Strict parenting helps kids develop leadership qualities

September 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Parents tell their children lies in order to make them good boys and girls, says a new study. Researchers asked US participants about parental lying, either for the purpose of promoting appropriate behaviour or to make them happy.

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Parenthood is heightening the political 'gender gap,' with women becoming more liberal and men more conservative when it comes to government spending on social welfare issues, according to new research from North Carolina State University. "Basically, women with children in the home were more liberal on social welfare attitudes, and attitudes about the Iraq War, than women without children at home," Dr.

August 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The father's involvement is compulsory for healthy upbringing of kids, says a new study. The study found that when mothers and fathers enrolled together in 16-week sessions to work on their relationships, their children were much less likely to be depressed, anxious and hyperactive.

July 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - When a dad changes diapers and makes paediatric appointments, he's more likely to stay involved when his child makes the transition to school, says a new study. "If we want fathers to be involved in school, we need to focus on men building close, loving relationships with their children in the pre-school years," said Brent McBride, University of Illinois (U of I) professor of human development.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - A new study by researchers at the University of Alabama has shown that kids who have dinner at the table with the parents are less likely to get into trouble when they are older. The study showed that such kids are less prone to end up drinking or smoking, taking drugs, getting into fights, running away from home and other 'problem behaviour' as adolescents.

June 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - A father, who changes his baby's diapers and keeps a check on the child's day to day activities, is more likely to be more involved in the kid's school years as well, according to a University of Illinois study. The study explores the role of parent involvement on student achievement.

June 22nd, 2009 MELBOURNE - Parents will soon be able to "keep an eye" on their kids' mobiles phones, thanks to technology already in use by American cops. Parents can receive alerts in the form of SMS and email every time their child gets a call from an "unapproved" number.

June 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Being heavily focused on keeping up appearance might serve as a successful "advertisement" for attracting mates, however, in some species, like stickleback fish, it's the caring ones who score. Yale scientists theorize that when males must provide care for the survival of their offspring, the males' signals will consistently be honest - and they may devote more of their energy to caring for their offspring than to being attractive.

June 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a study on Asian immigrant families, researchers have found that close family ties are crucial for their successful transition to their new country. Dr. Susan S. Chuang, of the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, conducted the study after seeing a surge in immigration rates in the US, aiming to find out how these families are coping and thriving in their adopted countries.

May 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Barack Obama may be the US President, but when it comes to daughters Sasha and Malia, he's like any other "worried" father. "Now, I worry about them when they're teenagers where, you know, you're already embarrassed about your parents and even more embarrassed on TV all the time," US magazine quoted him, as telling Newsweek.

April 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new national poll suggests that President Barack Obama is personally more popular than his policies. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday, two days before Obama marks 100 days in the White House, indicates that three in four Americans feel Obama has the personal qualities a president should have.

March 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ever since Reese Witherspoon has voiced a character in animated movie 'Monsters vs. Aliens', she has got a "cool" status in the eyes of her kids, who no longer think of her as a "gigantic dork." Although the 'Walk The Line' star has won critical accolade and an Oscar for her previous work, she hasn't really impressed her kids, Ava and Deacon.

March 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - When a marriage brimming with violence goes to pieces, is co-parenting possible? It depends on whether intimate terrorism or situational violence was involved, says a new study. 'There's a tendency to treat all violence as if it's the same, but different types of violence require different interventions,' said Jennifer Hardesty, University of Illinois (U of I) assistant professor of human and community development, who conducted the study.

March 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher has decided never to move to America, as he doesn't want his kids to pick an American accent. Although Gallagher uttered his love for America, he didn't quite fancy the idea of having his kids grow there.

February 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Kids permitted to watch R-rated movies are more likely to believe it's easy to get a cigarette than those who aren't allowed to watch such films, according to a new study. 'We don't know why this is so.