The impact of war on the lives of children is nothing new — conflict exacts a heavy toll on the everyday experiences of children. Hundreds of millions of children are directly impacted by wars globally, and a new book with an accompanying exhibition titled Enfants en guerre, guerre à l'enfance? examines how the last century’s wars have impacted children in many different ways, depending on their location and relationship to the site of conflict (article is in French).

The current geopolitical climate is experienced on the global scale, and all the way into our everyday lives, including children’s classrooms. But teachers hesitate to discuss politics with children, even when teachers know that their students are impacted by events elsewhere. One solution? Philosophy. “It is the skills of dialogue that we need as our society faces increasing polarisation and violent disagreement,” writes Laura D'Olimpio at the University of Birmingham. “These skills are some of the defining characteristics of a democracy.”

On the campaign trail, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance referred to “childless cat ladies,” intending the descriptor as a dismissive comment on the status of some women. Little did he know that childless women — like Katharine Bement Davis, New York City’s first female commissioner of correction — have contributed to the wellbeing and welfare of children, and engaged in the mothering of others.

This weekend’s recommended reads consider research from around the world that examines the welfare of children: from studies looking at gender and education to how binge drinking affects teenagers’ brain development, and why kids cheat.

We’ll be back on Monday — until then, all the best.

All the best.