Schooling

Is my child being bullied? Recognising the signs...

A recent survey by charity BeatBullying shows that children starting secondary school are the most concerned about being bullied. The research showed that 56% of primary children feared they might be bullied for being too clever, or not clever enough, and 48% feared that they would be bullied for not being good at activities like sports or not having the latest phones or games. As parents it…
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Cultur-Italy EzineRecipes

Recipe: the real Italian PANETTONE

This Recipe: the real Italian PANETTONE is mouth-watering…. any time of the year. A home-made Panettone is not just for Christmas. SERVES 8 Catherine Fulvio: “I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING TAUGHT HOW TO MAKE PANETTONE FROM THE FIASCONARO BROTHERS, MASTER BAKERS IN THE TOWN OF CASTELBUONO, SICILY. THEIR CAKES HAVE TRULY GONE INTO ORBIT, AS THEY…
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Parenting Skills

Caring for your children is one thing but elderly parents need care and attention too

Caring for your children is a pleasure and a challenge, and just when you think you know what you’re doing, you reach an age where your parents need more care and attention too. Those of us who are having children now are among a group of people called the Sandwich Generation – we are caring for two groups of people at the same time, and most of us are holding down jobs at the same time.
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Parenting Skills

Helping families through difficult financial times

2013 will have been a difficult year financially for many families across the UK. Household incomes are struggling to cover the rising costs of food, energy and other everyday essentials, and a recent report revealed that the minimum cost of raising a child has increased 4% in the last year. Awareness of the financial support available through welfare benefits tends to be low and the perceived…
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Fitness & Health

Teenagers attracted by 'cute' slim cigarettes

Teenagers are most attracted to slim and superslim cigarettes with white filter tips and decorative features – describing them as ‘cute, classy and feminine’ – according to a new Cancer Research UK study to be published in the European Journal of Public Health this autumn. The 15 year olds rated slimmer brands as weaker and less harmful than ‘disgusting’ brown cigarettes. In fact, some…
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Fitness & Health

10 Ways to Prevent Colds and Flu this winter

With the flu season upon us, taking steps that may lower your risk of infection is your best defense against the fever, body aches and cough that the virus can bring on. Prevention is definitely better than cure and there are a number of precautions you can take to minimise the chances of your family getting ill this winter. Over the years we at London Mums have written lots of articles…
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Get Creative

‘Grow’ your child’s imagination

A few weeks ago I met up with best-selling authors, David Almond and Sally Gardner to discuss their award-winning children’s books, ‘Skellig’ and ‘Maggot Moon’. Both books celebrate the power of the child’s imagination: in ‘Skellig’, Mina learns about life through William Blake’s angels and baby blackbirds while in ‘Maggot Moon’ Standish…
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Fitness & Health

Head Injuries - What to do and when to get help

Fortunately, most falls or blows to the head result in injury to the scalp only, which is usually more frightening than life threatening – the head and face are very vascular and consequently injuries bleed profusely and can be very scary! An internal head injury may have more serious implications because it could cause damage to the brain. What to look for and what to do: Call 999 or 112 if a…
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Baby & Toddlers

“WELL-HEELED” LONDONER’S TWENTY TIMES MORE LIKELY TO NAME THEIR CHILD BORIS THAN THE REST OF THE UK

I found this news quite funny so in this greyish day, I hope this story cheers you up. A recent analysis of kid’s names in London’s poshest postcodes reveals naming trends of the wealthy. Would you believe what this trend is? Today London’s babysitting and childcare agency Like Minders reveals a unique insight into baby names in London’s richest neighbourhoods, with parents twenty times…
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Fitness & Health

Whooping Cough - what it is and how to recognise it

Pregnant women are currently being advised to be vaccinated against Whooping cough as there has been a recent rise in cases and 9 newborn babies have died this year. Whooping cough usually starts with a sore throat, runny nose and slight fever and they feel generally tired and unwell,  within 2 or 3 days they can develop a cough. The cough can come and go but they then start to produce sticky…
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