Government Parenting advice

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Blitz
Posts: 874
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2010 3:58 pm

Government Parenting advice

Post by Blitz »

Saw the report on BBC news last night about the Governments 5 tips for all parents:

Read to your child for 15 minutes
Play with your child on the floor for 10 minutes
Talk with your child for 20 minutes with the television off
Adopt positive attitudes towards your child and praise them frequently
Give your child a nutritious diet to aid development

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14403919" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They interviewed a poor woman who had taken refuge in her car (outside a caravan she was staying in) as her children had squabbled continuously and it had rained all day. Week 2 of the holiday and my two have taken to squabbling over fresh air if we don't get out. So I would add, have half an hour of fresh air and exercise each day to the list. But then again we were eating fish and chips in front of the TV, chatting whilst watching this report, so that is No 3 and 5 of these tips broken!!
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by um »

lol is this per day?
I feel for the woman locked in her car, I just lock myself in the bathroom occassionally :lol:

I liked the: Talk with your child for 20 minutes with the television off.

This is relatively easy but the background noise made by the other 4 children probably supercedes any distraction that could be caused by a TV.
Are they handing out remote controls for toddlers so I can press pause whilst I praise my older ones, cook them fabulous nutritious meals, and read to them without having the book ripped out out hands by a fiesty 2-year old?

I would much rather have 5 tips for all children to follow:

Keep your bedroom tidy at all times
Obey your parents immediately, particularly in pouring rain when they ask you to bring the laundry in off the line
Do not leave your junk food and sweet wrappers in the car, it looks bad when we visit the dentist
Eat all your dinner without complaint or remarking that your brother has one more chip than you
Thank your parents frequently for their unending commitment to your wellbeing and education

Are there any better suggestions?
Kiwimum
Posts: 188
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:46 pm

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by Kiwimum »

Talk with your child for 20 minutes with the television off.

I can nag for 20 minutes without taking a breath - does this count?

And does it count after the 20 minutes when you realise they have their earphones in and didn't hear a word you said?
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by mystery »

Play with your child on the floor for 20 minutes - can this include kicking them round like a football, or does it simply mean you just leave your child on the floor (regardless of age) while you sit on a chair playing backgammon with your mates? If it is supposed to be the child that is playing is it OK to get the dog to play with the child on the floor while you read the newspaper - setting a good role model for reading?
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by hermanmunster »

I don't think my 17 and 13 year olds really want me to read to them - they can read the financial times OK themselves - as for playing on the floor hmmm, the old bones creak too much.
Spirit
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:39 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by Spirit »

It may be misguided this advice but I see children regularly in my work who cannot talk at an age appropriate level because their patents don't talk to them at all. Just look around in shopping centres at all the parents who completely ignore their children, shout at them or are on their mobiles constantly. Some poor kids don't have a chance from the word go. I literally weep, and I do mean literally, at the conditions these children grow up in. This advice may be better than nothing.
pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by pheasantchick »

For parents, read Toddler Training and watch Jo Frost parenting programmes.

For teenagers, watch Jeremy Kyle so they can see that sleeping around(without protection), etc doesn't pay dividends etc

Overall, I think having guidance is a good idea. Ante natal classes could include parenting information, p'haps people should attend similar classes when their children are 1 year old (for children aged 1-5), 5 year(5-0 years), and 11 years (teen age children preparation).

Other suggestions to add to the list:

Eating together as a family
No phones during mealtimes
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by scarlett »

I agree with Spirit...we find these guidelines pretty obvious and probably we all read to our child, play with them etc ( if not now....certainly when they were small ) but to many parents these things just don't come naturally.I'm not sure if the parents Spirit talks about would actually bother to follow these guidelines, but I do meet plenty of pleasant, caring parents in my work place who are just a little bit dim and do need to be told how to do things and would mostly make an huge effort to do so. Some parents think it's fine to give 1 year olds fizzy drinks and crisps for lunch and respond really well if just given some healthy ideas , that although it's strange to us, they just don't have a clue.
DIY Mum
Posts: 744
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by DIY Mum »

A little advice can go a long way but it's up to the parent to take it.

When I used to run a nursery, many years ago, the typical parent (we lived abroad) came from a culture where kids were brought up by 'house maids', fed chocolate and fast food for breakfast (at midday), lunch (at 4 pm) and dinner. :(

Parents seldom talked with DC and they were addressed as either 'boy' or 'girl' and not by their names. Kids were neither read to, nor did they read for pleasure.

Change was not hard, it was strange as the parents for so long had been caught up in a culture and didn't really know any better.

um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Government Parenting advice

Post by um »

I was brought up in typical English middle class fashion to have breakfast at 7am, lunch at 12.30pm, dinner at 6pm and in bed by 7.30pm. Even when I was thirteen, I was in bed by 7.30pm :roll:
Now I get freaked out if the children are up at 8 - I feel things are falling apart!

But yes, I suppose that what we take for granted, others perhaps don't do.
One Headteacher told me that most children's packed lunches at her school consist of either crisps and a chocolate bar, or cold fried chicken-and-chips from last night's dinner :shock:

But if I was to add something else to the 'parent's' list, I would agree with fresh air. I read once about a London council estate, where many families lived in high rise flats, and children started school at 4 having never walked on grass or been to a park. This was very, very sad. Fortunately we have a garden but, when small, my children have always had to go out every single day somewhere...to coop them up at home would have driven them (and me) mad!
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