BLOG | the-baby-scientist

Welcome to my blog! What you'll find focuses on the science behind child development mixed with how that science translates to the experience of being a mom.

Some of the time you’ll get lots of science; some of the time you’ll get lots of me. Most of the time you’ll get a little bit of both. I hope you enjoy it.

Listen to Your Mother: What Children Learn by Eavesdropping

Published on Psychology Today Sometimes it feels like getting my children to listen to me is like pulling teeth. Getting out of the house in the morning for school unfolds as a series of prompts that my kids have heard every single day for years , yet somehow, they respond to each request—get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, comb your hair—like it’s the very first time they’ve ever heard it. Sometimes I have to call their names 4 or 5 times just to get them to pay at

Helping all moms survive labor and delivery

Published on Psychology Today January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day—the one day a year where we highlight the maternal mortality crisis in the US and advocate for improved care for moms everywhere. Maternal mortality is the death of a mother during pregnancy or birth, and maternal morbidity is when labor and delivery nearly causes death and results in serious health consequences. You might assume with our advanced medical technology that the US would be a world leade

Draw a scientist: A litmus test for gender disparities in STEM

Drawing by 2nd Grade Girl Published on Psychology Today Last week was a holiday week with fewer days of school for my kids, so I decided to do a little experiment with them, and the other kids on our street who were willing to participate. What I asked them to do was simple; I said, “draw a scientist.” I didn’t give them any other directions. I didn’t make up this experiment—researchers have been asking children of various ages to “draw a scientist” for over 5 decades. They

The benefits of having a positive role model in your life, and your kids’

Published on Psychology Today This past month, I lost my mentor, my friend, and the person who served as my career role model. Her name was Judy DeLoache, and she plucked me out of college at the ripe old age of 22 to start a career in academia. I worked in her lab throughout graduate school, earning a master’s and PhD under her mentorship. She taught me how to write, how to do research, and how to think scientifically. Most importantly, she taught me how to navigate a diffi