How Much Is Dad Worth ??

Apparently, an argument broke out in the offices of moneysupermarket.com over just how much dads do at home and what they are worth (in purely monetary terms!). Their insurance team were tasked with looking into the subject and, along with data sourced via their partners at Legal and General, produced a so-called 'infographic' with their findings.

Click on the link below to see the full details.

http://www.dadzclub.com/articles/money/value-of-dad.ashx#.Ul6jqle77D0.facebook

We think this news story will be of interest to our visitors. However, please note it is from another source and does not necessarily represent the views of Oxondads.  If you would like to comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively E-Mail  info@oxondads.co.uk

Babies and Crying

Controlled crying - cry out or pick up?

Written by Suzie Hayman, Family Lives Trustee

If you accept the evidence about attachment, as I do, you see that letting a baby cry is not the best response. Of course, babies will cry and will often continue to do so way beyond human endurance. A baby’s cry is designed for one thing – to scrape like a nail across a hard surface and raise every hair on the back of your neck. You are programmed to find that noise just about the most distressing possible, to galvanise you into action to try and stop it, and bring comfort to the source of the clamour.  When it continues, you feel rapidly more and more distressed yourself. You feel guilty, incompetent, frantic, frustrated and eventually enraged. Your anger is at yourself, for being unable to come up with the magic that soothes your baby. It can easily and very naturally be directed at the baby for not accepting your attempts. That’s the point at which you may feel driven to moan, cry or shout at the baby, to shake it to please understand you are trying, to hit out. Or, to put it down so you can walk away and take a few deep breathes to regain your calm. And some experts will say you should leave a child in this state to ‘cry out’ because eventually the child will ‘self soothe’ – come to a point when they cry themselves to sleep, and that will teach them to cope by themselves at a later date.

In fact, the evidence suggests leaving a baby to cry simply floods them with stressful hormones. That doesn’t help them stop crying or go to sleep. They eventually wear themselves into exhaustion and drop off, of course. But the flooding with stressful hormones physically damages them after a time – it holds back or even prevents some of their development. A baby who learns not to cry by being left is learning that no matter what his distress, no-one will come. He learns he’s been abandoned and there’s no point in looking for relief. Self soothing is for later, built on a foundation of parental soothing now. 

Controlled crying - what can you do with a crying baby?

We often say babies who cry, all the time or regularly at certain times in the day, are colicky. This is actually more of a description than a diagnosis since we’re not certain why some babies suffer from colic and others do not. But it’s not unusual. Colic is defined as a baby who cries for at least three hours a day, at least three times a week. That apparently describes 1 in 5 babies in the western world.

Check their diet - is this causing the crying?

There are theories about diet, both the baby’s if fed on formula or the mother if the baby is breastfed. Some studies have suggested breastfeeding mothers avoiding cow’s milk and giving the baby some probiotic drops has an effect. Food allergies and a sensitivity to some formula or a gastrointestinal upset have all been blamed. The first thing you need to do if your baby cries a lot is discuss with your health visitor that you’ve checked she’s healthy and that everyone who handles her has their techniques for changing, feeding and burping right. Are you all happy to jiggle her around, to sing and talk to her to soothe her, and go on doing so as long as it takes?

Crying getting stressful - be patient

Whether you call it colic or not, if all the medical reasons have been ruled out, your baby is unlikely to go on crying like this for longer than three months. That may seem a lifetime at 2am when she’s been wailing since early evening, but it is a beacon to hold on to. Keep telling yourself This Too Shall Pass...

To read the article from Family Lives in full please click on the link below

http://familylives.org.uk/advice/pregnancy-and-baby/health-and-development/controlled-crying-cry-out-or-pick-up/

We think this news story will be of interest to our visitors. However, please note it is from another source and does not necessarily represent the views of Oxondads.  If you would like to comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively E-Mail  info@oxondads.co.uk

How To Deal With Truancy

Truancy

What to do when you discover your child is truanting

If your child is caught truanting, you may receive a call or a message from the school. While this can be upsetting and surprising, it's important not to  get angry or punish your child, but instead try to talk to them about how they are feeling, and why they have been avoiding school  Your child may be having problems which they need help with, so try to offer a trusting environment in which they can talk honestly with you.

It is also important to respond to any messages or calls that you or your child may have received from the school as the situation may get worse if you do not take action. You can ask for an interpreter to be provided if you need one.

Is truancy such a big deal?

It may not always seem like a big deal if your child has skipped a few lessons - you may even have done it yourself when you were at school - however, it’s important to deal with the issue. Aside from the potential dangers of your child being unsupervised you, as a parent, are legally responsible for keeping your child in school, and could face fines if the truancy persists.

Take any contact from the school seriously and make sure that your son or daughter understands the importance of the situation. Your child missing school could be a sign that she or he is having serious problems. They may be being bullied, or having trouble with school work, or struggling to deal with situations at home. All of these situations can impact on a child’s behaviour.

Coping with a truanting child

You may already feel overwhelmed with different problems. Life as a parent can be difficult and can sometimes seem like one crisis after another. Try to deal with problems as they arise, one stage at a time. Accept any offers of help that seem appropriate and, if you need any further support, there are many services available. Find out what's available in your local area, preferably before things reach crisis point. You may be able to get practical support, such as:

• a home help if you are suffering from ill health
• a nursery place for younger children
• an after-school club for older children
• someone who can help you with interpretation and translation

Your local social services, library or family doctor may be able to help you find these services. Let the school know about anything else that is going on, and ensure your child knows that you are on their side.

To read the article from Family Lives and watch the video please click on the link below

http://familylives.org.uk/advice/teenagers/school-learning/truancy/

We think this news story will be of interest to our visitors. However, please note it is from another source and does not necessarily represent the views of Oxondads.  If you would like to comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively E-Mail  info@oxondads.co.uk

Nature Deficit Disorder

Just one in five children are 'connected to nature' says study

Large numbers of children in Britain are missing out on the natural world, a study from the RSPB suggests.

The three-year project found that only 21% of children aged 8-12 were "connected to nature".

Girls were much more likely than boys to be exposed to the great outdoors, while children in Wales had the lowest score across the UK.

The RSPB says that a perception among some adults that nature is dangerous or dirty could be holding children back.

There has been an increasing amount of research in recent years underlining the lack of contact and experience with nature among modern children.

Some have argued that this is having a negative impact on their health, education and behaviour.

In 2012, the National Trust published a report on the phenomenon of "nature deficit disorder", though it is not recognised as a medical condition.

Gender difference

The RSPB says its new study is the first to quantify the scale of British children's exposure, or lack of it, to the natural world.

They came up with a definition of what "connected to nature" actually means and then developed a questionnaire with 16 statements designed to assess the level of connection among children.

Some 1,200 children from across the UK were asked to agree or disagree with these statements. Only 21% of children in the UK had a level of connection with wildlife and the natural world that the RSPB believes should be realistic and achievable for all youngsters.

This "realistic and achievable" value is based on the average scores of children visiting RSPB sites or who are junior members of the organisation.

One interesting finding was the gender difference. While 27% of girls were at or above the "realistic and achievable" target, only 16% of boys were at the same level.

"We need to understand these differences," Sue Armstrong-Brown, head of conservation at the charity, told BBC News.

"Whether boys and girls are scoring differently on different questions, are girls more empathetic to nature than boys for instance? We need to analyse the data to find that out."

The report also highlighted significant regional differences. Only 13% of children in Wales achieved the basic level of exposure, compared with almost twice this number in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Urban beats rural

The average score for London was higher than the rest of England. Overall urban children had a slightly higher connection than those living in rural areas.

According to Sue Armstrong-Brown, the attitudes of adults may be having a significant effect on children.

"There is definitely an attitude out there, in some cases, that nature is not perceived as interesting or engaging. In some cases it is perceived as a dirty or unsafe thing, and that's an attitude that won't help a young person climb a tree."

The RSPB hopes that its study will be taken up by government as one of the indicators on the state of children's wellbeing.

Sue Armstrong-Brown believes that improving the natural connection for children is not only good for the youngsters, it is crucial for the future of nature conservation in this country.

"If we can grow a generation of children that have a connection to nature and do feel a sense of oneness with it, we then have the force for the future that can save nature and stop us living in a world where nature is declining," she said.

We think this news story will be of interest to our visitors. However, please note it is from another source and does not necessarily represent the views of Oxondads.  If you would like to comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively E-Mail  info@oxondads.co.uk

How to Get Your Children to Eat Fruit !

The Great British apple season is here - discover 3 Great Apple Recipes Kids will Love!

The Great British apple season is here and as the weather starts to get colder, there’s no better weekend activity to do with children than apple picking. Whether visiting a local orchard or collecting the windfalls from the back garden, picking apples is perfect for getting children outside and active in the autumn sunshine, not to mention helping them reach their 5 a day!  What’s more, children will love learning how to bake and cook by making lots of delicious pies, cakes and treats with the apples they’ve collected.

Here are a few simple, fun-to-make apple recipes for you to try with your children.

Nutty Toffee Apples

Smaller apples are best for this. If your children have nut allergies, you can leave out the nuts and dip the apples in melted chocolate or hundreds and thousands instead.

Ingredients

8 eating apples
400g caster sugar
75g chopped nuts

Method

1. Cover a baking tray or large plate with baking paper. Spear each apple with a toffee apple stick or a fork to make the handle. Make sure you press firmly into the centre.

2. Heat the sugar with 200ml water in a heavy-based pan until dissolved. Bring to a simmer, without stirring, and cook to a pale golden caramel (BEWARE! Don’t leave children unattended as the caramel is extremely hot and sticky).

3. Remove from the heat and add the nuts. You can then help your child to dip each apple into the caramel. Place upside down on the baking sheet. Leave to cool and set.

Deep-Filled Apple Pie

Children will love rolling out the pastry and making fun patterns and shapes to decorate the top of this delicious pie.

Ingredients

For the pastry:
500g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
250g chilled essential Waitrose Butter, diced

For the filling:
100g essential Waitrose Sultanas
150g Waitrose Golden Caster Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3–4 large cooking apples
2 red eating apples
1 tsp ground mixed spice
3 tbsp plain flour
Milk, for brushing

Method

1. Begin by making the pastry. Sift the flour then place in a food processor. Add the butter and whizz to form crumbs. Add 4–5 tbsp cold water and pulse to form a firm dough. Remove from the bowl, roll the dough into a ball then wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.

2. Meanwhile, place the sultanas, sugar and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, adding them to the bowl as each one is done. Sprinkle over the spice and flour.

3. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry into a large circle and use to line a 23–24cm pie dish, leaving any excess pastry to overhang the edge. Spoon the apple mixture into the pie dish, making sure it’s layered as compactly as possible. Dampen the edge of the pastry along the rim with milk.

4. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle large enough to cover the filling and lay on top of the pie. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry away and crimp the edges to seal. Your children can use the left over pastry to make decorations for the top. Brush the pie with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Make a slit or two in the top then place on a baking tray and bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

Apple and Cinnamon Pancakes

You don’t have to wait for Pancake Day to enjoy these delicious pancakes, they make the perfect dessert or afternoon treat. Makes:  10 – 12 pancakes

Ingredients

125g essential Waitrose self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 medium egg
125 ml essential Waitrose semi skimmed milk
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
15g butter

Method

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and then add the egg. Gradually beat in the milk, adding the flour from the edges to make a thick smooth batter. Set aside.

2. Toss the apple cubes in the sugar and cinnamon. Melt half the butter in a small non-stick pan. Add the apple and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden.

3. Brush a non-stick frying pan with the remaining butter, heat over a medium flame and then place a few of the apple cubes in the pan. Drop 1 tbsp of the batter on top. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the bubbles burst and the underside is golden (BEWARE! Don’t leave children unattended). Turn the pancake and cook for 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining mixture while keeping the pancakes warm in a low oven. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

These recipes have been kindly provided by Waitrose, visit the website for lots more recipe ideas and inspiration.

What do you think of these recipes?  Do you have any other ones dads would be interested in?  Let us know by clicking on the "No Comments" below or alternatively you can E-Mail info@oxondads.co.uk

Temper Tantrums - How To Deal With Them

Is your child having temper tantrums? Watch the latest from Streaming Well and dadzclub

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

This video from Streaming Well covers the topic of 'Tantrums' but do you have more info you can share with us?

We would be interested to hear your comments. Is this something that all kids go through? How do you cope with them? Leave a comment below by clicking on the "No Comments" or alternatively you  can E-Mail 

info@oxondads.co.uk

My Child's Development - From Three to Six Months

My Child's Development - From Three to Six Months

This is a time of a lot of development physically, emotionally and in terms of learning ability (cognitive). Eyesight will be as accurate as yours by six months. Baby will be able to hold toys with her/his fingers in a line but not yet able to manipulate toys by moving fingers around them. Many toys will still be too heavy.

Essentially the play at this stage is centred around encouraging physical and emotional development in a way which is not unlike play for children as they approach puberty!

You are no longer the only ‘toy’ for your child, toys become meaningful for the first time at this stage and you should check that you have toys which do the following things:

• The toy does something when the baby does something (e.g. makes a noise when baby hits it or moves it)
• Baby has to use hands to hold it (Early in this stage s/he will have fingers in a line as it is too early to actually move and handle a toy until nearer to six months.)
• Are multi-coloured
• Have mirrors and reflect light in different ways.
• Dangle so as to encourage baby to reach out.
• Place baby in different positions in order to play (sitting propped up, lying on tummy, lying on back etc.

 Some ideas for games

• Peek-a-boo: This age-old favourite will teach your baby that things go on existing even when they can’t be seen. According to psychology theory, it helps develop a sense of anticipation, memory and a concept of the future. Baby may be a little anxious but fear gives way to the funny-ness if you’re careful. Should only be played by people who the baby knows and trusts.
• Rattling toys: Toys should be moved slowly at first to allow baby to see them and the brain to think about what is happening (which is slower than it is for you!)
• Reading books: Baby will enjoy the tone changes in your voice and is now able to recognize more complex pictures.
• Changing position: Moving baby’s position to do an activity creates a whole new game (play with a toy on his front and then turn onto tummy and play again.)
• Mirrors: A baby will love seeing their face in a mirror but at this stage they do not know it is their face - they will consider it another person’s face.
• Sing and Tickle games: E.g. round and round the garden, this little piggy goes to market, etc.
• Dangling toys: Your baby will love to reach out and grasp toys that are dangling just within his/her reach, and will be able to hold onto them with both hands or kick with his feet.
• Carry Pouch: Baby will enjoy doing activities whilst in a carry pouch facing outwards now as s/he can focus more fully and see what you are doing. Avoid noisy activities such as mowing the lawn! (You can laugh but it seemed like a good idea at the time....until the crying started!)

As your baby grows, s/he begins to learn that if s/he does something it will have a consequence - for example, if s/he shakes his/her rattle, it makes a noise! Understanding that s/he can have an effect on the world is really important for baby to learn good self-esteem... by doing something again and again, s/he’ll learn by experience. This goes on throughout our lives as we learn about our actions and their consequences....some may argue that there are adults who still need to learn this stuff!

To comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively you can E-Mail info@oxondads.co.uk

One Month To Go and Movember Will Be Here !! - Are You Ready ??

This Movember 1 - 11 - 13 is the Sign of The Snake !

Get ready to hang up your shavers for a month and cultivate a snake under your nose as Movember is back in aid of Mens Health - Prostate Cancer - Testicular Cancer - Mental Health

To participate and get involved click on the link below to register, set up a profile and download a sponsor form.

SIGN UP & FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

To comment on this article please click on the "No Comments" below or alternatively you can E-Mail  info@oxondads.co.uk