Parents Cafe » Responsible parenting

Children changing parents work patterns

Alan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:37:32 +0000

A new survey by Family Friendly Working and mumandworking.com in an effort to start up the mumandworking awards revealed that parents are still choosing to leave the workplace even though it means that their family income will drop as a result. The survey also showed that parents choose time with their family and jobs that offer flexible hours over the amount they earn and job security when choosing a job.

About 80% of the parents included in the survey change their working pattern once they started to have children. The predominant reason that people changed is because they wanted to spend more time at home with their family. About half of the parents stated that their priorities changed with another three out of ten reporting that there was not proper childcare available for their work schedules.

Another three out of twenty parents stated that it was not financially worth it to continue to work because of the high cost of childcare cancelling out any profit. Most parents in the survey stated they are happy with their decision with not one respondent answering that they made the wrong choice by leaving a job. An additional 40% felt that leaving the workplace was the best decision they made.

Out of those who responded to the survey, 43% of the parents were employed and the rest were self-employed, taking a career break, studying, or looking for work. A small 17% were employed full time.

The financial impact is very real with seven out of ten families reporting their income has fallen and four in ten stating that at times they now struggle.

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Kids uncomfortable with parents drinking

Alan — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:47:51 +0000

Half of all children believe that they have observed their parents while drunk according to a survey published from the CBBC Newsround. The study also revealed that out of these 30% felt scared when they watched adults drink and 72% of all the children stated that their parents drink.

46% of the children would prefer if adults did not drink in their presence. 32% thought that it was ok for adults to drink around children and 22% reported that they were not sure.

The study also revealed that 82% of children noticed that adults behaved differently when they were drinking with 24% stating that it made them act silly, 20% stating it made them angry, 20% saying it made them look funny. On the downside, 19% reported that it made adults act strange, 18% said it made them become loud and prone to swear, and a final 17% said it made adults fall or become dizzy.

CBC Controller, Damian Kavanagh, stated that there has been a lot of discussion in regards to drinking and its social impact, but it is not very often that the effect on children is observed. He continued to explain that alcohol is part of most people’s lives in some way, yet most people are not comfortable talking about it.

Childwise was commissioned to carry out the study which took place during April and May of this year.

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Safe internet browsing for the family

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:33:50 +0000

Knowing that antivirus software is an absolute essential for any computer operator, regardless of the scope of activities, the burning question is who to buy it from and how much to pay. In fact you may not need to buy antivirus online protection, since there are so many free offers out there from so many different companies. The challenge is to pick the one that provides the specific protection you need; if that is included in the free offers, so much the better.

Quite simply, there is no substitute for research, but it you haven’t the time or inclination to do your own, by all means take advantage of the established and respected authorities on the subject who have undertaken the research for you. Agencies such as AV-Test.org can give you all the details, but it’s up to you to determine which program will serve you best at the price you are willing to pay.

Some of the most comprehensive antivirus and scanning programs come as packaged discs that you can buy at a computer store, but here again prices vary substantially. The best ones offer continuous updates that can be downloaded free as part of the package.

The same is true of the programs that can be downloaded immediately after an online purchase or for free. You need to find out, if possible, what the ‘real’ cost of the program will be if you keep it in place and upgrade when suggested. A free trial may be anywhere from 15 days to a year or even two, so make sure you’re aware of the expiration date.

You will also need to know your own computer’s capabilities and take into account your own level of experience. Some programs provide a lot of extras that you may have no use for, and since they usually cost more, you can spare yourself extra confusion, not to mention money, by staying with the basics.

To mention only a few of the top-rated antivirus software vendors that offer free downloads, McAfee, Norton and Symantec are among the best. All of them have excellent programs and they keep abreast or one step ahead of the current scams and attacks that the bad guys are constantly coming up with.

Some include free games, movies and other perks to go with the security package. Note, however, that ‘free’ refers to a trial period of 14 days to a month; after that you’ll have to pay for it.

If you are an enterprising and resourceful sort, it’s quite possible to ‘free trial’ your way along for an indefinite period of time. However there are obvious drawbacks to this approach, one being the potential downtime between removing one and loading another. You need to be quick on the download, so to speak, and keep close track of your current status in terms of protection.

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Parents warned about giving teens alcohol

Alan — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:45:49 +0000

Drinkaware, the alcohol education campaigners has warned parents not to provide young children with alcohol.

According to claims made by the group, 53% of all dads and mums in Wales offer their 16 and 17 year olds at least five bottles of spirits to consume over a holiday. It also claims that 26% of Welsh parents give their children drink because they believe it is better they provide it than someone else since they are sure their children will find it anyway.

The group also claims that Welch parents are happy about giving their children drink even though a fifth are aware of the fact that a child has had a bad experience drinking, and two thirds of parents now of an incidence in which drink has made their child ill.

Chief executive of Drinkaware, Chris Sorek, stated that many 16 and 17 year olds in Wales enjoy marking the end of exams with a holiday, but if parents offer them alcohol to consume on the holiday they place their children at risk.

Sorek continued to say while parents may believe they are taking the appropriate action by making sure the alcohol comes from s trusted source instead of a stranger; young children that drink in excess compromise their personal safety and increase the risks of accidents or unprotected sex.

Holidays in Newquay, Cornwall was overshadowed in 2009 when two students died that fell off the cliffs and an additional student broke their neck. Teens drinking also have caused a rash of incidents throughout the town as a result of anti-social behaviour.

Sorek stated that the best approach is to remind students that they do not need alcohol in order to celebrate.

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Parents think their obese kids are a perfect weight

Alan — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:17:02 +0000

Most parents are not able to recognize that their pre-school children are overweight due to parental blinders, according to the results from a new study. The study found that 71% of all parents that participated in the research with obese or overweight toddlers thought their children were lighter or a healthy weight, even though they were not.

If a paediatrician had not discussed the issue with the parents, they were even more likely to believe that their child was lighter than reality, with only 8% of parents reporting that they had discussed their child’s weight with a doctor.

Study researcher, Dr. Raquel Hernandez, stated that paediatricians need to be more forward about discussing weight with parents because while it may be a difficult subject to broach, in the long run it will pay off because if offers a chance for parents to re-evaluate their children’s’ eating habits.

Hernandez continued to explain that it is one thing to be worried about baby fat, but obesity starting at a young age does have an impact on a child not limited to the fact that children need to develop good habits so that they can learn how to be healthy for the rest of their lives.

Many studies have found that children that are overweight at age two increase their risk of obesity as they grow by about five times. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that doctors screen for obesity and overweight children starting at age two using the BMI (body mass index).

Children who are overweight will fall into the 85^th-94^th percentile of the BMI chart and those that are obese are above the 95^th percentile.

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How to Keep Your Child Safe on the Internet

admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:51:05 +0000

This been provided by BullGuard Internet Security who provide an all in one antivirus and internet security solution.

There are a number of things you can do to help keep your child safe when they go on the internet, and to prevent them from seeing content which is of an adult nature.

Learn to Surf for Yourself
If you don’t know what’s out there, it is going to be difficult for you to know how best to protect your child, so get yourself onto the internet and learn how it works for yourself. There are plenty of adult education classes available around the country where you can take lessons if you aren’t sure where to begin.

Parental Controls
Set in place parental controls on all equipment that can be connected to the internet. This means that you lock out any sites that you do not wish your child to see, and create rules that control which sites they can gain access to according to its content. Some ISP’s also offer child safety measures so it’s always worth asking what they provide.

Take Control
Put the computer in a family room where its screen is visible to you. Set up passwords so that your child cannot access the internet when you are not there, and learn to use the ‘history’ on the computer to see what sites your child is accessing when they do surf the internet.

Get Your Child Involved
Kids generally react better to rules if they understand why they are in place, so involve your child. Explain to them that the internet has content that is suitable for everyone and some that isn’t. Talk to them about safety on the internet just as you would talk to them about safety in the street. Let them know that certain things are ok and certain things are not, and help them to understand that the boundaries you set are there to keep them safe.

Personal Information
Explain to your child why it is important to keep personal information safe, and why they shouldn’t share details about themselves with strangers. They should be aware that personal information that they give out can be used to for unlawful reasons which could involve the police if the wrong person steals and uses this information.

Make sure they understand that they must not:

Give out personal information such as name, address, phone numbers, passwords, pin numbers and bank details.
Arrange to meet an online friend without your full knowledge, permission and/ or presence.
Register with any websites without your permission
Give any indication of their age, name, sex or other personal information in their screen name or online persona.
Upload or download anything from the internet without your permission including pictures.

Teach Them to Tell You
If your child ever comes across anything which; they don’t understand, frightens or worries them, or; if they are bullied online, if anyone says anything that is inappropriate or tries to get them to do anything you’ve said they shouldn’t then they should tell you immediately. Make sure that they are not afraid of your reaction, and let them know that you understand sometimes people come across things accidentally and they won’t be the ones in trouble.

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Obese single women face more unwanted pregnancies

Alan — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:16:12 +0000

Obese single women are four times more likely to face an unplanned pregnancy than women that have a healthy weight, even though they have sex on a less frequent basis.

Research from the largest sexual health and obesity study also found that obese women are 63% less likely to ask for advice in regards to contraception, and are 66% less likely to take the Pill.

The study also found that obese women were five times more likely to have met their partner in the virtual world, and much more likely to have an obese partner. They were also almost 30% less likely to have had a sexual partner over the last year when asked.

The study found that men also experience problems from obesity with obese men 69% less likely to report having more than one partner over the past year, compared to men that are a healthy weight, and are three times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. They also were more likely to have a sexually transmitted disease.

The research involved around 12,000 participants of both sexes across France and is hailed by experts for having far reaching implications including greater focus on obese people and sex.

Dr. Sandy Goldbeck-Wood, from the Sexual Problems Clinic in North London at the Camden and Islington Mental health Trust stated that they need to take a closer look at obese women and their lower use of contraception, and take into account all of the possible explanations such as psychological, social, and biological aspects.

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Parents pretty responsible about child online safety

Alan — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 03:11:41 +0000

A study from Pew found that about 71% of all young adults between the ages of 11 to 19 had limited their online privacy settings. However, while it is hard to predict how many teens and tweens are vigilant about their online safety, an online Yahoo survey reports parents play a large role.

According to the survey findings, about 70% of parents now discuss online safety with their children a few times every year, with 45% reporting they talk to their children about online safety every month. One of the best ways that parents keep an eye on their children online is by adding them as contacts on social network sites.

Other parents take a more active role in monitoring their child’s safety online by checking their search queries, setting limitations on the time their children are allowed online, and by taking advantage of filters and parental controls. 71% of parents in the Yahoo survey used at least one of these tactics in order to monitor their child.

Interesting to note is the fact that fathers are more protective of their children’s online activities with 53% reporting they search for their child’s names two to three times every year to check their online footprint while only about 38% of mothers do.

In addition, fathers are also more likely to take action that will help their children understand the consequences of posting any personal information about themselves online.

At the conclusion of the study, Yahoo assigned parents an overall rating of B+ in terms of online protection of their children denoting that their job is well done, but leaves some room for improvement.

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Different parenting plans

Alan — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:16:55 +0000

Parenting is arguably the most challenging and rewarding and/or frustrating and agonizing experience that most people ever encounter. Humans are born with the protective instincts of all animals that bear young, but for better or for worse, to be human is to be much more complicated than the rest of the animal kingdom. In many cases just having a plan, with fairly definite structure and guidelines, can contribute greatly to healthy, effectual parenting.

Many favor the ‘natural’ parenting approach, which is based on no real plan at all, but draws on the natural instincts of parents to protect and teach their child to insure its survival. Breast-feeding is an integral part of the natural parenting approach, as well as co-sleeping and home schooling.

Family parenting involves the input of all family members, from siblings, if any, to aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins. The obvious advantage here is that there is a

strong support network for the child as well as the parents. A baby is virtually never without a comforting and loving presence, and the parents have a bit more freedom for their own pursuits.

Attachment parenting is pretty much what the name implies, with nearly constant physical contact between parent and child so that a strong bond is formed and nurtured from birth.

There is no perfect ‘plan’ for parenthood, but parents can integrate the parts of any plan that work best. Each child has the same basic need for love, security and stimulation, both mental and physical. However, every one is different, with a developing personality of his or her own, so parents must try to be consistent but flexible – not an easy assignment, but well worth the effort.

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Positive Parenting Programme in Glasgow

Alan — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:49:45 +0000

Parents in Glasgow are being offered a free programme to help them with the ever-daunting job of raising youngsters. Last week the Triple P, or Positive Parenting Programme, was launched at the Anderston Primary School and will be offered first to parents and carers of children in primary one schools, but will be available to all families with children from newborn to sixteen years of age.

Triple P is a system of parenting strategies developed by an Australian clinical psychologist, and has been used with documented success in over twenty countries over the past 30 years. It is based on the premise that strong early parenting can greatly improve the quality of life for both parents and children, and help prevent many of the problems faced in later years.

Glasgow City Council and NHS GGC (Greater Glasgow and Clyde) are implementing the programme with the assistance of individual health visitors, social workers and other local agencies, with a view to encouraging all parents to participate and take advantage of the seminars, group and one-on-one counselling sessions and related self-help books and DVDs.

The joint director of public health for NHS GGC and the city council, Dr. Linda de Caestecker, said that Triple P has been proven effective in other cities with public health problems deriving from poverty and many other factors similar to those in Glasgow. She feels that the programme, which is designed to offer as much assistance as the parents require but not more than they want, is not a cure-all but a definite step forward in solving some of the problems that have their beginnings in early childhood.

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