How To Raise Brilliant Children, According To Science

(Illustration by LA Johnson/NPR)
“Why are traffic lights red, yellow and green?”
When a child asks you a question like this, you have a few options. You can shut her down with a “Just because.” You can explain: “Red is for stop and green is for go.” Or, you can turn the question back to her and help her figure out the answer with plenty of encouragement.
No parent, teacher or caregiver has the time or patience to respond perfectly to all of the many, many, man