ACX
Chip Off The Old Block
Scott reflects on having young children and how they've inherited specific traits, preferences, and quirks from both him and his wife in surprisingly precise ways.
27 min read 4,128 words
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child development
Essays tagged “child development”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on child development
13 essaysACX
The Permanent Emergency
Scott shares humorous anecdotes about the daily chaos of raising toddler twins, from emergency police visits triggered by screaming over the wrong version of a song, to elaborate bedtime battles and the children's obsession with identifying vehicles and animals.
19 min read 2,851 words
ACX
Book Review: Selfish Reasons To Have More Kids
Scott reviews Bryan Caplan's book arguing that modern parents can relax their intensive parenting, while wrestling with whether this advice still applies in the age of smartphones and social media.
43 min read 6,596 words
ACX
In The Long Run, We're All Dad
Scott Alexander recounts his journey to fatherhood, blending personal experiences with broader reflections on progress, rationality, and the future his newborn twins will face.
26 min read 4,000 words
ACX
More Thoughts On Critical Windows
Scott examines 'critical windows' in human development, comparing them to AI learning processes and discussing their mysterious nature.
5 min read 642 words
ACX
Critical Periods For Language: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander investigates the claim that children learn languages faster than adults, finding it partially true but more nuanced than commonly believed.
16 min read 2,373 words
ACX
Obscure Pregnancy Interventions: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander examines obscure pregnancy interventions that may improve child outcomes, rating them by evidence quality and potential impact.
80 min read 12,326 words
ACX
Against That Poverty And Infant EEGs Study
Scott Alexander critiques a study claiming cash payments to poor mothers increased infant brain function, highlighting statistical and methodological issues that undermine its positive conclusions.
15 min read 2,177 words
ACX
Highlights From The Comments On Missing School
Scott Alexander discusses and responds to comments on his article about the effects of missing school, exploring various perspectives and reflecting on education's value and impact.
41 min read 6,239 words
ACX
Your Book Review: How Children Fail
The review examines John Holt's 'How Children Fail', critiquing traditional education and suggesting modern alternatives to improve learning.
31 min read 4,733 words
SSC
Book Review Review: Little Soldiers
Scott Alexander reviews a book about Chinese education, comparing it to criticisms of US schools and examining evidence for discipline-focused vs. creativity-focused approaches to education.
24 min read 3,627 words
SSC
Book Review: Raise A Genius!
The post reviews Laszlo Polgar's book on raising genius children, discussing his educational philosophy and methods, while noting that his success likely comes from early specialization, focus, and one-on-one instruction.
33 min read 4,969 words
SSC
Genetic Russian Roulette
Scott Alexander describes his increasing hesitation to have children due to his experiences with rare genetic disorders and difficult patients in psychiatry and medicine.
15 min read 2,240 words