Parenting & Child Resources with Paul Holinger, MD

02/10/2026

New research shows that at just 2 months old, infants’ brains already organize what they see into meaningful categories like animals, toys, and everyday objects.

At just two months old, babies are already organizing the world in their minds. Brain scans revealed distinct patterns as infants looked at pictures of animals, toys, and everyday objects, showing early category recognition. Scientists used AI to help decode these patterns, offering a rare glimpse i...

02/04/2026

Emotions fuel actions—this article explains how that connection can lead to hitting, and how understanding it can help break the cycle.

The Genius of Charles Darwin, Anny Katan, and Silvan Tomkins Physical punishment of children is damaging psychologically and physically. Much has been written about physical punishment and the efforts to stop it (e.g., Elizabeth Gershoff, Murray

01/30/2026

This article by Elizabeth Gershoff and Jorge Cuartas breaks down why physical punishment, though still legal in many places, is best understood as a form of family violence. Grounded in decades of research, it shows how these practices can escalate and are linked to lasting harm for children.

01/28/2026

Joan E. Durrant, PhD, FRSC shared an article we found particularly interesting.

Health care savings alone justify any costs associated with child maltreatment prevention in the health care system.

IntroductionWhile the harms child abuse and neglect have long been recognized, a growing body of knowledge has more recently developed about the longer-term ...

01/07/2026

When do we first realize who we are? This article explores the surprising moment self-awareness begins—and why it shapes everything that follows.

In the transition from infant to toddler, we suggest that three aspects of development are particularly important for understanding toddlers. At about 18 months (with a range of roughly 1–3 years), three key issues

11/12/2025

Big news for children’s rights! The Czech Republic and Switzerland have officially become the 69th and 70th countries to ban all corporal punishment of children, a major step forward for safer, more respectful childhoods worldwide.
Learn more here:

Progress 70 states have full prohibition of corporal punishment25 more states have committed to reforming their laws to achieve a complete legal ban States prohibiting all corporal punishment of children, including in the home: 2025 - Thailand, Czech Republic, Switzerland2024 - Tajikistan2023 - Lao....

11/10/2025

This remarkable story highlights so many aspects of human feelings and life.

This remarkable story highlights so many aspects of human feelings and life. But two in particular come to mind in the context of human development. First,

11/03/2025

Lives in the Balance, a nonprofit organization focused on helping children through compassionate, effective, non-punitive supports rather than punitive discipline, has produced a 13-minute video, “Obsolete Brutality,” on the impact of school corporal punishment.

View it here:

This is "Obsolete Brutality: The Need to End Corporal Punishment in Arkansas' Schools" by Lives In The Balance on Vimeo, the home for high quality…

08/21/2025

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Research shows that hitting children does more harm than good. This article explores why physical punishment is dangerous and how laws, education, and parenting programs can help end it worldwide.

Read article:

https://paulcholinger.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-Cuartas-Gershoff-How-to-Prevent-Physical-Punishment.pdf

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07/15/2025

Around the age of six, children’s brains undergo a hidden yet powerful shift, shedding excess connections to sharpen thinking, focus, and learning as they enter school.

Long neglected by science, "middle childhood" between the age of six and 12 is a turbulent period preparing children for growing up.

07/07/2025

Host Harvey Schwartz speaks with Chicago-based Paul Holinger, MD, MPH. They explore Tomkins’ work on emotions, delve into infant curiosity and development, and tackle the impact of corporal punishment on child psychology.

“Now’s the time to tell that wonderful story of the little boy. He was about two or three years old, and he went in the icebox to get some milk, and he managed to get this big carton and spill it all over the floor. Now, needless to say, there’d be a lot of parents that would react very negati...

07/01/2025

Life’s missteps can become powerful turning points, offering insight, growth, and the chance to begin again.

Second Chances – and More The term “second chances” has many uses—What do we mean by second chances? It suggests an opportunity to try something again, a fresh start, perhaps a chance to redeem oneself, get