Consequences of Emotional Neglect in Childhood. The most important property of humankind is the capacity to form and maintain relationships. These relationships are absolutely necessary for any of us to survive, learn, work, love and procreate. READ MORE

A conversation between Dr. Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D.  and Helen Benham, Scholastic Corporate V.P. and Founder, Early Childhood Division.

HELEN BENHAM: I am with Dr. Bruce Perry, Chief of Psychiatry at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, and we're here to talk about "the meaning in words." How do words come to have meaning?  READ MORE

"I love my baby. She's mine. Don't take her. I love my baby."

The tearful mother pleaded. Her child, a 5-year-old girl, was in the hospital with severe injuries inflicted by this abusive mother.The word 'love' used by this mother confuses us. Clearly, the word has different meaning to her than to most parents. How is it that words come to have meaning? When does the sound become the word?  READ MORE

"Thomas can climb high, Prudy can dance, Robbie can read, and I am good at painting." 
— A 5-year-old lists the special skills of her classmates to her grandmother.

One of the core principles of nature is that diversity brings strength. The strength of our families, communities, and societies comes from our diverse array of interests, skills, and strengths.   READ MORE

Children are such curious creatures. They explore, question, and wonder, and by doing so, learn. From the moment of birth, likely even before, humans are drawn to new things. When we are curious about something new, we want to explore it. And while exploring we discover. By turning the light switch on and off over and over again, the toddler is learning about cause and effect. By pouring water into a dozen different-shaped containers and on the floor and over clothes, the 4-year-old is learning pre-concepts of mass and volume. A child discovers the sweetness of chocolate, the bitterness of lemon, the heat of the radiator, and the cold of ice.  READ MORE