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Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey: Teens do better with phone-free bedrooms, later school start times
Starting school later helps kids get more sleep and do better -- but why are so many on their phones after midnight?

Joanne Jacobs
2 days ago2 min read


Is the autism epidemic a myth?
Is there an "epidemic" of severe autism -- or a surge in diagnoses for quirky kids?

Joanne Jacobs
Feb 152 min read


It's not smart to give smartphones to young children
The younger children are when they get their first smartphone the higher the risk of depression, obesity and poor sleep habits.

Joanne Jacobs
Dec 6, 20252 min read


Best-selling bunk: We want to believe the easy answer
The idea of a student being "Nature Intelligent" is so much more palatable than "Unable to Do Trigonometry Intelligent."

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 22, 20252 min read


'Basic' readers can't make sense of the Tylenol-autism debate
Two-thirds of Americans don't read well enough to evaluate scientific or medical claims.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 27, 20252 min read


Will MAHA ban pizza? It's not a healthy lunch if kids won't eat it
MAHA wants healthier school lunches with more locally grown vegetables and less pizza. Kids like pizza.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 14, 20252 min read


Zuckerbergs give up on holistic, trauma-informed, culturally responsive schools
What if a school provided help with parenting, health and wellness and social services? A Zuckerberg-funded experiment is closing, an apparent failure.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 26, 20252 min read


Following the junk science: How a health crisis became an educational disaster
While millions of European children were in school -- mostly unmasked -- U.S. policymakers ignored the science, suppressed dissent and kept schools closed.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 23, 20252 min read


Don't blame parents for things they can't control
Parents can send children to school rested and ready to learn, but schools have to do their part too.

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 3, 20252 min read


Schools are becoming social services hubs with a little reading and math on the side
Schools are trying to solve every student's every problem, but neglecting their academic mission.

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 28, 20251 min read


Covid school closings hurt kids' learning, health and happiness -- for nothing
Reopening schools didn't increase Covid cases, hospitalizations or deaths in five countries. But kids learned more.

Joanne Jacobs
Jan 27, 20252 min read


Climb, jump, spin, fall, learn
"Spinning too fast on the merry-go-round and flying too high on the swings" are healthy for children, according to Angela Hanscom, an...

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 29, 20242 min read


Watching Nemo: Movies replace outdoor play, say parents
Young kids need to play outside -- not sit inside watching a movie, say parents.

Joanne Jacobs
Nov 10, 20242 min read


Covid stress hurt memory, 'flexible thinking' for kids and teachers, says study
Students -- and teachers -- lost reasoning, memory and executive-function skills during the pandemic. Stress? Long Covid? Screens?

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 21, 20241 min read


A la carte learning in Florida
Alicia Garcia was a part-time cooking teacher before the pandemic closed Florida schools, writes Ron Matus on Next Steps. Now the former...

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 8, 20241 min read


US follows the politics -- not the science -- on gender care for kids
Britain's new Labour government plans to continue the ban on puberty blockers ordered by the Tories."We will always put the safety of...

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 13, 20242 min read


UCLA med school puts 'diversity' first, sees failure rates soar
UCLA has become a"failed medical school" because it "cut corners" to achieve racial diversity, a former admissions staffer says. Failure...

Joanne Jacobs
May 28, 20242 min read


Schools in England will teach 'biological sex' -- not 'gender spectrum'
Schools in England will not teach students about "gender identity," under a new government draft guidance, reports Andrew McDonald for...

Joanne Jacobs
May 17, 20242 min read


Evidence is 'shaky' for 'gender affirming care,' says UK report
There's no reliable evidence that puberty blockers, hormones and surgery are the best treatment for children with "gender-related...

Joanne Jacobs
Apr 15, 20243 min read


Four years after 'two weeks to flatten the curve' ...
Four years ago, schools across the country closed their doors. It was supposed to be for two weeks or three or . . . Most schools stayed...

Joanne Jacobs
Mar 22, 20242 min read
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