In childhood, cartoons are one of the most watched types of media among children. But, how does this impact their development? Genetic and environmental factors, as we know, play a role in shaping child development. Cartoons are a type of environmental factor, and depending on what is shown in the cartoon, it can impact the mentality and behavior of young school children. 

There are cartoons that depict violence, which can increase aggressive behaviors in preschoolers. Prosocial behavior can decrease, and the development of such behaviors can be stunted. In addition, cartoons can take up time of childhood, leaving little room for other activities like parent-child interactions. 

Though, this is not to say all cartoons are bad or must not be watched! In fact, there are many benefits to watching cartoons. They can be a baseline to a good mental state in children. Cartoons also act as an alternative to teaching life experience that are not taught from parents and schools! 

To read more, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesdays!

The answer to last weeks question is… 1.5-3 years! This is when children start to feel independent and capable of doing things on their own. If they aren’t encouraged or supported, they might feel unsure about their abilities.

This weeks trivia question is… What do we call the ability to understand that other people have different thoughts and feelings from our own, usually starting around ages 3-4?
A) Object Permanence
B) Theory of Mind
C) Cognitive Dissonance
D) Self-Esteem

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

Changes of the Self happens during adolescence, and it is one of the most prominent changes! Erik Erikson, a children psychoanalyst, came up with eight distinct stages of development. Identity formation happens in adolescence, usually during one’s teenage years, due to the expansion of cognitive abilities. It’s the time when they seek independence, self-discovery, and essentially find meaning in life 

Personality traits (i.e., the Big Five) are embedded in identity formation. It’s not unchangeable; in fact, they are affected by environmental factors (not just genetics) that occur during adolescent development. As one grows older, their personality and identity start to morph into adult-like attributes. 

In summary, personality traits and identity formation can affect one another. It’s important to note that personality traits are not the same as personality types, which this itself requires more research on. To even shape or reshape one’s own identity, it all starts with reconsideration with how they view themselves in the now, and how they want to envision themselves in the future. 

To read more, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

As most of us know, children love playing with toys. Not only are they fun and enjoyable, but they can contribute to child development by improving their cognitive, physical, and other skills. It can also benefit child-parent relationships by having the parent actively play with their children! However, many parents wonder what type of toys are appropriate for their children, especially considering that we now live in a time where digital media is everywhere. 

A toy can be defined as “an object (whether made, purchased, or found in nature) intended for children’s play.” (Healy & Mendelsohn, 2019) Physical toys have been around for a long time, whereas virtual/digital toys have been increasingly popular nowadays. For aid in choosing what toy is best for their child, parents can talk to their children’s pediatric healthcare provider! 

Children all develop in different stages and timelines, cognitively. Generally, children would most benefit from toys that match their current development skills and strengthen new ones. For improving engagement with caregivers, toys used in imaginative play are crucial for strengthening relationships as well as social development and language! 

To read more, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ted+talk+child+development

Anne Frenald’s Ted Talk “Why Talking To Little Kids Matters” discusses the importance of conversation in language development amongst young children. While it is quite common for parents to engage in “baby talk” with their children, Frenald emphasizes the importance of quality conversation between parents and their young children. Both the amount of words and the quality of conversation between parent and child can have a significant impact on a child’s cognitive development.

The most effective way to combine both a variety of words and a high quality language interactions is through simple and engaging conversations. Rather than exposing children passively to new language through TV or radio, Frenald suggests that direct interactions between parents and their children is the most effective way to help children develop a stronger understanding of language.

Some benefits of these conversations suggested by parents include an improved understanding of their native tongue, increased development in cognitive skills, and improved social skills.

Preschool is a big adjustment for many children, and it changes their lives significantly. The preschool period is a very important stage in a child’s development, as they learn how to function within a school setting, understanding and practicing the behaviors required for successful interactions with peers and adults, and participating in classroom activities.

This study focuses on the extent to which theory of mind abilities and the quality of peer relationships contribute to preschool children’s success in adapting to being in a school environment. The theory of mind is defined as “a child’s ability to predict and understand that the behavior of others is meaningful and intentional” (Rowe et al., 2001). Acquiring the ability of theory of mind allows for children to have a better understanding of what children are thinking. Theory of mind skills are crucial for children to build healthy social connections, navigate social challenges, and successfully adjust to school.

To read more, click here!

Alexandra Lagaros, UConn KIDS Research Assistant

The answer to last weeks Trivia Tuesday was the Concrete Operational Stage. This is the period of development where children begin to form a true sense of empathy. Children achieve this state of being partially through decentration which allows children to consider multiple perspectives regarding a situation.

This weeks Trivia Tuesday question is… At what age does Eriksons psychosocial crisis of autonomy vs care occur

A. 3-5 years

B. 65+ years

C. 5-13 years

D. 1.5-3 years

Investing in additional programs other than traditional schooling is a thought that crosses many parents and caregivers minds. Should I send my child to a childcare facility before preschool to help them socialize with peers? How important is it that I select a quality preschool for my child to attend? These are questions that many parents ask themselves and as a whole, according to Duncan et. al the results are mixed.

While Duncan and his colleagues do determine that early childhood programs do play a role in helping children maximize their potential, the means in which they achieve this end remain unclear. The article concludes that it still remains unknown what methods and programs work for specific children and why those programs work. The author poses that econometric methods could be used in order to answer these key questions. Overall, there is still plenty of work to be done in order to determine which programs work and why, however it can be concluded that as a whole these programs prove quite consequential in the outcomes of childhood development.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1574069222000058

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0151729

Sports have become an absolute staple in many American children’s childhood. Whether it’s playing soccer in preschool, little league baseball over the summer, or high school football on a crisp Friday night, sports are an extremely common activity for children of all ages to engage with. With youth sports being such a fixture in American culture, one may ponder the psychological effects that youth sports have on childhood development. Researchers Christina Felfe, Michael Lechner, and Andreas Steinmayr explore this very question in their article on this phenomenon titled “Sports and Child Development”.

The good news for parents whose children engage in youth sports is that the effects on development are primarily positive. While some obvious positive effects of engaging in youth sports such as in increase in physical health and motor skills may immediately come to mind, the effects of an increase in self esteem and better communication skills are also positive effects of youth sports participation. However, negative drawbacks to exist within the context of youth sports such as the often unnecessary pressure children face in these environments that are often the result of parental overstepping.

Fortunately, as a whole youth sports assists in children meeting developmental milestones and for the most part have a positive effect on children’s psychological development. 

Parents want what is best for their children, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, and marital status. Despite this, parenting books send conflicting messages about whether tiger parenting or free-range parenting is the best approach. The one thing all of the parenting books do have in common is the fact that they all say that if your child isn’t succeeding, then you are doing something wrong. 

However, parenting isn’t about controlling a child’s future; it is much more complex than that. The speaker, Yuko Munakata, describes trying to predict how a child will turn out based on the parents’ choices as like trying to predict a hurricane from the flap of a butterfly’s wings. In reality, children can be shaped by many forces that are often intertwined, such as successful parents, successful genes, successful peers, and growing up in a culture of success.

Growing up in the same house does not make children more alike in how successful, happy, or self-reliant you are. A meta-analysis done in 2015 found a pattern across 14 million twin pairs that every single outcome they measured in the twins was heritable, meaning genes influence who children become. Environment also matters; however, it isn’t the actual parenting that has a direct influence on the child’s outcome. The same parent could shape children in different ways. Just because an event doesn’t shape people in the same way does not mean it didn’t have any affect at all. Parenting could be shaping children, but just not in ways that result in them becoming more alike! Parents have influence, not control. 

 

To watch the full Ted Talk, click here!

Alexandra Lagaros, UConn KIDS Research Assistant