Luckily (in hindsight) my parents were very keen for me to get in to sport from a very young age and I fondly remember making frequent trips down the local rugby and football clubs to watch and then later play. I was exposed to the key morals and discipline that comes hand in hand with sport; learning to work as a team, responsibility, independence and of course friendship.

It also introduced me to competition. Competition in young children can be seen as a negative, but it is one of life’s core lessons. Controlled competition is healthy but it must be said that the ‘win at all costs’ approach is destructive. Rugby specifically teaches children, even from a very young age, to respect their opponents with the obligatory “three cheers” and handshakes all round.

And let’s not forget the key ingredient for all this; health.

In a recent NHS survey, doctors found 17% of boys and 16% of girls aged between 12 and 15 are classed as either overweight or obese – these figures in my mind are far too high.

It’s claimed that nearly three quarters of children are not getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity outside of school. By gently introducing sport to young children those statistics can be radically improved.

I can’t put it better than sports psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor at the NYU Child Study Centrein America:

“Research has shown that sport contributes to psychological well-being by reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing self-esteem. In sport, kids find a social milieu that can promote a spirit of social interaction, cooperation and friendship. Sport helps kids think critically and solve problems, build self-discipline, trust, respect for others, leadership and coping skills, all of which form the foundation of character building. Sport has also been shown to improve academic and occupational outcomes, lower school dropout and deter delinquency. And, of course, sport develops the mind/body connection by strengthening the body and training the mind to use it for action and reaction.”

And all this is gained in a watertight safety conscious environment.

Is sport for pre-school children a good thing?

Hard to say ‘no’.  Tell us what you think and what sports activities your kids are involved in

From guest blogger: Luke Walden  Munchkin Sports Ltd   www.munchkinsportsltd.com

It’s all too easy for 11 / 12 ‘somethings’ to want to be part of the social network scene – why? – because their peers do and it appears it’s the way most now communicate. I wonder why that is – I know technology is second nature to kids nowadays but how sad it is that they are losing the art of just talking to each other.

I asked one teenager what was so special about social media  - her reply was that ‘you always knew what your friends were doing and thinking cos they changed their status on BBM or tweeted / shouted on Facebook – its just easy to be connected!’ She then confessed that ‘sometimes its easier to say things onscreen rather than face to face – it can be less embarrassing and at least you think they are listening ‘

Not only are kids losing the ability to be truthful in front of each other but they are living the fantasy of thinking they have friends cos they are seeing Facebook shouts, BBMs etc which are non specific.

Tim Loughton, the Children’s Minister, accused mothers and fathers of “aiding and abetting” pre-teens to open accounts on the social networking site.

Mr Loughton, who has three teenage children, said parents had a responsibility to monitor youngsters online, adding: “Having a Facebook page, you should be at least 13 to do that. That is not legally enforceable.

Most mothers know the signs, the triggers and have a way to resolve it, but not before you cringe with embarrassment.

Most children’s tantrums die down as they get older but every so often even my 13 year old will lose her sense of humor and throw a tantrum.

Usually tantrums are a way of expressing, what the child believes is a profound sense of injustice.

They usually are expressed in an environment of safety – where the child feels secure and with whom they feel safe.

However a little girl six has been handcuffed by police and thrown in a jail cell in the US after throwing a tantrum at school.

According to a police report, the child allegedly knocked over a small shelf which hit the principal in the leg, injuring her.

She also jumped on a paper shredder and tried to break a glass frame.

The school called in the police and an officer handcuffed the young girl when she refused to calm down.

She was taken down to the police station where she was charged with simple assault and damage to property.

What did they think they were doing?

Why wasn’t the teacher able to take control ?

What was wrong with simply calming and listening, finding common ground with the little girl?

The little girl probably just needed a cuddle – but health and safety say you cannot touch or show affection to children in your care.

The world’s gone mad.  What do you think?  I blame the teacher.

see childalert’s tantrum tips

Not only de we believe children need a good nights sleep but we need an evening!

It seems logical that children who have to get up early and are engaged in busy school timetables should have down time away from each other and hopefully a good nights sleep.

Sleep guidelines for children suggest up to 12 + hours sleep a night -

2 to 3 years 10.5 to 12.5 hours; 4 to 5 years 12 hours; 6 years 11.5 hours; 7 to 11 years 9.5 to 11.5 hours

A report out today however is showing children going to bed as late at 11.30 and expecting to be up and bright by 8 am the following morning.

Dr Pat Spungin, child psychologist and family life specialist, said: “I agree there is very little information available to parents about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Parents should be concerned about the effects of sleep deprivation on their children, as lack of sleep has a negative effect on a child’s mood, concentration and attention. Research also shows that children who are sleep deprived do less well academically, show more problem behaviour and have lower levels of social skills.

“Scientific evidence shows that adequate night-time sleep is just as important as healthy eating and regular exercise for children to develop.’

Here are some tips to help you:

1. Establish a regular time for bed each night and do not vary from it

2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, give your child a warm bath or shower

3. Make bedtime fun – read your child a story

4. Do not give your child any food or drinks with caffeine prior to bedtime

5. Avoid giving your child a large meal before bedtime

6. Make after dinner playtime a relaxing time as too much activity close to bedtime can keep children awake

7. Exercise should be included in your child’s day to help them sleep well

8. There should be no TV or music playing while your child is going to sleep

9. Ensure the temperature in the bedroom is comfortable

10. Make sure the noise level in the house is low

However, as the mums and dads began to arrive they were asked for identification and if they had none the schools health and safety, ruled that they could not attend.

The match was played behind closed doors. “ we do not want unsupervised strangers wandering on the premises “

Quite rightly one parent shouted “It’s outrageous. I cant see for the life of me how this is about health and safety – if a child gets hurt the first thing they do is make a beeline for their mother or father”

What do you think?  Have we finally gone too far?

It seems unthinkable – accidentally leaving your baby for hours, but lots of busy parents do it with devastating consequences

Karen, a professional devoted mum goes on trial today for the murder of her baby son who she left alone in a hot car for over 7 hours! He died of heatstroke.

‘Karen drove a short distance to work, planning to drop her son off at nursery on the way. At around 4pm, she returned home. There, she received a panicked phone call from her husband. He was at the nursery to pick Ryan up. But Ryan wasn’t there.

In that split second, Karen’s world imploded. She realised she’d done something unimaginably awful. She sprinted to her car in the driveway and found her beloved baby, still strapped into his seat in the back. Karen, described by all who know her as a wonderful and caring mother, had forgotten to drop her son off at nursery. He’d been left in a searingly hot car for more than seven hours.

Despite frantic attempts to resuscitate him, Ryan died from heatstroke’.

Today, Karen goes on trial in America accused of murder and child neglect. If convicted, she could face a maximum prison sentence of 40 years.

Her husband, who is standing by her — as are their friends and extended family — says the murder charge is outrageous. He says it was a tragic accident, an inexplicable, inexcusable mistake — but not a crime. Furthermore, Karen is in a living hell. Accidentally killing your own baby is a lifelong sentence far greater than any a court could ever deliver.

What do you think ? Do you have any sympathy?

Have you ever forgotton your baby somewhere because you have just had too many things on your mind?

Things definitely have changed over the decades – parenting can be tough and busy. Here are some statistics comparing the social trends of the 70’s to today.

See if you can guess the trends before peaking below!

1. Just fewer than 50% of mums in the 70’s drank alcohol regularly while pregnant.  What % of mums in the 21^st century drink alcohol?
2. Most women would give up work 2 months before their due date. The luxury of staying in hospital for a week or more in the 70’s after giving birth was enjoyed by 37% of mums. Nowadays mothers rarely stay overnight – What % stay for one day after giving birth.
3. Breast is always best – 45% of mums breastfed for 6+ months in the 70’s, 67% in the 90’s. What happened by 2010?
4. We are told not to smack our children – 77% of parents did openly in the 70’s. It has fallen dramatically but do we still smack our kids at times?
5. Dads are much more involved in their children’s upbringing nowadays but on the 70’s – only 58% of Dads were present at the birth of their children – only 60% ever changed a nappy -  62% bathed their baby – 70% ever put them to bed.   What happens today?

A1   Between 2000-2010 this had dramatically fallen to just 4%. Well done you Mums-to-be.

A2   14% of new mums work the week before they give birth, 26% go home the same day after giving birth.

A3   It fell only slightly to 56% breastfeeding for six month or more.

A4   Yes 36% still believe there are times when smacking is the only way to instill discipline. This trend needs your comments!

A5   Nearly all Dads are present at the birth of their children nowadays – 98%

A6   94% of Dads are at the birth – 98% change nappies regularly – 89% bath their baby – 91% put their babies to bed. Good old Dad!

Tell us your thoughts?

According to Practical Parenting & Pregnancy: “It’s fascinating to see how pregnancy, birth and bringing up children have reflected the social changes in our society and changing health information. It’s incredibly encouraging to see mums-to-be cutting back on their pregnancy drinking and to see how much more involved fathers are. But clearly more work needs to be done to support mums with breastfeeding.”

‘My Doctor said I could’ was her only comment !

The 22-year-old told The People newspaper: I know it doesn’t look good but I only have a few cigs a day.’

We don’t usually link to outside sites but this is important click here

Smoking during pregnancy causes all sorts of difficulties :

A baby in the womb gets everything from its mother. Nutrients and oxygen come via the placenta and umbilical cord. Smoking not only exposes the foetus to toxins in tobacco smoke, but it also damages placental function.

When a person smokes, some of the oxygen in their blood is replaced by carbon monoxide. If a pregnant woman smokes, her blood and therefore her child’s blood will contain less oxygen than normal. This can cause the foetal heart rate to rise as baby struggles to get enough oxygen.

Babies of smokers

1.will be born prematurely

2. will be less than average in weight

3. will have smaller organs

4. poorer lung function.

5. are twice as likely to die from cot death.

6. are ill more frequently

7. will be prone to middle ear and asthmatic bronchitis

8. are more likely to become smokers themselves in later years.

Tell us what you think about Stacey or any pregnant mum smoking during her pregnancy?

Lisa Turan of the Children Brain Injury Trust say;  “It still baffles me why so many youngsters resist wearing a helmet while cycling or skiing: they clearly don’t realise how a split-second impact could result in a life-changing brain injury that could render them incapacitated, disabled or worse,”

She is absolutely right – why take the risk. I will definitely wear one next time we go – once you have the responsibility of children you have to be safe and not sorry !

We urge you all to wear helmets while cycling and skiing.

Despite many youngsters shunning cycle helmets, 69% of the boys and girls aged 11-16 when asked in a recent survey said they would welcome a law enforcing under-16s to wear a cycle helmet.

Parents on bikes and skis need to lead by example – and their children would welcome them taking a more pro-active stance on helmet wear.

The survey showed that 56% of these youngsters’ parents wore a cycle helmet but only 38% wore a skiing helmet – leaving 62% of parents skiing without protective headgear.  Children would definitely like to see their parents wear a ski helmet.

Christine Tallon, a solicitor  who specialises in brain injury claims says  “In our specialist field of work we see the devastating effects of brain injuries among adults and children who come off their bikes,” she says.  “These cases are often traumatic with lifelong consequences,”

Christine strongly favours wearing a ski helmet having had two thankfully minor accidents herself in recent years.  “I narrowly avoided a head injury but thankfully I was wearing a helmet whilst skiing: I think they should be made compulsory for adults and children on the slopes,” she says.  “It is very worrying when one hears about the number of head injuries sustained whilst skiing and cycling and which often occur at high speed. The severity of some of these would be potentially far less and in many cases could be avoided entirely if people were to wear helmets.”

Mother Asili – one of the six female Western Lowland gorillas at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey – gave birth to the youngster last week  (Thursday 23rd February), and both mother and baby appear to be doing well.

Some of the 27,000+ fans of the Chessington Facebook page were able to witness the birth online and in real time, thanks to special webcams set up in the gorilla enclosure to stream live footage 24 hours a day. The birth took just 30 minutes, and saw mother Asili naturally deliver her baby, who has not yet been named, at 2.14pm.  The sex of the baby may not be known for some time.

Damisi, the father, is turning out to be something of a stud in the gorilla enclosure. He was introduced as a new breeding male in 2008, and successfully bred with Buu. Now only three years after the birth of Mbula, he has fathered a second baby following a romance with Asili.

The Western Lowland gorilla is a vulnerable species and only mates periodically. Females tend to produce only one baby every five years on average.