The Family Way
7:00am Saturday 23rd August 2008
Lisa Salmon looks at the weird, wonderful and sometimes weary world of parenting.
NEWS FOR PARENTS :: A third of parents feel unable to help their children with maths homework.
A new survey found more than 15% of mothers and 10% of fathers have little or no confidence in their ability to help when it comes to the subject.
The study, commissioned by high street bank Abbey, found that those older than 55 were the most likely to feel confident in their skills (74%) compared with 43% of 18 to 24-year-olds, and 45% of 25 to 34-year-olds.
Let's face it, it's hard enough to balance the family books without mums and dads trying to get their heads around algebra and calculus as well.
:: Children who perform badly at school are more likely to have been affected by the food they ate in their early years rather than what they had for lunch, new research has revealed.
Children who ate a junk food diet when they were three made less progress at school, the university study found.
They were 10% less likely to achieve the expected levels of improvement between the ages of six (Key Stage one) and ten (Key Stage two) compared with other children.
The junk food kids are obviously too busy thinking about their next burger to worry about doing well at school.
:: Parents are shunning some old British names for their babies, favouring celebrity names rather than traditional ones such as Gertrude and Norman.
Names like Edna, Ethel, Walter and Percy are plummeting in popularity and have almost died out, research for www.gurgle.com found.
But William and Elizabeth continue to be popular, proving that a royal connection is worth having whatever century a baby's born in.
:: Parents are being encouraged to consider sending their children to boarding school in a new campaign.
Figures show that boarding numbers have risen by 0.4% in the past year, and the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) says such schools provide a solid education and are good value for money.
The BSA might also have mentioned that boarding gives parents a break - a fact not to be sniffed at.
ASK THE EXPERT Q: "My daughter is about to get her GCSE results, but has no idea what she wants to do. How can I help her find some sort of direction?"
A: Liz Crick, a personal careers adviser at igen (Leeds Careers), says: "Has your daughter had a careers interview at school or in the local Connexions Centre with a careers/personal adviser yet?
"This will give her an opportunity to explore all the options available, including staying at school, going to a local college, applying for an apprenticeship or employment.
"There are different types of qualifications available depending on your daughter's GCSE results, her interests and the style of learning she prefers. For example, a BTEC National Diploma would offer her a chance to study a job-related subject (business, health & social care etc), and successful completion of the course would be the equivalent of three A-levels, allowing progression to higher education or employment.
"Alternatively, your daughter could start an apprenticeship. Through this option she would get paid and continue to study part-time for a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at Level 2 or 3.
"If your daughter found GCSEs difficult and she'd like to get some extra help to develop her skills, she could consider Entry to Employment (e2e).
"Her careers/personal adviser will be able to tell her more about all of these options and help her decide which is the most suitable path for her."
Visit www.connexions-direct.com to find contact details for your local Connexions Centre.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: edsup.co.uk Eds Up provides a 'heads up' on cutting edge issues affecting parents and children, and bills itself as a website and magazine for "thinking parents leading busy city lives". As well as parenting features, there are links to daily news on child development issues, and access to a variety of websites covering all aspects of children's upbringing and parents' lives, from education and special needs to health, culture, entertainment and sport.
THREE WAYS TO...tell your child may not really be ill.
1. They're well enough to watch TV, and while they refuse dinner they still want sweets and cakes.
2. They have a test at school they haven't prepared for.
3. They're suddenly feeling much better when it's time to do something they like.
WHEN IS MY CHILD READY...to walk the dog alone?
Some experts think children under 10 shouldn't walk the family dog alone. The reasons being that too many things can happen with the dog for a younger child. At times they need to act quickly and decide what to do, act responsibly in cleaning up dog mess, and have the maturity to be able to deal with problems such as dog fights. The size of the dog and the child is also a factor. When a dog is larger than one fifth the size of the child, the weight ratio may be too much for the child to handle alone, particularly if the dog pulls.
READER TIP Take away a few of your child's favourite toys a few weeks before you go on a long trip with her, and then keep her entertained by introducing them one at a time while you're travelling.