Family

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

Women less confident about breastfeeding

New mums less confident breastfeeding in public due to coronavirus

Following months of lockdown and social distancing, three quarters of breastfeeding mums have now admitted to feeling more cautious about breastfeeding in public, as a direct result of COVID-19.

Shockingly, just over two fifths of mums now feel confident enough to breastfeed their newborn if they were out in public. And with restaurants and bars now re-open, 43% will take measures to...

New research has revealed that the average engagement in the UK now costs over £3k

Weddings may have been put on hold for the past few months due to the coronavirus epidemic, but that hasn’t stopped couples getting engaged.

Ten years ago an engagement would have been just a proposal and a ring, but the pressures of social media and over-the-top celebrity celebrations have changed this, meaning expectations of brides and grooms are now a lot higher.

Local...

Mothers sacrifice work more than fathers when homeschooling in lockdown

Mothers are more likely to have sacrificed their work commitments in order to homeschool their children amid the Covid-19 lockdown, according to research by UCL. The figures released indicate that average hours worked fell by 40% in lockdown, and mothers with younger children at home were significantly more likely to have stopped work than fathers.

This echoes findings in a study...

Ten fun summer outdoor activities for kids – with TV’s Helen Skelton

After months out of school during lockdown, children and their weary parents are now faced with yet more time to fill during the holidays.

To help inspire them, The Wild Network has teamed up with TV presenter Helen Skelton and Smart Energy GB to suggest 42 sustainable things to do over the summer.

“I’ve got two young boys, who have been home pretty much the whole time...

Should I try and contact the son I gave up for adoption?

The problem…

“Four months ago, my daughter, who’s only 16, had a pregnancy scare. Thankfully, it was just a false alarm, but the whole incident has left me depressed and feeling guilty. It brought back memories of when I was her age and had an unwanted pregnancy. Largely due to pressure from my parents, the baby was adopted, and I don’t think I have ever forgiven them or myself for...

Five signs your belongings might be ruining your relationship

Clutter means many things to many people. And what might be one person’s clean and tidy could be someone else’s super-messy.

But whatever side of the clutter fence you sit on, one thing’s for sure – we all own stuff that’s sentimental to us.

“The average home is a sea of memories,” says Suzanne Roynon, interiors therapist and author of Welcome Home: How Stuff Makes Or Breaks...

How can I ease my child’s incessant anxiety about coronavirus

Since the coronavirus pandemic started, my eight-year-old daughter has been very anxious about catching the virus and is nervous about people coming near her or touching anything at all outside. How can I stop her being so anxious, as it’s really having a negative effect on her life?

Clinical psychologist Dr Malie Coyne, a lecturer at the National University of Ireland Galway and...

Study shows you are more likely to become pregnant if your colleagues are

Pregnancies are contagious between colleagues in the workplace and between siblings in the family, reveals new research by the University of Cologne.

The study, conducted by Zafer Büyükkeçeci, Thomas Leopold, Henriette Engelhardt, and Ruben van Gaalen , found that if a colleague becomes a mother, the chances of further pregnancies in the workplace increases – and the same effect can...

Five ways to start enjoying your family time again

One of the benefits of lockdown is that families have been able to spend much more time together – but that doesn’t mean it’s always been quality time.

Many families will have been together alone, spending time on devices in different rooms, and keeping any interaction to a minimum.

Sid Madge, the founder of Meee (meee.global) (My Education Employment Enterprise), an...

Six reasons why lockdown might have actually improved your relationship

When the world went into lockdown there were many uncertainties and one might have been: how will my relationship fare? Will being cooped up together 24/7 be too intense? Will we fight more?

Well, a few months on, you’re still together, and – perhaps surprisingly – even happier and stronger than before.

Maybe there’s even a part of you that’s dreading the end of lockdown...

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