Koy Roberts, Ph.D.

Gretchen Reynolds’ New York Times article shares new research behind the process of how exercise improves cognition while Denene Miller encourages parents to fight for the fourth “R” because among other things 42% of kids get most of their exercise from recess.

Some children diagnosed as ADHD may have another problem: a sleep disorder, according to researchers. Children who lose as little as one-half hour of sleep can display symptoms of ADHD.  It’s critical that parents and doctors rule out sleep problems initially.  Evidently, most parents are uninformed because fewer than 10 percent of parents can answer correctly questions about healthy sleep habits.

Two girls traveled across the country to expose the truth about girl against girl bullying.  If you missed one of their screenings you can still catch their documentary on March 30th at Harpool Middle School in Lantana.

Social media has a more negative impact on self-esteem, distorted body images, eating disorders and insecurities than traditional media.  The heaviest users tend to have the most distorted beliefs about society says Dina Borzekowski, professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who specializes in children, media and health.  “Messages and images are more targeted; if the message comes from a ‘friend,’ it is perceived as more credible and meaningful.”  

Whitney Houston “could not or had not repaired her damaged self.”  This is a good editorial with a very important message that the most important relationship we will ever have is our relationship with ourselves.

Reports of a shortage of stimulant medications across the country.

What happens when children reach puberty earlier and adulthood later? Teenage weirdness. Alison Gopnik in The Wall Street Journal writes how developmental psychologists and neuroscientists are starting to explain the foundations of that weirdness & readjust adolescence. Clue. It might just mean requiring our children to apprentice and have real responsibilities so we can actually shape and change the teenage brain for the better.

Make sure they get plenty of physical exercise.  Just as more schools are decreasing Physical Education class in order to increase academic preparation here is some new research that suggests this is not such a great idea.  I know my daughter gets P.E. about once every three school days whereas I remember getting both recess and P.E. every single day.  Not to mention playing soccer or football in the school yard with my friends every day after school.  Needless to say we weren’t prepping for TAKS or STAAR.

Just in case you are beating yourself up for mistakes made this past year…here is a list to make you realize you’re doing a pretty good job.

Sexting linked to psychological distress.  Yet even more evidence for parents to monitor and supervise phones as if they were computers.