Family

Advice, tips and lifetsyle features aimed at parents, children and families.

Eleven things you’ll know if you’re the single one in your group of friends

Being the single person in a group of loved-up couples can be a struggle.

You love your solo life, and know being single is better than being in a bad relationship, but you can’t help but feel a certain hardship when you’re attending yet another Zoom quiz as a team of one.

Here are a few other annoyances solo friends will be able to relate to…

1. You’re always third...

How do I stop shouting at my kids so much?

I know I shout at my kids too much. How can I discipline them without shouting, and help us all get along better?

Paediatrician Carlos González, a father of three and author of Kiss Me: How to Raise Your Children With Love, says: “Who’s the one shouting all the time? Who’s the one in need of discipline? You’re an adult, you have the experience, the knowledge, the mind balance. You...

Most common phobias parents pass onto children revealed

The UK’s largest online platform for childcare providers, parents, schools and tutors has revealed the most common phobias passed on from parents to children.

The survey of more than 4,000 parents and guardians by Childcare.co.uk discovered that Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, and Social Phobia, a fear of social situations, are the most common phobias parents share with their...

Thirteen ways to style up his space this Father’s Day

In these extraordinary times, the old adage ‘a man’s home is his castle’ has never rung so true, with so many of us spending much more time indoors.

And it’s especially relevant for Father’s Day – with pubs and restaurants closed and most of us celebrating at home or via Zoom, it makes total sense to think about a present that blends style and function, will lift those four walls, or...

Top five Netflix shows for teens during lockdown

With lockdown set to continue, you are probably running out of ideas of what to do, your brothers are annoying you and you just want some time to yourself.

Lots of people are bored with being confined within four walls so Netflix is perfect for killing time.

The best way I find to relax while watching Netflix is lying down with a cover or blanket. It is very cosy and comfy,...

Gardening gifts for Father’s Day

Want to give your gardening dad a gift to make this Father’s Day a special one? Then it's about time to think about upgrading his handy lawnmower for small gardens along with other essential gardening tools. Explore your options as we share our top picks with you.

Want to give your gardening dad a gift to make this Father’s Day a special one? Here’s our pick of the crop of gardening...

Office Christmas Parties Cancelled

Large gatherings of people are likely to be restricted for the foreseeable future, and this is leading to those who have forward-booked large work and office parties being told their party plans will not now happen.

“Just as we thought 2020 could not get much worse, we’ve had to cancel our Christmas party – as have many of our clients. Our party venue isn’t sure how social distancing...

Is it safe to send my asthmatic child back to school?

My son isn’t shielding but has asthma. Am I putting him at risk by sending him back to school?

Respiratory expert and GP Dr Andy Whittamore, Asthma UK (asthma.org.uk) clinical lead, says: “Going back to school after a long break is usually an exciting time for children. Understandably, parents of children with asthma are more concerned this time round, and may be worried about...

Noisy neighbours - Top list of worst neighbour noises during lockdown

The world’s fastest-growing marketplace has revealed the worst noises neighbours make in the UK after a rise in noise complaints around the nation.

When the marketplace polled the British public about the worst sounds heard from their neighbours, 86% cited ‘bad music choices’ as the worst offender, followed by ‘children playing’ and ‘loud lovemaking’, completing the top list of...

How do I stop my teens from just drifting now they’re off school for such a long time?

My teenage children don’t go back to school till September, and while they’ve reluctantly done some schoolwork at home, they’re mostly just getting up late, playing computer games and drifting. How can I realistically get them to use their time better over the next few months?

Hannah Abrahams, leading educational and child psychologist on the Zoono Family Panel, says: “Young people...