Great Kids, Great Parents

Education

Education: Elicit It or Impose It?

Paul C Holinger M.D. on July 27, 2018

Do we listen to children, adolescents, and adults and try to enhance their passions and authentic interests and talents?

Do we listen to children, adolescents, and adults and try to enhance their passions and authentic interests and talents?

Punishment

Physical Punishment—and Violence

Paul C Holinger M.D. on June 27, 2018

Physical punishment is a serious public health problem throughout the world, and it profoundly affects the mental health of children and the societies in which we live.

Physical punishment is a serious public health problem throughout the world, and it profoundly affects the mental health of children and the societies in which we live.

Psychoanalysis

Putting Words to Feelings

Paul C Holinger M.D. on June 13, 2018

One might argue that children cannot do much with words before age 1-1/2 to 3, when they begin speaking. Yet they understand words long before then.

One might argue that children cannot do much with words before age 1-1/2 to 3, when they begin speaking. Yet they understand words long before then.

Cognition

Feeling, Thinking, Talking

Paul C Holinger M.D. on June 8, 2018

All three of these possess major assets. But interestingly, they each have their own major liabilities.

All three of these possess major assets. But interestingly, they each have their own major liabilities.

Cognition

Information Processing Systems

Paul C Holinger M.D. on June 4, 2018

A helpful way of exploring human development is to conceptualize emotions, cognition, and language as information-processing systems, knowledge to better help us survive and adapt.

A helpful way of exploring human development is to conceptualize emotions, cognition, and language as information-processing systems, knowledge to better help us survive and adapt.

Emotions, cognition, and language can all be conceptualized as information-processing systems, as they are intimately connected and overlapping.

Cognition

Cognition, Part II

Paul C Holinger M.D. on November 29, 2017

We examine how smart infants and young children are, and how important it is to maintain that trajectory by supporting the effect of interest or curiosity.

We examine how smart infants and young children are, and how important it is to maintain that trajectory by supporting the effect of interest or curiosity.

Cognition

Cognition

Paul C Holinger M.D. on September 26, 2017

Infants express their feelings through facial expressions, bodily movements, and vocalizations. Babies can express built-in feelings almost from day one...

Infants express their feelings through facial expressions, bodily movements, and vocalizations. Babies can express built-in feelings almost from day one...

Cognition

Language Development

Paul C Holinger M.D. on August 29, 2017

We have been exploring the enigma of language—its power in helping us understand one another, and the mischief caused by misinterpretations.

We have been exploring the enigma of language—its power in helping us understand one another, and the mischief caused by misinterpretations.

Education

The Educational Surprise of My Life: Community College

Paul C Holinger M.D. on August 29, 2017

My first year of college was substantially different than I had anticipated, in ways both good and bad.

My first year of college was substantially different than I had anticipated, in ways both good and bad.

Anger

When Children Begin to Talk

Paul C Holinger M.D. on July 24, 2017

Language represents a huge developmental leap for a child. Once childre begins to talk, the task turns to teaching them to use words to appropriately express their feelings.

Language represents a huge developmental leap for a child. Once childre begins to talk, the task turns to teaching them to use words to appropriately express their feelings.

Language is one of the most important revolutionary advances of human beings. We will explore language with its individual development and relationship to emotions and cognition.

Anxiety

Community College

Paul C Holinger M.D. on June 7, 2017

Choosing to go to a community college after high school instead of a four-year university was not an easy choice for me to make and caused me a lot of anxiety.

Choosing to go to a community college after high school instead of a four-year university was not an easy choice for me to make and caused me a lot of anxiety.

If we want to understand bias and prejudice, it might help to understand infant development—feelings and how they work—and evolution.

Much has been studied and written about play, and we would like to consider play from a somewhat different perspective, namely, that of affect theory.

"Minimize affect inhibition... Maximize positive affects… Minimize negative affects.” — Silvan Tomkins

If curiosity, or interest, is the most underappreciated feeling, anger may be the most misunderstood.

It is silly to think that turning 21 makes one a responsible drinker. Knowledge, above all else, is the dividing factor, and education can start at any age.

Interest is crucial to our learning, exploratory activities, and creativity. But what happens when this feeling of interest or curiosity is squashed…

Ever wondered about the significance of a child's stuffed animal or blanket? And the qualities that make up this relationship? Ever had one yourself?