Amanda Hampson recalls the moment when the sea turned from playground to predator for her family. We weren’t alarmed, just a little uneasy. It was the end of a long, hot day when we took our children to the beach for a quick swim. Even as we...
Clare Wishart finds the transition to school is harder for her than her son I remember the drive home from hospital six years ago with my newborn son. Suburbia looked so ordinary after my spiritual trip in the maternity ward. My euphoria at becoming a parent...
It’s not just children who get nervous about the first day of school. Nicki Letts speaks with parents who have not only been there, but survived – Here are their tips for getting through those first hazy-crazy days. “Don’t talk about how much you’ll miss your...
15 staycation ideas to help stay away from screen time and get your family fun back these holidays: Take a day trip. Look for fun places to go two hours away from home. Go fruit picking. It’s a great way to educate the kids on...
This month we look at some Christmas picture books and some books for holiday reading aloud to littlies. Reading to preschoolers is very revealing when you are reviewing picture books. They either love them and engage with the reader or start to wriggle and wiggle. The...
Kate Southam looks at the role parents can play in identifying and developing their children’s instinctive talents and abilities beyond the school curriculum. Louise and John first noticed there was something different about their daughter when she was five and wanted to learn to read. They...
Five seconds of distraction is all it takes for Claire Hewitt’s toddler daughter to get into deep trouble. This morning I didn’t know how many seconds it would take a 24-month-old to drown. Laden with towels, outfits, drink bottles, snacks, phone, nappies, wallet, keys – the...
Professor Nicola Yelland highlights the importance of pretend play in young children and the value brought to it by books such as the new Peppa Pig ‘When I Grow Up’ program. In pretend play, the young child is not just taking on the ‘role’ of the...
New picture books for 2-6 year olds released in the past month. Reading to preschoolers is very revealing when you are reviewing picture books. They either love them and engage with the reader or start to wriggle and wiggle. The genre of picture books really...
After some initial anxiety, Donna Webeck draws the line at forcing her son to write before he is ready. His H appeared more like a spirograph than the eighth letter of the alphabet. On we went for another 10 painful minutes until it became clear I...
