Antenatal appointments are really important and give you the chance to see a scan of your baby and to support your partner if there's any bad news.
You don't have the right to take time off to attend these appointments. Talk to your employer, explain why they're important and offer to put in extra hours to make up the time if necessary.
Early labour
Fathers have the legal right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving someone who depends on them. You can't be penalised by your employer for taking the time off, providing the reason is genuine.
This includes your partner going into labour or any other emergency around pregnancy.
Paternity leave
You may be entitled to two weeks' statutory paid paternity leave
Some companies have their own paternity leave schemes but if your employer doesn't you may be entitled to two weeks' statutory paid paternity leave.
You don't have to be married or live with the mother. You just have to be a new or adoptive dad - and be prepared to offer some evidence of fatherhood if asked.
You can take one week or two consecutive weeks' leave, which must be completed within eight weeks of the birth, or within eight weeks of the expected date of birth if the baby was early.
Visit Directgov to find out if you meet the criteria and how much money you're entitled to.
Parental leave and flexible working
You and your partner can each claim up to four weeks' unpaid leave in the year after the birth.
In the first five years, you can claim up to 13 weeks in total.
You also have the right to ask for flexible working and your boss has to give your request serious consideration.
Parental responsibility
Mothers automatically have parental responsibility (PR) for their children, but it's more complicated for fathers.
Without PR you can't authorise medical treatment for your child and don't have the right to see their medical records. If you have PR, your child can't be adopted, have their surname changed or be taken out of the country without your agreement.
You're automatically entitled to PR if you're married to your child's mother.
If you're not married to your child's mother you can automatically get PR provided you register the birth along with the mother.
If a mother prevents you from gaining PR, you can seek a parental responsibility order through the courts. During pregnancy
Antenatal appointments are really important and give you the chance to see a scan of your baby and to support your partner if there's any bad news.
You don't have the right to take time off to attend these appointments. Talk to your employer, explain why they're important and offer to put in extra hours to make up the time if necessary.
Early labour
Fathers have the legal right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving someone who depends on them. You can't be penalised by your employer for taking the time off, providing the reason is genuine.
This includes your partner going into labour or any other emergency around pregnancy.
Paternity leave
You may be entitled to two weeks' statutory paid paternity leave
Some companies have their own paternity leave schemes but if your employer doesn't you may be entitled to two weeks' statutory paid paternity leave.
You don't have to be married or live with the mother. You just have to be a new or adoptive dad - and be prepared to offer some evidence of fatherhood if asked.
You can take one week or two consecutive weeks' leave, which must be completed within eight weeks of the birth, or within eight weeks of the expected date of birth if the baby was early.
Visit Directgov to find out if you meet the criteria and how much money you're entitled to.
Parental leave and flexible working
You and your partner can each claim up to four weeks' unpaid leave in the year after the birth.
In the first five years, you can claim up to 13 weeks in total.
You also have the right to ask for flexible working and your boss has to give your request serious consideration.
Parental responsibility
Mothers automatically have parental responsibility (PR) for their children, but it's more complicated for fathers.
Without PR you can't authorise medical treatment for your child and don't have the right to see their medical records. If you have PR, your child can't be adopted, have their surname changed or be taken out of the country without your agreement.
You're automatically entitled to PR if you're married to your child's mother.
If you're not married to your child's mother you can automatically get PR provided you register the birth along with the mother.
If a mother prevents you from gaining PR, you can seek a parental responsibility order through the courts.
Heads 'need more search powers'
 Powers to search are to be strengthened |
Head teachers do not have enough powers to search pupils they suspect of carrying items likely to cause violence or disruption, the Conservatives say.
They also released figures showing police were notified of 2,287 arson attacks at UK schools in 2007 and 2008.
The figures suggest arson attacks on school property are a greater problem in Scotland than in England.
Heads in England can search for weapons and UK ministers say they plan to widen the power to include drugs and alcohol.
The Tories used the Freedom of Information Act to ask every police force in the UK how many times in the last two years they had been notified, or called out to, an arson attack on school property.
Scottish law records instances of fire raising: setting fire to property not your own.
The eight Scottish police forces recorded 837 cases between January 2007 and December 2008.
There were 1,249 recorded by the 42 of the 49 police authorities in England which responded to enquiries.
London's Metropolitan Police recorded 101.
There were 75 in Northern Ireland and 126 in Wales.
EU warns against swine flu panic
Parents at the school in Devon attended by a 12-year-old girl who contracted swine flu have expressed frustration at learning the news from Gordon Brown.
Paignton Community and Sports College will be closed until 11 May to stop the spread of the virus.
The Health Protection Agency identified that the girl had been in contact with 50 fellow pupils and others.
But parents said they had not been aware of the outbreak until it was confirmed in the House of Commons.
Cases of swine flu, which has killed people in Mexico, have been confirmed around the world. With experts scrambling to develop a vaccine, there is concern at the potential for a pandemic affecting millions of people.
What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A which infects pigs.
There are many types, and the infection is constantly changing.
Until now it has not normally infected humans, but the latest form clearly does, and can be spread from person to person - probably through coughing and sneezing.
What is new about this type of swine flu?
The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before-seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A.
How dangerous is it?
Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu.
These include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.
It is worth remembering that seasonal flu often poses a serious threat to public health: each year it kills 250,000 - 500,000 around the world.
So far, most cases of swine flu around the world appear to be mild, albeit with diarrhoea more common than it is with seasonal flu.
But lives have been lost in Mexico, and a single death - of a Mexican child - has been confirmed in the US.
How worried should people be?
When any new strain of flu emerges that acquires the ability to pass from person to person, it is monitored very closely in case it has the potential to spark a global epidemic, or pandemic.
What should I do to stay safe?
Anyone with flu-like symptoms who might have been in contact with the swine virus - such as those living or travelling in the areas of Mexico that have been affected - should seek medical advice.
But patients are being asked not to go into GP surgeries in order to minimise the risk of spreading the disease to others. Instead, they should stay at home and call their healthcare provider for advice.
Countries around the world have taken varying measures but are mostly stepping up monitoring and issuing advice about travel to Mexico.
In the UK, the Foreign Office
is advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.
Tide turns towards trusting teachers
We have heard this before!
|
 MPs want the national curriculum to be slimmed down again |
So was Margaret Thatcher right all along?
She wanted a national curriculum restricted to English, mathematics and science.
Most unusually, the "Iron Lady" did not get her way.
In 1987, she backed down when her Education Secretary, Kenneth Baker, threatened to resign if she narrowed down the proposed new national curriculum.
So England got a nine subject national curriculum for primary schools, with a foreign language added as the tenth subject at secondary level.
In those pre-devolution days, Westminster's national curriculum also applied to Wales, where Welsh made an eleventh compulsory subject.
It was the first time for almost 50 years that schools in England and Wales had been told by government what to teach.
Now the wheel seems to be going full circle.
UK youths among worst for drink
 The study says it is no longer socially unacceptable for girls to be drunk |
British teenagers are the third worst binge drinkers in Europe and their alcohol abuse is causing serious illnesses, a report has found.
More than half of 15 and 16-year-olds admitted regularly drinking to excess, the research by the University of the West of England revealed.
Only those in Bulgaria and the Isle of Man fared worse out of 35 nations.
Prof Martin Plant, who led the study, said a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit would save 3,000 lives a year.
The government's top medical adviser, Sir Liam Donaldson, has drawn up plans for a similar minimum price for alcohol which would double the cost of some drinks in England.
Prof Plant said doctors are treating patients at an ever-younger age for serious complaints like liver sclerosis and psychiatric problems.
Many were dying prematurely as a result, he added.
 | TOP FIVE BINGE-DRINK NATIONS Denmark: 49% Isle of Man: 35% UK: 33% Austria: 31% Ireland: 26% Source: European School Survey Project on Alcohol (Teenagers aged 15 and 16 who admitted being drunk in last 30 days). |
"There is a clear scientific consensus that alcohol education and mass media campaigns have a very poor track record in influencing drinking habits," he said.
"Far more effective - and cost effective - policies include using taxation to make alcohol less affordable.
Parents 'want snap inspections of schools'
 Many parents want inspections which give schools less time to prepare |
Parents overwhelmingly think school inspections are a good thing, but many think two days' notice is too much, a survey by inspectors Ofsted suggests.
Nine in 10 parents said they were pleased their child's schools was subject to an inspection.
Currently schools are given between two and four days' notice of an inspection after the advance warning period was reduced.
Mori questioned 541 parents in England for the Ofsted research.
Over four in five parents think the inspection of their school will help it to improve.
Two thirds (68%) think that schools should be given less than two days' notice of an inspection, and one in three thinks that inspections help schools to improve.
Ofsted says a lower proportion than in the last survey did not know whether their child's school had been inspected.
But among less affluent parents, this proportion was higher - at 31%
Did ofsted approach any Father/male carer within West Lancashire in regard to this survey...........comments please?
Do schools need notice of inspection or should just be a case of what you see is what you get?
New Dads Pushed Out!
It is reported in this weeks Champion news paper that new fathers will not be able to stay overnight at a local maternity hospital after the birth of their children, this is even in light of the Goverment trying to encourage hospitals to allow new fathers to stay overnight following the birth.
Many other Hosptals in England do find ways to allow dads to sleep in when wives or partners are in the maternity unit and this as triggered thoughts on how to actively engage fathers with Midwives being trained to help support this.
Included in the Goverments new Health Strategy are proposals on how to inprove fathers involvement in antenatal and maternity services.
Comments on this issue welcomed!!
TV linked to asthma risk!
 Some say children under three should not watch any TV |
Young children who spend more than two hours a day watching TV double their risk of developing asthma, a UK study has found.
Rather than telly per se being to blame, experts believe the viewing is symptomatic of a sedentary lifestyle which may be the root cause.
Taking deep breaths, such as when exercising, may keep the lungs fit.
parents were also asked to assess their children's TV viewing habits from the age of three-and-a-half years.
All of the children were free of wheeze as babies and toddlers.
At the age of eleven-and-a-half, 185 (6%) of the children had developed asthma.
And children who watched TV for more than two hours a day were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma as those who watched the telly less. However, the odds were still small - about two in 100.
Of the children with asthma, 2% did not watch TV, 20% watched TV daily for less than an hour, 34% watched 1-2 hours a day and 44% watched more than two hours daily.
Given that none of the children had wheeze at the age of three-and-a-half, it is unlikely that the children who went on to develop asthma had been forced to do less exercise from an early age because of asthma symptoms, say the researchers.
They speculate that inactivity is the underlying explanation for their findings, if you assume that children who watch more TV lead less active lives - they did not directly monitor the children's exercise levels during the study.
13-year-old father vows to become good parent!
In an interview with The Sun, the schoolboy from Eastbourne, East Sussex, he said his first night of parenthood was "easier than I thought", adding: "I think we'll be good parents. I'll have to work extra hard at school."
The story has raised disturbing questions about society, according to leading politicians.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "I think all of us would want to avoid teenage pregnancies.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls said; "You look at that young lad being a dad when he is so young - and also the teenage girl - and you think it's not right, this looks so terrible.
"Our first reaction has got to be to make sure that the young lad, the teenage mum and the baby get all the support they need.
"And it's also vital that we do everything we can to make sure that these kind of teenage pregnancies don't happen in the future."
13 year old father, 15 year old mother. Are they too young to be parents?
Comments Please!!!
Drunken sailors left out of rhyme.
 The pirates are being tickled, rather than sobering up in the brig |
"Drunken sailors" have been removed from the lyrics of a nursery rhyme in a government-funded books project.
But the Bookstart charity says the re-writing of What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor? has "absolutely nothing to do with political correctness".
The charity says that the shift from drunken sailor to "grumpy pirate" was to make the rhyme fit a pirate theme, rather than censorship.
"Put him in the brig until he's sober," has also been lost in the new version.
This latest ideological spat over nursery rhymes was sparked by the re-writing of What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor.
This is the new version!!!!!!!!!!!
What shall we do with the grumpy pirate?
What shall we do with the grumpy pirate?
What shall we do with the grumpy pirate?
Early in the morning
Hooray and up she rises
Hooray and up she rises
Hooray and up she rises
Early in the morning
Do a little jig and make him smile
Do a little jig and make him smile
Do a little jig and make him smile
Early in the morning.
Has political correctness gone mad again?
Comments please.
MP brands dyslexia a 'fiction'
 The Labour MP made his comments in an online column |
A Labour MP has claimed dyslexia is a myth invented by education chiefs to cover up poor teaching.
Backbencher Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley, describes the condition as a "cruel fiction" that should be consigned to the "dustbin of history".
He believes the reason many children cannot read and write properly is that the wrong teaching methods are used.
But Charity Dyslexia Action said the condition was "very real" to the 6m people in the UK affected by it.
Writing in a column for the website Manchester Confidential, Mr Stringer said millions of pounds were being wasted on specialist teaching for what he called a "false" condition.
Mr Stringer argues that children should instead be taught to read and write by using a system called synthetic phonics.
'Financial incentives'
Currently, 35,500 students receive disability allowances for dyslexia at an annual cost of £78.4m, Mr Stringer claims.
"Certified dyslexics get longer in exams," he said.
"There has been created a situation where there are financial and educational incentives to being bad at spelling and reading.
"It is time that the dyslexia industry was killed off and we recognised that there are well-known methods for teaching everybody to read and write." Interesting comments, Please give us your feedback regarding this article.
face2008@fathersandchildrenengage.co.ukCHILDREN’S MINISTER: CALL ON SERVICES TO BETTER SUPPORT DADS.13 November 2008 Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes today announced a ‘Think Fathers’ campaign to dispel the myth that dads are the ‘invisible parent’. Research the Government is publishing today shows that public, health and family services across the board need to go much further in recognising and working with fathers. Kick-starting a debate at the Family and Parenting Institute, Beverley Hughes wants to build up the expectation of fathers’ involvement within public services - from birth, through children’s centres in the early years and in schools - and within society more generally. With research showing that children who grow up with strong father figures are less likely to get into crime, take drugs; grow up with mental health problems or struggle to form relationships, the Children’s Minister announced that the Government will be working with the Fatherhood Institute to look at how to better support dads and encourage them to play an active role in their families. To push forward the debate on active fatherhood, the campaign will: for the first time to bring together employers, children’s services, practitioners and voluntary organisations to look at what more can be done to give dads the support they need . Publish a ‘Think Fathers’ guide to help children’s services to improve the way they work with dads - Hold a ‘Think Fathers’ summit to encourage public services, professionals and the voluntary sector to look distinctively at fathers – not just generically at parents - Launch an online ‘Dads Dialogue’, with fathers, mothers and children creating a user-generated collection of views, feelings, anecdotes and memories about fatherhood, family policy, challenges and successes. Beverley Hughes said: “All children need active and engaged fathers and we must do all we can to make sure they get one. Today I want to start the debate about what we can all do to help get dads more involved. The ‘Think Fathers’ campaign is a fantastic start and over the coming months I am looking forward to building up a coalition who can help us drive this forward including Government, the Fatherhood Institute, practitioners and children’s services. “Together, we can bring home the messages to families, public services and the voluntary services that parental responsibilities should be shared equally among parents and we can reverse the outdated and out of touch assumption that dads a bolt-on family accessory – nice to have but not essential.”
Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to 'England'
Research published today entitled ‘How Fathers can be Better Recognised and Supported through DCSF Policy’ is available from www.dcsf.gov.ukChild protection plans revealed |  The Children's Secretary has made early intervention central to the plans |
Every area of England is to be covered by a Children's Trust Board (CTB), the government has announced. The boards, which aim to prevent abuse by co-ordinating child protection workers, will also be strengthened. The initiative follows the failure of social workers in Haringey to prevent the abuse and death of Baby P. Announcing the measures, Children's Secretary Ed Balls acknowledged that protection agencies are failing to intervene early enough in some cases. Haringey inspection Some 20 MPs from all parties have so far signed a Commons motion calling for a public inquiry into the running of child protection services at Haringey, following the death of Baby P in August last year. The government has already announced an independent review, and inspectors who are currently at the local authority are due to report back to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in two weeks. A department spokeswoman said one of the options open to ministers was sending in a new management team to take over the running of social services in the borough, but that would not be decided until the team had concluded its report. Mr Balls earlier told BBC 1's Breakfast programme he had been shocked by the case of Baby P. "You look at this and you think, how could a mum, how could adults do this to a child? "I can't change that, and in the case of Haringey I can't change what seems to have been the mistakes which have happened." But he said while he could not affect the outcome for Baby P, he could try to "prevent this ever happening again". When government inspectors reported back to him in two weeks time, he would "act to make sure we have got proper accountability, but also the reforms needed for the future", he said. Early intervention was crucial from all those involved in child protection services, Mr Balls said, such as the police, GPs, social services and schools. It was also important to have accountability "if things go wrong" to ensure questions could be asked about why people did not act quickly enough, he added. Working together Ministers hope the improved CTBs - which were first set up after the case of Victoria Climbie, killed eight years ago - will guarantee such responsibility. Many English local authorities already have a CTB but some do not. Other parts of the UK have their own arrangements for child protection. BBC social policy correspondent Kim Catcheside said ministers wanted to strengthen the role of such children's trusts by ensuring each was run by an accountable board made up of the local authority, health, police, schools and other services. Under the new plans, each member would be legally required to agree and deliver a Children and Young People's Plan and would set out local strategies for child safety. |
| | |  |
|
Where we brighter in the 1970s
Today's 14-year-old pupils are better at quick-fire answers, but much worse at complex questions than teenagers in the 1970s, research suggests.
Professor Michael Shayer of King's College London looked at how 800 secondary pupils performed in problem-solving tests.
He said his findings reflected that pupils now lived in an environment favouring instant responses.
But the downside was a "dumbing down" and a lack of deeper understanding.
Professor Shayer says that the tests studied two levels of knowledge - one which required quick, descriptive responses - and in such questions today's 14-year-olds were better than their predecessors who had taken the same tests in 1976.
However, when it came to a higher level of understanding, researchers found that today's pupils were much less successful than in the 1970s.
This could be described as a process of "dumbing down", says Professor Shayer, in which the culture of learning favours an instant, superficial way of handling information.
"Everything in the past 30 years has speeded up. It's about reacting quickly but at a shallow level," says Professor Shayer.
He says that the culture of text messages and computer games is about speed and instant hits, rather than more profound or detailed ways of handling information.
He suggests that this decline in higher-level thinking means that many more pupils will be limited in their responses to subjects.
Professor Shayer's research is a follow-up to an earlier study in which he compared the performance of present day 11 and 12-year-old pupils with those taking the same test in the 1970s.
In that case, Professor Shayer found that despite Sats tests showing that pupils were improving, his research showed that pupils' achievements were lower than those taking the same test in the 1970s.
He estimated that these pupils in the first year of secondary school were at the equivalent level of learning of children two years younger in the 1970s.
He argues that improvements in Sats test results can operate separately from any objective measure of ability, because of the pressure put on schools and teachers to keep increasing their scores.
The need to get higher results means that teachers focus on the areas which will deliver improvements in grades, he says.
Therefore improvements do not mean any overall increase in pupils' ability to grasp concepts, he argues.
"Exam standards are rigorously maintained by independent regulators and more young people than ever before have now got a firm foundation for further education, apprenticeships or work based training," said a spokesperson from the DCSF.
Boys lag girls at school by five
The study of 15,000 UK children suggests girls are two months ahead of boys in tests of verbal, non-verbal and visual skills by the age of five.
Girls outperform boys at all levels of education in the UK - from the age of seven to higher education.
The study from the Institute of Education in London suggests that trend begins before they even reach school.
The researchers also found that girls were doing better than boys by the age of three.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7674472.stm
Comments appreciated;
Teachers should not be prosecuted!!!Sex laws are 'unfair to teachers'
 Chris Keates said teachers could be unfairly criminalised |
Teachers should not be prosecuted for having affairs with their sixth formers, a union chief has said.
NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said it was an "anomaly" that a teacher who had sex with a pupil aged over 16 could go on the sex offenders register.
What if it was your son or daughter that was involved sexually with a Teacher, would you think it was ok, or is it child protection?
I would appreciate any comments.
Please follow link for more information;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7653326.stmUnder-fives get 'learning goals'
New welfare guidelines including 69 "learning goals" for the under-fives have come into force in England. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets out expected standards of care in registered childcare settings.
The "toddler curriculum" includes being able to count to 10, spell their names, understand stories, know right from wrong and be able to dress and undress.
Are these "learning goals achieveable?
Would you expect your under 5 to be able to count to 10, spell their name,understand stories, know right from wrong and be able to dress and undress.
Comments please to face2008@fathersandchildrenengage.co.uk
Smacking Children
This week on the news a Dad was cautioned by the Police for slapping his 13 year old across the face because of her behaviour`s. The father stated that he was fearful that his daughter was going off the rails, causing distress to the local community.
What would you have done as a Father?
Was his daughter right to call the Police?
Should we smack our children?
Comments please ;
face2008@fathersandchildrenegage.co.ukConfidence Building and self esteem in young children
Learning to love themselves
Having high self-esteem means:
- liking yourself and feeling good about the way you are
- realising you're a worthwhile, competent and likeable person
- having the confidence to try new challenges
- feeling you can achieve the things you set out to do
- not being afraid to keep on trying if you get things wrong or fail occasionally
- feeling confident and optimistic about the future
Having low self-esteem can make life much more difficult. If you don't have the confidence to try new challenges or if you feel people don't like you, it can have devastating effects. Helping your children build the inner strength to cope with life's ups and downs as they grow is one of your most important tasks as a parent.
So, it makes sense to do all you can to build your toddler's confidence.
Ways to build self-esteem
Toddlers are still just realising they're separate people. As your toddler grows and develops, he'll begin to learn who he is and will have more understanding about himself.
Toddlers slowly build up a sense of self. Gradually, he learns what he looks like and works out the things he can do.
Some of the more difficult types of behaviour your toddler might display, which you may find hard to cope with, happen as a result of him beginning to realise he's a separate person with a mind of his own. He's also learnt he doesn't actually have to stay where you've put him or do exactly as he's told.
To begin with, a toddler's view of himself is still very much a reflection of what other people seem to think of him. So it's important for his developing self-esteem that he's exposed to mainly positive views.
This means:
Nothing's more damaging to your toddler's developing self-esteem than a message from you that he's not loved, liked or wanted.
It's important not to use sarcastic, unkind words or a harsh tone of voice when speaking to him. He'll believe what you tell him and if your message is that he's irritating, it'll have a negative impact on his self-esteem.
Remember:
- Show love - tell your child, as often as possible, that you love him
- Chat - talking together gives the message that you enjoy your child's company
- Listen - show your child you find him interesting and worth listening to
- Play - join in your toddler's games, or if you have household chores to do, ask him to help, to show your child you enjoy spending time with him
- Praise - not just for succeeding but for efforts and attempts too
- Encourage - managing buttons or putting on his own clothes gives a great boost to self-esteem; be ready to step in if he gets into difficulties and gets too frustrated but don't solve every problem
- Provide choices - help your toddler feel he can exert some control over the world by, for example, asking your child to choose his own clothes or which book he'd like to read with you
- Stay one step ahead - try to avert disasters that can lead to loss of confidence, tempers and tears and be aware that the over-confidence shown by some toddlers can falter quite quickly if they constantly fail at all the things they try
- Emphasise good points - concentrate on the positives and try to ignore any annoying behaviour as much as possible
- Provide plenty of activities - trying out lots of things makes it more likely you'll find something your child is good at, even if there are lots of other things he can't manage so well yet
- Encourage friendships - being able to make friends and get on with others plays a big role in building self-esteem, so take an interest and, if possible, invite your child's friends round to play
- Celebrate family life - morning chats in bed or particular ways of saying goodnight not only celebrate family life, but also help your child understand that he has a special place within it
ADHD and school suspensions
About 20% of children suspended from school suffer from the disorder
One father told me that when I found out my son had ADHD, you just don't understand the relief that was off my shoulders, before the diagnosis I was told it was my fault. I was deemed a bad parent, I couldn't control my son."
Every ADHD sufferer is different but symptoms can include hyperactivity, impulsiveness, anxiety, depression and compulsion. Imagine suffering with these symptons, not understanding what was going on."Surveys have shown how adults with ADHD are much more likely to be unemployed, they have problems keeping friends, just doing simple things like paying the bills. They are four times more likely to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease."
I can remember reading a book about a young man that had been diagnosed with ADHD, his father worked away from home for days on end this had gone on for many years . His father eventually to redundantcy and started to spend more time with his family, the symptons that the young man displayed became less and he was eventually able to stop using his medication. .
Therfeore can we question ADHD in the sense that if we as parents invest time in our children, offering love support and leadership we can improve outcomes for our children?
Or are parents looking for a label for their childs behaviour so they can claim benefits?
comments please to;
face2008@fathersandchildrenengage.co.uk
Rising costs 29/05/2008
We are all aware of how fast everyday essentials items are costing us. Earlier today (Fri) I drove past the fuel station on the bypass; Diesel was £1.25 and unleaded was nearly £1.12 a litre. I wonder what the Goverment will do to try and stop these increases continuing.
I think that prices will continue to rise even further, bread, milk and tins of food will be more expensive before the end of the summer, bearing all this in mind I would invite all visitors to the site to offer money saving tips to all of the visitors.
E-mail me with any tips or suggestions on how to make our money last longer, or with any other ideas.
markgrimes@fathersandchildrenengage.co.uk
Meeting on the 29th May 2008 at Park Children`s centre
Calling all Dads and male carers.
There is a meeting taking place on the 29th May 2008 at Park children`s centre old skelmersdale between 5 -6.30pm. I know its difficult to attend when dads are just finishing work, however if possible try to attend because we need your suggestions, feedback and support in finding out what services men want from their local children`s centre.
I have ideas around what I think we should offer but feel we would benefit from consulting dads and male carers.
If you cannot attend please e-mail markgrimes@fathersandchildrenengage.co.uk I welcome all suggestions and comments
School exams
Teens are under increasing pressure to perform well at school and academic achievement is often a source of anxiety and tension.
That's the bad news. The good news is that young people, on the whole, are getting better results year on year.
Switching off
Some teenagers go off specific subjects; others go off school generally. If your child's struggling, you'll need to know exactly what it is s/he's struggling with.
If the trouble is with specific subjects, it may be s/he's fallen out with the teacher, is having difficulties with a part of the curriculum, or is just feeling s/he just can't do it.
Unless you know exactly what the problem is, you won't know how to deal with it. Your teen may need help (if you know the subject, that's great; if you don't, there are lots of books available to help you get up to speed), or simply some encouragement
Developmental stages
Hitting puberty
The teenage years are rich in potential as your child maps out their future, but you may face some upheaval as your child goes through puberty.
By the age of 13, your child will have already noticed some of the signs of puberty.
Your son's voice will break between the ages of 14 and 15.
By 16 to 17, he'll have developed facial and body hair and may be bothered by acne. He'll continue growing until he's about 21.
Your daughter may start her periods from the age of ten, or much later, and will have developed underarm hair by 13 or 14.
Her voice will deepen by about 16 and she may also be troubled by acne. She'll stop growing around the age of 17.
Consideration will be needed as your teen works out his or her sexual identity
Your support and consideration will be needed as your teen works out his or her sexual identity. These will be times of experimentation, sorting out who they're attracted to and how to start intimate relationships.
This can be a painful experience as your child makes the first move into unfamiliar territory. Rejection is felt very deeply at this age.
Comments please ABOUT BEING THE PARENT OF TEENAGERS;
Please e-mail with your comments
|