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Praise is one of the most powerful tools parents and teachers use to encourage children. A simple “Well done!” or “I’m proud of you” can boost motivation, confidence, and joy. But recent psychological research suggests that in some cases, children may become overly dependent on praise.    When this happens, encouragement can shift from being supportive to something children feel they need in order to feel good about themselves. A recent study by Eddie Brummelman, Stathis Gra

How the right safety messages can help children take smarter risks For many international families living in the Netherlands, childhood means bikes, playgrounds, schoolyards, sports clubs, and a culture that encourages independence from an early age. This freedom is wonderful for children’s development—but it can also come with risks. Recent research highlights something many parents recognize intuitively: when children are excited and in a very positive mood, they are more l

The quieter rhythm of the Xmas break often gives me space to step back from day-to-day clinical work and reconnect with the research. This year, one paper that particularly caught my attention is a newly published longitudinal study by Sharp and colleagues (2026) examining how self and interpersonal functioning develop across childhood—and how these trajectories may point to a core pathway toward personality pathology in late adolescence and early adulthood. For clinicians,