Latest news with #parenting
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
What's your parenting style? Waffler or wimp or something else entirely?
You may not know this, but there are different parenting styles and they have their own official names. You're probably concerned about your own style, which you should be (because one day, your children will say you picked the wrong one). Also, labeling things is important. The best parenting style is the one that doesn't involve manual labor or time away from binge watching shows about cheating spouses. According to parenting experts, who spend all day long making up things and changing them, there are three main types: Mob Boss ('authoritarian'), Waffler ('authoritative') and Wimp ('permissive'). If you only stick to one style, everyone in the house will become bored. So, if you've allowed your kids to skip school and go to the horse track (Wimp), demand that they perform feats of strength later at the dinner table (Mob Boss.). Before allowing a play date at someone else's house and witnessing the wrong parenting style, remember: you don't want your kids to learn about free will. Sneak into the home to spy first. Don't be judgy, but if the worst is true, keep your kid out of there. Here are some other highly recommended and ground-breaking parenting styles, below, that scientists will publish in a prestigious academic journal soon or possibly never. It might help to read this list, because licensed mental health professionals say that being self-aware is healthy. I have no idea why, but it sounds impressive. Zen Parent: 'You do you, dear,' as the child hurls a large toy truck at the TV. Hysterical Parent: 'I'll hurl this knife into my chest if you don't eat that broccoli.' Touchy Parent: 'Did that sneeze mean that you plan to run away after getting together the money for a bus ticket?' Guilt-Trip Parent: 'How could you not like my homemade pureed carrots? I skipped bowling night to make them. If you're not answering because you're a 6-month-old baby, I'm still hurt by your behavior.' Well-Bred Parent: 'You didn't say 'excuse me' for that burp, after you stole the lighter fluid and torched the house. Being tired is no excuse for bad manners.' Demanding Parent: 'You scratched your tricycle; you buff it.' Bear Hug Parent: 'Get over here, you big, lovable goons,' after their sixth public tantrum that day. Overcompensating Parent: 'You can have my new car,' after failing to produce suitable candy during mid-afternoon snack time. Breaking and Entering Parent: You snuck into their bedroom to crack open the windows, due to the smell. Unfortunately, they'd installed a surveillance camera. Now they've initiated a room cleaning strike and will never trust you again. In this case, you might need a new parenting style. Pam J. Hecht is a writer, instructor and mother of two (but not necessarily in that order). Reach her at pamjh8@ or This article originally appeared on Greenville News: The Funny Business of Parenting – Are you THAT kind of parent?
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
7 essential budgeting hacks for parents
Between high inflation pushing up the cost of everything, expensive (and rising) childcare prices and pressures to plan financially for an uncertain future, parenting is pricy right now. 'As a father of two young children, I know first-hand how costs for looking after the kids can quickly add up,' says Rajan Lakhani, personal finance expert and head of money at smart money app Plum. 'It's understandable that working families with children of all ages are really feeling the pinch, more so than ever before. While the latest inflation reading was 3.4%, the overall impact of inflation since 2021 means prices have risen by 25% overall, which is a major increase on our day-to-day finances.' Lakhani says all is not lost though and with some budgeting hacks, parents can cut costs and even have more in their pocket for spending or saving. 1. Commit to a quarterly spending review 'Firstly, you need to go through your finances and check what's really needed and to see if you're getting the best deals on things like insurance, mobile phone contracts and streaming packages,' says Lakhani. 'It can be really hard to find the time to manage your money alongside family life, so make it part of your routine to set aside some time each month to review your finances, pay any bills and create your budget. Do it on a day where you know you won't get interrupted and can give it your full attention. It is also helpful to have a yearly overview of your finances, he adds. 'You can easily review a whole year's worth of bank statements to check, or use an app to secure a good overview of your spending so you can see where your biggest outlays are. You want to get a sense of when in the year you spend more (e.g. Christmas) or have a higher income (e.g. due a tax rebate). This will help you plan your budget accordingly and not have any unpleasant surprises.' 2. Check your bills quarterly to make sure you are truly getting the best deal Broadband, electricity and gas are some of the most common bills that people forget to switch and compare, Lakhani says. 'It's estimated that consumers are losing up to £291 per year by not switching. 'It's advised that you review your energy provider as a matter of habit every 12-18 months, prepare for when your broadband contract ends and make sure you're comparing deals well in advance so you're ready to switch when the contract does come to an end. 3. Save money with pre-loved items 'If you have children you'll know how fast they grow and how quickly their interests change year to year, this is why it's better to embrace pre-loved clothing, books, and toys,' Lakhani advises. Try charity shops, eBay, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace. YoungPlanet, Rascal Babies and Mum2Mum Market are great places to find good quality, pre-loved items for very young children and babies. 4. Take advantage of special family deals and vouchers for days out Loyalty cards and railcards will often have family days out offers on their website or app for cardholders, he points out. 'For example, with a railcard you can occasionally get 2for1 deals on 'days out' to the zoo and the aquarium, as well as discounted cinema and theatre tickets. And when it comes to the travel itself, railcards often quickly pay back your initial costs. 'Some supermarket point schemes offer discounts on meals out, streaming services, holidays and more. 'And remember – one of the biggest costs of a day out are meals and refreshments. Avoid high prices by taking food and drink with you, as long as this is permitted. Check with your local council for free events too, many of these have no fees, he says. 'Events will often be at the local library, such as reading challenges and toddler groups, where you can often take advantage of free broadband while the kids immerse themselves in books.' 5. Teach older children about budgeting When you go on holiday, consider giving your teens a small allowance to spend, suggests Lakhani. 'This will help them to make their own decisions, take responsibility for money and learn how to stay within a budget. Even if they splurge it on just a couple of items quickly, it's an opportunity for them to learn so don't reprimand them. Just make sure to stay strong-willed and not give them any extra, otherwise you're reinforcing the wrong behaviours.' 6. Check for uniform grants worth £150 Fiona Peake, personal finance expert at Ocean Finance, says: 'Many councils offer uniform grants, especially for families on low incomes, benefits, or with multiple children starting school. These are usually one-off payments made in summer and can help with essentials like branded jumpers, school shoes or PE kit. But the support is rarely advertised, and some parents are missing out on over £150 per child. Check your council's website or speak to your child's school directly.' Also check with your school to see if they offer a recycled uniform scheme. 7. Take advantage of childcare savings Outside of your mortgage or rental costs, your childcare spending will be among your highest outlays, Lakhani points out – and UK costs are among the highest in Europe. But there are various tax breaks available which could take a big difference. The government offers tax-free childcare to parents with annual salaries up to £100,000. 'If you're paying for things like breakfast clubs, after-school care or holiday clubs, you could get a 25% top-up from the government,' says Peake. 'For every £8 you pay in, they add £2 – up to £500 every three months, or £1,000 if your child is disabled. It's open to parents working at least 16 hours per week, with children under 12 (or under 16 if they have a disability). Around 800,000 eligible families aren't claiming it, so it's worth checking at 'Working parents on Universal Credit can claim back up to 85% of childcare costs, even during school holidays. This often works out better than Tax-Free Childcare, especially for larger families,' she adds. It works out to a maximum of £1,032 for one child and £1,769 for two or more children – for children up to the age of 16.' You can get up to 30 funded hours of childcare a week if you have a three or four-year old (or from nine months old in England). Parents could work together to share childcare too, says Lakhani. If you know someone with a schedule that fits in with your childcare needs – and vice versa – you could think about looking after each other's children, if you trust them.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
FSA warns parents of popular summer drink 'not suitable' for young children
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning parents not to let children under the age of 7 drink iced slushie drinks this summer if they contain glycerol. An FSA board meeting this week endorsed the advice and called for clear communication to parents and carers to help manage glycerol intake in young children. The FSA said: 'Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. 'Consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children. The FSA Board meeting begins today at 9am in Birmingham. Here's the agenda and meeting papers for today's meeting: Here's where you can watch it live: 1/2 — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 18, 2025 'Businesses are advised to only add glycerol at the minimum quantity technically necessary to achieve the slush effect. 'While glycerol is found in some other foods, it is added at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks.' Professor Susan Jebb, FSA chair, added: 'In the warm weather, children may be more likely to consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol, so it's important that parents and carers are aware of the risks. 'As a precaution, the FSA is recommending that children under seven do not consume slush ice drinks containing glycerol. 'With our counterparts in Scotland, we will be talking to parent groups and charities to provide updated guidance that is useful and applicable across the UK. 'We expect industry to share data on the quantity of glycerol in their products to inform our future work. 'Meanwhile, there are immediate actions they can take that can help protect children and reduce the risk from these products. 'For example, retailers should limit cup sizes and should not offer free refill promotions to children under 10.' Asda, Matalan and Amazon recalls as shoppers told 'stop using them immediately' FSA issues 'do not eat' warning over chocolate that may be a 'food safety risk' 'Do not eat' warning issued as 'unsafe to eat' sweets recalled If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product). The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Dumbest Phone Is Parenting Genius
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. When Caron Morse's 9-year-old daughter asked for a smartphone last year, her reaction, she told me, was unambiguous: 'A hard hell no.' Morse is a mental-health provider in the Portland, Maine, public-school system, and she was firmly against smartphones, having seen how social media and abundant screen time could shorten students' attention spans and give them new anxieties. But she wanted her children to have some independence—to be able to call friends, arrange playdates, and reach out to their grandparents on their own. She also needed a break. 'I was so sick,' she said, 'of being the middle person in any correspondence.' So when her daughter turned 10, Morse did get her a phone: a landline. For that gift to provide all the benefits she wanted, Morse had to lay some groundwork. It would be annoying if her daughters—she also has an 8-year-old—were to start calling their friends' parents' smartphones all the time, so she told her neighbors about her plan and suggested that they consider getting landlines too. Several bought in immediately, excited for the opportunity to placate their own smartphone-eager kids. And over the next couple of months, Morse kept nudging people. She appealed to their sense of nostalgia by sharing photos of her older daughter sitting on the floor and twirling the landline's cord around her fingers. She wrote messages: 'Guys, this is adorable and working and important.' The peer pressure paid off. Now about 15 to 20 families in their South Portland neighborhood have installed a landline. They've created a retro bubble in which their children can easily call their friends without bugging a parent to borrow their phone—and in which the parents, for now, can live blissfully free of anxieties about the downsides of smartphones. In the past few years, interest in old-school technology has been rising, driven partly by desperate adults seeking smartphone alternatives for their kids. Fairs peddle 'dumb phones' to parents of tweens. On Reddit, one parent shared that they'd gone 'full '90s,' with a desktop computer installed in the living room, a Nintendo 64, and a landline. In March, after a Millennial mom posted on Instagram about getting a home phone for her kids, she received scores of comments from parents saying they'd done the same—or planned to soon. [Read: End the phone-based childhood now] But these are isolated examples. As Jonathan Haidt, the author of The Anxious Generation (which helped inspire Morse's landline purchase), told me, smartphones are so dominant in part because families are beset by a 'collective-action problem.' Many parents are concerned about how their children might use smartphones, and particularly social media. They're familiar with the research suggesting a correlation between social-media use and high rates of anxiety and depression among teens and especially teen girls. Still, parents can struggle to say no to a child asking for a phone when everyone at their school already has one. 'If your child is the only one who is kept away from phones or social media,' Haidt said, 'then you are isolating them.' That's why he encourages parents to band together to reset common norms: 'If you do it with a group, then you're actually fostering more real-world interaction.' When the South Portland landline pod formed, that's exactly what the parents started to see. The phone Morse got her daughter is light pink with a curly cord and sits atop a buffet table outside the family's kitchen. Morse wanted the phone to be in a 'centralized' part of the house, with a cord, so that her daughters couldn't whisk it off to their bedrooms for private conversations or take it with them while they played. 'Very rarely do we ask kids to be still and communicate,' she explained. 'I didn't want my kids to go play with slime when they're on the phone. Communication should be something you're actually focusing on.' Not all of the parents in her pod got corded phones. But everyone I spoke with told me that the devices, corded or not, had helped their children become better listeners and more empathetic communicators. At first, the kids took some time to adjust. Erin Masterson, whose children attend school with Morse's, recalled a time when her 10-year-old son shouted into the phone to a friend, 'ARE YOU HOME?!' And all of the children have had to practice greeting callers, identifying themselves when they place a call, and sometimes asking to speak to someone else. But after a few months, they grew more comfortable. Because audio-only calls tend to come with fewer distractions—no faces to look at, no enticing filters or emoji—Masterson sees her sons 'really tune in to what people are saying.' Mindy Hull, another parent in the neighborhood, has noticed a similar pattern with her 8-year-old daughter. 'The progression from January until now' in the way her daughter 'can engage people in conversation is mind-blowing,' Hull told me. 'She's practicing listening,' and better understands the meaning in subtle verbal cues. Since the landline pod started, the kids have been arranging their own playdates (although they still have to ask their parents for permission). And when an in-person hang isn't possible, they've still been able to connect. Parents told me their children had called friends to ask questions about Dungeons & Dragons, to check on a friend after they were out sick from school, or just to chat on rainy days—all without their parents having to worry about what else the kids might be doing on the phone. The landlines have also given these parents a glimpse into their kids' social lives that they might not otherwise have enjoyed. Recently, Hull listened as her daughter, who uses their phone at least once a day, talked with a friend for an hour and a half. 'They were giggling and laughing and telling stories,' she said. 'I couldn't believe it.' [Read: How the loss of the landline is changing family life] Crucially, parents in the landline pod aren't just banning smartphones; they're giving their children an alternative—a method that's much more likely to make kids happy, Jacqueline Nesi, a psychologist who studies the effects of technology and social media on adolescents, told me. She recommends that parents simply ask their children why they want a smartphone: 'Do they want to be able to communicate with friends? Do they want to play a certain game? Think about what the goals are and then work from there.' The landline solution isn't perfect. Morse told me that when the house phone rings while they're watching a movie, it can be annoying; you can't silence a landline as easily as you can a smartphone. Occasionally, the phone makes a buzzing sound; her daughters have learned to smack it against the table—once, hard—to make it stop. And most of the parents I spoke with acknowledged that, eventually, they would probably get their children a smartphone; they were just trying to postpone that development as long as possible. (Hull is the one holdout I spoke with who thinks her daughter might never need a smartphone while under her roof.) For now, Morse and Masterson are considering limited-function smartwatches as their eldest children head to middle school and begin venturing out more on their own. Masterson wants to get her son a device with only call and text capabilities, so he can arrange rides and activities after school. Morse likes the idea of getting a watch that also has GPS, so she can track her daughter's location. When the time does come for a smartphone—if it comes—the parents hope their children will be better prepared to handle one responsibly. They'll be older and more emotionally mature, and will have passed the age at which experts say a child's brain is particularly vulnerable to the addictive qualities of smartphones. They'll also have communication skills, honed by landline, that could come in handy. After years of practice, they might be quicker to call someone instead of sending a text or leaving a social-media comment, leading to a potentially stronger connection with that person. After all, a smartphone's most basic feature—and, I would argue, its best—is one it shares with a landline: the ability to call a friend and talk. When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic. Article originally published at The Atlantic
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Parents ‘need' £7.99 Home Bargains buy that keeps babies cool – it ‘works wonders' & can be clipped onto cots or prams
PARENTS are racing to their nearest Home Bargains store, desperate to nab a purse-friendly product that will keep babies cool as the temperatures soar. So with the weather continuing to leave us all feeling hot and bothered, if you're desperately searching for ways to cool your little ones down, you won't want to miss this. 4 4 One mother was left overjoyed after browsing the aisles in her local Home Bargains, when she spotted a cheap find that's perfect for summer. Not only is it said to 'work wonders', but it can be clipped onto prams, cots or even car seats too. Thrilled with her find, Billie-May Rogers eagerly raced to social media to alert others to her find, leaving many totally stunned. Posting on Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, a private Facebook group with 2.6 million members, Billie-May uploaded snaps of her new Pifco Clip-On Fan, which she attached to her child's pushchair. Alongside the post, the savvy shopper beamed: 'To parents in this heat - £7.99 in Home Bargains. 'Chargeable and much stronger than the baby clip on ones (mine broke after one use). 'Clips on to the pram and fully rotational.' Thanks to the Pifco Clip-On Fan, which is available in three colours - black, grey and white - your little darlings are sure to stay cool wherever they go. According to the product listing, this bargain buy is 'portable, wireless, and rechargeable' and it is said to 'easily clip onto any surface'. Not only does it offer a refreshing breeze with its 360° tilt function, but it's perfect for those hot days or stuffy spaces too. And it's clear that Facebook users were clearly left impressed by the affordable fan, as Billie-May's post has quickly amassed 464 likes and 920 comments in just 15 hours. One person said: 'Need this.' Five ways to keep your kids cool in the heat IT can be really difficult - and costly - to keep kids cool when it's hot outside. But Fabulous Digital Senior Reporter and mum-of-two Sarah Bull shares five ways to help, and they won't break the budget either. Strip them off It might sound simple, but stripping kids off at home can really help them regulate their temperature when it's warm outside. Just remember to regularly apply suncream, as more of their skin will be exposed to the sun. Cool down bedrooms before nighttime When it's hot outside, it can be difficult for kids to go to sleep - especially if their bedroom feels like an oven. If you have a room that's not in direct sunshine, keep the windows open to let in a breeze. It's also a good idea to keep the curtains closed, to prevent the room from heating up. Wear a hat Another simple technique, but one that really works. Make sure that if your kids are playing outside, they've got a hat on. It keeps their face and head shielded from the sun, and also helps if you've got a little one who struggles with bright sunlight. If your tot struggles to keep a hat on, try one with a strap that goes under the chin to help. Avoid the car The car can be one of the hottest places during a heatwave, and often takes a long time to cool down. If you have the option, it's better to stay at home rather than taking kids out anywhere in a hot car. Stay hydrated This is always important, but even more so in a heatwave. Make sure you're regularly reminding your kids to have a drink, and top them up with cool liquids whenever you can. Use ice too to ensure it's as cold as it can possibly be. Another added: 'This looks good.' Whilst a third person tagged a bargain hunter and begged: 'Please grab me one of these!' At the same time, many happy shoppers eagerly raced to the comments to share their rave reviews on the affordable fans. One parent commented: 'Got one of these two years ago for my toddler and it's a godsend!!' How to keep cool in a heatwave Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS... Keep out of the heat if you can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter. Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes. Keep your living space cool. Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep. A second user claimed: 'Best thing I brought two years ago and still going now.' Someone else beamed: 'Yep mine's brilliant, best I've bought. Side of bed, back of car for dog and on him in his bed.' Meanwhile, one Home Bargains fan shared: 'I have two of these, work wonders.'
