Irvine: Leaving a child unattended is considered taboo in today’s intensive parenting atmosphere, despite evidence that children at many places are safer than ever. So why are parents denying their children the same freedom and independence that they themselves enjoyed as children? 

Iowa: When her daughter was born two-and-a-half years ago, Mary Goldsberry-Troyer eagerly watched for the typical developmental milestones in her firstborn. She noted when Vivi smiled, rolled over, and took her first step.

Washington: The hungrier parents are at mealtimes, a new study shows, the more they may feed their young children, which could have implications for childhood obesity.

Hamilton: Children who are thumb-suckers or nail-biters are less likely to develop allergic sensitivities, new research has found.

London: More than half of UK parents think popular social media sites hamper their children’s moral development, according to a poll commissioned by researchers at the University of Birmingham.

Hamilton: Ads for unhealthy foods and beverages high in sugar or salt have an immediate and significant impact on children and lead to harmful diets, according to research from McMaster University.