As would befit my geeky status, I have about three million links I would like to share.
How many is too many?

BRAINSTUFF:

www.brainwave.org.nz
Brainwave is a charitable trust here in Aotearoa/New Zealand with a commitment to disseminating information about early brain development to everyone we can. I am a founding member of the crew in Te Waipounamou/the South Island.

http://www.childtrauma.org/
Bruce Perry is a rockstar of neuroscience. This website and its ‘online university’ component deserve to be bookmarked universally.

www.developingchild.net
This is the website of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC), which is a multi-disciplinary collaboration comprising leading scholars in neuroscience, early childhood development, pediatrics, and economics. Get some in.

www.thebeautifulbrain.com/
the art and science of the human mind. This Geek is hooked.

http://www.developingchild.net/pubs/sb.html
Publications from NSCDC. Yes.

http://www.biopsychology.com/news/
here are an array (tens of thousands!) of fabulous links to news, info, research… all things brainiac

www.brainmaps.org
Tons of visual brain images. Mmmmm. Icky.

http://www.ipmc.cnrs.fr/%7Eduprat/neurophysiology/discover.htm
more images here. See brains one neuron at a time or as a whole.

http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/neurobiology.html
More brain images: these are cool little animations of various brain functions.

http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/index_i.html
this website from McGill University in Canada rules the school. You can choose the complexity of information that you get, from a huge range of brainiac topics.

http://nie.redding.com/specials/brainchild/day1/brain7.swf
This is a ‘tour’ of the developing brain of a child.

http://pathology.mc.duke.edu/neuropath/nawr/nawr_index.html
Neuro anatomy web resources. Rich, deep, thank you.

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/ramachandran06/ramachandran06_index.html
Link to an article all about mirror neurons. I am a geeky girl, and I find this infinitely fascinating.

http://www.bookofjoe.com/2005/01/behindthemedspe_2.html
Meditative brains. LOVE this.

http://www.med.harvard.edu/publications/On_The_Brain/
Here you can download newsletters from the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute.

MEDITATION and LOVE and HAPPINESS

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/02/030204074125.htm
mindfulness mediation and our juicy brains.

http://www.happinessresearchinstitute.com
for a collection of research and juicy reading

http://www.news.wisc.edu/10420
And some more coverage about mediation and the brain. Why don’t we all meditate every day? All of us. World leaders, children, police, shopkeepers, especially mums.

http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx
Hmmm … who will sponsor my Masters in Applied Positive Psychology? This page also has lots of links to quizzes where you can test your optimism, happiness, and beyond. I am in love.

http://yogawithadriene.com/
Adriene might be about to become your new best friend. She’s a lovely, lovely yoga teacher with a refreshing philosophy … Find What Feels Good! I’m such a fan, I even own a t-shirt.

TOUCH:

No, I’m not being sexual and suggestive. I have a real interest in the power of calming touch as a source of comfort, pain relief, and all-round deliciousness.

http://cercor.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/13/3/308
Link to research article about the brain’s response to various types of touch.

http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/
Dr. TIffany Field and the Touch Research Institute. Bow, learn.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19826561.900-cuddle-%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20chemical-could-treat-mental-illness.html
a ‘cuddle chemical’

http://www.healthyfamily.org/
infant massage and beyond

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

www.playcentre.org.nz
because Playcentre does, in fact, rule.

www.pitc.org
this is the website of the Program for Infant/Toddler Care in California. I am a certified trainer for this deluxe information. Ron Lally, I love you.

www.zerotothree.org
Great stuff.

http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/
Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood. Hell, yeah.

http://www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca/home.asp?lang=EN
Canadian website … awesome. Their ‘Early Childhood A-Z’ makes the site easy to access.

http://www.childcarecanada.org/index.shtml
I think I love Canada. This is another of my favourites: it’s a link-fest to all kinds of research. Go nuts. There are a cornucopia of delights here.

http://www.4children.org/index.htm
Action Alliance for Children – loads of useful articles in a variety of languages.

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/feelings_and_behaviours/everyday_feelings/childrens_emotions.html
This is a page within the EXCELLENT website of Early Childhood Australia (if you’re not subscribed to their ‘ECA WebWatch, you want to be) and the links here deal with children and emotion. Good times.

www.naeyc.org
classic.

http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v7n2/forman.html
Beautiful article within the magnificent online journal Early Childhood Research and Practice all about observation of and wondering with children. Homepage is here: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/ Thank you, Lillian Katz!

http://www.whatworksforchildren.org.uk/index.htm
British site – title says it all really. What Works for Children is a collection of information about evidence based practices that help us make the best choices for children.

http://www.nurturegroups.org/
Very exciting intervention from UK. My mate Nathan is helping to bring this concept to NZ.

http://www.scrubclub.org/home.aspx
I’m also mildly obsessed with the need for excellent hand washing procedures in EC centers. This link is all about that obsession.

http://www.ccie.com/resources/view_article.php?article_id=5011761&page=2&keyword_id=122
an article by Janet Gonzalez-Mena about Independence vs. Interdependence. If you haven’t spent time thinking this issue through, you might want to! Also, this is from the Child Care Information Exchange website, whose daily email ‘exchange every day” is absolutely worth signing up for.

http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/home.html
more Canadian delights.

http://nieer.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research

http://www.truceteachers.org/
Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment – their annual toy guide is fab. Print! Distribute!

http://www.rootsofempathy.org/
Oh! The magnificence of this project cannot be overstated. What a loss it has been to NZ that the funding stream dried up and it’s limping, without a home. Teachers … check it out.

MORE CHILD DEVELOPMENT/ PARENTING/ SOCIAL POLICY STUFF:

http://www.centreforattachment.com/
For expert information on attachment theory. Lauren Porter is a star.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01538.x/pdf
Child Development publication from Jack Shonkoff about translating science for the public/policy makers. READ IT!

http://preventionaction.org
this is quite a collection of research … DIG.

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/short/103/27/10155
This is a link to an abstract of some research co-authoured by James Heckman, who won the Nobel Prize for economics by coming around to a child-centred way of thinking!

http://minneapolisfed.org/pubs/region/05-06/heckman.cfm
Interview with James Heckman

http://www.heckmanequation.org/
James Heckman’s website – OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! There are not enough exclamation marks in the world.

http://www.promisingpractices.net/
What works for children and families. (USA) Amazing dearth of research, databases, journal articles.

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/
This is the clearinghouse of Early Education and Parenting from the University of Illinois. There are many, many archived articles to enlighten for days.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/ACE/
The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study is changing the hearts and minds of a huge number of people with regard to the impact of … well, adverse childhood experiences. Not just for impacting the long term health of people in terms of their social, mental, emotional well-being, but also for a huge range of physical ailments. Look.

http://www.childtrends.org/
Child Trends’ research is usually very USA-centric, but interesting nonetheless. They have an e-newsletter which is most worthwhile.

http://www.bernardvanleer.org/
Funds and shares knowledge about work in early childhood development and child rights, from the Netherlands (but in English, which is handy!)

http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca
Human Early Learning Partnership – an interdisciplinary research network from Canada.

http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualization.html?imw=Y
Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on the sexualization of girls – BOO! Death to Bratz!

http://www.parentingculturestudies.org/
Parenting Culture Studies is a network of scholars from different countries and disciplines. Their interest: contemporary parenting culture.

http://www.circleofsecurity.org/
Attachment based parent/infant intervention model from USA.

http://www.infantinstitute.org/
More resources for those interested in Infant Mental Health: this from the Tulane Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health in New Orleans, LA.

More For FAMILIES:

http://www.nzfamilies.org.nz/
Families Commission. If you’re not on “the couch” you might want to be!

http://www.parentingworx.co.nz/
This is the website of the fabulous Lisa McKimm. She is a great teacher, a fantastic lady, and her website boasts some of the most delicious downloadable articles ever.

http://talaris.org/index.htm
This is an excellent collection of information designed to advance knowledge of early learning and the importance of parenting.

http://www.continuum-concept.org/
Just check it out, OK?

www.zerotothree.org
Great stuff.

http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualization.html?imw=Y
Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on the sexualization of girls. Death to Bratz!

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/316/5832/1717
Birth order and intelligence. Very, very interesting!

www.awareparenting.com
Based on the work of Aletha Solter, who I dig.

http://www.nncc.org/Curriculum/better.play.html
excellent article about Play from the National Network for Child Care

http://www.rch.org.au/emplibrary/ccch/PB10_SchoolReadiness.pdf
Rethinking School Readiness. A MUST READ for parents and teachers of children of all ages.

http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/school-transition/according-to-experts.html
More excellent school readiness info

http://www.newdream.org/living_green/
Living Green Below your Means is a column on saving money and environmental resources (things most families care about!)

http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/
Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood. Hell, yeah.

http://theparentingpit.com/
alternative parenting, mindful living. In my fantasy, I am a homeschooling mum. In my reality, I fear I would be so grumpy. So, so grumpy. Love the concept of “unschooling” though, which sounds very Early Childhood, play based and responsive. N’est ce pas?

http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/education/chess.html
I can’t play chess … this is an article for those who can, about chess for kids.

http://www.momsrising.org/
This is an advocacy website from the USA which I am rather fond of. Man, those American mums have a hard time of it: crappy maternity leave, pricey maternal care, and they still use those nurseries where newborn babies are kept in a separate room, all crying together. Room in, people! ROOM IN!

http://www.mothering.com/
This is the website of Mothering magazine, and I get their weekly e-newsletter. My favourite hippy mum website by far.

http://raisingchildren.net.au/
A website of great depth and breadth from the Australian Government.

http://www.attachmentparenting.org/
Attachment parenting is a good time. This organization is even endorsed by Bruce Perry. Responsive parenting always deserves promotion. Be inspired!

www.fulltimemothers.org
Advocacy group from UK. Theirs is an important view to consider.

http://www.empathicparenting.org/
From Canada: I LOVE the fact that they encourage parents to step into childrens’ shoes (not literally, that would just cause blisters).

http://www.truceteachers.org/
Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment: their annual toy guide is essential reading.

http://www.parentingculturestudies.org/
Parenting Culture Studies is a network of scholars from different countries and disciplines. Their interest: contemporary parenting culture. Wish I could hang out with them.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-serious-need-for-play
Everybody deserves another great Play article

BIRTHING

www.hypbirth.com
Maybe it doesn’t suit everyone, but I just know how enormously this helped me!

http://www.inamay.com/
Ina May Gaskin is a legend. For information and resources about birthing. Good times.

www.nidcap.com
This website promotes use of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program in hospitals. If, like me, you believe in responsive care for babies, you will be delighted to learn more of the work of Heidelise Als. Do so here.

More NIDCAP good times can be found with research like this:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/4/846

and a user-friendly report on the research is here:
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/05.20/01-preemies.html

http://www.pushedbirth.com/
Again, contrasting the different experiences of American mums. Most NZ mums have midwives, and I have never heard of a Kiwi mum scheduling a c-section for a first baby (unless she’s way overdue).

http://www.birthpsychology.com/
how interesting is THIS?

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/
Because it’s cool, OK?

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/babyshower.html
Better than a baby shower.

RANDOM STUFF:

www.ted.com
OH MY GOODNESS. I have to limit myself to one per day. Incredible lectures (brief ones!) by some incredible thinkers on a range of amazing topics. The “Stroke of Insight” is particularly astonishing.

www.edge.org
“To arrive at the edge of the world’s knowledge, seek out the most complex and sophisticated minds, put them in a room together, and have them ask each other the questions they are asking themselves”.

http://www.understandingprejudice.org/
Test yourself for hidden biases …

http://www.well.com/user/bbear/
the change project. Intriguing.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mission/enduringvoices/
every 14 days a language dies. what the …?

http://www.realitysandwich.com/node/769
Garden like a Pirate. I adore this.

http://www.worldchanging.com/
yes. Yes.

http://www.mindhacks.com/
and again: Yes.

http://www.newmatilda.com/
Smart Australians reading and writing.

www.wimp.com
every day there are ten new, wacky, inspiring, amazing and/or disturbing links. Where do they come from?