Ah! My Son Is a Taliban!
Salon has a great article on how to detect early on whether your child has Taliban or other extreme religious tendencies. Things to look for include sudden bursts of anger, a really dirty face, and a hovel-like bedroom resembling a cave. Come to think of it, that could be me....

There's also an interesting article on the perceived gender gap now in favour of girls and the differing schools of thought on why boys are beginning to lag behind girls. I'm reading The Wonder of Boys by Michael Gurian and I'm finding some of his observations on how boys are hardwired really fascinating. Coming from a family of all girls, I think I understand dog psychology better than male psychology (even our dog was female!). My pediatrician also talked to me recently about "boy energy" versus "girl energy" and I had to admit there was truth in what she said. It certainly helps me know to understand why my little guy needs to make so much NOISE and throw things around and take things apart.