her message is simple yet powerful: children grow best not under pressure, but through love, connection, and shared experiences.