Parenting
50 things only dads with daughters know
How to French plait, who Barbie’s boyfriend is and all the words to Olly Murs’ ‘Troublemaker’ are just some of the top 50 things only Dads of Daughters will know, according to a new survey. A study of 500 dads with daughters under the age of 18 has revealed that knowing all the members of One Direction, how to paint nails and understanding the term ‘pirouette’ are also among the list, with knowing how to dance with her on their feet...
UK parents see Mandarin Chinese as most important non-European language for their children’s futures
By Mark Herbert, Head of Schools Programmes at the British Council Mandarin Chinese, the world’s most popular first language, is the top non-European language that UK parents would like their children to study, a new survey has revealed. Amongst more than 1,000 UK adults with children aged under 18, over half said they believed that learning Mandarin Chinese would boost their children’s career prospects and open their minds to an ‘exciting and dynamic’ culture. And while Mandarin Chinese was still...
Are we overworking our kids?
Britain's shattered kids are ‘working’ for over 46 hours a week, according to a new survey. The shock research shows that parents are over-timetabling their children with extra-curricular activities in addition to their school commitments. This means exhausted children are actually working harder than the average parent who only completes a 37.5 hour week at work. The average child already completes 30 hours and 50 minutes a week at school Monday to Friday, as well as seven hours and 51...
Research reveals which traits we inherit from which parent
If you want an active, well mannered and kind child you better make sure they don't spend much time around their father. That's according to new research which shows virtues such as honesty, integrity and tolerance are most likely to come from mothers while laziness, temper, wit and potty mouth.come from fathers. While mothers are most likely to be responsible for passing down traits including kindness, reliability and good organisational skills, fathers are likely to be behind your temper, wit...
Scientists reveal the best way to protect your children from asthma
They say that the best way to build a child's immune system is to allow them to be exposed to germs, and the same theory could be applied to asthma according to new scientific research. A new study has revealed that growing up on a farm protects you from getting asthma triggered by allergies. Breathing in farm dust stimulates the production of a protective protein which suppresses inflammation in the lungs leading to lower rates of asthma. The findings could lead to...
The 25 Dishes Kids Should be Able to Cook by the Age of 11
Spaghetti Bolognese, scrambled eggs on toast and pancakes are all dishes kids should be able to cook by the age of 11, according to a survey of parents. Pizza, pasta bake and burgers also feature among the top 25 dishes mums and dads think pre-teens should be able to make. Other dishes include egg and soldiers, macaroni cheese and Victoria sponge. The study revealed that six in ten parents think being able to cook is an important life skill -...
Kids As Young As 6 Own A Mobile Phone, And Spend 4 Hours A Day On It
Kids as young as six years-old now own a mobile phone, with many spending as much as four hours a day consumed by it. New research has revealed that in an ever-increasing technological society children are becoming tech savvy from a younger age, with many surpassing their parents’ knowledge of devices. The average child will receive a phone worth £120 on their eleventh birthday, with one in 20 children owning a mobile handset by the age of six as parents give in...
Have Children Mastered the Balance Between Tech and Play?
The contemporary adage that our squared-eyed kids spend too much time in front of the television may be wide of the mark, according to new research, which shows modern children may have mastered the balance between tech and play. A study of boys aged 6-12 found that although they spend a shocking total of 29 days and nine hours a year playing video games, they will spend five days,16 hours playing sport, will play outside for two hours each day and spend 103 hours on their...
Exclusive – Boyfriend helps mum give birth in car park
A mum had such a quick labour that her boyfriend had to help her give birth - in a hospital car park. Rebekah Connaughton, 24, was 39 weeks pregnant when she went into labour and made a quick dash to her nearest hospital. But as her partner Kris, 26, pulled into the car park, the baby's head appeared, leaving Kris with no choice but to deliver the baby himself - in the car park of East Surrey Hospital, in Redhill....