If parents are the fixed stars in the childs universe, the vaguely understood, distant but constant celestial spheres, siblings are the dazzling, sometimes scorching comets whizzing nearby.

What teenagers want most of all are social rewards, especially the respect of their peers.

Texts and e-mails travel no faster than phone calls and telegrams, and their content isn't necessarily richer or poorer.

Adults often assume that most learning is the result of teaching and that exploratory, spontaneous learning is unusual. But actually, spontaneous learning is more fundamental.

I'm afraid the parenting advice to come out of developmental psychology is very boring: pay attention to your kids and love them.

Developmental scientists like me explore the basic science of learning by designing controlled experiments.

The brain is highly structured, but it is also extremely flexible. It's not a blank slate, but it isn't written in stone, either.