The coming year could see some seriously cool and also incredibly wacky baby names doing the rounds, according to experts in the field. 

Choosing a baby name is a huge deal - the moniker you settle on will be one of your child's defining features. It will be written on every important document, and called out daily in classrooms and by friends. Unusual baby names are increasingly common, as parents want something a little different to the top trending baby names that end up dominating class registers up and down the country.

For those looking for something truly unique, 2025 could be your year. Baby name experts at Nameberry carefully analysed baby name data to predict which names could rise in popularity next year - and some are pretty out there. Inspiration is taken from everything from Gen Z to Femininomenal names - yes, we were baffled by this too, and also found it a huge tongue twister. Read on, and we'll break down each trend and the meaning behind it. 

Baby name trends 2025

Landscape names

Not too much explanation required for this one - these are nature inspired names with a clean and simple sound. Not already popular, but not too unique they sound a bit silly, these landscape names can also be gender-neutral, which might be a consideration for some parents. 

• Cove
• Coast
• Creek
• Field
• Reef
• Valley

Gen Z names

If you're wondering how Gen Z are providing inspiration for baby names, it's really just taking the 'Z' from Gen Z and adding it to some names to replace another letter. Or, it involves names you've already heard of that happen to have a 'Z' in them, and popularising them because of their link to the letter.

• Azalea
• Hazel
• Mazie
• Ozzy
• Zephyr
• Zuri

Country inspired names

Beyonce’s album Cowboy Carter turned the country music genre on its head, and now country inspired baby names are getting the same rebrand. These names showcase diversity, while offering nods to traditional country tropes such as cowboys and farming culture.

• Abner
• Clover
• Elsie
• Harlan
• Mabel
• Waylon

Safe haven names

In a world that feels very unsettled, names evoking comfort and safety are set to become popular. This will be in the form of names bringing a sense of peace, or a play on words that actually mean 'peace.'

• Arcadia
• Dove
• Eden
• Foster
• Harbor
• Pax

Fast fashion names

Slightly misleading this one, because nobody wants to call their child Primark or Shein, or be so closely associated to fast fashion amid a climate crisis. However, what this name trend really alludes to, is synthesising a range of current styles to create original names. Parents look to a variety of name trends and pull together a name that reflects things that are important to them, such as honouring a relative, ethnic heritage and their favourite animal all in one name.

• Aven
• Hollyn
• Luxton
• Novalie
• Scottlynn
• Wrenlee

Global Americana

These names are said to honour a particular cultural heritage or combine different ethnic backgrounds. This can include names with roots all over the world and can be used by different cultures. 

• Casper
• Elio
• Hassan
• Idalia
• Kenzo
• Shai

Femininomenal names

Ok, so this one might require the most explanation (or not, if you're down with your Gen Z, American, synth-pop artists.) This trend takes inspiration from Chappell Roan’s 'Femininomenon' album, with names embracing the power of femininity, with a 'tinge of drama, camp and witchiness.' Monikers come from history, mythology and other well known legends about badass women.

• Circe
• Echo
• Guinevere
• Juno
• Lilith
• Ophelia

Baby names - actually

These names take inspiration from real babies, usually those of notable influencers. Think, Whimsy Lou, Benny and Blue, names that sound like nicknames, given to their children by popular social media figures. 

• Blossom
• Gio
• Lilibet
• Lottie
• Nori
• Posey

Croc names

Wait, what? Crocs are shoes, so how on earth are they inspiring baby names? Let's take a look. So, like Croc shoes, croc monikers might seem unpopular, ugly and uncool at the moment, but could become the next big hit. 

• Enid
• Gilbert
• Golda
• Murray
• Oswald
• Rita

Otherworldly names

Like mythical baby names inspired by Netflix's Kaos, otherworldly baby names nod to the fact the universe is full of mysteries. They often combine elements of sci-fi heroes or fantasy villains. 

• Altair
• Aura
• Cosmo
• Ender
• Lumen
• Lyra

For even more baby name inspiration, check out these beautiful sounding baby names, space inspired baby names, and the viral trend helping people looking for baby names that's a bit eerie. 

Education experts have identified six early indicators of dyslexia, and strategies to support your child if they receive a diagnosis.

Differences in children are becoming widely accepted and understood, as awareness about them continues to grow. It's so positive to look at the upsides of ADHD instead of the downsides, and find that there's support available for parents with ADHD raising children with the condition. Similarly, parents and educators are now more aware of patterns of conversation in children that could indicate autism, meaning young people can get the diagnosis and help they need.

Now, with eight in ten dyslexic students leaving school undiagnosed and Dyslexia Awareness Week taking place between October 7-13th, education experts are highlighting the importance of recognising dyslexia early. With 43 per cent of schools in the UK believed to struggle to understand dyslexic challenges, it's vital to identify early signs of this difference and provide appropriate support to young people.

Tutoring provider Explore Learning has found six early and subtle signs a child could be dyslexic, offering expert advice on how to support them if dyslexia is suspected or a diagnosis given. Charlotte Gater, Head of Education from Explore Learning, says: "It's crucial to remember that dyslexia is not a reflection of intelligence. With the right support, children with dyslexia can achieve remarkable success. The key is to recognise each child’s unique learning needs, and ensure their educational strategies are adapted accordingly."

6 early signs of dyslexia

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes. Children may struggle to remember or recite simple rhymes like Humpty Dumpty. This is because children with dyslexia may find it challenging to recognise rhyming words or break words into individual sounds.
• Slow speech development. Some dyslexic children might start speaking later than their peers or have trouble expressing themselves clearly. Children with dyslexia often struggle with phonological processing, which can affect their ability to produce speech sounds accurately.
• Difficulty learning to recite the alphabet. Remembering the order of letters or associating letters with their sounds may be challenging for dyslexic children. This is related to difficulties in sequential memory and phoneme-grapheme correspondence, which are common in dyslexia.
• Struggles to carry out more than one instruction. Forgetting parts of instructions or mixing up the order of steps can be a sign of dyslexia in children. This can be due to challenges with working memory and sequencing, which are often associated with dyslexia.
• Confusion with directional words. Words like 'left' and 'right' or 'up' and 'down' may be consistently mixed up in those with dyslexia. This spatial and directional confusion is a common feature of dyslexia, often persisting into adulthood.
• Difficulty with short-term memory. Children may struggle to remember information they've just been told, such as a friend's name or simple instructions. This is because dyslexia can affect working memory, which is responsible for temporarily holding and processing information.

How to support children with dyslexia

Charlotte Gater suggests the following strategies:

1. Use multiple senses for learning. Combine visual, hearing, and hands-on activities. For younger children, use playdough to form letters or sing alphabet songs. Older students can benefit from colour-coding different parts of speech or creating mind maps for story structures. 
2. Break tasks into smaller steps. Large assignments can be overwhelming for dyslexic learners. Visual checklists are helpful for younger children, while digital task management apps can be useful for older children and teenagers. Celebrate when steps are completed for all age groups, to maintain motivation.
3. Allow extra time for reading and writing. Reduce time pressure to help children process information more effectively. For younger pupils, extend storytime or use sand timers for writing tasks to make time visual. For older children, allow more time for homework and reading assignments. Create a quiet, distraction-free space at home for study and encourage regular breaks to maintain focus.
4. Use helpful technology. Leverage age-appropriate assistive tools to support learning. For younger pupils, interactive phonics apps like Nessy and digital storybooks can make reading more engaging. Older children can benefit from text-to-speech software for reading assignments and spell-checkers for writing tasks. Secondary school students might find voice recognition tools helpful for note-taking, while grammar-checking software is useful for refining written work.
5. Focus on strengths. Identify and nurture areas where your child excels to build confidence and motivation. For primary school pupils, this might involve praising their creativity in storytelling or their skills in hands-on activities. Older children could be encouraged to join clubs or take on projects related to their strengths, whether in science, art, or sports. For secondary school students, guide them towards optional subjects and extracurricular activities that align with their talents and interests.

For more on differences in young people, we look at PDA in children and exactly what it looks like. We also share the three different types of ADHD, and the top five ADHD personality traits in kids.

Although praising our children with words such as 'good boy' and 'good girl' come naturally to parents, research suggests this is outdated and needs to be reworded.

When your child does something you're really proud of, your first instinct could be to say 'good girl!' or 'good boy!' without even thinking about it. However, child psychologists believe parents need to rethink how we give praise, if our kids are to become the resilient and emotionally intelligent adults we want them to be.   

You're not alone if your first question to this proposed change, is 'why?' This is a very valid question - exactly why are we dropping the habit of a lifetime? The answers are rooted in psychology and the way it evolves as knowledge in the area expands. According to The Conversation, praise has been a key part of parenting for decades, with 1950s psychologists asserting the benefits of how it positively reinforces desired behaviours.

This notion continued into the 1970s, as psychologists and child development experts continued to emphasise the importance of praising children with phrases such as 'good boy' and 'good girl.' However, in the 2000s, research moved forward, and away from praise and boosting self-esteem being central to nurturing a child’s wellbeing.

Modern psychologists now believe that praise does foster a strong opinion of themselves in children, but the real focus should be on helping them develop a positive sense of identity - rather than thinking highly of themselves, we need to shift towards a sense of safety and belonging in kids. The end result of this should be children feeling capability in their own ability to feel comfortable with their actions, rather than relying on outside forces such as parental praise. 

It's thought that constant praise could lead kids to believe they need to act and make choices to gain adult approval, rather than for themselves. This can negatively affect their sense of self by hindering skills of self-regulation and positive sense of their own identity. 

Similarly, adults offering an abundance of praise, could find their children constantly need this validation to do the right thing, hindering the child's ability to make good choices on their own. Some research has even pointed to inflated praise, including words such as 'amazing' and 'incredible,' resulting in narcissism in kids who end up with an unrealistic sense of what they can actually achieve. 

Instead of inflated praise, here's what parents can say instead:

3 phrases to say instead of 'good boy' and 'good girl'

1. Give realistic feedback. You could say "Well done. I can see you’re trying there with your handstands," instead of "Incredible handstands! You are absolutely amazing at gymnastics!" 
2. Focus on learning or improvement. Don't pit your child against others. You could say: "Next time when you look for the pass in your rugby match, how about getting there as fast as you can?" This can be instead of "You're not quite as quick as some of the others at looking for the pass."
3. Use praise that shows children they are valued. You could say "Well done, you tried your best to study for that test," instead of "I got straight As at school, that's what you need to aim for." 

For more advice on raising emotionally healthy kids, we share how to raise happy kids, how to raise confident kids, and five things kids should never have to do just because an adult expects it of them.

The Burger King 'Bundles of Joy' ad has to be one of the most divisive advertising campaigns of recent times - the negative reactions also send a very clear message to new mums.

The internet is currently working itself into a frenzy about a Burger King ad campaign featuring new mums chomping down on burgers moments after giving birth. There's been an outpouring of negative reactions to the advert, but we think it's brilliant - judging by the support from mothers who identify with the content, we aren't alone. Named 'Bundles of Joy,' the concept of the ads is actually really clever - a series of fabulously real images placed on billboards and bus stops featuring mothers in those heady, surreal moments after birth eating a Burger King while cradling their new baby.  

Released on September 26, the series of ads marks a special day in the UK - the day more babies are born than any other day of the year. The fast food giant conducted a survey and found a burger and chips were amongst the most desired post-birth treat for those who've just gone through one of the mos gruelling experiences of their lives. 

Accompanied by a film displayed across social media showing the mothers in labour before cutting to footage of them with hospital gowns akimbo being delivered the burger by their partner, each mother has a delivery time next to her image - a fun play on the time she was given the food, rather than the delivery time of her baby. Proving that perfection in motherhood is a very real requirement of society, the campaign has been branded everything from 'disgusting' to 'disturbing,' with calls to have it banned. 

Some of those who work in the advertising industry have slammed the campaign. Writing on LinkedIn, brand strategist Will Poskett, says "It's an ad that promotes cancer and obesity-causing ultra-processed foods next to the birth of a newborn baby. Promoting UPFs like this is cynical and disgusting."

Commenting on the Burger King UK Instagram account, another outraged person wrote "This is disgusting! Mothers need proper nourishment after going through birth! Nobody should eat this c**p, least of all New mothers and the baby that she will likely feed from her own body. Ads glorifying junk should be banned the same way they banned smoking ads."

A lot of the negativity appears to stem from the mystifying notion that once a woman becomes pregnant, she is expected to be nothing less than perfect and give up her whole self and everything she wants, for her baby. Some people seem unable to cope with an exhausted, bloodied woman looking less than perfect, mouth open wide to receive something that isn't green and organic - because that's what expected of her now she's brought life into the world.

In this Handmaid's Tale style society we live in, a lot of the negative commentary comes from, ahem, men. Posting to LinkedIn, entrepreneur Leela Cosgrove, wrote "The real reason so many men hate this ad is because they can't cope with any image of a woman that's not tailored to the male gaze. Anything that isn't for them infuriates them. That's it. That's the post." And wow, is she correct.    

Creative director Rodd Chant sums this up by adding "Burger King’s latest campaign in the UK has certainly outraged its target audience. Oh, hold on, sorry my mistake, it mostly outraged the people it was not aimed at – men.

The overwhelming outpouring of anger, moral stances, and postnatal health advice mixed in with a decent helping of mansplaining was confusing, to say the least. But when you look at the comments and reactions from women, you know, the people it was aimed at and who can actually give birth, the majority were either positive and supportive – or at least not morally outraged."

The women putting forward their case to be able to eat whatever the heck they wanted in the moments after birth, really stepped up - in their droves. The comment sections of negative posts about the ad was filled with women describing what they first ate after birth, and for most, it was something fried and high in carbs. There was also an undertone of 'hands off,' and the implication that anyone who hasn't already been denied a plethora of foods for nine months or not been able to eat during labour, had absolutely no say in the food choices of postpartum mothers.

Mum-of-two, Lucy says "I was given plain toast just after birth, and as I'd given birth at 2am, couldn't wait for the morning and some real food - I'm aware some mums felt high on the NHS buttery post-birth toast, but it did nothing for me. I was disappointed that plain cereal and more toast was on offer when the food trolley arrived at 7am, although I shouldn't have been really. Then, like a beautiful vision, my husband arrived with a McDonald's breakfast and half the M&S food court - and none of the healthy stuff.

I sat holding my baby, delightedly munching on all of it, and it's one of my best ever food memories. I'm well aware of the value of healthy eating, and knew I had years of good choices in front of me. But in the battle-worn, exhausted moment, the ecstasy of fried carbs, meat and other treats, was just what my body needed. And nobody gets to have any say in what I wanted to eat in that moment."

The moral of the story? Let's just give mums a break shall we.

For more on the unrealistic expectation placed on mothers, carrying the mental load is placed at the feet of most, often leading to depression, stress and burnout. Unsurprisingly, the heavy burden of motherhood can lead to mum rage - but help is available.

Talking to teens about sex isn't easy, but make it less awkward with these nine straightforward things to say about it - experts also share what you need to avoid in your conversation.   

Talking to children about sex can be an uncomfortable, but entirely necessary part of being a parent. Sex itself is a broad subject matter, and needs to be broken down into smaller topics - parents will need advice on how to talk to kids about masturbation and how to broach the subject of porn.

If you are having difficulty talking about these subjects with your kids, Outspoken Sex Ed has some great advice, recently shared to Instagram. The caption reads: "If you want your teen to be sexually healthy, confident and informed, talk openly instead of letting them get ‘facts’ from friends & social media. Research shows sex ed in school and at home means teens are more likely to delay sexual activity, have consensual first-time sex, practise safe sex and seek help."

Follow these nine helpful tips when it comes to talking about sex with your young people:

1. ACKNOWLEDGE EMBARRASSMENT. Let your teen know this isn't easy for you, it doesn't matter. You could say ‘I never talked about this stuff with my parents but I’ll do my best.’
2. FORGET ‘THE TALK’. You don't have to cover every detail of sex education in one go - little and often is key to keeping conversations natural. If something related to sex comes up on TV or in the news, ask your teen what they think about it as a way of opening up a new conversation. 
3. DON’T USE EUPHEMISMS. Be frank - vague language can create confusion and possible shame.
4. USE CORRECT TERMS. Penis, vagina, use it all correctly - and your children need to know the difference between a vagina and a vulva. 
5. TALK ABOUT CONSENT. Your teens need to understand the importance of respecting their bodies, and any other body they come into contact with. Asking if they want a hug models respect for boundaries.
6. DISCUSS EMOTIONS. Teens should know that that sex involves emotional connections. Encourage them to think about values, and that they'll need time to understand how they feel. 
7. ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS. Don't make anything off limits. Always make sure they know you're proud of them for asking questions, which will encourage them to come back to you with any others they have. 
8. USE DISTANCING TECHNIQUES. Frame questions in a way that isn’t personal, this could be something like saying ‘Humans are interesting – why do you think we cover our private parts?’
9. TALK INCLUSIVELY. Make sure your kids know about different types of relationships from a young age, and understand differences in sexual orientations and identities. 

That should make talking about these difficult subjects easier, so let's move the conversation on to what you should try to avoid during these discussions. Outspoken Sex Ed suggest not including the following when chatting to teens about sex:

1. AVOID ASSUMPTIONS. Ask your teen what they know, to get a good starting off point for the conversation.
2. DON’T BE JUDGMENTAL. Shock or disapproval can shut things down. Thank them for sharing with you, and suggest keeping the conversation going to help you understand. 
3. DON’T IGNORE OR DISMISS FEELINGS. Don't rush your teen. If they're struggling to convey something to you, don't put words in their mouth. Let them go at their own pace. 
4. DON’T OVERWHELM THEM. Trying to impart everything you think they need to know in one go, can be overwhelming. Consider their maturity level and what they might find confusing - topics can be returned to later.
5. DON’T CARRY ON. If a question surprises you, gently end the conversation while you gather your thoughts. You could say: 'Give me a moment to grab a coffee, then let’s chat.' 

Mum of two, Louise, says "I always dreaded 'the talk,' but my children beat me to it by coming to me when they were fairly young, with questions about things they'd heard in the playground relating to sex and body functions. Because they were young and asked in such an unabashed way, it made it easy to answer their questions without feeling embarrassed.

I also knew this indicated they were ready to go further into sex and other topics. Since that initial question was asked, they've often randomly asked other questions, and I always give frank answers. Hopefully moving into the teenage years, they'll just continue to do this, and will be able to ask me anything at any time. I also make notes of things to bring up with them that I want them to know more about. It really hasn't been as difficult as I was expecting."

For more on this topic, we share how to model consent to your kids, and how to teach them about boundaries in relationships. We also delve into what to expect when your teenager starts dating.

If taking your teen's phone away is your first line of punishment when they need discipline, an expert shares why you might want to re-think this strategy.

Young people and smartphones seem to be the cause of endless debate in the modern world. It looks like we could be heading towards mobile phones being banned in schools, with even companies such as EE speaking out to warn against giving children phones. If your child does have a mobile, there's also the ongoing internal debate of whether you should check your child's phone - the list of parenting dilemmas these devices bring up is apparently endless.

As teens get so attached to their phones, it makes sense that when they need to be punished for a misdemeanour, parents remove it from them. However, child psychologist Dr Claire Halsey urges parents to think before dishing out this particular punishment.

Speaking to The Mirror, the expert shares "It can be tempting to take away a child's device altogether, but this all-or-nothing approach generates a lot of conflict and doesn’t help them make positive choices about where and when to have screen time." Instead, Dr Halsey has five tips for parents to manage their child's screen time as a result of conflict, instead of simply taking their phone from their possession.

1. Reduce screen time before bedtime. Instead of a blanket ban on screen time before bed, try reducing it instead. Gently implement a rule that devices aren't to be taken into bedrooms in the evening. Try a family activity before bed that gets everyone interacting with one another with no screens involved, such as playing a board game.
2. Have family limits and screen-free zones. Dr Halsey suggests agreeing on a time when the family as a whole turns all devices off. This could just be during mealtimes or car journeys to begin with. If parents are also involved, this models to children positively that switching off can be achievable.
3. Negotiate access. If your child can't put their phone down of their own accord, don't take it away. Instead, explain and encourage compromise, and why these are important skills to have for life, not just when it comes to smartphone use. Parents could try asking their child to help prepare dinner or load the dishwasher in return for getting their phone back, instead of simply removing it.
4. Look for ways to increase physical activity. If you want to take a phone away, try and provide a positive alternative. Family walks and old-fashioned games like hide-and-seek encourage family bonding while creating much-needed time away from screens.
5. Have honest conversations about phone use. In the modern world, most people rely on their phones for socialising - including adults. If you take a child's phone away, be mindful that you could be cutting them off from their friends and breeding resentment. If you're set on phone removal as punishment, you need to be prepared to explain why - outline how the alternatives on offer such as increased family interaction and time spent outside, will be better for your child.

Dr Halsey expands on the reasons why simply taking a phone away from a child doesn't work. She correctly points out that most adults struggle to modify their phone use, and if they're unable to do this, they surely can't remove a device from their child and expect them to cope with this.

The expert concludes "Banning or removing your child's device for a long period is difficult to maintain and doesn’t allow either of you to work out when it's okay and when to turn it off. It may even backfire as children might not tell you when they've gone online or share if they've seen material that is harmful or frightening."

For more on this subject, we share ways your phone addiction is affecting your children and the ten rules that most parents have in place for their child's phone use. If you are thinking of getting your child their first phone, here are some expert tips to make the process easier.

If your child is at the age they want to attend sleepovers, a child psychologist has a lot of things she wants parents to consider to keep them safe.

Keeping our children safe is undoubtedly at the forefront of our minds from the moment they're born. How to model consent is now something parents need to be armed with and instil into their kids - our children need to know the things they should never have to do, such as feel obliged to hug family members and blindly comply with what adults expect of them.

Internet safety is always a hot topic, and parents need to put serious amounts of time into ensuring their child's safety in a sometimes murky internet world where danger seems to lurk around every corner. When your children are old enough to attend sleepovers - and this can be at a friend's house, school residential, Beavers or Brownie camp - you'll need to be alert to the safety dangers these can present, too.

Psychologist Dr Martha covers the subject of sleepovers and consent frequently on her Instagram page. She collates all the safety tips parents need to have at their fingertips if they're entrusting the overnight care of their child to somebody else. Here's Dr Martha's five things she really wants parents to consider before their child spends a night away from home:  

5 things to do, learn and teach to safeguard children

1. Gather information. Get to know what sort of household your child will be entering - do you know the family well? Have you spent extended amounts of time with them? Do they respond to misbehaviour and uphold household rules in the same way you do? What are their rules around smartphones and social media use? All of this will be useful to know and Dr Martha urges parents not to be afraid to find these things out before letting their child stay with another family overnight.
2. Teach body boundaries and consent. Make sure your child knows that nobody is entitled to touch, kiss, or take pictures of their body. If you don't want your child to have a bath or shower at somebody else's house this is completely up to you - firmly tell the family caring for them that these are your wishes.
3. Make sure your child knows what to say. If something happens that your child is uncomfortable with, make sure they have the words to effectively make it known. Arm them with phrases such as "I don't kiss anybody on the lips or anywhere else," "pants are private, only I touch them," or "I said NO." Make sure they know they can tell you absolutely anything and won't be shamed, and you'll always believe them.
4. Have a no secrets rule. Teach your child not to keep secrets - even something as small as what a present is for another adult or child. Tell your child that if anyone ever asks them to keep a secret, this is unsafe and they need to tell someone immediately. Have the rule "nobody gets into trouble for sharing a secret in our house." 
5. Give your child a way out. If your child feels unsafe somewhere, they won't want to stay there all night. Tell them they can come home anytime, no matter what the time. Preferably, do this in front of the other parent caring for your child, to prevent them blocking your child from doing this. Say to them "My child has permission to call me and come home at anytime, can you let them use your phone for this please?" 

Along with these five very important considerations, Dr Martha adds a bonus consideration into the caption of her post, writing, "BONUS CONSIDERATION: How does your child do on poor sleep? Sleepovers all have one thing in common - children tend to have less quality sleep and for a shorter duration than at home. This can be due to anxiety, excitement, ‘strange bed syndrome’, or chatting late into the night."

She adds "For some children, this may just mean a daytime nap and a long nights sleep the next day. For others, there may be behavioural repercussions the next few days (and it may look like jet lag). Sleep is an important aspect of wellbeing and how your child reacts to low sleep should be a consideration, particularly on a weekend during school term."

For more on keeping your child safe, do you know why 'stranger danger' is outdated and what to teach your child instead? Talking to children about sex can be difficult, but necessary to keep them safe, and we also share how to talk to kids about porn. 

You can count on Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis, to offer sensible, actionable advice when it comes to saving money - and his guidance when it comes to Christmas is worth making a note of.

Martin Lewis is a national treasure, whose dedication to saving the nation money knows no bounds. From the brilliant loophole for parents who want to leave kids money without paying inheritance tax, to the little known tax tip for grandparents gifting money to their grandkids, his sound advice helps millions. He's even petitioning for compulsory financial education for every child in schools, to ensure a nation of savvy money experts in the future. 

As minds turn towards Christmas, Martin has once again stepped up to try and prevent a January filled with debt and regret. He offers simple advice to stop the dream of a 'perfect' Christmas stopping the public being pragmatic and sensible with their spending - which is easily done when you're caught up in the magic and have children that want the latest expensive items.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, the Money Saving Expert says "Now, forgive me for being all bah humbug about this but Christmas is a huge proportion of the year’s annual expenditure. The average person spends £800 on it, the average family... 800 quid a year. It's getting up there with a family holiday. Most people can’t afford that out of December’s income."

To prevent overspending, he urges people to consider the following in the run up to the big day: 

• Don't make a Christmas 'lust list,' you'll only be disappointed. Martin says "One of the big mistakes many people make at Christmas is they, in their mind, come up with a lust list - what is the perfect Christmas. And if you come up with a lust list, for most people, that will either lead to one of two things: debt or disappointment because you won’t get it."
• Pre-plan throughout the year. We all know Christmas is coming - be mindful of it all year if you know it's going to be expensive. Martin adds "You need to do some pre-planning. Christmas this year will be on the 25th of December, note that down it’s not unexpected…but when I come into January, January is the biggest time for all the debt counselling agencies and when you talk to people about why they’ve gone then, they say 'Christmas, of course.'
• Make a budget and stick to it. There's no point having a miserable time after Christmas, full of money worries and woes, for the sake of one day. Martin suggests putting together a tight budget based on what you can actually afford, and basing your 'lust list' strictly on that budget. 
• Don't be sucked in by social media. It's easy to go online and see perfectly decorated trees surrounded by hordes of presents - but nobody is under any pressure to recreate that themselves. Christmas isn't about keeping up with what everyone else is doing, and showy pictures of unreachable expectations can easily push others into spending too much. Martin urges people not to fall for it.

Mum-of-three, Shelley, says "We used to overspend on Christmas and really regret it. It really is so easy to get caught up in the idea of the perfect day. Now, I keep an eye out for sales throughout the year, and buy anything that's massively reduced that someone in the family would like, and put it away for Christmas.

We also communicate better with the wider family now. I used to be really bad at saying we didn't have enough money for gifts, but now we have a discussion about it early and make decisions based on what everyone can afford. Last year we all decided to give small gifts for the adults because we could. Some of us aren't financially sound this year, so we've decided not to do that and just focus on what we can afford for the children."

For more on how to save money, we share 13 good money habits all parents should adopt, and how to save money shopping at Amazon.

There's many things kids do to that are blamed on poor parenting. However, some things children do to drive us mad are actually down to genetics, according to search.

If traits passed on by your parents such as poor memory and infertility can be blamed on genetics, there's no reason other common behaviours our kids display regularly can't be put down to the same genes - and science proves they can be. From fussy eating to school reports suggesting your child isn't applying themselves in the way you'd hoped, society can be quick to judge and blame bad parenting. Your parenting style has nothing to do with a lot of these behaviours - it's all genetics.

Psychologist and geneticist, Robert Plomin, is the pioneer of concepts relating to heritability – or, how many differences between individuals can be explained by inherited DNA. His research based on genetics being responsible for more of the psychological differences between us than anything else, found heritability plays the biggest part in everything from personality to mental ability. He also asserts that very little of our behaviours and personality traits are related to our environment, placing most of these firmly at the feet of genetic makeup. 

According to The Telegraph, public perception still holds society responsible for traits deemed difficult - or for a reason to pull out the tired trope 'let's blame the parents.' Plomin carried out a survey to compare public views on who or what is responsible for human behviour when it comes to nature vs genes, comparing this to his own findings - with very interesting results. Here's an overview of the percentage genetics are thought to be responsible for certain things our kids do (or don't do.)

• Fussy eating - genetics 80% responsible
• Reading ability - genetics 60 per cent responsible
• Spatial awareness - genetics 70 per cent responsible
• School achievement - genetics 60 per cent responsible
• Eye colour and other obviously inherited traits - genetics 96% responsible

Plomin says modern genetics offers the "Power to predict our psychological strengths and weaknesses from birth," offering fortune telling abilities when it comes to a "polygenic score." Even when it comes to the likelihood of developing a range of mental health conditions, or becoming obese, Plomin concedes "I do not know of a single psychological trait that does not show genetic influence."

Therefore, when looking at the classic nature vs nurture debate, these findings appear to cement nature as predominantly responsible for pretty much every decision and trait a person will develop. However, it will never be 100 per cent responsible, and it's worth adding that nurture will certainly be required to help individuals overcome any traits or behaviours negatively impacting their lives.

For more on this topic, research also show which parent is more likely to pass down Alzheimer's, and how you inherit your grandparent's trauma - even if you never met them. Do you often hear the phrase 'just like mum'? Further research reveals where unique traits come from; mum or dad.    

Children are getting extra screen time due to the lack of wraparound childcare, according to research.  

It can be difficult to balance work and family life, particularly as more of us are raising children in families with two working parents. Research shows that childcare has a huge impact on parents’ careers – particularly mothers. And now, new data from childcare provider Koru Kids shows that many parents are increasing their child's screen time due to a lack of reliable, available wraparound childcare.  

According to the data, almost a third (29%) of parents struggle to access the wraparound care they require because it’s either full or because the school doesn’t offer it at all. Of those parents who can access wraparound childcare, 88% aren’t happy with the provision available to them, while over a third (35%) of parents have to have their children at home with them while they try to work. 

As a result, a third of parents have increased the amount of screen time they allow their children – just so they’re able to work more hours. Children not in after-school clubs spend an average of 1.5 hours of their time between 3pm and 6pm on a screen or device, while children with special educational needs spend an average of 1.6 hours on screens or devices in the same timeframe. 

While it might be a useful fix in a pinch, and it’s unlikely to imagine kids turning their nose up at extra tablet or TV time, just under half (45%) of parents say that the extra screen time makes it harder for children to relax at bedtime, while 27% say it makes their kids more irritable. 

It sets an unwelcome precedent, too, with over half (52%) of parents saying the increase means their kids expect more screen time in the future, while just under a third (32%) say it’s harder to entertain their children in other ways as a result. And over a fifth (22%) of parents worry that their child thinks they prioritise work over spending time with them. 

Rachel Carrell, founder of Koru Kids, says, “So much money and effort is spent on figuring out what children should be doing during school hours but hit 3pm and it’s as if no one cares. The period from 3pm – 6pm, when parents are still working, is totally overlooked. It’s as if it doesn’t exist, and what happens in those three hours doesn’t matter. 

“But it does matter. It does have an impact, especially when it’s filled with time on screens and devices. Child mental health is at an all-time low and we’re blaming smartphones, Covid – what about the lack of after-school care too?

“Parents need access to affordable, flexible wraparound care so they can work productively, knowing their children are being well cared for.”

And what about the school holidays? Let's not normalise what working mums are juggling – trying to balance things when children aren’t at school for six hours of the usual workday can be even more difficult. It’s why two mums set up the Five Hour Club, which could be a game-changer for working parents.

For related news and advice, parents say support from their potential employer is important, and there's one overlooked reason modern parents are 'burnt out' and stressed. 

It's important to teach your children about consent to keep them safe, one psychologist and parenting expert has urged.

There are lots of important things we need to teach our children to help keep them safe - they seem to be surrounded by potential points of harm, from social media and violent content online, to knowing about the new phrase your child needs to stay safe to replace 'stranger danger.' 

It's vitally important to educate your kids about the idea of consent as early as possible, to help them understand that they’re entitled to privacy and agency over their bodies. Dr Martha, a psychologist who helps support parents, explains the best way to model consent at home to help keep our children safe.

“Consent begins at home with you,” she explains. “How you model it and how you respond to others gives your child a blueprint of how to be in relationships with others and what safe expectations to have around themselves.”

This can be along the lines of asking your child for permission to hug them, or asking them what photos or videos they’re happy for you to share with loved ones, and respecting their wishes. She explains that she often gets asked where things like nappy changes and medical appointments come into the discussion, and says that these fall under assent, rather consent, in younger children – and assent is often accompanied by consent from parents or legal guardians. So, while your baby may not be able to give consent to your changing their nappy, for example, it’s something that you still need to do as part of caring for them properly. 

And consent helps children learn what’s safe with their bodies and those of other people, teaching them respect, and how to deal with hearing the word ‘no’ without taking it as a rejection. This can easily be modelled at home by you. Dr Martha gives examples of things you might say, like, “I love being close to you but I don’t want you on my lap right now. Come sit next to me,” or “You don’t want a cuddle right now? That’s okay, I love you just the same.”

Just as it’s important to ask your child if they want you to pick them up, or give them a cuddle, encourage them to ask other people, too. So, things like, “Nanny, can I give you a cuddle?” or, “Daddy, can I sit on your lap?”

She continues, “If you’re listening to this and thinking, ‘But these are all things that should be natural – they’re signs of physical affection and I want my child to be affectionate with others,’ I hear you. For adults who haven’t learned about consent, weren’t taught it at school, didn’t have family members who talked to us about it or modelled how to do it, it feels awkward and unfamiliar. But trust me, this is about building a sense of agency in a child.”

She explains in the caption, “We want children to learn to trust their instincts, rather than override them to give others pleasure. And if anything were to happen, you want them to come to you because they will know what is safe and what is not.”

Another important thing to ensure is that you’re giving your children the correct and accurate information about bodies and sex – so, labelling body parts correctly, for example. Not doing so, she says, “sets up a precedent for your child that they cannot fully trust what you say and/or that some subjects are best to be avoided completely.”

By giving your children agency over their bodies, you’re empowering them and this could protect them – if something’s wrong, they’re more likely to recognise it and come to you for help and support. 

In related news, here are 5 things kids never ‘have’ to do, according to a child psychologist, and when and how to talk to your child about sex. If you're wondering how to talk to your kids about porn, it's a good idea to have these conversations no matter how hard they feel.

Parents and grandparents can help their kids become millionaires as adults with annual financial contributions that are smaller than you might think.

We all want to see our kids become financially secure adults, and this isn't quite as impossible as it might seem. Parents can save for their kids by adopting clever spending habits and learning how to save money on streaming services. There's even brilliantly savvy ways for Tesco customers to save money with clubcard vouchers.

However, none of that will make your child a millionaire though - or will it? Financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown calculated that contributing the maximum £9,000 annually to a junior ISA from the time your child is born could mean that they end up with £255,000 by the time they’re 18. 

If you were to then continue with an annual contribution of £5,000 to their ISA, they could hit £1 million by the time they’re 43. And, if £3,600 per year is put into a junior SIPP, they could have a pension pot of almost £98,000 by the time they’re 18. 

Rob Burgeman from investment company RBC Brewin Dolphin says, via TeessideLive: "A more modest pot of £50,000-£100,000 will certainly be within the reach of many. Starting at birth, a £50,000 pot could be built by the child's 18th birthday on contributions of roughly £150 a month, assuming annualised returns of five per cent after charges. Increase the contribution to £300 a month, and the junior ISA will be looking at a windfall of around £100,000."

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, says, per BirminghamLive: “Becoming a millionaire may feel like an impossible dream for most of us, but if you can start people off early on their investment journey, it's more achievable than you might think.

“Junior ISAs and SIPPs are a great way to help build the financial resilience of a child or grandchild, with the combination of regular contributions and long-term investment growth building a firm foundation upon which they can build as they get older.

"Starting your loved one's savings journey early gives them an enormous advantage over the long-term. The increased time in the market can really pay off. It can also act as an important early lesson in the power of investment in making the most of their money.

"Watching their money grow over time can boost their confidence and spark a lifelong interest in investing."

Of course, not all parents and grandparents will be in a position to contribute some of the figures mentioned above to their child’s ISA or SIPP, but smaller contributions can quickly add up, too, to give your kids a valuable nest egg as they get older. 

In related news, here are six clever ways to save for your child's future and here are the best bank accounts for kids and how to choose the right one. Here’s how to teach kids about money, while Martin Lewis has told MPs how we need financial education 'in EVERY school for EVERY child'. 

Sarah Swann, 44, and her husband spent £60,000 to fulfil their dreams of parenthood. Here, she shares their story...

Logging into my banking app, I transferred money into my savings, just like every payday. It was September 2014, and alongside working full-time in retail, I also worked part-time as a DJ. I loved hyping up crowds at parties and nightclubs. But I was very sensible when it came to finances, and so was my husband Paul, a landscape gardener.

We’d gone without holidays to buy our home together in Hertfordshire in 2009, and while we had a credit card for emergencies, we rarely used it. Now, as we checked our joint savings account, I said, "We’re building up a nice nest egg," and Paul and I exchanged excited smiles.

Having married in June 2014, after knowing each other since secondary school, we’d decided to start a family. Our savings would be invaluable for buying essentials like a cot, pram and highchair. But months passed. "It will happen soon, don’t worry," Paul reassured me in January 2015, as we stared in disappointment at another negative pregnancy test.

After two years without success, our GP referred us for fertility tests. With no clear answers, we were put on the waiting list for IVF treatment and three years drifted by before our first appointment at Bourn Hall Clinic, in February 2020, when I was 40.

The first cycle of treatment, which was NHS-funded, required medication and injections to stimulate egg production, before multiple eggs were harvested, four of which were used to create and freeze precious embryos. Sadly, they remained on ice, due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, and we had our first embryo transfer in October 2020. But a negative pregnancy test two weeks later dashed our hopes, which was so upsetting, particularly because so many of our friends were having babies.

"Why isn’t it happening for us?" I’d cry to Paul. After the NHS-funded cycle, we dipped into our savings to pay for further treatments. Over the next two years, we had three further cycles of unsuccessful IVF, costing up to £10,000 a time. By early 2022, we were researching other options including a clinic in Prague, which offered different treatment plans and protocols. However, further treatment would have serious financial implications.

Although we both worked full-time, the cost of fertility treatment was a real worry. "Our savings account will be empty soon," I sighed to Paul in February 2022 as we booked flights to Prague, withdrawing thousands of pounds to fund treatment.

An initial transfer of two embryos was unsuccessful and by summer, our fertility specialist in Prague had prescribed so many different tablets and injections that I needed to wheel a small suitcase around when I visited venues for work. That autumn, having spent around £40,000, our savings had officially run out. With our monthly earnings needed to pay our mortgage and bills, we only had one option left. 'We’ll have to pay for the next IVF cycle on our credit card,’ Paul sighed.

We’d had always worked hard to avoid debt but, then aged 42 and 46, it felt like time was running out. We flew to Prague in October 2022 for another embryo transfer, putting the £2,500 cost on our credit card. Incredibly, a pregnancy test two weeks later was positive.

However, during a viability scan at a private clinic in late November 2022, we were warned that the embryo was worryingly small and. At our 12-week scan at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage, in December 2022 there was no heartbeat. I broke down as Paul wrapped his arms around me. Days later, I miscarried at home, which was awful. But one thing kept us going. "At least now we know we can conceive," I told Paul.

Our specialist in Prague suggested a new combination of medication, and we paid for one more round of treatment on our credit card, taking our total spend to £60,000. Our quest to have a baby had decimated our savings and landed us in debt.

"If this doesn’t work, I don’t know what we’ll do," I sighed, flying out to Prague for our final embryo transfer in June 2023. But back home, a pregnancy test revealed I was two weeks pregnant.

We stopped ourselves getting too excited until an early six-week scan, which we paid for privately. I prepared myself for more heartache until the sonographer smiled and said, "Congratulations, Mama... That’s a strong, healthy heartbeat." At our 20-week scan, we saw a little face and limbs on the screen, and at 26 weeks, we shared the news with family and friends, and finally bought a cot and pram.

Feeling my baby’s kicks and seeing my bump grow felt like a dream come true. And on 1 February 2024, Paul held my hand at Lister Hospital as our daughter Lily May Eve was delivered by C-section, weighing 7lb 3oz.

"I’m your mummy," I wept, as she was placed gently in my arms. Taking Lily home the next day was wonderful. She was a dream baby, feeding and sleeping well but even the occasional difficult nights were manageable because, after all, we’d waited a long time to be able to talk about having sleepless nights with our newborn.

Now aged five months, our girl is a little smiler who brings us constant joy. She was worth the wait and expense. We know some people may judge us for spending £60,000 on getting our baby. We won’t be enjoying lavish holidays because we’ll be paying off our credit card debt for years to come, but we’re happy. Aside from the essentials, babies really only need love – and that’s something we have in endless supply.

Whining is difficult to hear, and just as hard to get to the bottom of - psychologist, Dr Becky, shares simple tricks for parents to respond to whining positively.

Helping your child with their emotions is one of the hardest parts of parenting - teaching them how to manage their anger and remaining empathetic when learning how to handle tantrums, isn't easy for any caregiver. Whining can be particularly difficult to hear - a relentless noise that symbolises your child has a need, but sometimes even they don't know what that is. 

Role modelling how your children can talk to you and convey their needs without shame, is a good place to start when responding to whining. However, child psychologist Dr Becky outlines five great ways to try when responding to a whining child, and here's what she has to say.

1. Humour. Make light of the whining, asking “How did that whine get in here?” or ‘throwing’ the whine out. “Say, ‘Whew! It is O-U-T, OUT! Okay, sorry, what did you ask for? Ice in your water? Sure, I’ll grab you some’,” advises Dr Becky.
2. Model the request yourself. Model the request without whining. Say, for example, “Dad, can you please grab me that book? Thank you,” and then say in your own voice, “Oh sure sweetie, no problem.” Simply move on after that, with no lecture required. 
3. Permit protest. Let your child know that they’re allowed to dislike or not agree with your decision. This doesn’t mean that you’ll change their mind on the decision, but they’re perfectly allowed to have their own views on it. 
4. The Fill-Up Game. Dr Becky recommends saying something like, “Oh no! I think you’re not filled up with Mummy,” before giving your child successive hugs and adding one more for “extra Mummy.”
5. Empathy and boundary. Be empathetic, telling your child that you appreciate how difficult it can be to be a kid and not have as much control and freedom as an adult. But at the same time, they still have to do the thing they’re whining about – you can be firm and loving at the same time. 

“Whining is a sign of desire and powerlessness, and there’s not many things that are harder than feeling those two things together,” says Dr Becky. “Kids whine because they often feel alone and unseen in their desires. Of course, our job as parents is to make decisions that we feel are right for our kids, even in the face of protest—but this doesn’t mean we can’t say “No” and still connect to their feelings.”

She explains, “The other day at lunch, my son whined for a grilled cheese cut into pieces. I paused and thought, ‘Huh. My son is actually asking me to hold a boundary, so he can let out some feelings. He is whining and being so unreasonable as a way of saying to me, ‘Mommy, be firm, provide a sturdy container for me. I need a good cry’’.”

I stopped trying to make things better and just said, “These are our food choices today. Nothing feels good, huh? Nothing feels like you want it to.” He screamed and protested and cried. He needed it.

If you’d like more advice, here are six signs you’re raising an emotionally intelligent child and this is the 'incredibly helpful' 30-second rule – liked by nearly 2 million people – that your kid needs to know about. For more from Dr Becky, she explains how to support a child with ‘explosive’ emotions, and the three tips to set screen time boundaries.

For many women, having a baby is the third point on their life checklist. First, you chase your dream job, next you settle into a loving relationship, then you think about having children. But, for me, things didn’t happen quite that way. I’d got to my early 30s with a good job and a lovely home – and no sign of a man. All I wanted was a baby, but how could I become a mum on my own?

Even as a little girl, I’d pictured myself as a mother, cradling my toy dolls like an adoring parent. As I got older, I loved kids and at 21, I got the job of my dreams, as a nursery nurse. It might have been hectic and exhausting, but being around children all day filled me with joy.

I’d always thought I’d be pregnant in my early 20s but, at 25, I started to feel like life was passing me by. I had a lovely flat, a job I loved and busy weekends spent with friends and family. I didn’t mind being single, my life felt full, yet I craved holding my own baby in my arms.

So I signed up for a dating app and, over the next couple of years, I met perfectly nice men, but just never found the spark I was looking for. By the time I was 30, I’d given up on dating and was no closer to finding a partner. Panic was starting to set in, as I knew it would be harder to conceive the older I got. Then when lockdown hit in 2020, the nursery closed and I used the free time I had to research fertility treatments. For a while, I’d been thinking about using a sperm donor to conceive.

It wasn’t the route I ever imagined taking to have a baby, but being a mum meant far more to me than a relationship. I was shocked to discover, though, that IVF would set me back between £15k and £30k. I’m not from a rich family and my wage from the nursery wasn’t huge, I simply couldn’t afford it. I had a bit in savings, but nowhere near enough.

Then I read about IUI – intrauterine insemination. It involved placing sperm directly into the uterus, near the fallopian tube, to increase the chances of conceiving. At £3,000, it was much cheaper than IVF and with a bit more saving, I could afford it.

Then in September 2020, I celebrated my 32nd birthday and my mum Bronwyn, then 62, and stepdad David, 72, came over with chocolate cake – and to discuss some unexpected news. I’d inherited £1,000 from my grandma, who’d passed away earlier that year. It wasn’t a life-changing sum, but instantly I knew how I wanted to spend it.

Nervously, I told my parents about the IUI treatment, expecting them to dismiss the idea as ‘ridiculous’ and try to talk me out of it. Instead, they smiled and told me they’d support whatever I wanted to do.

Just four months later, in January 2021, I had my first round of IUI. After that failed, I went ahead with a second round a month later. When the pregnancy test showed up negative once again, I was distraught. Perhaps naively, I’d not really prepared myself for it failing and I had to take some time off work and see a counsellor. I was overwhelmed with the thought that this wasn’t going to happen for me. I had no more money and couldn’t face waiting for Mr Right, who might never show.

Then a few months later, my mum rang with an idea. She’d found out about egg sharing. It involved donating half of your eggs to another patient and then you would receive a free round of IVF yourself. Immediately, I knew I wanted to do it. The chances of conceiving would be higher with IVF, plus I’d be helping someone else have their own baby.

I did worry about how I'd feel if my eggs gave another woman a baby while my own IVF failed, but I tried to focus on a positive outcome for us both.

In September 2021, 17 of my eggs were harvested. Nine I kept and the other eight were passed on to someone else. A month on, I had my first round of IVF, using sperm I’d chosen from a list of profiles. Just like with online dating, I’d spent an evening trawling through profiles – only this time, not for a date, but for a sperm donor. The man I chose was 6ft tall with brown hair and blue eyes – someone that I thought I’d likely find attractive.

Two weeks later, it was time for a pregnancy test. I woke up at 5am, full of nerves. But as I sat in the bathroom waiting for the test result, I was ecstatic when it showed a strong second line – something I’d never witnessed before.

At 5.30am I rang my mum, waking her up with the news and as we cried and squealed together, I had never felt so happy. As my pregnancy progressed, I loved seeing my bump grow. At 20 weeks, my best friend Sarah, then 33, came with me for my scan. I’d always pictured having a little girl so, to avoid disappointment, I’d been forcing myself to imagine a little boy, even thinking of boys’ names and I bought some boys’ clothes.

But when the sonographer confirmed I was having my much longed-for little girl, I cried with happiness.

My daughter Esme was born on the 15 July 2022 by caesarean, weighing 7lb 7oz. That moment I held her for the first time is one I’ll cherish forever. All those years of worry, fear and panic that I’d never be a mum disappeared and in its place was an overwhelming rush of love.

Even at home, as I juggled night feeds alone and sleep deprivation crept in, I felt nothing but gratitude, just so thankful that I finally had my baby. Besides, Esme was just perfect – sleeping through the night from six weeks old and always so happy and content. She’s two now and is a feisty, sassy little girl with beautiful curls and blue eyes.

I will always be open and honest with Esme about her conception. However, people are often curious about how she will cope without knowing her father. The truth is that she is surrounded by an abundance of love and that’s all that really matters.

Recently, I discovered that one of my eggs helped another woman have a baby – a little boy – which I am thrilled to hear. I won’t lie, it does feel a bit strange to think there’s another child out there who’s biologically mine – a brother to Esme – but he doesn’t belong to me and I know that he has parents who love him.

I still have four more frozen embryos at the clinic, but I already feel so blessed and grateful to have Esme. Being her mum is everything I’d ever wished for – and more.

From your baby smiling at you to just being able to drink a cuppa without reheating it, we rely on these little victories to get us through the day

Being a parent can be difficult, but there are things that make it all worth it – from memorable milestones like the first day of school and your baby’s first word , to those little wins that just help you get through the day. Modern parents can find themselves burnt out and stressed, but a new survey found it's the little things that keep them going the most - uncovering the top 20 parenting wins that keep parents going.  

The survey involved 1,000 new parents, with researchers asking them about their favourite small victories of parenthood. The top parenting win, perhaps unsurprisingly, was your baby smiling at you, with almost half (47%) of parents calling it a win. It’s tied at the top with 47% of parents also considering it a win when the baby sleeps through the night.

To round up the top five wins, 36% of parents described their baby finding joy in eating something new as a favourite small victory, while another 36% spoke about their babies eating all their food without complaint. 

Next up are a stranger commenting on how cute they are (34%), when they’re looking at the camera for a picture (31%), when you get to keep the house tidy for an entire day (29%), when they’ve had a good day at nursery or with their childminder or carer (28%), and making a cup of tea and drinking it hot without needing to reheat it (28%). 

Also among the top 20 are going a day without a leaky nappy, managing the transition from car seat to cot without waking the baby up, and getting through the first outing without a meltdown.

According to the study, parents experience an average of five wins each week during the baby and toddler stages, with 62% of parents saying they feel extremely proud of their child, and 53% feeling like successful parents. 

37% of parents like to capture their wins with a photo, while 20% enjoy rewarding themselves with a well-earned cup of tea. A huge 98% of parents needed to Google something related to childcare in their first year of parenting, with 70% finding having a child to be more challenging than they thought, so it’s unsurprising that 82% described these little wins as helping them through the difficult periods. 

Almost seven in 10 parents (69%) say they took sleep for granted before kids, with 59% missing the opportunity to leave the house quickly. But that said, 87% of parents agree that having a baby is the best thing to ever happen to them. 

Susanne Bisinotto, spokesperson for Vitabiotics Wellbaby vitamins, which commissioned the study, said: "When you have a baby, you start to appreciate getting the basics right and anything else is a bonus. Given how tiring days can be, it's no surprise that parents consider it a win when their child sleeps through the night. Another common concern is ensuring the baby gets all the necessary nutrients, especially as they can be fussy as they grow into toddlers.

“It's great to see how these small accomplishments, like a child eating all their food, can have such a positive impact on parents. All mums and dads deserve a celebratory cup of tea to mark the occasion... it's just a case of if they have time to."

The full list includes:

1. When the baby smiles at me (47%)
2. The baby sleeping through the night (47%)
3. When the baby giggles (40%)
4. Them finding joy in eating something new (36%)
5. Them eating all of their food without complaint (36%)
6. A stranger commenting on how cute they are (34%)
7. When they are looking at the camera for a picture (31%)
8. Keeping the house tidy for an entire day (29%)
9. When they’ve had a good day at nursery/with childminder or carer (28%)
10. Making a cup of tea and drinking it hot without having to reheat it (28%)
11. When there isn’t much clearing up to do after they’ve eaten (28%)
12. When people compliment the baby name you chose (27%)
13. Finding a convenient place to change a nappy when in public (27%)
14. A day when the nappies didn’t leak (26%)
15. Getting through the first illness (26%)
16. Nailing the nap schedule (25%)
17. Successfully managing ‘the transition’ from the car seat to the cot when they’re asleep (24%)
18. Simply washing my hair on any given day (24%)
19. The first outing without meltdowns (24%)
20. Simply finishing a day without bursting into tears (24%)

In other parenting news, 'digital soothing' for kids can cause more harm than we realise, and experts reveal how 'second best parenting' is empowering parents. Take a look at these eight foods that could harm your child’s teeth, too, while here are some simple ways to help kids build creativity and emotional intelligence.

Baby names inspired by ancient mythologies are becoming more popular according to research, often inspired by TV and film popularising historical characters further. 

Naming your children can be tricky, with so many options out there – do you go back a few decades for a 1940s baby name, plump for one from the ‘80s, or even shake those off and go for a Taylor Swift-inspired baby name? Then there are Bluey-inspired baby names, too, so how do you choose just one? 

At the risk of giving you even more food for thought, new research suggests that names from classic myths and legends could be undergoing a revival. The personalised number plate provider Regtransfers has looked at the baby names registered in the UK from 1996 to 2022, and found that names from ancient mythologies, including Greek, Norse, and Egyptian, have gradually increased in popularity.

Names like Leonidas, Odin, Osiris, Hera, Persephone and Juno were all essentially unheard of outside of mythology in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, but since then more babies have been given names along these lines. 

Film and TV could be one factor in this rise in popularity. Take the Marvel Cinematic University, with characters like Thor, Loki and Odin. Meanwhile, Leonidas rose in popularity after 2007, when Gerard Butler played the Spartan leader in 300, while Achilles became more popular after Brad Pitt played the Greek hero three years before. 

Other boys’ names to become more popular include Ares, the Greek god of war and courage, and Apollo, the god of archery, music, dance and light.

Among girls, Artemis – goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, nature, childbirth, and care of children – has risen in popularity as a name. Diana, her Roman counterpart, is also rising up the ranks - though this could in part also be down to the late princess.

Athena, the goddess of war, has become more common, as has Freya, the Norse goddess of love and beauty. And Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods, has risen in popularity too, perhaps due to the 2008 movie starring Elliot Page as the titular character. 

And after Maisie Williams began playing Arya Stark in Game of Thrones in 2011, an average of just 14 girls per year being given the name increased to an average of 275 each year afterwards, while an average of 232 boys have been given the name Jax every year since 2008, when Jax Teller, the main character in the US drama Sons of Anarchy, first appeared on our screens.

These mythological names might be a tad removed from the more traditional names you might have on your list, but if you like names with a nod to history, they’re well worth considering.

In more baby names news, why not look at names going in the opposite direction with the 100 least popular baby names that have fallen out of favour in the last 30 years? Take a look at the 20 epic moments that defined the past 20 years of baby names – from the birth of Emma in Friends to the fall of Karen . Meanwhile, girls with gender-neutral baby names are more likely to succeed in traditionally 'male-dominated' careers, research says – would you choose a unisex moniker?

Balamory is back after two decades - and we sahre why we can’t wait for the reboot of the iconic BBC series.

Forget Oasis, Balamory is the reunion of more wholesome icons everyone needs in their lives. Originally broadcast between 2002 - 2005, the BBC has announced two brand new series of the colourful show with its equally colourful characters and earworm theme tune, set to land in 2026. A Bafta-winning pre-school series during its original run, the show centred around Miss Hoolie and her nursery school, loved not only in the UK, but by a global audience of millions.

Now that our dream of a reboot is becoming a reality, we can't wait to see it happen and are on the countdown to 2026 already. The reason for our excitement centres around how rich and vivid the series was, but in a less overstimulating way than modern shows like CoComelon that simply don't capture the same sort of magic.  

There are of course, some modern shows such as inimitable classic, Bluey , that has a similar heart, representation and the positive messages of Balamory. However, Balamory does hark back to a time before kids' shows needed a health warning, and children became consumed by addictive, easily digestible nonsense found on the likes of YouTube shorts. 

Although the exact premise and cast of the reboot is yet to be confirmed, it's thought some of the original cast will be reprising their roles. Interestingly, the new iteration might not be filmed in the vibrant village of Tobermory that made the original so recognisable, but could be shot at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute instead, according to BBC reports.

Actress Julie Wilson Nimmo, who played Miss Hoolie in the original show, spoke about the reboot to say it was the "craziest and best news ever that Balamory is coming back". Andrew Agnew who played PC Plum, is equally enthused about the show's return. He says "If they ask me to go back then I'll absolutely be there with bells on, I'm sure."

He adds "But at the moment we're all just getting excited at the fact that it's happening. I don't think it would be same if we weren't involved in it. I think it needs us."

Mum-of-two, Kerry, tells us "When I was at university, I had a holiday job in a nursery school and Balamory was a brand new series - we used to let the children watch it as a treat, and they absolutely loved it. A decade later, my own children were watching it and it still seemed really fresh and new.

I'm so pleased it's coming back - the premise is simple but delightful for children, and I'll be telling everyone I know with young children to tune in - even if they will be singing the theme tune for the rest of their days, which I hope is kept the same!"

The Gladiators reboot is also well worth a watch for another dose of nostalgia to introduce to your children, and there's plenty of anime shows for kids that have positive messages. The Famous Five has had many adaptations over the years, and is returning once again after the success of the recent iteration. 

A psychologist has revealed four of the biggest lies that can have a negative impact on your relationship with your partner or spouse. 

It’s important to be truthful, but we’ve all told the occasional lie at one time or another, perhaps telling a white lie to your kids to spare their feelings. Some parents have asked their child to lie about being ill so they can send them to school as normal, while you might sometimes catch your kids in a lie, too. 

But what about lying in a relationship? It can be difficult to tell the truth all the time, but psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein has outlined four of the biggest lies people tell that can really harm your relationship for Psychology Today. Here's what they are, and why probably say them without even realising they could be a lie.

1. I’m Fine. “‘I’m fine’ is a silent killer in relationships,” says Dr. Bernstein. “It’s often used to avoid confrontation or maintain peace, but it creates a chasm between partners. You’re not giving your partner the chance to support you and understand you – to be truly intimate with your partner, you both need to be vulnerable, and that includes being open and honest about things. 
2. It’s No Big Deal. “Minimizing your feelings or your partner’s actions is another lie that can wreak havoc on a relationship,” says Dr. Bernstein. If things genuinely bother or upset you, but you pretend they don’t, resentment can grow and you can become more distant from your partner. Dr. Bernstein continues, “In healthy relationships, even the “small deals” are addressed and respected because they reflect deeper needs and boundaries.”
3. I Can Change Them. This is more a lie that we can tell ourselves, but it’s also one that will set us up for disappointment. While people can and do change and evolve in relationships, change comes from within. If you enter a relationship with plans to change someone, you aren’t truly accepting them. Over time, this can lead to frustration, resentment, and the realisation that you’ve been in love with the idealised version of somebody. 
4. We Don’t Need to Talk About That. “Avoiding difficult conversations with the excuse of ‘We don’t need to talk about that’ is one of the most destructive lies in a relationship,” says Dr. Bernstein. “Communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship, and when you choose not to address issues, they don’t go away; they rot.”

Often, people will use this lie if they don’t like conflict, or don’t want to hurt their partner, but it’s better to rip the plaster off and have the difficult discussion – it’ll make the relationship stronger, and avoid more significant misunderstandings. 

Remember – it’s important to be open, vulnerable, and honest in a relationship. While you might not enjoy having certain tricky conversations, it’ll only make you both stronger as a couple. 

In other relationship news, a marriage therapist reveals the 5 ‘beige flags’ you should never ignore in a relationship, while the 'strongest' marriages are made, they don't just happen. You might also be interested to read how  ‘Sex fasting’ can ‘supercharge’ your relationship.

Alzheimer's can be passed down from parents to children, but new research reveals whether a particular parent is more likely to be responsible.  

Research can give us more information about our bodies and genetic makeup than ever before - if you've ever wondered about the traits passed on by your parents, you can now find out which one is responsible for everything from your intelligence to your fertility levels. Even more incredible, is the fact you can inherit your grandparents' trauma even if you never met them.  

Recently, there's been a lot of time and coverage given to whether Alzheimer's could be predicted. It's been found that the less common form of the disease, Familial Alzheimer's Disease (FAD) is inherited, although it's a good idea to point out there are ways of lowering the risk even if it does run in your family. However, new research looks at whether your mum or dad is more likely to pass on the condition. 

The study looked at 4,000 cognitively normal adults aged between 65 - 85, living in the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Candidates were asked if either parent ever developed Alzheimer’s or dementia, and the age of onset. The findings reveal that the risk of the conditions being passed down to children was higher when mum, rather than dad, was affected. 

To break down why this might be the case, scientist Dr. William A. Haseltine has some theories. Writing for Forbes, he points out that mothers will always pass down an X chromosome. He suggests there could be sex-specific differences in this chromosome that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease - it could be more vulnerable to epigenetic changes giving them the ability to turn specific genes on and off.

When daughters have two X chromosomes, genes in the X chromosome passed down by dad could be silenced or inactivated. Because of this, mutations in X chromosomes passed down by dad, could have little or no impact on the child. However, it's believed further research is required to prove this as a theory.

Dr. Haseltine further suggests mitochondrial DNA mutations could be to blame for mum passing down Alzheimer's risk. Powering the cells, the mitochondria have their own set of genetic instructions which appear to be passed down directly from mothers. This increases the risk of any mutations in a mother’s mitochondrial genes being passed down to her children - mitochondrial dysfunction has proven association with brain differences contributing to Alzheimer’s disease. This theory also comes with the caveat that further research is required to substantiate the claim.

Looking at the research pointing to mum being responsible for passing down Alzheimer's objectively, it might not completely be her fault. Those responsible for the study agree that sociological influences could have impacted their findings - women generally live longer than men, and those taking part in the research might not have had fathers who lived long enough to develop the condition.

However, the study does has have strong evidence to suggest mum is more likely to pass down Alzheimer's disease, paving the way for researchers to find out more about the exact mechanisms for this to happen.

You might also like to read about how you're less likely to inherit your parents' personality than you think, and the 10 positive traits children learn from their parents. Traits aren't always inherited but can be influenced by upbringing, and we share the seven traits found in adults lacking affection as kids.

Using social media and absorbing upsetting news content can create anxiety, but there are ways to prevent constant scrolling - already tried and tested by teens. 

Young people feeling struggling to put their phones down and feeling compelled to keep looking at the often depressing content they're digesting, can leave themselves open to multitudes of problems. From sextortion and cyberbullying , to the negative impact on mental health , those who just can't put their phones down need support. 

The act of scrolling through social media and absorbing negative news, even when it can cause stress or anxiety, is referred to as ‘doomscrolling’. It might be associated with teens, but we can all be guilty of it.

However, some teenagers share their own solutions to help tackle doomscrolling, recently revealed by The Conversation . Whether you’re looking at managing your child’s screen time, or you want to stop yourself from mindlessly scrolling, they’re worth considering.

5 tips to prevent doomscrolling

1. Uninstall an app temporarily, or don’t install it in the first place. 17-year-old Geoffrey says that he hasn’t installed TikTok at all, because “it takes too much time”. Meanwhile, Juliette, also 17, explains that she will temporarily uninstall an app “just long enough for the tension to subside” – ideal if you’re being bombarded with notifications. 
2. Deactivate notifications. If uninstalling an app seems a little drastic, you can go into your smartphone’s settings and turn off notifications. This way, if there are news alerts or a friend has sent you a news story, which could lead to another half an hour of scrolling, you simply won’t see it until you decide yourself to go on the app. 
3. Read positive news stories and subscribe to positive media. Negative news stories make the news because they’re rare, and it’s important to remember that and remind your kids if they feel anxious about what’s going on in the world. As an alternative to the depressing news stories, however, there are positive media outlets that focus on more uplifting stories. 
4. Find a balance. Teenager Melvin says, “The time you spend [on your phone], it makes you real anxious, but it’s also tricky because you can’t cut yourself off from the world either! You need a balance, you know?” Particularly for teenagers, who might rely on their phones to keep in touch with friends, it’s difficult to avoid social media entirely, but making a plan to factor in time to check social media can be effective. 
5. Support each other. 14-year-old Nicolas highlighted the hypocrisy of the adults in his life, saying, “My stepfather spends an incredible amount of time on Facebook and then he tells me 'Hey oh, take it easy with Snapchat, Nico’.” Meanwhile, Lucy, 16, says, “It’s not just me, or young people, who have to stop with this, parents are no better and they can’t manage things any better than we can". Be a positive role model for your kids in this regard, and they may emulate your behaviour. 

In other related news, these are the two things that parents can do to curb tweens' screen time, and here’s how to reduce screen time for kids. We also share 12 tips for keeping your kids safe on social media.

Actress Kate Winslet has strong views on children having smartphones, and shares compelling arguments why her own children won't be having them.

A child's first phone comes at the age their parents deem appropriate and will be different for individual family's situations. Choosing when the time is right will depend on many variables, and some parents might feel overwhelmed by conflicting messages - some tech companies have warned against giving children phones, while other evidence suggests banning smartphones for kids won't achieve anything. 

The Smartphone Free Childhood movement is gaining rapid traction, with groups of parents up and down the country coming together in solidarity of removing pressure for kids to have smartphones. Actress Kate Winslet has now joined their ranks, sharing why she always knew she wasn't going to let her children have phones, and how she explains to them why they can't have one.

Kate recently appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today programme to reveal why she supports the Smartphone Free Childhood movement. The actress has always been clear that she didn't want to be the sort of celebrity who tells people how to live their lives, but feels compelled to put that to one side because of her strong feelings over technology in childhood.

When asked about the campaign, she says "It's phenomenal. It's enormously heartwarming just, if for no other reason than parents perhaps are communicating properly about it. Perhaps people feel a little bit less alone with how much they may have struggled or how much they were fearing it, should that time come."

She feels the government and technology companies should be stepping up in relation to children and phones, adding, "What if find surprising, is that the people in power aren't just doing more. It's a combination isn't it? People in power, yes, the politicians, but the big tech companies [should be working together to stop smartphone use in childhood.]'

Kate has a specific way she explains to her children why they can't have phones, and it's very useful for other parents to turn to if they find themselves in the same position. She tells them "You cant have it because I want you to enjoy your life. I want you to be a child. I want you to look up at the clouds and not photograph them and post them on your Instagram page and decide whether or not the clouds were worth looking at because someone else thought that they were rubbish."

For more on this subject, we look at the benefits of screen time, and whether some screens are better for kids than others. If you are concerned, we have tips for implementing screen time boundaries with your children.

Almost half of parents have a secret savings account partners and families aren’t aware of, according to a new survey.

Saving money can be difficult, especially amid a cost of living crisis . For parents, primary school trips and school lunches and the multitude of other things children need, mount up quickly. With little money left over for themselves, it's unsurprising to learn that a quarter of Brits regularly hide purchases from their partners . Now, a new survey has found that almost half of parents (48%) have a secret savings account, too. 

The survey was carried out by Opinium on behalf of the Building Societies Association (BSA) for UK Savings Week and 2,000 adults were interviewed. One of the main reasons parents have secret savings is to maintain some independence, but others are saving to surprise their family or partner in future, perhaps with a gift or holiday. 

Amelia Murray, the deputy editor at Be Clever With Your Cash, commented, “This research is a reminder that money is incredibly emotional, for individuals and couples, alike. There are lots of reasons why people may keep their savings a secret from their partner, and it’s not always a bad thing.”

According to the research, 40% of those with savings up to £100 had positive feelings about them, like optimism and a sense of achievement and pride, while the figure goes up to 68% for people with savings between £6,000 and £12,000. 

In contrast, those without savings said they have negative feelings when they think about it, like worry, anxiety, shame and guilt. Three-fifths (60%) of people without savings said they just didn’t have any spare money to save, while 23% said it’s because their savings goal is unachievable, and a further 22% said there’s always something they need to use their savings for before they have the chance to build up. 

However, 42% of those without any savings said they were confident they could start saving up by putting away at least £10 a month. 

Murray added, “It’s encouraging to see that so many non-savers feel they’re able to start a regular savings habit. There are no right or wrong ways to save, and it’s fine to be flexible. Sometimes life throws us some unexpected curveballs and we may need to adjust how much we set aside.”

In other money news, a new report lays bare the 'disproportionate impact' childcare has on a mother's career, and these labelling kids’ school uniforms hacks could save parents £2,000 a year. Not only that, but new parents can save 10% with COOK for 12 months. However, high demand for nannies is driving up costs, as impact of childcare shortages hits families. 

Juggling work and raising a family isn't easy, but there are ways to get extra support – as one expert explains. 

The modern world requires both parents to be in employment, which can become challenging when juggling young children. It’s not always easy, and the mental load can pile up while having to deal with the very unfair motherhood penalty. It’s no wonder things like the Five Hour Club are being set up for working parents. 

There are some ways that you can make your life easier as a working parent, and Catherine Oliver, the author of Working Parents-to-be, has explained some more about them to The Sun. 

What can new parents do?

If you’re about to become a parent for the first time soon, it’s worth exploring these five pay options from the government.

There are, of course, Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay, as well as Maternity Allowance for self-employed mums – though the amount you get will depend on factors including the National Insurance contributions you’ve made.

If you’re adopting, you could be eligible for Statutory Adoption Pay if you were employed for 26 weeks before the date you were matched with the child. 

And, there’s Statutory Shared Parental Pay, which can help couples who are taking Shared Parental Leave. You can share up to 50 weeks off, either at the same time (25 weeks maximum) or in separate blocks. Couples can share up to 37 weeks of government pay between them, and don’t forget to check if your employer offers enhanced pay on top of that. 

Keeping In Touch days, meanwhile, are optional, with up to 10 days paid, and are most often used near the end of your leave, to help you reconnect with bosses and colleagues. 

Oliver also explains that you can accrue annual leave while you’re on parental leave, too, but that it can only be used before or after your maternity leave. 

I'm returning to work

“Some employers run sessions to help make the return to your job easier,” says Oliver. “I’ve seen people gain more confidence from these, and feel equipped to deal with the challenges ahead.”

If your break from work has been longer, returning might feel daunting. So, keep an eye out for initiatives for people returning back to work – they’re like mini inductions. 

To make you feel better about going back to work, if you are nervous, anxious, or daunted, think about the skills you’ve developed through parenthood that can help you in the workplace. 

What about flexible working?

If you’re after a more flexible work week, there’s increasing pressure on employers to provide it. Employees can request a flexible working arrangement straight from the off, whereas you used to have to be employed for 26 weeks before doing so.

However, it’s best to have an informal chat with your manager and agree on an arrangement in principle before getting into contact with HR. Consider the problems that flexible working could bring, and any possible solutions. You could always ask for a trial if you can’t come to an agreement. 

How about nursery and school?

All employees are entitled to emergency time off when it comes to someone who depends on them for care – this is usually paid, particularly for one-off occasions, but it can be at your employer’s discretion. So, if your child needs a day or two off school for illness, you should be able to use emergency leave to look after them.

And while parents – most often mums – will frequently look for jobs that fit around their families, Oliver says, “Many couples find planning the week ahead and figuring out who can be flexible on which day if something goes wrong helps take off some of that ‘mental load’ – so you don’t always need to be the one to drop everything for your child.

And it’s a good idea to have a list of people you can call on if you need to – grandparents, for example, or your siblings. 

What should I know about unpaid leave?

You can take unpaid parental leave, which will give you up to 18 weeks off per child until they’re 18. However, you have to take it in whole-week blocks, and you’re only able to take up to four weeks per year.

In related news, working parents of children from 9 months old can apply for 15 hours free childcare, while new data highlights the main disparities when it comes to parents requesting flexible working. Last year, a report laid bare the 'disproportionate impact' childcare has on a mother's career, while this is how Labour’s general election win this summer will affect childcare, flexible working and family policy.

If someone can’t change something about themselves in under 30 seconds, it’s best not to mention it, one teacher advises her students. 

We want to instill positive traits in our children, that allow them to grow up into healthy, well-rounded adults. From how to raise happy kids, to confident and resilient kids,  parents often seek resources to help their children be the best version of themselves. 

You can do this in many ways, but implementing simple rules to help kids be kind is a good place to start instilling good habits. One such kindness rule has proved popular on social media in recent weeks, with almost two million likes on Instagram so far, and it’s so easy to remember. It’s well worth showing your children – and we can keep it in mind as adults, too!

Natalie Ringold, an elementary school teacher in Minnesota, posted a video of herself explaining the rule to her class. In the clip, she says, “If somebody can’t change something about themselves in 30 seconds or less, then you shouldn’t be mentioning it to them.”

For example, telling someone that their shoes are untied or their trousers are unzipped is kind and helpful, because they can solve the problem in under 30 seconds before going about their day again. In contrast, says Ringold, “If you comment on someone’s hair colour, or hair texture, or hairstyle, or body, they cannot change that in 30 seconds or less.

She compares making comments about things people can’t change to squeezing toothpaste out of the tube – you can’t take them back and undo your actions, just as you can’t put toothpaste back in the tube. “It’s very messy,” she explains, “You can’t totally take those words back.”

It seems obvious, and makes perfect sense, but we’ve all made a comment at one time or another that could have hurt somebody. So, it’s a good rule to show your children – it might make them consider how they use their words, and what they say to the people in their lives. 

Ringold also writes in her caption that it’s important to make things right by apologising when you make a mistake – if someone’s feelings get hurt, it’s not the end of the world, and while you can’t take back what’s been sent, an apology will go some way to making them feel better. 

In related news, child psychologist Dr Becky explains how to support a child with ‘explosive’ emotions, while if you’re raising an anxious kid, here are six things that mental health experts want parents to know. We’ve also got six signs, identified by a child expert, that you’re raising an emotionally intelligent child, as well as three tips to set screen time boundaries from parenting experts.

New research indicates that the pandemic may have caused your teen's brain to age faster than would be expected – with girls affected more than boys.

The Covid-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event that affected the mental and physical health of many. from those left with lasting effects of Long Covid, to those who lost their jobs and livelihoods, nobody is likely to forget what is one of the most difficult times in recent history. 

Among the most affected by Covid were teenagers, who had some of their most important developmental and educational years interrupted by the pandemic. And now, a new study has indicated that it may have caused adolescent brains to age faster than usual. 

According to the study, published on Monday (9 September) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, girls’ brains aged 4.2 years faster on average, while boys’ brains aged an average of 1.4 years. 

“The findings are an important wake-up call about the fragility of the teenage brain,” explains senior study author, Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl. Speaking to CNN , she adds “Teens need our support now more than ever.”

The structure and function of the brain change a lot during adolescence, a time when people undergo a lot of changes socially and emotionally – becoming more independent, and making important future career decisions.

Originally, the researchers wanted to track adolescent brain development over time, first carrying out MRI scans on the participants in 2018. They’d planned to carry out further MRIs in 2020, but weren’t able to due to the pandemic – they only managed to do so three or four years later. 

They used the earlier MRI data to create a model of how the brain would develop over a ‘normal’ adolescence, to compare it to the findings from the second set of MRIs, to see if there were any differences. 

The study showed accelerated cortical thinning in the teenagers’ brains, with 43% of the girls’ brains and 6% of the boys’ brains affected respectively. The areas with the most thinning in girls have been linked to social and cognitive functions, while those in boys are linked to processing faces and objects in the visual field.

The authors believe, based on previous research, that the findings might be due to what’s known as the ‘stress acceleration hypothesis’ – that, in a high-stress environment, people may mature earlier to protect the brain’s emotional circuits and regions involved in learning and memory.

However, they didn’t have data on participants’ families, finances, or exercise, sleeping or dietary habits, and didn’t know whether the participants having had Covid (or not) might have contributed to the findings. 

Dr. Ian Gotlib, the author of a 2022 study on the subject and director of the Stanford Neurodevelopment, Affect, and Psychopathology Laboratory at Stanford University, told CNN, “Theirs is a good study, but even then it probably doesn’t have a large enough sample to say that the sex difference in brain ageing is a reliable finding.”

In related news, we ask teenagers what they wish their parents had done differently, and their answers are surprisingly candid, while here are 11 expert-led tips on how to talk to a teenager (even when they don’t want to listen). And if you’re confused by teenage slang, we share our meanings behind 123 terms your teen might use.

Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has told a group of MPs that every child needs financial education lessons in schools. 

Financial education is important for children, and nobody is pushing for this more then Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis. Raising a teenager with good financial literacy is likely to stand them in good stead as they enter adulthood, and can help them if they want to make money themselves. While there's are plenty of important money lessons for parents to teach their kids, Martin Lewis wants it to be part of the school curriculum, too. 

Lewis recently addressed a group of MPs and peers in parliament to argue the case for financial education in schools, claiming that it’s needed “in EVERY school for EVERY child”. 

He explains in his speech that the goal had been to get financial education on the curriculum, but that the rise of academies and free schools that don’t have to follow the curriculum means that only a minority of schools legally have to follow it.

"They just have to look at the national curriculum and take the guidance, but they don't have to follow it,” he continues. “And when you have strained budgets in schools, anything that you cannot teach, you don't teach, which is why it is a postcode lottery. And with the exception of the few Young Money Centres of Excellence out there, we have a poverty of financial education in our schools right now.”

He describes the funding for financial education as having “disappeared”, when teachers need training to teach the subject. He looked back at a class he taught years ago, after which the 15-year-olds in the room went home and saved their parents £5,500. Meanwhile, the teacher in the room with them saved £2,000.

“This is real. It's practical. It changes lives,” Lewis adds. “One of those pupils had a single mother who was a cleaner who was in financial trouble. He happened to be in the top set at maths at the school. He went home. He took over the family budget and revolutionised their lives.”

He continues, “I think we all need to champion it, so every child in every school is educated. We live in one of the world's most competitive consumer economies, and we do not give our young people bias training. We do not give adults bias training, and we wonder why we have 880,000 people not claiming Pension Credit, the poorest in society, who aren't going to get their Winter Fuel Payments.

"We wonder why there's a car finance mis-selling campaign going at the moment where just by my own letters, 2.3 million people have been mis-sold by what's going on. Financial education is not about providing everybody with the answers. It's providing them with the knowledge and the experience to know what questions to ask.”

He explains that financial education in schools can improve the economy, as well as tackle the rise of adverts and influencers promoting cryptocurrency – what he describes as the majority of the financial education young people are getting at the moment. 

In other finance news, this child benefit rule change could see half a million parents boost their pension pots by £10,000s, while a report from last year lays bare the 'disproportionate impact' childcare has on a mother's career. Meanwhile, here’s how to get Disney+ for free and save up to £79.90 a year, and here are 14 surprising ways to spend your Tesco Clubcard vouchers - from restaurants and cinema passes to mini breaks and Disney+. 

A teen coach has revealed the 10 things he wishes all teenagers would know, and it’s a real eye-opener for parents. 

Parenting teens is as difficult as raising a baby according to some experts, with some calling for parents to be allowed 'teenternity' leave to help them navigate such a tricky time. If it's difficult for parents, actually being a teenager is just as hard, with many issues leading to a teen that will not socialise.  

To mitigate the difficult feelings teens face, a teen coach has shared 10 things he wishes all teenagers would know. Will Elliott is one of the world's leading life coach for teens, and is on a mission to support tweens and teens face their fears and develop confidence. Having helped thousands of teens and their families, this is what Will has to say:

1. There’s no such thing as failure – just opportunities to learn and try again.
2. You don’t have anything wrong with you. Being a teenager is hard, and you’re doing so well.
3. Distraction management is the top skill to learn. It can be so difficult to deal with distractions, particularly when we all have mini computers in our pockets. Set aside some time to check messages, for example, so it doesn’t creep into time when you need to focus. 
4. There’s always going to be something new to want and strive for – find fulfillment within.
5. Who you are is more important than what you achieve. It’s great to be proud of your achievements, but who are you as a person means more. 
6. There are no shortcuts to success. Be consistently gritty.
7. Your voice matters. Speak up for yourself and your beliefs.
8. You become what you consume. Be mindful of who you hang out with and the content you take in.
9. Your worth isn’t attached to your results. You’re already whole, complete, and enough.
10. Growth isn’t linear. Don’t compare your journey to someone else’s. Be you and do you. 

Elliott also offers a bonus tip – and it’s one that perhaps parents may like to hear more than teens. “Your parents are low-key wise,” he says. “They’re not perfect, but they’re just trying to help you when they give advice. I regret not listening to them a bit more.”

In related news, strong-willed teens don’t need to be ‘tamed,’ they need to be nurtured, and if you’re worried your teen has stopped talking to you, experts have shared five reasons why this is 'to be expected'. Giving teens ‘space and opportunity’ to be independent helps them thrive according to an educator, while you might find these 35 teen conversation starters to open up communication with your teenager useful.

Researchers found higher diagnosis of ADHD in children born in July and August, but also explain the reason for this and why they don't find it surprising. 

Neurodiversity awareness is on the rise, and as more parents seek an ADHD diagnosis for their child and educators become more aware of the common ADHD personality traits, this is one area of the neurodiversity umbrella gaining rapid acceptance. However, those looking into ADHD symptoms, and treatments for their child, might not realise their birth month could have something to do with their child having the condition.  

To explain this further, research found children born in July and August are at least 40% more likely to be diagnosed with, or have medication for ADHD than children born in September and October. The large scale study involved analysing anonymised data from 96,698 children born between 2002 and 2010 in either July, August, September or October. 

For context, children born in July and August are still very young when they start school, almost a year younger than those born on September and October. The study found that by age 15, around 1.5 per cent of early school starters - those born in July or August - were receiving prescriptions for ADHD, compared to just 1 per cent of late starters born in September and October. This is an increase of 50 per cent in ADHD prescriptions for early school starters compared to late starters. 

The study also found that by age 15, children are 40 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD if born in July and August. Researchers however, were unsurprised by the findings and believe they can be explained by what they term a 'peer-comparison bias' caused by the differences in ages among classmates. In other words, teachers are more likely to attribute normal signs of immaturity in children to ADHD, rather than viewing them as normal for an early school starter.

However, co-author of the study, Dr Catia Nicodemo, has good news to share. She says "The good news is that from age nine onward, there is no difference in the initiation of ADHD prescriptions between children born in July-August and in September-October, which means that the peer-comparison bias disappears with age."

Fellow co-author Dr Joaquim Vidiella-Martin, adds "We can’t definitively identify whether there is an over-diagnosis of children born in July-August or an under-diagnosis of children born in September-October or just more marginal diagnoses for July-August born, but we can say that a gap in pharmacological treatment between between children born in July-August and in September-October suggests an inefficient and unfair use of medical resources."

To combat the issue, the team behind the research suggest parents and teachers more are made more aware of ADHD symptoms to improve accurate diagnosis. They also believe it would be beneficial to have two school start dates throughout the year, grouping children close in age together, with a maximum of six months difference between them.

For more on this subject, there are six upsides to ADHD parents need to know about, and understanding the three different types of ADHD can be beneficial if your child has a diagnosis. Parents with ADHD raising children with ADHD have their own set of challenges, but there is support available. 

More kids now (86%) are expected to do chores than their parents at the same age (76%). However, if the way you delegate chores isn’t working for your family, one parenting expert has some advice to share.

While it’s sometimes thought that children today have an easier ride in some ways than previous generations growing up, almost nine in 10 of today's kids (86%) are given chores to do. From sorting the laundry (here are 11 common laundry mistakes you’re probably making!) to this common household chore that divides families, we often carve up household tasks between all of us – and there’s often pocket money up for grabs as a result.

However, research from Online Carpets has found that over half of parents (55%) still wish their children would do more to help around the house. In this instance, MBACP-certified counsellor Georgina Sturmer, a parenting expert, has offered some advice on getting your kids to do more chores. Let’s take a look at her four key tips. 

1. Keep it age-appropriate and realistic. “Consider working with your children to develop a shared contract or list of what is expected from them,” Sturmer suggests. It can describe what the task entails, when it should be done, and how long it’s likely to take. And, as children benefit from routine and structure, a system to reward their work is a good idea, too. 

Be careful not to expect too much from your kids, whether that’s asking a younger child to take too much on or making a teenager who’s struggling to juggle studying or a part-time job with household responsibilities. 

2. Be a role model. It’s good for children to see everyone in the household doing their fair share. If they see you taking an active role in household tasks, they’re going to be more inclined to muck in. 

3. Once boundaries have been set, keep an eye on what happens. “If the chores don’t get done, try to stay firm but calm,” says Sturmer. “It’s important that our children know that they need to adhere to the expectations that have been set.”

However, it’s important to avoid any conflict or arguments. Online Carpets found that over four in 10 parents and children (41%) in the UK argue about chores, but are you able to have a calm conversation instead? You don’t need to let your kids off the hook for avoiding their chores, but you might be able to find a solution that works for everybody.

4. Make it fun. Yep, chores can be fun – even if that sounds hard to believe! Put your phones away or turn them off, and all do your chores together. Why not chat while you work or put some music on, or agree to do something together as a family once the chores are completed? Make it feel like a normal part of family life, as opposed to a punishment. 

“As parents, it can be hard to strike the right balance,” explains Sturmer. “To set and maintain standards for behaviour, while allowing our children to be children, and to develop their creativity and autonomy. Household chores might seem unappealing, but they offer us a useful opportunity.  

“To set standards for our children, to show them that they are part of the family unit, to demonstrate that hard work and participation are an important part of life, and – if we choose to do so – to link them with some kind of acknowledgement or reward.”

So, why not have a go at making chores more fun, and involve the whole family? You could even have an informal family meeting and give your kids the chance to discuss the chores they enjoy the most. If you think ironing’s boring but one of your children finds it relaxing, for example, that’s one problem solved already!

In other family news, here’s one overlooked reason modern parents are 'burnt out' and stressed, and here’s why helping kids is 'stealing their self-esteem'. Meanwhile, parenting stress is declared 'hazardous' to your health by US top expert the Surgeon General, and here are some simple ways to help kids build creativity and emotional intelligence.

Two new Mr. Men books are hitting the shelves, and the characters are pretty relatable.

The Mr. Men books are classics, aren’t they? First launched in 1971 with Mr. Tickle, Roger Hargreaves’ series has become iconic, with children (and their parents) up and down the UK and beyond enjoying them for over five decades. The characters have been reimagined for Father’s Day, and there are Halloween editions too –  they’re surely among the nation’s favourite children’s books.

And today, two new Mr. Men books have been released, debuting the first new Mr. Men characters for three years. 

The first is Mr. Fib, the 51st Mr. Men character. He’s round and green, with a blue top hat, and “fibs to impress people” – something many of us will have been able to relate to at one time or another. The book follows his adventures as his lies spiral out of control.

Then there’s Little Miss Surprise, a purple character with wild pink hair who “never knows what each day may bring”. She takes Mr. Quiet, who appeared first in 1978, on a surprise day out. 

They follow Mr. Calm, who appeared for the first time in 2021, and was designed to help children manage stress. All of these new characters were invented by Adam Hargreaves, Roger’s son, who took over the series after his dad’s death in 1988. 

However, Adam is said to have had an important role in the world of Mr. Men right from the very beginning. It was after an inquisitive young Adam asked his father what a tickle looked like that Roger got the idea to create Mr. Tickle. 

Adam says of the new books, “Mr Fib has been rattling around in my imagination for a long while. Little Miss Surprise, of course, popped into my head right out of the blue!"

“It’s always fun creating new characters to add to the series, although I’ve got a way to go to catch up with my dad.”

Over the years, the books have sold over 250 million copies in 28 countries and in 17 languages, while there have been a few TV series based on the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters and their adventures, too. And now, Mr. Fib and Little Miss Surprise are firmly part of the gang. 

For more on brilliant books, here are 15 of the best personalised books for children in 2024, while these are the 17 best story books for toddlers. For older kids, here are the best books for teens, and don’t miss out on these 37 inspiring children's book quotes for people of all ages. 

Researchers studied a number of children and found those using specific speech patterns when talking to adults, were displaying early signs of autism.  

Mainstream awareness of autism, ADHD and other associated conditions falling under the neurodiversity umbrella such as Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), is certainly growing. However, there's still a long way to go - particularly relating to waiting lists for diagnosis and communities adapting to be more inclusive.

Identifying neurodiversity early could certainly alleviate diagnosis later in life, particularly considering the sensory demands of parenting can disrupt the wellbeing of autistic mothers receiving a late diagnosis. It's therefore interesting to hear that research carried out by linguistics expert Vittorio Tantucci, found certain patterns of speech in young children can be early indicators of autism.

Writing in The Conversation, Vittorio suggests looking at a child's ability to apply 'resonance' to their speech directly links to a future diagnosis of autism. Resonance involves re-using the speech of others during a conversation. He uses the example of someone being asked "Have you had a nice weekend?" The simple response of "Yes" doesn't include resonance. 

A resonant response would be something similar to: "I had an exciting weekend actually, I went to Disneyland." This resonates with words in the original question such as "weekend" and "had", while creatively placing words to describe the experience such as replacing "nice" with "exciting."

Vittorio's research studied this form of imitation between children and their mothers, both in neurotypical children and those with an existing autism diagnosis. Neurotypical children were found to spontaneously re-use and re-formulate words spoken to them by their mothers, where neurodiverse children did not - they were more likely to repeat the same phrase used by their mother, without embellishing the sentence or re-using the words creatively.

Interestingly, Vittoria asserts that autistic people do have the ability to creatively express themselves, they just tend to do it in isolation and find it challenging during conversation. This busts some myths that autism impedes creativity altogether for those with autism, it's just rarely seen because they struggle to do it when others are around.

He believes his findings offer new awareness to parents, healthcare professionals and teachers, when identifying early signs of autism. The study could also help parents of children with an existing autism diagnosis understand why their child’s speech patterns look and sound different to others, and why their responses might sound different.

For more on neurodiversity, understanding the three types of ADHD can be hugely beneficial, and there are six upsides to ADHD parents need to know about. Parents with ADHD raising children with ADHD have their own challenges - we have expert tips for coping.

Who would have thought overthinking could be linked to hormones? If you're a serial overthinker, here's which hormones could be the cause, and what to do about it.

Overthinking has long been associated with anxiety and depression, and is often considered a key personality trait found in people who lack self-confidence. After birth and during motherhood, hormonal changes can leave women feeling like they no longer recognise themselves and overthinking can become part of everyday life. Now, a fresh look at the cause of overthinking has linked it to hormones that have managed to get themselves out of whack. 

Hormone health expert Mike Kocsis suggests that dysregulated levels of oestrogen, serotonin, progesterone, cortisol and oxytocin, can all lead to someone becoming a serial overthinker. He explains how each of these play a role in the overthinking process, and suggests strategies for regulating these hormones in an attempt to put a stop to the non-stop carousel of worry.

Hormones associated with overthinking

1. Oestrogen

Oestrogen plays an important role in mood regulation, the most well-known example being pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). The dip in oestrogen before menstruation can cause emotional mood swings, irritability, and difficulty concentrating, which can lead to an increase in overthinking. 

During perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen levels decline significantly and potentially result in symptoms like anxiety and depression. Such hormonal shifts can make it harder to control intrusive thoughts, overthinking, and dwelling on negative thoughts. If you haven’t always been an overthinker, and the tendency to ruminate started at around the time you started perimenopause or menopause, your hormones could be the cause.

2. Serotonin

Serotonin is the so-called 'happy hormone' responsible for regulating your mood and sleep pattern. When serotonin levels drop, you can experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and rumination (or the act of fixating on negative thoughts, emotions, and experiences.) 

Low serotonin levels can make it harder for your brain to let go of negative thoughts, creating a vicious cycle of overthinking and unhappiness.

3. Progesterone

Progesterone influences neurotransmitters in the brain. Some, like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has a calming effect on the brain, and progesterone binds to GABA receptors which enhances this effect. 

But when levels of progesterone fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, the calming effect is disrupted. This can cause mood swings, depression, and anxiety, and the drop in progesterone can also cause cognitive symptoms like brain fog and memory issues, contributing to the overthinking cycle.

4. Cortisol

Cortisol regulates your body's stress responses. It's released after 'fight or flight' hormones like adrenaline, and keeps you on high alert to be able to respond to danger. However, if you experience chronic stress your cortisol levels will constantly be heightened, and this can cause difficulty sleeping, a weakened immune system, and overthinking. 

It can make you hyperaware of potential threats - both real and imagined - and it can make it difficult for your brain to switch off and let go of worries. Cortisol can also affect your prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for critical thinking and emotional regulation, making it harder to put your negative thoughts and overthinking into perspective.

5. Oxytocin

Oxytocin produces feelings of calmness and trust - it's the hormone your brain emits when you're bonding with your friends or falling in love. While the 'love hormone' can reduce anxiety, it can also intensify memories, especially stressful ones.

If you have an argument with your partner or a friend, oxytocin can strengthen that memory and make you more likely to replay it in your mind and ruminate on the negativity.

How can you tell if overthinking is hormonal?

Mike Kocsis reveals that overthinking due to hormones is often more persistent and intense than everyday worrying. It can consume your thoughts for hours or even days, rather than coming and going depending on the situation. If the overthinking becomes overwhelming and difficult to manage with techniques that usually help, it could be a sign that your hormones are playing a part.

He suggests tracking your symptoms, including what you're overthinking about, what triggered it, and any other symptoms you're experiencing. Talk to your doctor, who will be able to assess if it's a hormonal issue - from hormone panel blood tests and thyroid function tests to psychological tests that can help rule out things like anxiety, depression, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Can hormonal overthinking be treated?

Once your doctor has assessed your hormone levels, they might recommend Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Combined HRT includes both oestrogens and progestogens (or oestrogen only, if you've had a hysterectomy) to raise the levels of these hormones in your body, and this can address symptoms of anxiety, improve mood regulation, and reduce the overthinking.

If HRT isn't suitable, there are other options and things that can help, including:

• Mindfulness: Try meditation and deep breathing which can help calm the mind, and can prevent you from going into an overthinking spiral. 
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT strategies taught by a therapist can teach you can help you identify negative thought patterns that lead to overthinking. Writing down your worries and concerns in a journal could help you gain perspective and end the cycle of overthinking.
• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate, leading to feeling of anxiety and making it harder for your mind to relax. Alcohol can initially have the opposite effect and make you feel more relaxed, but as it wears off, it can disrupt your sleep and lead to 'hangxiety', making you overthink everything you did and said the previous night.
• Boost vitamin D: Low levels of vitamin D could be linked to mood swings and anxiety, while it's also been suggested that if the brain is lacking omega-3s, it could induce behavioural and psychiatric disorders.  
• Regular exercise: This can help your body release endorphins, the 'feel good' hormones, which fight against stress hormones like cortisol and have mood-boosting effects. Exercise increases blood flow throughout the body, including to the adrenal glands and ovaries; this improved circulation can support the production and raise the levels of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone.

For more on this topic, we look at early menopause causes, and the best foods to include in a menopause diet. The end of the menopause could actually be in sight, as new research reveals it could be delayed to extend a woman's child-bearing years.

If you feel like you're losing connection with your teen, a psychotherapist shares four key reasons this could be happening - and strategies to fix it.

If your teenager won't talk to you anymore, or you notice they will not socialise or leave their room, you're naturally going to have concerns. How to talk to a teenager in a way that doesn't cause further friction can be a fine line to tread, but there are effective methods of communicating with them that ensure both sides are heard and understood.

If you have been feeling a loss of connection between yourself and your teen, before you start trying to fix it you could step back and look at possible reasons it's happening. Psychotherapist Zara Kadir believes this is the best strategy, sharing with parents what they need to look at when trying to identify why their teen could be pulling away from them.

Writing on Instagram, Zara says "Are you feeling disconnected from your teenager? It’s easy to feel lost when your teen starts to pull away, but building and maintaining a strong connection is possible!" The therapist asks that parents look at the following:

4 reasons you might be losing connection with your teen

1. Are you modelling co-operation?

Zara says "The more you show a willingness to listen and co-operate, the more likely your teenager is to do the same. Say yes as much as possible and be flexible." 

You could try saying: "I'm sure can guess what my concerns about you going out are, can you tell me why I shouldn't worry and how we can plan so you can go?"

2. Are you trying to fix their business?

Zara suggests that if you find yourself constantly nagging your teen, it could be time to let them learn from their mistakes and implement their own strategies for living their life effectively. 

The therapist steers parents to say "I've noticed you find it hard to put your towel on the rail, can you write yourself a note?"

3. Are you lecturing instead of inquiring?

Zara says "If you want to know if they've tried alcohol or drugs or if they're abusing social media, start an open and curious dialogue." 

You could say "I've noticed you use TikTok a lot, can you tell me what you like/dislike about it?"

4. Are you respecting their privacy?

Remember, your teen is at a stage in their life where you're encouraging them to problem solve alone - if they choose to actually do this, or involve friends in this process instead of yourself, you need to be ok with that. Let them know if they need your help you'll offer it, before taking a step back. 

Zara suggests parents say "I love seeing your independence, I want to give you space but remember you'll never be in trouble for telling me the truth, you can always come to me."

Once you've looked at those four key areas, Zara has a further three important things parents should remember if they want to bridge the gap between themselves and their teen.

Simply put, these are to listen more, lecture less, respect their space, and create small moments of connection. Zara says "Sometimes, they just need you to hear them. Teens need independence; respecting that shows trust. From a quick chat to a shared activity, every moment counts." 

For more on teens, we debunk the teen myths that are not true, and look at how independent a teenager should be. We also asked teenagers what they wish their parents had done differently, and their answers are surprisingly candid.

Trying to do it all and strive for perfection contributes to stress in modern parents, according to an expert – children respond better to parents who are physically and emotionally present.

Parenting isn’t easy. Raising children can be stressful, whether you’re dealing with night feeds, pre-teen squabbles, or your teen’s exam worries and relationship woes – parenting teenagers can be as difficult as raising a baby, according to experts. There’s sturdy parenting, authoritative parenting, the 9-minute theory… how do you know if you’re doing things right? 

Well, maybe worrying about being perfect is actually having a negative effect on our wellbeing. That’s what Erica Komisar, a psychoanalyst and parent guidance expert, has suggested. Writing for the Institute for Family Studies, Komisar suggests that we have failed parents, as a society, by “promoting the myth that we can do it all and have it all, all at the same time.” 

As of 2021, over half of working families in the UK (50.4%) had both parents in full-time work, and it’s more difficult to manage on one income than it perhaps used to be. But when both parents are working full-time, this can place more stress on both the children and the parents. Arranging childcare can be stressful, parents can feel guilty about not spending as much time with their children, and there’s less time for self-care, too. 

“Stressed-out and preoccupied parents, who are busy working outside the home and distracted by technology, have less time to spend with their children in a calm and relaxed state, raising children who are also more stressed and difficult to manage,” says Komisar.

“When children do not get their emotional and physical needs met by parents who are exhausted, depressed, anxious, and distracted, they become the squeaky wheel, expressing their pain through aggression, distractibility, and depression, just to name a few symptoms.”

She cites a New York Times article from the US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, in which he suggests a range of factors, from gun violence to social media, are contributing to parental stress. “All of these factors certainly impact the stress levels today’s parents are reporting,” says Komisar in response. “But in my opinion as a mental health professional, the origin is deeper. It comes down to shifting our priorities away from focusing on children and their overall health toward a more self-centred approach and believing that one can have it all without sacrificing anything.

“This leads to excessive conflict, guilt, and anxiety—which can cause more stress. Parents often become excessively controlling and perfectionistic to compensate for these feelings, causing even more stress.

She explains that children don’t need perfection from their parents. They don’t need fancy holidays and a huge house. Rather, “What they need are parents who are physically and emotionally present, relaxed, and unconflicted about where they should be. They need parents who feel joy in being with them rather than obligation and fatigue.”

Children need healthy parents if they’re going to thrive themselves, and to feel healthy and less stressed we might need to forget the idea that we can do everything and have everything. “Instead, we should focus on being with those we love,” says Komisar, “Even if we must live a smaller life while raising small children.”

What are the most common traits of perfectionism in motherhood? Like Komisar says, you might be holding yourself to unrealistic standards – expecting yourself to be able to do it all – but do you also find it hard to ask for help when you need it, find it difficult to make decisions, or never celebrate yourself? 

If so, it might be worth taking on board some of Komisar’s advice, as well as some advice from psychotherapist and GoodtoKnow resident expert, Anna Mathur. Mathur suggests, “The next time you don’t feel ‘good enough’, question whether it’s because you need to try harder, or because the bar of your standards is sitting out of your reach. We need a margin for humanness in the standards we place for ourselves, or the standards we accept as the norm."

She explains that humans are designed for community, despite the common modern view that it’s a failure to depend on or need other people. However, “If vulnerability was a weakness, it wouldn’t be so challenging. Leaning on others and recognising where you have met your limits is both strength and bravery.”

In more parenting news, here’s how to explain the mental load to your partner, and here are three tips to set screen time boundaries. Worried your teen has stopped talking to you? Experts share five reasons why this is 'to be expected' and what you can do to help them, and here are 12 tips for keeping your kids safe on social media.

We should allow our children to face challenges and solve problems on their own without jumping in to help them, says an expert. 

As a parent, it can be hard to get the balance right between helping your children out and letting them develop the skills to manage things on their own. There are helicopter parents, who hover over their children all the time, permissive parents, who have minimal rules and let their children do almost anything they like, and of course all sorts of parents in between. Even teachers have said that it can be good to let children fail, and now an expert suggests we shouldn’t be helping our children too much. 

“Don’t do too much for them,” says Dr Daniel Amen on the Pursuit of Wellness podcast. “This is very important. If you do too much for them, you will steal their self-esteem. So, when they give you a problem, don’t go fix it for them. Give it back to them and then shut up.”

3 reasons not to help your children

1. Kids become competent when they solve their own problems: If you have low self-esteem, you’ll get self-esteem from solving their problems for them. However, if you let your kids solve their own problems, they’ll become better at doing so. 
2. Children who work or have responsibilities have stronger self-esteem as adults: A Harvard study spanning 70 years involving over 400 children, found a strong link between childhood self-esteem and early work experience, so helping kids could affect them in the long run. You don’t need to send your kids off to work, but you can give them the freedom to work on things themselves at home. 
3. Letting your children face challenges boosts resilience, independence and self-worth: If your child faces a challenge on their own, and comes through it, they’re likely to feel better about themselves as a result. And rather than ‘stealing’ their self-esteem when you do it yourself, you can feel proud that you’re raising such a resilient, independent child.

“So, help them be responsible by not rescuing,” Dr Amen sums up. “Too often, successful people rescue and they don’t realise they’re stealing the child’s self-esteem.”

Of course, there are times when it’s important to help our kids. If a child is in danger, it’s important to help them. But if your child is safe and trying to do something age-appropriate, why not let them work it out for themselves? Rather than jumping straight in when they’re stuck on their maths homework and solving it for them, see if they can figure it out, or resist offering more than a quick pointer. 

In related news, this is how early childhood 'shapes us', while here are five things to say instead of 'I'm disappointed in you' to teens. Meanwhile, mothers supported by maternal grandparents are less ‘strict and controlling’ according to a new study, and groundbreaking new research reveals a surprising link between neurodivergence and chronic fatigue in kids. 

Using screen time as a soother might seem like a helpful quick fix, but a paediatrician has said that it could be more harmful than we think.

There seems to be nothing more controversial among parents than how they choose to use screens in their homes. While some research outlines the benefits of screen time, more is always around the corner to provide equal evidence that negative effects of screen time outweigh any that are good, resulting in a guilt-induced need to find out how to reduce screen time as a result. 

While parents have long had concerns about screen time (did your parents ever warn you you’d get square eyes from watching the Saturday morning cartoons?) they’ve become bigger in recent years with the rise of smartphones and tablets, giving kids screen time almost on demand. 

And though it can be tempting to cave in and let your kids soothe themselves with some screen time, it might be more harmful than we realise. Dr Mona Amin, a paediatrician, has explains why on her Instagram page.

Dr Mona discusses the concept of ‘digital soothing’ – that is, using devices, particularly smartphones and tablets, during periods of emotional dysregulation for children. “One of the biggest issues I see is not only the overuse of screens for kids,” she says, “But using screens during periods of dysregulation to soothe a child.”

She outlines two key issues with doing so:

1. You’re not teaching emotional regulation skills.

2. You’re teaching them that crying will get them what they want. 

“If screens are part of your family’s routine, give it only during periods of regulation,” she recommends. “If your child is screaming or crying for whatever reason, co-regulate or allow space for regulation first, and once they’re regulated for at least ten minutes, and you want them to have the screen, they can have it.”

Holding off on screen time in this way will help your child’s emotional development, and Dr Mona cites a study which indicates a correlation between early childhood tablet use and anger outbursts. The study found that increased tablet use when a child is three and a half years old is linked to higher levels of anger and frustration at four and a half years old. This emotional dysregulation then leads to increased tablet use again by five and half years old, turning into a vicious cycle. 

There’s nothing inherently wrong with screen time, and it’s fine to let your children use devices like smartphones and tablets safely and in moderation. But screen time shouldn’t take away from important things children need like physical activity, sleep, and learning language, communication, and emotional regulation skills. 

Many parents will let their kids soothe with screens on occasion, and this is unlikely to be a problem, but it shouldn’t be the rule. And Dr Mona does add that, for neurodiverse children, screens can be useful to provide feelings of safety and security and help with focus, so it’s all about finding what works for your family. 

In related news, here are the two things that parents can do to curb tweens' screen time, and here’s why EE has warned against giving primary school-aged children phones. One woman shared how she can tell 'within 10 minutes' if a child has had too much screen time, while if you’re worried you have too much screen time yourself, here are nine ways your phone addiction is affecting your children.

Travelodge is announcing six free stays for parents in celebration of their commitment during the six-week holiday.

The school holidays can be great fun – for parents and children alike – but also pretty stressful and tiring, at times. Whether you’re trying to sort childcare (kids cost an extra £1,000 a week in the holidays) or you’re thinking of myriad ways to keep the kids amused – as all children get bored during the break at one point or another – you might end up feeling as though you’d like a holiday yourself. 

That’s where Travelodge comes in. The UK chain found that almost half of parents (49%) think they need a timeout to recover from the school holiday, while over 30% found it difficult to get any personal time during the holidays. This is why Travelodge coined National ‘Me Time’ Day today on September 4 to celebrate parents.

To mark the day, Travelodge is offering six free stays to celebrate six weeks of hard work. With one in five parents planning on booking a child-free break this week, and 32% of parents already setting aside money to spend on themselves, the news seems to have arrived at the right time - although the competition opened on September 4, parents still have until September 13 to enter. 

Though almost one in five parents (19%) said they’re sad to see their kids back at school, 37% said they’re relieved.

Parenting influencer Carla Freeman has said of the campaign, “As a parent of course I love my kids but I know just how intense and exhausting the summer holidays can be. National ‘Me Time’ Day is a brilliant idea – it's a chance for us to take a break, and enjoy some much-needed time for ourselves.”

The head of the Better Get a Travelodge campaign, meanwhile, said: “Who says that parents can’t get a little bit of ‘me time’ after they’ve spent a long summer looking after the kids? We’ve declared 4th September National ‘Me Time’ Day to celebrate all the effort parents put into the summer holidays. We encourage parents to seize the moment and do something for themselves and for those planning a night away, Better get a Travelodge.”

If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning a Travelodge stay, simply head to the company’s social media channels. Check out the terms and conditions on the Travelodge website, too.

In related news, you can use this special code to get a free kids' buffet at Pizza Hut until Sunday (8 September), while new parents can save 10% with COOK for 12 months. Not only that, but we’ve also got how to get Disney+ for free and save up to £79.90 a year. And, the National Trust has launched a new Explorer Pass with unlimited access for families.

Surprising new research has suggested that your grandparents’ level of education affects how quickly you age, with a person's health being intrinsically linked with their path of study.

There's plenty of work that goes into bringing up a child, all in the hopes of helping them to grow up into a happy, healthy adult. Parents make sure to teach kids emotional intelligence, get them involved in easy, kid-friendly exercises, and buy them toys that support their mental health and wellbeing.

But new research has found that there's one, uncontrollable element that will affect a child's health as they grow up.

According to researchers at Drexel University, the University of California, and the University of North Carolina, whether or not someone's grandparent went to university will inevitably affect how quickly they age.

It's surprising, isn't it? But the research, recently published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, collected data about the education of grandparents and then compared that with health data from their grandchildren. They found that those kids who had at least one grandparent who had gone into higher education had a significantly lower 'real' age, which is the age given to someone based on the health of their cells.

In simple terms, the grandchildren of university-educated grandparents showed slower biological ageing, the researchers say, with their bodies and cells being younger than their actual age.

So why is this the case? It actually makes a lot of sense even though the findings suggest something surprising and out-of-the-ordinary.

The research's lead author Agus Surachman, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the Dornsife School of Public Health, explained, "The research community has established a link between how social factors, socioeconomic factors, and childhood adversity can contribute to health trajectories."

"We know from animal studies that health is transmitted across several generations, from grandparents to grandchildren. But we now have robust human data that shows that not only do parents' socioeconomic factors play a role in their children's health, but that influence goes back an extra generation as well."

Basically, university-educated grandparents tend to go on to create higher-earning households than those who did not get a degree, with their work creating an easier, less economically fraught environment for their kids and grandkids to thrive in. The grandchildren then have better access to healthcare, experience less stress, and put their bodies through less traumatic experiences, giving them a younger 'real' age.

"This understanding about the intergenerational nature of transmission of social advantages and health should make us re-think our values. I'd like to see more resources invested in education and health, a factor which shapes offspring health before we are even born," Surachman concluded.

Grandparents impact our lives in numerous ways. It was recently revealed that 74% grandparents are currently providing financial support for their grandchildren while children who have a good relationship with their grandparents have less behavioural and emotional problems, according to new research.

New research indicates that children adopt eating behaviours they see from their parents, from comfort eating to healthy habits. 

It's amazing what children pick up from the adults in their lives, from unusual traits passed on by their parents, to even inheriting grandparent's trauma. Among the habits and behaviours picked up by children, their parent's eating behaviour has an influence on how they children respond to food, according to new research .  

A team at Aston University led by Professor Jacqueline Blissett in the School of Psychology and Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), found that young children tend to display similar behaviour around food as their parents, while a parent’s eating style can influence how they feed their children. 

Researchers asked parents to rate their own eating behaviour, before looking for associations between their behaviours and those of their children. Parents were grouped into four main eating styles:

Typical eaters: No extreme behaviours.

Avid eaters: High food approach traits such as eating in response to food cues in the environment and their emotions, rather than hunger signals.

Emotional eaters: Eat in response to emotion but don’t enjoy food as much as avid eaters.

Avoidant eaters: Selective about food and don’t really enjoy eating. 

When parents had avid or avoidant eating behaviours, their children were particularly likely to mimic them. Parents with avid or emotional eating styles themselves were more likely to use food to comfort or soothe their own children, who would then go on to display similar traits. However, when parents with these styles offered their children a balanced, varied range of foods, their children were less likely to display the same behaviour as their parents. 

Dr Abigail Pickard, the lead researcher on the project, said: "Parents are a key influence in children’s eating behaviour but equally, parents have the perfect opportunity to encourage a balanced diet and healthy eating from a young age in their children.

“Therefore, it is important to establish how a parent’s eating style is associated with their children’s eating style and what factors could be modified to encourage healthy relationships with food.”

Following on from the study, Dr Pickard and the team intend to develop an intervention to support parents to use other ways to regulate emotions, model healthy eating, and create a healthy food environment in the home. Doing so could help stop less desirable eating behaviours from being passed down from parent to child. 

In other news, one expert has said that you have to be ok with letting your kids leave food on their plates, while here’s what you can do to encourage your child to eat more vegetables. Why not also brush up on what counts as a portion of fruit and vegetables, or check out the healthiest fast food for when you do want to treat the family?

Scientists have revealed the ‘very exciting’ results of a new study that suggests it might be possible to delay or completely avoid 'the onset of menopause' - and it will not only help women 'preserve their fertility' but also curtail the health problems associated with menopause too.

In the UK, one-third of the female population are perimenopausal or menopausal. That means there's around 1.5 million women struggling to manage the often debilitating symptoms of menopause. But what if you didn't have to be on the lookout for the early signs of menopause? What if you didn't have to go through menopause...at all?

It sounds a bit dream-like - all women will, at some point in their lives, go through menopause, right? Well, maybe not. That's because scientists at Columbia University have just revealed the results of a 'very exciting' study that suggests it is possible to extend the working life of ovaries, delay or avoid menopause completely, and, by doing so, decrease or eradicate the health risks associated with menopause.

The reason the research is so exciting, beyond it being the first hint that menopause can be starved off, is that an already existing, well-established, and cheap drug called rapamycin is what's being used to stop the start of menopause. The drug is currently used as an immunosuppressant for organ transplant patients but the scientists at Columbia University have found evidence that is slows the natural loss of eggs from the ovaries.

The study began with trials on mice which all showed positive results and, since then, they have done their first three-month clinical trial on 34 women, giving them a low weekly dose of rapamycin. The team has reported positive changes in some of the participants, something they have said is, "Very, very exciting”.

"The onset of menopause has profound socioeconomic, quality of life and health implications,” researchers explain in the report for the clinical trial. “The narrow reproductive window adds socioeconomic pressure on women to complete childbearing within a limited timeframe, or preserve their fertility with egg or embryo freezing.”

But it's not just extending child-bearing years that this drug could do. Menopause is associated with a number of health issues from decreased metabolism, to poor bone and connective tissue quality, to issues with cognitive function and mood. These can then lead to more serious issues like heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis, obesity, and diabetes, just to name a few. By avoiding menopause completely, women can also avoid these health risks too.

The trial is still in early phases, but we can't wait to see what comes out of the upcoming studies.

In other health and wellbeing news, This is what doctors and midwives want you to know about your postpartum belly. And, bad breath in pregnancy? These are the common causes, and 10 dentist-approved tips to deal with it. Plus, yes, it is safe to use fake tan in pregnancy - here are 9 products recommended by our beauty editor.

Young people today are honing their entrepreneurial skills and finding work online, a marked difference from the jobs teenagers had in the past.

Getting a job is a rite of passage for many young people. While it’s good to prepare our kids for their future careers – all part of how to raise happy kids – and be aware of what teenagers view as the most important job, we all have to start somewhere when we enter the world of work.

But whereas we might have started by delivering newspapers, babysitting or dog walking, many of today’s kids are making their money selling things online or even ‘influencing’ – a far cry from what we might consider as more ‘traditional’ first jobs. 

According to new research for Starling Bank, almost four in 10 children (38%) have a ‘side hustle’, including a third of children (33%) aged six to nine. Meanwhile, 61% of parents say their kids will negotiate how much they’re paid for doing specific tasks, with a pay rise of 34% being the average. Starling Bank’s family finance expert Rachel Kerrone says, “Children seem to be smarter than ever with money.”

Some of the most popular ways for children to earn extra money are those we all recognise: looking after siblings, washing the car, helping out in the garden and walking the dog are all still common. 

However, kids are about three times more likely to sell items online than they are to have a traditional paper round. Only around 4% of kids have a paper round, while 12% sell things online. And just as many (6%) earn money for completing online surveys as they do for babysitting. 3%, meanwhile, aspire to earn money from being an influencer.

The money soon adds up, too, with children earning around £474 a year on average from side hustles – not a sum to be sniffed at when it comes to buying the latest must-have trainers or video game. 

Mum-of-two Lucy, says "My child said he wanted to make some extra money, and he'd seen me selling things on Vinted. He asked if he could do the same and I agreed. I had the app on my phone and responded to all queries, but he was responsible for sorting through his possessions to find things to sell, taking photos of them to upload, and writing descriptions. We have a parcel drop-off just over the road, so he also took all the parcels over once he sold things. 

He really enjoyed the process and seeing the amount of money he made slowly build up. He was specifically saving for something, and not only was he delighted when he reached his money target, it was a good opportunity to teach him that getting the things you need takes work, and also how building a side hustle needs time and effort."    

In other money news, Tooth Fairy tax is a thing, and it's doubled within a generation, while here’s how to make money as a teenager. Also, how much pocket money should you give? £8.35 is the going rate according to new data.

We can't stop laughing at this hilarious video of schoolchildren trying to figure out what the classroom tech of their parents' generation is used for - and the nostalgia is so strong.

Kids today have access to a whole range of technology that their parents couldn't have even dreamed would ever exist. They've mastered using smartphones far quicker than us older generations have and have easily taken to the 'Hey, Google," commands of today's speakers.

But it seems that their understanding of the technology of ol' is not so comprehensive. A new study, conducted by Explore Learning, presented a group of 10-year-old schoolchildren with pictures of classroom items that were commonplace in their parents' generation and they were all baffled by the tech.

More than two thirds had no idea what the overhead projector was called, while 72% couldn't guess what it was even used for. Guessing at it's purpose, they threw out ideas like 'eye machine' and 'walkie talkie,' with some saying it might be used 'at the dentist' or 'for experimenting.'

The classic floppy disk proved equally mystifying, with 61% of children being unable to identify them. And, if you want to feel really old, a handful of the kids thought the discs could be as old as 100-years!

When presented with an old boxy PC, one child described it as, "Kind of like a motherboard."

The confusion continued when they were presented with an old boombox radio. One child exclaimed, "Imagine if you had this boombox and you were just carrying it around all day listening to music! That would be, like... harder!"

Another hilariously called out to the old radio, "Hey Google, play Roar by Katy Perry."

Commenting on the research, Amandeep Sanghera, Head of Maths and English at Explore Learning, said, "Our ‘Back to School Rewind’ survey has uncovered a fascinating – and often hilarious – generational gap. It’s remarkable to see just how quickly classroom technology evolves. Items that were everyday essentials for parents have become mysterious relics to their children in just two or three decades.

“This old-school tech might be gathering dust in the cupboard now, but it really shows how quickly things can change in our classrooms. It’s not just chalk and slate that baffle today’s tech-savvy kids – even the humble overhead projector is now a puzzling artefact from the past!

"While it's amusing to see children puzzle over these outdated technologies, it's also a reminder of the incredible opportunities modern tech offers in classrooms."

Getting prepared for back-to-school season can be stressful. We've got you covered with Dr Becky's insight on the 'one thing' parents should do to prepare their kids for going back to school while teachers have also revealed the best ways to get your children back-to-school ready. And, to add some fun to the often stressful process, why not try out some of our back-to-school jokes - they're hilarious and educational (kind of).

It’s a great idea to record family stories from grandparents and older relatives, and it’s easy to do. 

Grandparents occupy a unique place in the family as some of the oldest, most experienced relatives, often helping out with childcare (it’s better for the brain than Sudoku, apparently!) and offering valuable words of wisdom and life lessons for younger family members. With five different categories of grandparent, each grandparent is unique, so it’s important to keep their memories alive and keep sharing those precious family stories.

But how can you do so? Well, Dr Jay Prosser, who teaches the Telling Lives: Reading and Writing Family Memoir module at the University of Leeds, has told Everything Zoomer of five ways to help keep memories of grandparents alive.

1. Don’t delay. Many of us wait too long to learn about our family history, but there’s no time like the present to find out more. Even if you want to find out more about a great-grandfather you never met, for example, he might have surviving siblings or cousins who could provide some really fascinating insights.

2. Come equipped. Don’t be afraid to buy some audio recording equipment. If you only record your relative’s voice rather than film them, they might feel more comfortable – and allow you to concentrate on what they’re saying.

Transcribe the record, and think about uploading the files to a cloud server or a website for added security.

3. Research before you go. Find out as much as you can before you interview your relative. Brush up on the times they lived through and the places they went. Do they have any old passports, birth certificates, or other documents they’d be happy for you to take a look at?

4. Consider your questions. You don’t want to bring out a sheet of questions – decide on and familiarise yourself with what you want to ask, and be prepared for surprises in the answers! Even if you’re interviewing your own children’s grandparents and you think you know your parents or in-laws inside out, they might surprise you.

Try to ask open questions if you can, too, and listen out for the silences and pauses, as these can also tell you a lot.

5. Be ethical. Sure, interviewing your parents for family stories might not be the same as interviewing somebody for work or for a scientific study, but it’s important to share your transcript with them, let them make changes, and ensure they’re happy with their story. 

Tailor your approach to your interviewee – the way you approach an interview with a parent who’s 65 or 70 might be different to how you approach one with a grandparent in their nineties, for example. And, be prepared for tears – both yours and theirs – as this can be quite a moving experience for everyone involved. 

In related news, nearly half of the grandparent-aged generation has never been asked for advice, according to a study, while grandparents need to stop saying these 10 ‘well-meaning’ phrases to their grandkids. And, grandparents are living longer and families are becoming 'more vertical', research finds.

New data has revealed that while 63% of single parents think they’ll 'never find love again' after a breakup, most do - and in a relatively short amount of time too.

Being a single parent can be extremely difficult. As well as handling the practicalities of co-parenting, you also often have to deal with being single-shamed as a parent - and that's not even mentioning the struggles of parental loneliness.

But one of the biggest worries for single parents is handling the fear that they'll never find love again. According to heartbreaking new data, 63% of single parents believe that they will 'never find love again' after splitting from their children's mum or dad.

The reasons for this lack of belief are completely understandable. Just under two thirds said they had 'lost confidence' in themselves, which stopped them from putting themselves out there, while 53% feared another heartbreak.

In addition, 40% were concerned that their child might not accept the idea of a new person in their life, while others said they simply don't have the energy or time to meet and date new people.

However, the data is also full of hope. Of the 600 single parents surveyed, 64% said they had found a new partner, with the majority doing so around 13 months after their breakup.

So how did they do it? Nearly a third said they leaned on family and friends for support, both childcare-wise to free up time for dates and for emotional support too. Another 26% said it took realising their own worth to get back on the dating scene. And 14% even said their children had helped them find new dates, with them being super supportive in their quest to find love again.

The study was conducted by Even, a dating app made specially for single parents, with the app collaborating with ITV's dating show My Mum, Your Dad to speak with single parents.

A former participant on the popular show, Janey Smith, shared her experience of finding love after heartbreak, saying, "After a couple of break ups and heartbreak, I thought that was it for me. I'd pretty much given up hope that I would never find love or trust again - my confidence was at an all-time low, and I convinced myself that I didn't have the time to date.

"But after my son gave me a much-needed pep-talk, I was able to find the courage to get back into the dating world and created an online dating profile which gave me the confidence to apply for the show. That's when I met Roger, and, as they say, the rest is history."

In other relationship news, we explore the ‘gray divorcing’ phenomenon and explain why couples are doing it. And, a marriage therapist reveals the 5 ‘beige flags’ you should never ignore in a relationship. Plus, it takes more than 'things in common' for your marriage to survive, say scientists who identify the one sign to predict marital bliss.

Two mums have set up the Five Hour Club to make it easier for working parents to manage their career around their children.

Juggling work and childcare can be tricky. You might be asking questions like ‘Does everyone get 15 hours free childcare?’ and wondering whether it’s financially worth returning to work after a baby. Meanwhile, parents ‘struggling’ to access ‘inconsistent’ wraparound childcare are saying that their career progression is suffering. But what if had a job that allowed you to work five-hour days in between the school runs?

Mums Emma Harvey and Amy Grilli, who both work, started the Five Hour Club to design a new working day that’s five hours long. When they began applying for jobs after having their first children, they realised there weren’t many jobs that were flexible enough for parents, while also matching the level of experience parents have often accumulated before starting families. 

Grilli was a teacher, but found it difficult to find work again after having children, while Harvey had to change careers altogether. 

Grilli, whose children are aged two and five, told HR magazine, “I realised that after my eldest son was at school, there was this time window within the school day where I could be really productive at work.

“But there were no jobs out there that suited that sort of working. Both of us realised that those high-quality, part-time jobs were missing. It created this pool of parents that want to work, and have the experience and the qualifications behind them, but there's just no workplace that fits them.”

According to recent research from the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, two in five working mothers have had flexible working requests turned down. And, per flexible working consultancy Timewise, only 31% of job adverts offered flexible working in 2023.

One in 10 working mums have quit their jobs due to childcare issues, according to research from Totaljobs and gender equality charity The Fawcett Society, which also found that 84% of working mums had difficulties finding jobs that would accommodate their childcare needs, while 41% had to turn down promotions that didn’t align with childcare arrangements.

This led Grilli and Harvey to create a community where parents could share their experiences of returning to work.

In May this year, Grilli made a LinkedIn post about being a parent trying to return to work, and the difficulties she faced, and it got 14 million impressions in two weeks, as well as over 10,000 comments. So, she and Harvey decided to start the Five Hour Club network and job board with the aim to make a five-hour workday for parents. 

Harvey said that the new workday could help fix issues including the gender pay gap and the number of women in senior leadership positions. She explained, “The trouble is, we're not letting women or parents back into the workplace after having children in the first place, so there's no progression.”

You can find out more about the Five Hour Club on its website. 

In related news, Childcare costs are so high, 85 per cent of parents report it's preventing them having more kids, while, grandparents caring for grandchildren can apply for adult childcare credit. And how will Labour’s general election win affect childcare, flexible working and family policy?

Before you post that adorable back to school photo online for your friends and family to see, a parenting expert wants you to think carefully about how much the picture reveals. 

Back to school season has arrived, and while some might not want the school holidays to end, others will be raring to get back to routine and normality - we understand just how much the juggle is completely real, and the long break can bring mixed feelings for many.

When the big day arrives and you've wrangled your kids into their uniforms and got them looking as fresh and well presented as humanly possible, you obviously want to capture the moment with the all-important back to school doorstep photo. 

However, along with the viral 'GRWM' videos posing a safeguarding risk in the midst of the return to school, those seemingly innocuous first day back photos also pose hidden dangers to children. Posting to Instagram, parenting expert Kirsty Ketley explains what parents need to know. 

Kirsty wrote "If you’re not careful, an innocent back to school photo can end up not being quite as innocent as you think. Before you post, make sure you check these things to protect your child and if your child doesn’t want their photo shared, don’t share it!"

Her checklist for things parents need to consider before sharing pictures of their children includes:

• Cover the school badge on any uniform. This can be done with a simple sticker or emoji from your phone, preventing unscrupulous people who might get their hands on the photo from knowing where your child attends school.
• Turn off geo tagging. This will prevent your location being revealed. 
• Don't reveal house number or road name. On the doorstep, your house number might be visible. If you live near the road sign, make sure this doesn't make its way into your picture - both are more ways of others being able to find out where your children live. 
• Ask family and friends to get permission before they share pictures. Proud and excited friends and family might be keen to share your pictures with their friends, or to their own social media feeds. Even if you've taken all the right steps to make sure you've concealed your kids' identities, others may not and the pictures could still end up in the wrong hands.
• Does your child want their picture online? This is a good question to ask them when you take it. Your children might not realise the photo will be shared to your social media, and could want it kept private. It's a good idea to ascertain this before posting it anyway, and respect the decision they make about where their image is placed.

Kirsty Ketley concludes, "Honestly, with screen shots now a thing, photos can easily end up where you don’t want them to, so check your privacy settings and who is following your social media accounts."

Mum-of-two, Harriet, tells us, "I always used to share back to school photos to Instagram and Facebook, because it's so lovely to have them as a record of how they change over the years and for family who don't see the children very often to get to see them.

My children actually asked that I don't share their pictures online anymore, as it makes them feel a bit embarrassed now they're a certain age. Now I'm more aware of the dangers, I'm quite glad they asked me to stop and now I just share them in a family WhatsApp group instead."

For more on the return to school, take a look at these four phrases to help kids settle on their first day back at school as they face common back to school issues. Parents also need to get familiar with the six new school attendance rules coming into force in September. 

New data has revealed that almost a quarter of parents are considering ditching school in favour of homeschooling their kids, with most of them doing so to avoid the ‘daily grind’ of the morning school run.

Weekday mornings can be beyond stressful. Making sure everyone is up and ready, struggling to wake up early yourself, and rushing the kids out the door to get them to school on time (which can be surprisingly damaging according to experts), it's all the perfect equation for stress.

And new research has suggested that a lot of parents are over it. According to data collected by My Name Tags, a staggering 77% of parents find school mornings stressful, with almost half saying that the morning rush leaves them feeling like 'bad parents.'

It appears that the whole family is feeling the strain of these stressful mornings as kids pick up on their parents' rushed routine, with 44% of kids saying they also get stressed as they try to get out of the door on time.

The stress, the research shows, leaves 'the majority of parents' feeling negative about the day as soon as they wake up, with this leading them to argue with their child regularly during the morning routine.

As a result, 35% of parents say their child has gone to school upset and 29% have been reduced to tears themselves because of a bad school run. It’s no surprise then, that 41% of parents believe their family would get on better if they didn’t have to do the weekday morning routine.

It's led many parents to take, or at least consider, extreme action. According to the data, almost a quarter of families now feel tempted to homeschool their child simply in a bid to avoid the morning routine.

It sounds drastic but data from the Office for National Statistics shows that, over the last two years, there has been a dramatic increase in homeschooling, with the number of kids studying at home soaring by 11,100 between 2022 and 2023.

But while some clearly feel the need to avoid a hectic morning routine completely, the experts at My Name Tags have some tips you can try to reduce stress before school and make sure you all leave the house on time without having to rush anywhere.

1. Establish happy habits. "Our research shows that families that eat breakfast together are almost twice as likely to have a positive morning than those that eat separately or skip breakfast altogether," they say. "So, why not try setting the alarm a little earlier and preparing a quick breakfast that the whole family can eat around the table together? You could even opt for a make-ahead recipe, like overnight oats, to save you time in the morning."

2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. "Whether it’s opting for stick-on name labels over sew-in, or packing shop-bought healthy snacks for the kids rather than homemade treats, we firmly believe parents should never feel guilty for using time-saving hacks. Life is busy enough as it is, so anything that saves you time to focus on keeping yourself and your family happy and healthy can only be a good thing."

3. Encourage independence. "When you’re running late, it’s incredibly tempting to take over by helping your child dress themselves, brush their teeth, or tie their shoelaces. However, this can be damaging in the long run. Using the morning routine as an opportunity to teach your child to take responsibility will be a valuable lesson and help to speed up mornings in the future."

4. Incentivise good behaviour. "Get your kids engaged in getting ready by offering little incentives for them throughout the routine. Could you allow them 10 minutes to play their game after they’ve brushed their teeth? Or their favourite after-school snack if they arrive at school on time? Sometimes a little treat is all it takes to boost children’s motivation."

5. Make the most of your journey. "Whilst getting out of the house can be a challenge, our research found that the majority of parents find the journey itself a more positive experience, claiming it’s a good opportunity to bond with their child. Interestingly, it’s those that walk or cycle to school who are most like to enjoy the journey. Using the school run as an opportunity to get some exercise in as a family will also give you and your child a healthy boost of endorphins to kickstart the day."

As we head into back-to-school season, with the first day of term just around the corner, getting prepared can feel like a daunting task. But we've got you covered. As well as giving you the run-down on school uniform grants and the best back-to-school supplies, we've got insight from Dr Becky who has revealed the 'one thing' parents should do to prepare their kids for going back to school while teachers have also shared the best ways to get your children back-to-school ready.

The head of public health services in the US has called for better support for parents after declaring that parental stress is hazardous to health and wellbeing.

Being a parent is stressful; that's no surprise. You've got the mental load to deal with on top of practical chores, with the overwhelming to-do list often leading to parenting burnout. It's something we talk about a lot, with experts sharing tips on how to manage stress and other parents candidly opening up about their own struggles to help ease the burden.

But what is surprising is that the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who is the head of the United States Public Health Service and the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the United States, has said that not only is parental stress a matter that needs to be addressed, it's actually 'hazardous' to parents' health.

In a new advisory, the expert, who is a father-of-two himself, spoke on the deteriorating wellbeing of parents, saying that their mental health is suffering which, in turn, is also affecting the wellbeing of the children they raise.

"Over the last decade, parents have been consistently more likely to report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults. 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults," the advisory said.

"When stress is severe or prolonged, it can have a harmful effect on the mental health of parents and caregivers, which in turn also affects the well- being of the children they raise. Children of parents with mental health conditions may face heightened risks for symptoms of depression and anxiety and for earlier onset, recurrence, and prolonged functional impairment from mental health conditions."

The advisory shared that this stress is made worse by the fact that parents are overworked and spend much of their free time caring for their children, not for themselves. “Demands from both work and child caregiving have come at the cost of quality time with one’s partner, sleep and parental leisure time,” it reads.

And there are the 'unique' worries and stressors that this generation of parents are experiencing, things the advisory believes are making parental stress even worse for health than ever before. These worries are listed as, "Common demands of parenting, financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns about children’s health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures."

The Surgeon General adds, "In addition to the common stressors listed above, mental health conditions disproportionately affect some parents and caregivers, including those facing circumstances like family or community violence, poverty, and racism and discrimination, among others."

It's a long list, isn't it? And, unfortunately, many parents likely sympathise will nearly all of the stressors listed on it.

So what does the expert recommend to solve the problems? In order to better support parents, policy changes need to be made, he says. And while he is specifically talking to the US government, his reccomendations are something that those in prominent positions around the world should take note of.

The advisory believes governments need to, "Ensure parents and caregivers can get paid time off to be with a sick child, secure affordable child care, access reliable mental health care, and benefit from places and initiatives that support social connection and community."

If you're struggling with the stresses of parenting, we've got you covered with expert insight on the best self-care ideas to boost your health and manage stress – and they’re all free. And, can noticing 'glimmers' help with stress of parenting? Yes, according to science. Plus, it might not just be your kids stressing you out as new research has revealed that men stress women out more than kids.

Strict uniform policies could be breaking the law due to the cost sometimes associated with them, according to a government department.

Whether you agree with school uniform or not, one thing we can surely all agree on is that uniform costs can really add up. With the primary school years alone costing parents £6,000 – though there are school uniform grants and ways to turn old uniforms into cash – uniform can cost parents an awful lot of money. 

However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has told schools to be careful with strict uniform rules – as they could find themselves breaking the law. They’ve told schools to consider whether their uniform rules are in the “best interest of pupils and parents.”

Taking into account the costs that come with the summer holidays, the CMA said that managing uniform costs can be difficult for some families, saying: “At the [CMA], we’ve been looking at the impact of school uniform policy over the years and have advocated for schools to ensure that their policies are not overly restrictive, limiting the choice of what parents and carers can buy.

"For example, some families are forced to buy what they consider to be unnecessarily branded items of school uniform, often from suppliers and retailers who have exclusivity agreements with particular schools. It may come as a surprise to many schools and their governing bodies that they may in fact be breaking competition law if those policies are too restrictive."

While the CMA isn’t asking schools to make wholesale uniform changes, it does want them to consider a variety of factors, including uniform exclusivity contracts and deals that could break the law. It asked schools, "Have you awarded a contract to a manufacturer for sale through third party retailers? If so, are there any provisions that fix the minimum price that the uniform can be sold at? Such arrangements could be a breach of restrictions on resale price maintenance.

“How many items of uniform are branded or highly tailored to your school? While less common colour combinations may give a greater sense of identity, does this reduce the number of suppliers who will choose to invest in a stock uniform that can only be sold to a small pool of customers?"

Meanwhile, the CMA has also suggested that schools operate second-hand uniform shops if they don’t already, and has urged parents to compare prices before buying. It said: "Even if you can only buy branded items from one place, make sure you find the best deals for everything else. Remember that for many items you do not need to buy from a school’s approved shop. Some retailers might make you rush into paying by saying that stock is low, lots of people are looking right now, or that it’s only available for a limited time.

"This is not always true. So, take your time to compare prices and availability on other sites, and ignore sales tactics that pressure you."

In other back-to-school news, here are the three most common back-to-school issues kids face and how to deal with them, while these six new school attendance rules are coming into force this September. And, here are seven ways to save on back to school essentials, as it's revealed parents will spend £2.3 billion in 2024.