I was sat in the cinema last week with my son. We had gone to see The Princess And The Frog. We were both enjoying the film, munching through our cinema snacks of choice, when I happened to look over to the aisle next to me. There sat a father, child by his side, tapping away on his Blackberry. Now, there may have been any number of reasons why he needed to do this. I will decide to be generous and imagine it was the only way he could be there with his children. I shall assume he has got... Continue reading

We all have our own ways of doing things. This is true in parenting as much as anywhere else. A big influence is how our parents brought us up, another may be the general culture of the community in which we live. We may have watched parenting experts on television or gleaned useful tips from books. This is all good and useful. However, we can sometimes hold on so tightly to our hard won knowledge and experience that we are reluctant to give it up... even when it is not working any more! As a teacher I have come accross... Continue reading

Reading is an essential skill.... some children pick it up quickly and enjoy the process from the word go... some have a completely different experience! The good news is that learning to read can be an enjoyable process and there are many different ways to help your child develop their reading skills. Here are five such ways to be going along with... Don't just squirrel yourself away and read in private. Show your children your love of reading and your love of stories in general. People seem quite happy to sit in front of the TV together; I think it's... Continue reading

We're always thinking of the things we need to teach our children. The wisdom we want impart, the mistakes that we want to help them avoid! Yet the fact is they often have something to teach us. I was playing snakes and ladders with my son. He has only just started to play the game and really enjoys it. He particularly enjoys it when he lands on a square which means he has to go down a snake. It's as if he's going down a slide at the park; he laughs and goes wheeeee! I laughed too and was about... Continue reading

There is a lot said about 'Quality Time'. It has become the sort after goal for many busy and rushed parents. As a goal it is admirable. If 'Quality Time' means a time when you have fun together; when you focus on nothing but what you are doing with your children; when you don't let people interrupt you; when you try to relish and enjoy every minute, then all well and good! Parents realise they need to have regular time whether it be a few hours or a whole day each week which they can put aside as quality time... Continue reading

It's not that I think the TV is an intrinsically bad thing. It can be a useful learning tool and it can provide some great family entertainment. The big problem is that it's always there! It sits in our living rooms just waiting for us to sit down and swallow up our time. Give it an inch and it'll take a mile. It certainly can have a negative impact on our childrens lives. They can be exposed to worlds which they're not up to dealing with yet. It can stop us doing the other necessary activities for a healthy and... Continue reading

DUMK8GVZEWJ3 Helping your child to develop good eating habits is important. What we experience as children can set the tone for how and what we eat for the rest of our lives. But how we go about this is very important. If we get things wrong we may well get our child to eat all they should and not eat all that they shouldn't; but as soon as they can make their own decisions they rebel and all our effort crumbles to dust! Here are a few tips on how to get your child to eat vegetables... often a difficult... Continue reading

There is no doubt that technology has brought some amazing benefits to all our lives; We can connect and communicate with others in all manner of ways at all manner of times, we have instant access to a massive volume of information, we can create and control our environment to a fine degree, this is to mention only a few! However, new benefits and ways of doing things also bring new problems and dangers. If we listed all the dangers and drawbacks of our new technologies we might get quite downhearted by their sheer volume and consequence. However, what we... Continue reading

I'd forgotten how frustrating it was. Learning something new is not always the pleasurable experience we parents harp on about. I'm a musician and I've sung and played an instrument for as long as I can remember. I can't remember a time when I did not have these skills. So, for a bit of an experiment and because I wanted to play an instrument with a bit more street cred than my tuba, I decided to learn to play the guitar. I know of many people who can play the guitar. In schools I've taught music to pupils who are... Continue reading

During the writer's time as a Primigravida (first time mother in layman's terms) she single-handedly read enough books to keep the major bookshops in business. This was not due to her growing pregnancy obsession or the increasing amount of time she had on her hands whilst waiting to give birth, it was quite simply the result of not being able to find all the information she wanted in one place. Several years on, questions have been answered through first hand experience twice over. Rather than keeping that knowledge to herself, she has produced this booklet concentrating on what purchases are... Continue reading

We all seem to have so much to do and so little time in which to do it! Even when we can (just) manage to do all that we need to, it often means we are left with no time to do the things that really matter to us! It really shouldn't be this way. It seems ridiculous to produce a booklet on saving time which eats up hours of your precious moments just reading it through. Therefore, this booklet has been stripped of all but the necessary information! Continue reading

A 'Manners Manifesto' It would seem that certain species in the animal kingdom now make a better job of disciplining and training their young than we do. We, in turn, often invest more time in training our pets than we do our children! Nowadays, it is considered that manners maketh man old-fashioned! If society is to survive we need to revive the essential art of good manners and return to a system of showing respect and consideration for others. To safe-guard it for the future we need to make a conscious effort to actively train the next generation to understand... Continue reading

Holidays are supposed to be our well-earned opportunity to rest, relax and recuperate following months of hard work and effort. All too often, with children in tow, they can quickly descend into periods of considerable stress, irritation and exhaustion! The aim of this booklet is to bring into focus just a few of the points that should be considered when attempting to plan the enjoyable family holiday that we all crave. Continue reading

Whichever way you look at it, the modern lifestyle tends to prioritise speed and convenience way above health and happiness. Having been born into this model, our children have no means of choosing an alternative approach unless we, as parents, inform them that another option actually exists. It is time to teach our children to value and respect their good health and happiness! This booklet is designed to remind parents of just some of the simple things that can be done in order to make our children's good health a habit for life. Continue reading

Learning is not just reserved for the classroom! Many of the most significant things you have ever understood, and knowledge that you've gained, was probably learnt outside the confines of your school walls. This booklet identifies some of the simple ways in which you can assist your child's learning in everyday situations. It also suggests ways in which to capitalise on the learning that takes place at school. This is a simple introduction designed to be picked up and read quickly whenever you might need a quick reminder. Continue reading

Good behaviour is not something that children learn naturally or automatically, it takes time and effort from many people including the children themselves. It is something worth striving for and there are benefits for everyone including the community, the parents and, of course, the child. This booklet is designed to be a quick read and to be dipped into again and again. It is not intended as a comprehensive guide (such books already exist) but as a means of accessing some of the key points as quickly as is possible. It could be viewed as a checklist to help you... Continue reading

I've heard it said that parenting is the most important job in the world! I certainly would not disagree with the sentiment, although in reality being a parent is much more important than that. Even the most dedicated employee will not sacrifice as much of themselves to their career as the parent would to their child. However, there is one feature of the dedicated professional that bears highlighting as being a desirable feature of a good parent: Professionalism. By this I mean the ability to get on with the job in hand no matter what you're feeling at that moment... Continue reading

On an average day, my 34 inch inside leg will get me to our local shop in just over 5 minutes. Today was not an average day! A full 20 minutes after leaving the house I, or rather, we, eventually sauntered through those squeaking, automatic doors into the constantly chilled, fluorescent hum of that unique-less place. The reason? The other “I” who made me “we” has an inside leg measurement of only around 13 inches and an inquisitiveness about his surroundings that I now realise puts me to shame. He is 18 months old and, although he is undergoing some... Continue reading

Shopping is a necessity and not just an indulgence when you’re expecting a baby! That’s the great news for all those shop-aholic mothers-to-be! Where you might once have thought up forgivable little excuses for gently breaking the news of your most recent spending spree to your spouse or partner, now the only phrase you need is, “But Darling, it’s for our baby!” As a first time mum, or “primagravida” as my medical notes now referred to me, I made some very naive and expensive purchasing errors. In amongst the mistakes, however, I did manage to happen upon a few utterly... Continue reading

Curiosity killed the cat, apparently! Now, I know what people are getting at when they use this well worn phrase, I just don't think it's always a great phrase to use. After all, whether or not curiosity was responsible for the cat's tragic end, the fact remains that many of humanity's achievements have been down to curiosity leading people onward! The good news is that curiosity is something that your child possesses from birth. Left to their own devices, children will naturally explore something that interests them... What does this do? What happens if I do this? What will that... Continue reading