Baby & ToddlersParenting SkillsPregnancy & Birth

Are my twins identical?

During prenatal scans almost 15% of parents may be misinformed about whether their twins are identical or not, says a new study from UCL. The research highlights the difficulties associated with determining whether same-sex twins are from one egg or two, and therefore whether they are identical or non-identical. The team, led by Dr Clare Llewellyn of UCL’s Health Behaviour Research Centre…
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BlogParenting Skills

Bereavement - how parents can help children cope positively with the grieving process by Sue Atkins, parenting expert and author

Here is a great article on how to help children cope with the death of parent from our London Mums archive (2009). A recent scenario triggered the re-posting of this very useful article exclusively written by the best parenting expert in the UK and TV star Sue Atkins. Beginning the grieving process For many children their first real experience with loss happens when a pet dies. There are…
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BlogParenting Skills

Parents are biggest providers of alcohol to their kids, reveals a new report

Children as young as 10 say their parents are who they would turn to first for advice about alcohol, and the most common source of alcohol itself, according to new research published today by alcohol education charity Drinkaware. Unique research, which polled parents (who were social grades ABC1) of 10-17 year olds and their children, highlights that 72% of the 10-17 year olds questioned say…
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Baby & ToddlersChildcareMums TipsParenting Skills

Baby Sleep and Crying (by expert Alison Knights)

Why do babies cry? If you’re having problems with baby sleep and need advice with you baby not sleeping, read on for help from Ali Knights. Crying is nature’s way of saying, ‘I need you, I cannot manage how I feel on my own as I have not yet got the brain development to mange my distress, I need your help to make me feel calm again’. It is the most basic communication between baby and…
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Parenting Skills

Why people drift apart when married…

Far from running from the idea of relationships during my divorce, I found myself fascinated by the dynamics of successful relationships. I wanted to learn everything I could about relationships and what makes them successful. This model from world-renowned life coach and self-help author Antony Robbins made an enormous difference to my life. Essentially, he moves through the cycles of how we…
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BlogParenting SkillsSpecial Kids

If I ask questions will a child talk to me?

I work with children as a speech and language therapist. It is a job I love! It totally fulfills me; what a privilege that I get to talk to kids all day and listen to them express themselves in all their fantastic ways. As a speech and language therapist, it is my job to create a communication environment for a child that is warm, welcoming and therefore easy for a child to communicate in, both…
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BlogParenting Skills

Why children need their financial five a day

Gill Fielding, ‘Money Mum’, explains why teaching children the basics of finance is crucial to the health of the UK’s economy. “Most people in the UK are not in control of their finances. This is often blamed on the ‘global economy’ which, quite frankly, has nothing to do with most of our bank balances. I believe that if everyone concentrated on the money in their own pockets Britain…
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Baby & ToddlersBlogParenting SkillsSpecial Kids

Why learning music is essential for every child

Music and actively playing an instrument helps a young child develop an assortment of skills. A simple activity of an infant banging on a sauce pan with a spoon is potentially developing rhythmic skills. The rhythms create an awareness of sequences. Creating a repeated sequence of noises adds logic to the whole process not to mention the hand eye co-ordination and large motor skill…
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BlogParenting Skills

The Ex-Factor – handling your ex after your divorce…

Handling your ex after your divorce can be a tricky business. Here are some tips for some great do’s and dont’s! Ex-Etiquette where there are no children involved – Divorce without children If your divorce does not involve children from the marriage or the relationship, there is technically no reason to maintain contact with your ex. That’s the good and the bad news. The good…
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BlogParenting Skills

Parenting in the 1970s and 80s was ‘Life on Mars’ compared to the modern age

There has been a sea change in attitudes to pregnancy and early parenting over the past few decades, with parental behaviour shifting in most aspects: from dieting, discipline, breast feeding, returning to work and the role of the partner. These are the findings of a survey commissioned for Practical Parenting & Pregnancy Magazine, celebrating its 25th anniversary in its April 2012 issue.
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