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Colouring, puzzles and more Summer 2011

The official publication of National Family Week

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EDITORIAL Editor Carole Beck Features Writer and Sub Editor Aviva Ingram Editorial Assistants Kelly Hagen Oliver Holden-Rea DESIGN Art Director Viki Haemmerle Design Assistant Nastazia Metaxa PRODUCTION Head of Production Tina Davidian Production Manager Diva Rodriguez PUBLISHING Publisher Jane Nethersole Chief Executive Nick Henry FAMILY TIME IS PUBLISHED BY Family Week Ltd, Trans-world House, 100 City Road, London, EC1Y 2BP Tel: 020 7871 0189 Email: mail@familytime.co.uk Web: www.familytime.co.uk ISSN number ISSN 2045-9947

Welcome to

I’m delighted to welcome you to Family Time, a new parenting magazine aimed at mums (and dads) of children aged four to 14.

Packed with information, practical advice and money-saving tips, we hope it will make your life easier while also being an entertaining read.

Inside you’ll find features on a range of topics, including food, health, education, money, relationships, holidays, days out and ideas on entertaining the kids. You’ll also find a range of children’s activity pages, from colouring to puzzles, to keep them busy.

The magazine is run by the team behind National Family Week, which takes place from May 30 to June 5 this year. Check page 8 for a guide to this year’s main events. Mums of kids who hate fruit and vegetables may like to check out page 25 for ideas on making five-a-day more fun. Need to apply for primary or secondary school for your child soon?

Our guide on page 70 will help you work out what’s best for your child.

We’ve also asked an expert for the latest advice on recognising and dealing with children’s most common ailments (p16).

There are plenty of budgeting suggestions too – including money-saving tips on page 41 and special offers on family days out and holidays this summer (page 103). We’ve also included information on our Family Value Club on page 45, as it can help you save pounds every time you buy.

You’ll also find the latest books, DVDs and familyy video games, plus rainy day craft ideas (p110) if the weather doesn’t go your way.

Hope you enjoy Family Time and find it useful. If you have any feedback, or there’s anything you would like to see in the next issue, please email us at feedback@familytime.co.uk.

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Family Week Ltd. Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care, or independent financial advice. The editor reserves the right to shorten or edit submitted material. Acceptance of advertisements for the magazine does not constitute Family Week Ltd’s endorsement of the advertisers’ products. Family Week Ltd cannot be held responsible for content from third parties, including competitions and special offers or promotions. Any claims that arise pursuant to the offers and competitions should be directed exclusively or pursued against the proprietor of the relevant competition.

Not to be reproduced without permission from the editor. All details and prices are correct at the time of going to press.

Carole Beck Editor and mum to Megan, five, and Iris, two

Join our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nationalfamilyweek) and follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/nfw_uk) for the latest news on parenting, family life and National Family Week events.

Family Time Summer 2011

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Contents Summer 2011

NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK 6 8 10

About National Family Week Learn about this annual celebration of family life Events Check out the flagship events nationwide – they’re fun and free!

Supporting organisations

HEALTH & FITNESS 13 16 19 22

The ultimate summer health guide Keep your kids healthy all summer long 10 common childhood illnesses GP Dr Sarah Brewer guides you through Family healthcare – the options How to choose high quality health services Get fit...and have fun as a family too Change4Life reveals how easy it can be

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FOOD 25 28 30 32 34

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Make five-a-day more fun! MEND shows you how with simple top tips Cooking with kids Antony Worrall Thompson shares his expertise Eat and cook alfresco Try these lovely products for summer family dining Summer eating...on a budget Discover great ideas with Annabel Karmel Holy mustard, Batman! Win tickets to see Batman Live, with French’s Mustard and National Family Week My Daddy, the cook Read the story of a stay-at-home dad with a difference

MONEY 38 41 44

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Overhaul your family finances Get the best deal for your family with our guide 20 ways to save money instantly How to make your budget stretch further Quick check – which benefits are you entitled to? The Citizen’s Advice Bureau helps you know what’s what Earn up to £500 a year for you or your child Join our Family Value Club

8 HOMES & GARDENS 46

51 53 57

Turn your house into a family home From Danielle Proud – the interior designer on ITV’s This Morning How safe is your home? Prevent accidents in the home with RoSPA How does your garden grow?

Get your kids into gardening Have more fun in the garden Outdoor finds for your kids

FAMILY TECHNOLOGY 58 61 63 65

Phones 4 kids? The lowdown on kids and mobile phones Video games – friend or foe? We uncover the issues and the benefits Favourite family video games A selection of digital family fun Is your child safe online? Help your kids stay safe on the internet

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46 EDUCATION 68 70 72

Websites that make learning fun Jumpstart your kids’ education Choosing a school for your child Use our guide to help steer you through Are you worried about what your child gets up to at school? Discover how to tackle some of the issues

RELATIONSHIPS 75

80

77

80 82

How to talk to your child Good communication is key Have you lost that loving feeling?

It may be possible to put the romance back into your relationship Help! I don’t like my children’s friends Advice for different ages Why grandparents are good for our kids Nurture these family ties

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT 85 89 92

110

94 97 100 103 108

Are we there yet? Travelling with kids can be a doddle Flying made easy How to make flying more pleasure than pain 10 top tips on bagging a bargain holiday Take a break without breaking the bank Handy holiday helpers Try these great holiday buys for the whole family Stay safe at the beach with the RNLI Where celebs go on holiday We reveal where the stars take their kids Money-off vouchers on family days out Car games to help your journey fly by

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS 110 114 116 118

Get crafty on a rainy day Help bored kids get busy with these creative ideas Get your kids stuck into a book Easy solutions to get your kids reading Books we love We review the latest summer reads for kids It’s movie time! The summer releases for children provide enjoyment for all

CHILDREN’S PAGES 120 122

120

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Meet Sportacus! LazyTown’s superhero talks to us about his exciting life How well do you know your family? Take our quiz to find out Activities galore Hours of fun

Family Time Summer 2011

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NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK

National Family Week 30 May to 5 June nationalfamilyweek.co.uk

in partnership with

If you’re reading this before June 5, come and celebrate National Family Week with plenty of fun-filled days and activities for the whole family to enjoy all over the UK. This amazing week is the annual celebration of all that’s great about being part of a family. We are proud to provide ideas, inspiration and events to encourage families to have more fun together.

National Family Week Live will be taking to the road this May and June bringing fun events to the whole country. With a headline event in Liverpool, and 10 flagship partner events taking place throughout the week, thousands of people will come together to celebrate family life.

Our 10 flagship events are hosting sports days, picnics, an ‘It’s A Knockout’ challenge and a whole lot more. For further information on all of these events, turn the page or visit www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk/events_live.

But that’s not all. National Family Week is supported by almost 200 national charities and thousands of regional not-for-profit groups, all of whom believe in supporting and celebrating family life. Many of these groups will be organising their own events and activities for families to get involved in, from picnics to parties, and sports days to story time. Lots of these events are free and all of them are at the heart of the local community. Visit the National Family Week website and use our postcode search to find the event happening closest to you.

As well as all these events, there are giveaways and competitions throughout the week, and special offers for families on days out. Don’t miss our amazing cookery competition with French’s Mustard. Turn to page 34 for more information.

And if you need ideas of things to do with your children beyond National Family Week, check out our new website www.familytime.co.uk. It features craft activities to do at home on rainy days, plus lots of ideas for fab days out in the UK for the whole family.

National Family Week www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk

NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK

National Family Week - the main events Check out the National Family Week agship and headline events going on near you for free, fun-ďŹ lled days out with the whole family

,IVERPOOL Where: Chavasse Park, Liverpool ONE, Liverpool When: 4 and 5 June, from 11.30am till 6pm Two days of live acts, performances, storytelling, and a vast array of activities. Look out for Dance Dynamix from Sky1’s Got To Dance, keep ďŹ t with Sportacus from the the popular kids’ TV show LazyTown or take part in My Family’s Got Talent. You can also look forward to cooking demonstrations, a Family Fit assault course, Silent Disco, a chance to explore a ďŹ re engine plus many more excitements.

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Where: Aberavon Seafront, Port Talbot, Wales When: 30 May, 11am till 4pm Don’t miss Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council’s exciting family fun day on the beach, with activities including fairground rides, children’s entertainment and a climbing wall. Music provided by Bay Radio.

3. Barnstaple Where: Rock Park, Barnstaple, Devon When: 30 May, 11.30am till 4.30pm Come for a picnic in the lovely Rock Park and enjoy live music, stalls, sideshows and a RAF helicopter landing, thanks to the Lion’s Club Barnstaple. Listen to local bands including Barnstaple Concert Band, Cedars Concert Band and Grumpy Old Men. RAF Chivenor will be guiding families around the search and rescue helicopter.

0LYMOUTH Where: Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth When: 3 June, 1pm till 7pm This sports day, held by Plymouth City Council, offers families the chance to experience various activities and sports. It’s a great opportunity to try a new hobby and discover the beneďŹ ts of exercise and healthy living.

5. Bath Where: The Royal Crescent, Bath When: 4 June, 11am till 3pm This family fun day, organised by Bath & North East Somerset Council, will be jam-packed with exciting activities, including cycle challenges, a climbing wall, health walks, treasure hunts, an inatable assault course and an array of multi-sport activities.

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NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK EK K

6. ShefďŹ eld Where: St Mary's Conference Centre, Bramall Lane, ShefďŹ eld When: 1 June, 11am till 3pm Look out for break-dancing, drumming, circus skills, arts and crafts and sport at this day organised by ShefďŹ eld City Council.

8. Nottingham (ULL Where: City centre, Hull When: 28 May, 10am till 4pm Hull’s Family Fun Day is back and once again you can expect lots of free, fun and exciting events and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Watch out for lots more National Family Week events in Hull during the rest of that week.

ands more amily Week d the UK, visit milyweek.co.uk

Where: Forest Recreation eation ea tion Ground, Gregory Boululevard, Nottingham When: 4 June, 11am m till 5pm At this sports day, families amilies can look forward to traditional sports races, bouncy castles, soft play, a climbing wall and more, courtesy of Nottingham City Council Sport and Leisure and Decade of Better Health.

9. Norwich Where: Sprowston Community High School, Cannerby Lane, Sprowston, Norwich When: 4 June, 11am till 4pm Treat the family to a fun-packed day organised by Sprowston Community School. Look forward to the BeWilderwood treehouse adventure park, an award-winning attraction, plus a mega slide, bouncy castle, sports and music workshops, food and drink stalls and much more.

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'RANTHAM Where: King's School playing ďŹ elds, North Parade, Grantham When: 4 June, 10am till 8pm The Knockout Challenge celebrates its third year entertaining and challenging families. Watch teams compete in inatable games and other challenges, whilst browsing the sideshows and stalls throughout the day.

9 (OCKLEY

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Where: Hockley Woods, Hockley, Essex When: 4 June, 11am till 4pm Wild Woods Day is back for its eighth year so head down to Hockley Woods with your family for a fun, exciting day out.

Explore the ancient woodlands and take part in the wide range of exciting, free events and activities. There’s something for everyone including arts and crafts workshops, the climbing wall, geocaching and lots of new attractions.

Family Time Summer 2011

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NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK

THANKS TO ALL OUR SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS A huge thank you to all the organisations who help us to make National Family Week such a great success.

National Family Week would not be possible without the support of a huge range of not-for-profit organisations including charities, community groups, sporting assocations and local authorities. Not only are these organisations hosting thousands of events for families during National Family Week, but they do fantastic work for families all year round.

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4Children Action for Children Action for Prisoners’ Families Age UK Amateur Swimming Association Army Families Federation Association for Family Therapy Association of Chief Police Officers Association of School and College Leaders Athletics Northern Ireland Baptist Union of Great Britain Big Lottery Fund Bike Week Booktrust Bowls England British Academy of Film and Television Arts British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums British Canoe Union British Humanist Association British Marine Federation British Muslim Forum British Orienteering British Rowing Cache Camping & Caravanning Club Care for the Family Cash for Kids Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Marriage and Family Life Centre for Youth Ministry Change4Life Children’s Links

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Christian Initiatives in Early Years Education Contact a Family ContinYou Coram Countryside 2011 County Councils Network Cycling England DadTalk Daycare Trust Deaf Parenting UK Diabetes UK Eden Project Education Otherwise Elizabeth Finn Care Energy Saving Trust England Athletics England Basketball England Cricket Board English Federation of Disability Sport English Heritage Enterprise Nation Evangelical Alliance Families Need Fathers Family Action Family and Parenting Institute Family Fund Family Holiday Association Family Links Family Lives Family Matters Institute Family Rights Group Fatherhood Institute Fegans Child & Family Care Fields in Trust FIRE KILLS Fitter Families

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Gingerbread Girls’ Schools Association GMB Grandparents Plus Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity Greater London Authority Hindu Forum of Britain Home Renaissance Foundation Home-Start I CAN Jewish Community Centre for London Keep Britain Tidy Kids Company Kids in Museums Lawn Tennis Association Liberal Judaism Lions Club International British Isles and Ireland Liverpool Football Club Local Government Association London Councils London Symphony Orchestra MacIntyre Make-A-Wish Foundation UK Marriage Care Masorti Judaism Medical Engineering Resource Unit Mencap Mothers’ Union MS Trust Muscle Help Foundation Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK

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National Association for AONBs National Association of Family Information Services National Association of Local Councils National Autistic Society National Childbirth Trust National Childminding Association National Children’s Bureau National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations National Day Nurseries Association National Family Mediation National Federation of Women’s Institutes National Literacy Trust National Lottery Good Causes National Maritime Museum, Cornwall National Media Museum National Museums Scotland National Parks National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Natural History Museum Naval Families Federation NHS Choices Northern Ireland Tourist Board One Plus One Parenting UK Pauline Quirke Academy People’s Trust for Endangered Species Pre-school Learning Alliance Premier League Prison Advice & Care Trust Prisoners’ Families and Friends Service RAF Families Federation Ramblers Relate Relationships Foundation

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Ronald McDonald House Charities Royal Opera House Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Royal Yachting Association Save the Children School Governors’ One Stop Shop School-Home Support Scope Scottish Childminding Association Scottish Sports Association Signed Stories Single Parent Action Network Society of Genealogists Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help Sport England Sports Council Wales Spurgeons St John Ambulance Starlight Children’s Foundation Swim Wales TACT Tennis Foundation The Association for Physical Education The British Mountaineering Council The Chief Fire Officers Association The Children’s Safety Education Foundation The Children’s Society The Communication Trust The Football Association The Fostering Network The Grandparents’ Association The Lesbian and Gay Foundation

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The Multiple Births Foundation The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council The National Gallery The Pony Club The Prince’s Trust The Princess Royal Trust For Carers The Reading Agency The Royal British Legion The Rugby Football League The Rugby Football Union The Safe Network The Salvation Army The Scottish Government The Sick Children’s Trust The Wildlife Trusts The Woodland Trust The Work Foundation Trades Union Congress Treehouse Turn2us UK Sports Association United Reformed Church Victoria and Albert Museum Visit Scotland Visit Wales Volleyball England Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation WellChild Welsh Yachting Association Women Like Us Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation Working Families Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) YoungMinds Youth Hostel Association Youth Sport Trust

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

The

ultimate Summer Health Guide

The days are getting warmer and summer is finally here.

Keep your children healthy all season long with our guide to keeping well Keep them cool Young children are more prone to overheating as they can’t regulate their body temperatures as efficiently, leading to heat exhaustion. It can lead to heat stroke – a potentially fatal condition in which a child’s temperature keeps rising. The classic case of heat exhaustion is in a child who has been running around and sweating a lot at the beach on a summer’s day. “Look out for nausea and dizziness,” says GP Dr Rob Hicks. “To treat it, bring them into the cool, give them cold drinks and dampen their skin with water. If they are not responding to treatment within 30 minutes, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.”

Offer lots of drinks You don’t have to be holidaying in the tropics for your child to get dehydrated – they can still suffer in a stuffy room or hot back garden in a British summer. Small children are more prone to dehydration than adults as they have a bigger surface area compared to their body mass. Signs of dehydration include listlessness, dizziness, no tears when they cry and fewer wees. “Left untreated, dehydration can cause vomiting and contribute towards heat exhaustion,” says Bristol GP Dr Gill Jenkins. “Offer drinks every hour, and sit children down in the shade or in a cool room for a break and a drink for five minutes every half an hour.” If they seem unwell, see your doctor.

clothing to help air circulate and your child’s skin breathe. An antihistamine cream will relieve the itch.

Eat wisely The biggest risk of food poisoning comes from food and drink made with water that isn’t sterile. So if you’re abroad and not sure of the water supply, steer clear of salads, refuse ice cubes in your drinks and use bottled water to drink, brush teeth and wash food. Don’t eat ice creams out of a vendor’s trolley – only eat factory-made ice cream.

Take care of their eyes Warn your children not to stare at the sun – and especially not through binoculars or a telescope.

“This is very dangerous, and can cause solar burns to the centre of the sensitive part of the eye, known as the macula,” says Simon Kelly, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Bolton Hospital. “The lens on the binoculars or telescope focuses the light to the centre of the retina.”

Treating bites and stings

Dress them lightly

Wasps are attracted to food and bright colours, so cover up picnic food, and at dusk, dress your children in long sleeves and trousers if outside to avoid midges and mosquitoes. A citronella candle or spray may help, or try insect repellants – they play havoc with the bug’s landing system, making it feel dizzy so that it can’t land on your child. If your child gets stung by a bee or wasp, it’s likely to be painful.

If they sweat too much, children can develop heat rash, or prickly heat. This bumpy rash may appear if your child overheats as when children sweat a lot, their pores get clogged. Dress them in loose cotton

“A cold compress will ease swelling, and a sting relief cream will soothe discomfort,” says Dr Rob. “If your child feels sick, is having trouble breathing Family Time Summer 2011

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

or has a large swelling, call 999 and ask for an ambulance. She may be having a severe allergic reaction.”

Beat sticky nights On a hot, muggy night, it can be difficult for children to sleep. Try using a fan in your children’s bedroom in hot weather, but direct the breeze above them rather than directly on their skin. “Another trick is to sponge your kids’ skin with a damp cloth, but only use tepid water rather than cold to encourage cooling from evaporation off the skin,” says Dr Gill.

Wear the right shoes for the job Kids playing tennis, football or walking distances in flip flops or flat shoes can end up injuring themselves.

“If the feet are too flat, the foot tends to roll and causes strain, and it can exacerbate growing pains in the heels,” says consultant podiatrist Mike O’Neill, spokesman for the College of Podiatrists (www.feetforlife.org).

Smelly feet Sweaty, stinky feet are a big summer problem, especially for older boys. They tend to wear the same shoes daily – and even the same socks – and the sweat passes from the foot onto the shoe, which doesn’t have time to dry out. Make sure your child alternates shoes and wears clean socks each morning.

Foot deodorants can cut down on sweat production.

Curb hay fever Noticed telltale sneezing and itchy red eyes in high pollen season? It could be hay fever. See your GP if you’re unsure about the diagnosis. Pharmacists can advise on antihistamines and nasal sprays.

Pollen tends to linger on clothes and hair, so for a symptom-free night, make sure your child doesn’t undress in his bedroom and has a shower before bed.

Extra-sensitive skin If your teenager is receiving treatment for acne, be wary of the sun. “Certain acne treatments, such as retinoids & the tetracycline antibiotics can make your skin more photo-sensitive, increasing the risk of rashes and sunburn,” says Dr Gill. “It’s still okay to go out but in small doses.”

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Family Time Summer 2011

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

10

Common childhood illnesses and how to treat them

'0 $R 3ARAH Brewer explores some of the most frequent illnesses to strike children, and helps you to recognise them

Tonsillitis Tonsillitis, an infection of the tonsils, can be caused by a virus or bacteria, but most cases are viral. Symptoms include a sore throat with red, swollen tonsils, pain on swallowing, fever, coughing and headache. The glands in the neck are often swollen too, and there may be spots of pus on the tonsils.

Who gets it? It is most common in children aged five to 15. Infection is spread from person to person by coughing, sneezing or picking up germs after shaking hands or touching.

Treatment: See your GP for a throat swab to check if your child has a bacterial infection, which would need antibiotics. If your child has frequent and severe tonsillitis, your GP may suggest an operation to remove her tonsils.

Paracetamol, ibuprofen, throat lozenges or throat sprays will help symptoms.

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Whooping cough (Pertussis)

elsewhere on her body and may experience joint pains.

This is a bacterial infection of the airways that starts with cold-like symptoms and then progresses to severe coughing spasms. The characteristic ‘whoop’ sound occurs when the poorly child desperately tries to take in air between coughs.

Who gets it? It usually occurs in children aged two to 14 years and is more common during the spring.

Treatment: Paracetamol if needed.

Chicken pox Who gets it? Whooping cough is spread by coughing and sneezing.

Vaccination has made whooping cough much less common in infants and young children, but it is making a come-back in older children who were vaccinated more than five to 10 years ago.

Treatment: See your GP as soon as possible for throat swabs or a blood test to confirm diagnosis.

Your child will need antibiotics.

Slapped cheek syndrome Also known as fifth disease, slapped cheek syndrome is a viral disease that triggers mild cold-like symptoms, such as a sore throat and headache, as well as one or two red cheeks, as if slapped.

Your child can also develop a rash

This highly contagious viral infection causes fever, headache and a red rash before developing into itchy, fluid-filled blisters. Some children get away with just a few spots, but others get them everywhere, including inside the mouth and on the scalp.

Who gets it? Mostly children under 10 years. Infection is spread by inhaling droplets of the virus from the air, but also by direct contact with the blister fluids – perhaps by touching clothing that the blisters have rubbed against.

Treatment: See your GP if you’re not sure of the diagnosis. Paracetamol ol will help with the pain and fever, while soothing lotions otions will relieve itching.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Hand, foot and mouth disease

Who gets it? Mainly children under 10 years of age, but older children are occasionally affected. You can catch it more than once.

Treatment: Replace lost fluids and salts with oral rehydration fluids, which you can buy in sachets from pharmacies or on prescription. See your GP if you see blood in your child’s poo, she develops a fever or does not improve within a couple of days. Always seek medical advice if a child passes six or more diarrhoea stools – or vomits three times or more – in 24 hours as young children can quickly become dehydrated.

Treatment: Paracetamol when needed.

Ear infections

This is a viral disease which causes a mild, non-itchy rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Some children also develop mouth ulcers and feel unwell.

Scarlet fever This highly contagious bacterial infection starts with a throat or skin infection and leads to a fever, flushed face and wide-spread, pink-red rash. The rash feels rough, like sandpaper, and may be itchy.

It’s caught through contact with an infectious person, or by touching infected items, such as door handles.

Who gets it? Children between the ages of four and eight years are more usually affected. Once they are 10, most children have developed a natural immunity to the toxins.

Treatment: See your GP as antibiotics are needed within 10 days.

If not treated, immune reactions can lead to complications such as kidney problems or rheumatic fever.

An infection of the middle ear is usually viral but can be bacterial.

Symptoms would include earache, reduced hearing, tinnitus and fever. The eardrum may perforate to discharge fluid and relieve the pressure pain, although it heals within a month.

Who gets it? Middle ear infections are most common in children aged six months to five years, usually after having a bad cold.

Treatment: Seek medical advice if your child is in severe pain or has a high temperature. If you see a discharge from her ear, cover it with a clean, dry gauze pad and contact your doctor, who may prescribe antibiotics. Recurrent middle ear infection may be associated with glue ear so tell your doctor if your child seems to have reduced hearing.

Impetigo Gastroenteritis Gastroenteritis is usually caused by a virus, but can be bacterial too. It triggers vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pains and sometimes fever. It’s spread by touching the s hands of ssomeone who’s struck down with w the illness, from eating infected food or by swimming in infecte water containing the germs.

Who gets it? Children of any age can be affected. affe

Impetigo is a highly contagious bacterial skin infection picked up through close contact with a child with the illness, or by touching infected toys, clothes or towels.

Small red spots appear on the face, especially around the nose and mouth, neck or hands. The spots often cluster or merge, blister, then form a characteristic golden crust.

New spots can appear over several days or weeks.

Who gets it? It affects two per cent of children aged five to 14, and three per cent of those aged four years and younger. It’s more common in children suffering from eczema, insect bites or nappy rash, as infection can enter the skin more easily.

Treatment: An antibiotic cream may be enough, but your GP may also prescribe oral antibiotics if your child feels unwell or has a fever. Keep kids away from school until all spots have crusted over, or for at least 48 hours after starting treatment. Make sure infected children have their own flannels and towels.

Flu Flu is a viral infection of the nose, throat, ears and sinuses. Look out for your child developing a stuffy, runny nose, sore throat, cough and high temperature. She may also develop a headache and severe aches and pains, plus exhaustion.

Who gets it? Viruses are transmitted by coughing, sneezing and by hand contact, and can survive on objects such as door handles for several hours. Flu tends to occur as seasonal epidemics.

Treatment: Paracetamol as needed. See your GP if symptoms worsen or last longer than a week, or if your child develops trouble breathing. Also visit your GP if your child has a medical condition which can be difficult to control, such as asthma or diabetes. An annual flu vaccination may be suggested in some cases.

Dr Sarah Brewer is a GP, medical nutritionist and the author of more than 50 popular health books, including The Essential Guide to Vitamins, Minerals and Herbal Supplements (Right Way, £9.99).

Family Time Summer 2011

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Having two pairs of fabulous glasses means you can choose a new look for every occasion this summer, so take advantage of Boots Opticians’ offer of two complete pairs of glasses for only £79*, including prescription sunglasses.

You’ll find great value, service and quality at Boots Opticians with a fantastic range of glasses and sunglasses to choose from. If you’re not sure where to start, their experts are on hand to give you advice on which frames, colours and sizes will suit you and your lifestyle.

It’s very important to keep your eyes healthy, so make sure you have an eye test every two years. If you use the voucher below, it will cost you just £5, a saving of £15 from the usual price, leaving you with extra money left over to spend with your family this summer.

To book an appointment or find your nearest Boots Opticians, call 0845 120 43 43† or visit www.bootsopticians.com. *Terms and conditions apply; see in store for details. Spend £79 or more on a complete pair of glasses at Boots Opticians and receive a second pair of glasses to the same value or less for free. This offer includes Boots glasses and Boots prescription sunglasses only. The price includes frames and scratch-resistant standard single vision lenses/sun lenses; any upgrade will need to be paid for in full. Subject to availability. Glasses shown may not be available in all stores. † Call any time between 8.30am and 7pm (Mon to Fri) and 8.45am and 5pm Sat and Sun. We may record your call to help us maintain high standards of service to you.

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£5 EYE TEST This voucher entitles the holder to an eye test for only £5 at Boots Opticians or Dollond & Aitchison.

4%2-3 #/.$)4)/.3 Only one £5 eye test per person, subject to appointment availability.

There is no cash alternative and this coupon cannot be used if you are entitled to a free NHS test. The £5 eye test discount is only valid when a standard eye test charge applies. Only one voucher per transaction. Voucher cannot be used retrospectively or in conjunction with any other eye test discount or coupon. Valid until 30th September 2011.

Boots Opticians: Scan barcode.

D&A: Discount code NF

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Family Healthcare The options

When it comes to looking after your family’s health, there’s no compromising you want the best possible care for you and your kids. Here’s our guide to choosing high quality health and dental services to suit you and your family

CHOOSING A GP As the first port of call for all matters health-related, your GP is key to your family’s wellbeing. You can register with any GP as long as you live within the catchment area.

The easiest way to find NHS practices close to you is to use the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk, which will tell you whether your local surgeries are accepting new patients.

early morning, evening or at the weekend.

Last, but not least, you need to feel comfortable with your GP. Would you like to be registered with a female doctor? Do you speak another language or want someone who understands your cultural background? Check whether a practice can accommodate your preferences.

Quality of care You can also use it to check which services are on offer – for example, if one of your kids has asthma, you might want access to a specialist asthma clinic, and if you regularly jet off to far-flung places, a travel clinic might be handy. Most surgeries also produce a leaflet outlining what they can do for you.

Think about opening hours too.

If you work, a visit to the doctor will be less of a scramble if you can make appointments in the

You want to be sure you and your family will get the highest standards of medical care. To find out whether your GP practice follows evidencebased guidelines, and whether it will give you a full 10-minute consultation if you need it, visit the Quality and Outcomes Framework website at www.qof.ic.nhs.uk and search for the surgery you’re interested in.

Most practices take part in this voluntary scheme, which rewards GPs for meeting certain standards

in a range of areas from clinical to organisational. Every practising doctor must be registered. To check the registration for individual GPs, visit the General Medical Council (GMC) at www.gmc-uk.org.

0ATIENT SATISFACTION Once you have a short-list, you can compare patient satisfaction results for each practice you’re considering. Take a look at issues, such as ease of booking, cleanliness, staff friendliness and parking.

This information is readily available on NHS Choices, but if you don’t have online access, the individual surgeries should be able to answer your questions. If you’re not happy with your choice of GP, you can change at any time.

0RIVATE MEDICAL CARE You may prefer to go private if you like to see your GP during your lunch break in town, you want to skip the NHS wait or you’re looking Family Time Summer 2011

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

There are two ways to access private care. One is to have private health insurance. You’ll pay a monthly fee and if you need to see a doctor, they will organise payment.

Make sure you call them before your appointment to check that they cover the care you want.

Different payment policies offer access to different levels of care, and you can opt to cover specific conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.

Alternatively, you can pay the healthcare provider directly. Costs vary hugely depending on the treatment. For example, a first appointment with a private consultant costs around £100, a CT scan might cost £350 to £650, and giving birth at a private hospital may set you back between £7,500 and £10,000.

However you pay, you will usually need to ask your GP for a referral letter, except for physiotherapy, health screening, cosmetic surgery and dental services.

Your GP may be able to recommend a private doctor, or you can find one yourself. A good place to start is www.privatehealth.co.uk, which has lists of clinics and individual doctors.

20 |

Check that any health service you plan to use is registered and licensed to carry out treatment.

To do this, visit the Care Quality Commission at www.cqc.org.uk and search for the clinic in the care directory.

other patients rate your local surgeries via the NHS Choices website. If the information is missing, call the surgery and ask for the results of recent patient satisfaction surveys.

Registering for treatment on the NHS doesn’t mean that your dental care will be free, but it will be cheaper than going private.

Treatments on the NHS are £16.50 for a check-up, £45.60 for an amalgam filling and £198 for crowns and bridges. Dental care is free for children, pregnant women and women with a baby younger than a year old.

CHOOSING A DENTIST 'OING PRIVATE The NHS Choices website has a list of local dental practices, and information on whether they are taking on new NHS patients. It can also give you information on extra services offered, so think about what’s important to you in a dentist.

Some dental practices run special services to help with anxiety, for example. It’s a good idea to check that their opening times fit with your family’s busy work and school commitments.

Quality control Dentists have to be registered with the General Dental Council and agree to their code of behaviour in order to practice. To check whether your dentist is registered, visit www.gdc-uk.org.

The British Dental Association also runs a ‘Good Practice’ scheme, which requires members to meet certain standards in patient care.

These include good infection control, good communication and patient comfort. A list of Good Practice members is available on the British Dental Association website at www.bdasmile.org.

You can find out how

If your local practice is not accepting new NHS patients, you’ll have to look further afield, or go down the pricier route. A private check-up will set you back around £20 to 25, a white filling in the region of £120 and crowns and bridges about £500.

You can pay the practice directly, or opt for a dental insurance plan, such as Denplan. There are various types of plans, which may give you just discounted treatment or cover everything from check-ups to full dentures.

By looking carefully at all the options, you and your family will be able to enjoy peace of mind and, hopefully, have confidence in your care.

Words: Jane McQueen

for a second opinion. You can see a GP, consultant, surgeon or almost any other health professional privately.

You’ll get fast access and a choice of who to see – although at a cost.

Do your homework before going ahead with any kind of private treatment. Make sure your health professional is registered with the relevant professional organisation, for example, doctors must be registered with the GMC. And don’t be afraid to ask about training and experience.

WellKid® has been formulated by Vitabiotics’ experts, with carefully balanced formulations to safeguard their diet every day and help keep them strong and healthy.

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It provides vegetarian Omega-3, to help maintain vitality and wellbeing, plus a strong, healthy immune system.

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

and have fun

ass a family too

It doesn’t have to cost a penny, yet being active with your children gives you time with them and is a great way to get fit too, says Change4Life

There’s no doubt that being active makes us feel great. But the temptations of TV and video games can make it difficult to get up from that sofa. Modern life is just too comfortable.

Yet every day our kids need at least 60 minutes of energetic activity, such as running, climbing, skipping or dancing, to make their hearts beat faster than usual. This sort of movement gives their lungs and muscles a workout as well as burning calories and strengthening bones. Keeping fit also decreases kids’ chances of contracting lifethreatening diseases which can be caused by excess levels of fat in the body, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

22 |

Another benefit of a good dose of activity is that it aids sleep, so tiring the children out in this way every day will help them nod off at a good hour and feel alert for the next day.

Keeping fit is not just good for the kids, though. As parents, energetic activity gives you the same health benefits as your children, but doing it as a family means you will also have fun while creating lasting memories, and receiving a mood boost too. Plus it’ll be easier to get your kids involved if they see you enjoying getting fit.

Activities that you can do together as a family won’t seem like hard work. The key is to choose interests that everyone can take part in.

Start by playing tag in the park, having running races in the garden, making a den or dancing to TV ads. The next page has some more ideas for the whole family to try.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Football F Ho it boosts fitness How The mix of jogging and breaking into sprints Th means that football is a good fat-burner, while also me strengthening muscles and bones, and working str heart and lungs. he

Swimming How it boosts fitness Swimming is a great all-over workout. It exercises heart and lungs, and builds strength and endurance.

Why it’s fun for the whole family Wh Most people know how to play football, plus your Mo friends can join in too. frie

Why it’s fun for the whole family Almost everyone likes splashing about in the water. You can also try games, like diving to the bottom, races and piggy in the middle.

Where you can do it Wh As long as you have some markers for goal posts, you can turn any park or garden into Wembley yo stadium. Visit www.youth-football.co.uk for inforsta mation about teams in your area. ma

Where you can do it Check with your local council to find your nearest swimming pool.

Tennis Te Ho it boosts fitness How Running around a tennis court is a great work-out for heart and lungs, plus it also enhances bone Ru strength and hand-eye coordination. str Why it’s fun for the whole family Wh Beating dad will be so much fun that no-one will notice all the work their bodies are doing.

Be Where you can do it Wh Lots of local councils have tennis courts. Check your council website for your local courts.

To find out if your local courts don’t charge for you to play, visit www.tennisforfree.com.

Cycling How it boosts fitness It helps develop healthy joints and bones, encourages weight loss, and tones your legs and bottom.

Why it’s fun for the whole family Cycling is one of the easiest ways to fit activity into your daily routine as you can bike to school or work, and also have a family cycling adventure at the weekend. Plus every family member can have a go as even the smallest can sit on a bike seat or in a trailer.

Where you can do it With a bit of planning, it’s often possible to find routes that avoid busy roads. Visit www.sustrans.org.uk for help.

Dancing How it boosts fitness Dancing works the heart and lungs, strengthens bones, boosts co-ordination and increases flexibility.

Why it’s fun for the whole family Anyone can move – all you need is a tune.

Where you can do it Anywhere you like – even in the kitchen – and whenever you feel like it.

Family Time Summer 2011

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

Are your kids a bit reluctant to get moving?

Try these ideas for active games to inspire even the most sofa-bound children

Blob tag

Vegetable tag Just like normal tag, one person is ‘it’ and chases the rest of the players until they touch, or tag someone, who then takes over. The difference here is that players can avoid being tagged if they crouch down and shout the name of a vegetable as the tagger approaches.

Two players link arms or hold hands to form the blob – they mustn’t break the link. The blob grows by tagging more kids who link arms to make a chain. Only the kids on either end of the group can tag someone, so other players can run through them without being caught. If you have lots of children playing, break up the blob into several smaller groups for extra fun.

Wiggly worms This is a good one for a rainy day. Kids lie on the floor on their tummies with hands by their sides and see how far they can wiggle around their home.

Dodgeball You will need two teams of about six players each side. You’ll also need a referee and six large, soft balls. Each team starts with three balls which ba are thrown at players of the opposing team. If a players’ bodies are hit, they’re out. Avoid hits to the head to keep your kids safe. If a player catches a ball thrown by the other team, the thrower is out. The ot winning team is the one with the last child left in.

24 |

Change4Life aims to help people eat more healthily and be more active. For more great tips and ideas, visit www.nhs.uk// Change4life.

FOOD

MAKE FIVE-A-DAY MORE We all know that eating five portions of fruit and vegetables can help keep the doctor away, but ensuring your children follow that rule can sometimes feel like a losing battle. MEND, which provides free healthy lifestyle programmes to families, shares its top tips on making sure your kids notch up five-a-day 7HY DO KIDS NEED lVE portions of fruit and VEGETABLES A DAY There are several reasons. Firstly, fruit and vegetables are a great source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium and folate. These vitamins and minerals help children to grow healthily and prevent illnesses, colds and sniffles, while helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers such as bowel cancer.

Fruit and veg are also rich in dietary fibre, which works to maintain a healthy gut and makes people feel fuller for longer.

Another bonus is that fruit and vegetables are low in fat and relatively low in sugar, so are a useful tool to help maintain a healthy weight.

What counts as a fruit or VEGETABLE Fruit and vegetables don’t need to be fresh to count towards your family’s five-a-day. You can also choose tinned fruit and vegetables (make sure the label says ‘No added sugar or salt’); baked beans; other pulses, like chickpeas; dried fruit such as raisins and apricots, or frozen fruit and vegetables. Fruit juice and smoothies count too.

However, potatoes don’t, and therefore neither do chips.

Potatoes are classed as a

starchy food because when eaten as part of a meal, they are usually used in place of other starches such as bread, rice or pasta.

What is a portion size for KIDS For young children, aged four or five, a portion of fruit or veg is as much as they can fit in the palm of their hand.

For older children and adults, a medium apple, orange, pear, nectarine, peach or banana would make up one portion. A portion also equals three heaped tablespoons of frozen or tinned vegetables, such as peas, or three heaped tablespoons of baked beans. Other options include a large slice of pineapple; seven strawberries; three apricots; two broccoli spears; one tomato or one tablespoon of raisins.

A 150ml serving of 100 per cent fruit juice equals one portion, while a smoothie may count as up to two portions if it contains at least two different types of fruit or vegetables – for example, 80g of whole fruit or veg plus 150ml of a different variety of juice. But watch out – however much your child likes smoothies, this drink can only ever count as a maximum of two portions.

Try to mix it up For children to get the most benefit from fruit and vegetables, it’s Family Time Summer 2011

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FOOD

best they eat a variety of different types and colours. This is because different fruits and vegetables contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins and minerals. For example, it is better for your child to have a glass of fruit juice, an apple, a tomato, some peas and sweetcorn, than five apples.

Deal with fussy eaters It may be a good idea to get your children comfortable eating sweeter-tasting vegetables, such as carrots, peas and sweetcorn, before introducing ‘stronger’ tasting ones such as green pepper, spinach and radishes.

But do encourage your child to try new tastes, and get the whole family involved. Remember that children copy what they see. Give your kids plenty of praise when they try something unfamiliar or that they’re not sure about, but don’t

worry if they don’t like it the first, second or even third time – many children go through a phase of being reluctant to try new foods.

Psychologists call this ‘neophobia’

‘Research shows that those children who taste a food 10 to 15 times are less likely to go on to refuse it, because they’ve had time to get used to the new flavour’ and it’s quite normal. Foods that kids refuse during this phase can often be fruits and vegetables, with some bitter vegetables such as radishes and green pepper being really unpopular.

Psychologists have developed a technique called ‘food exposure’ that can help. This simply means getting your child to try a new food on a number of occasions over a period of time – research shows that those children who taste a food 10 to 15 times are less likely to go on to refuse it, and will eat more when it is given to them.

This is because they’ve had time to get used to the new flavour. Trying a new food only two or three times 26 |

doesn’t give your child enough time to accept the new taste.

Another tactic is to get children interested in preparing and eating fruit and vegetables, by making fruit kebabs or smoothies together.

At lunchtime, place a selection of vegetables and salads, bread and fillings on the table and ask everyone to make their own sandwich – using at least one vegetable.

However, don’t conceal fruit or vegetables. If children are going to get used to eating that food, they need to know what it looks like!

For more information on MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition… Do it!) visit www.mendprogramme.org.

If your child is above a healthy weight, ask about MEND’s free healthy living programme in your area. These courses are designed to help children lose weight, build fitness, gain confidence and learn how to make healthier choices while having fun.

You can also call 0800 230 0263 for more information.

FOOD

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Family Action knows that a cup of tea and someone who’ll listen won’t solve problems. But it’s where we start, to help families get back on their feet.

Help Family Action work with families in crisis.

Donate today. www.family-action.org.uk/lifesaver or call 020 7241 7454

supporting families since 1869 Registered Charity No: 264713

FOOD

g n i k o Co with

kid s

Rustling up edible treats in the kitchen with our children is sometimes easier said than done. Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson tells us about the benefits of cooking together, and how to get started

Firstly, kids can improve their understanding of maths by weighing dry ingredients, using the timer and measuring liquids. Even the smallest kids can count out eggs.

Another valuable lesson is in literacy and creative thinking. Following a recipe gives kids access to new vocabulary, while older children may learn to think independently by adapting recipes.

Kids pick up science by watching what happens as you mix different ingredients together, for example, when making a cake. Cracking an egg, using measuring spoons, rubbing in butter and flour and cutting shapes out of pastry, exercise concentration and help develop fine motor skills. Cooking with an adult also helps our children learn about healthy eating and nutrition, plus where food comes from.

28 |

Most importantly, learning their way around a kitchen teaches our children how to cook – an essential life skill that will stand them in good stead when they move out and need to feed themselves. You don’t want to be always sending over meals for the freezer, do you?

AWT cookin g with h is fa m ily

If you’re ready to brave the kitchen with your kids, but are bored of fairy cakes and biscuits, try vegetable kebabs on skewers, toasted sandwiches, scrambled eggs, pizza toppings, banana cake and apple crumble. For no-cook food and drink, choose fruit salad, coleslaw, smoothies and milk shakes.

Choose your dish depending on their age. Younger kids can’t concentrate for long, so easy recipes with a limited list of ingredients and fast results are ideal.

spaghetti bolognaise, omelettes, stew, fish cakes and pastry. If they’re really keen, encourage them to flick through a cookbook for ideas.

Before you know it, your kids will be cooking the dinner while you put your feet up. Now that has got to be worth clearing up a bit of mess while they’re young.

Top tips for cooking with kids

1. First, wash our hands You can’t drill this hygiene tip in often enough. Hopefully, your kids will soon remember it automatically.

Older kids can handle more complex techniques, follow a recipe by themselves, use a blender and even prepare a meal.

Stay nearby while they attempt

Picture taken from Real Family Food by Antony Worrall Thompson (Mitchell Beazley, £9.99)

Cooking with your children can be fun and it’s a great way to bond with them – but it may also be frustrating, and it’s usually extraordinarily messy. If the thought of mounds of flour on the floor and squabbles over the scales puts you off, focus instead on how the kitchen is also a very effective classroom.

2. Don’t do it when pushed for time You need to allow extra time for preparing, cooking and cleaning up afterwards when cooking with children.

3. Make them aware of the dangers Teach kids early on how to use a knife safely, to use oven gloves to take food out of the oven and that hobs and ovens stay hot even after the heat’s turned off.

FOOD

Antony Worrall Thompson’s A

Crabcakes recipe, C served with Asian coleslaw se Serves 4 Se

Crabcakes C 2 sspring onions, ďŹ nely chopped 1 ffresh red chilli, deseeded and ďŹ nely chopped 1 ttablespoon chopped fresh coriander snipped fresh chives 1 tablespoon t ½ tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1½ tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise ½ teaspoon English mustard powder ½ teaspoon wasabi powder 1 egg e yolk 450g fresh white crabmeat 45 50g seeded breadcrumbs 50 Spray of sunower oil Sp For Fo the coating 115g seasoned plain our 11 eggs, beaten 2e 115g seeded breadcrumbs 11 In a bowl, combine the spring onion, chilli and herbs. In another bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, wasabi and egg yolk before stirring in the herb mixture. Fold this mixture into the crabmeat, then add enough breadcrumbs to bind efďŹ ciently. Shape into four patties, then chill in the fridge on an oiled plate (uncovered) for at least an hour but ideally overnight.

Preheat the grill to high. Lay out three plates to prepare the coating: one for the our, one for the beaten egg and one for the breadcrumbs. Dip the crabcakes into the our, then the egg (making sure all oury bits are covered) and then the breadcrumbs.

Spray the surface of each crabcake with sunower oil, pop under the grill and cook for three to four minutes each side, ensuring they do not burn.

@-Y OWN CHILDREN 4OBY AND "ILLIE LOVE TO GET THEIR HANDS stuck in, making the crabcakes,’ says !NTONY @!T THE SAME TIME THEY RECEIVE A LESSON IN HOW TO USE KITCHEN KNIVES SAFELY Recipes taken from The Essential Diabetes Cookbook by Antony Worrall Thompson in association with Diabetes UK (Kyle Cathie, £20).

Asian coleslaw 225g bok choi, shredded 125g carrots, julienned 4 shallots, sliced ½ tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons shredded basil leaves 2 tablespoons coriander leaves 1 tablespoon mint leaves 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 fresh hot chilli, deseeded and ďŹ nely chopped Grated zest of 1 orange Juice of 1 orange Juice of 2 limes 1 tablespoon Asian ďŹ sh sauce (nam pla) ½ teaspoon sugar 4 tablespoons peanut oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the coleslaw, mix the bok choi in a bowl with the carrots, shallots, ginger, basil, coriander, mint, garlic, chilli and orange zest. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, ďŹ sh sauce and sugar. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsiďŹ ed. Add the dressing to the cabbage and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for two to six hours.

Family Time Summer 2011

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FOOD

Colourful scoops It will always be pudding time if you have this ice cream bowl set, complete with spoons, £7.50 for a set et of four (www.marksandspencer.com). Made from acrylic, these are perfect for or outdoor treats.

Floral refreshment shment Pour your summerr drinks from this plastic Global floral al pitcher, £4.99, into the matching florall tumblers, tumblers £1.99 £1 99 each (www.sainsburys.co.uk).

EAT and COOK a lfresco Tiny snacks TUMTUM Tiny Snackpots, £8.50 for four (www.tumtumtots.com) are a cute and practical addition to any picnic. Each one features a different friendly bug and can be used for the likes of raisins and small sarnies for the kids.

BBQ time If you’re looking to upgrade your barbie, impress with a BBQ from the Napolean Gourmet Gourme Grills range. The compact SE325 model, £349.99, comes with cast ir iron grids and two stainless steel bottom burners. Call 01676 522788 for stockists, or available from www.keengardener.co.uk from 1 June.

FOOD

Easy eating Eas This nifty product from Sistema makes transportSis ing cutlery for picnics in as easy as pie. The Klipo a Cutlery Set, £3.99, clips together to form a fork, knife, spoon or even chopsticks, and comes in its own carry case. Call 01932 580 600 for stockists.

Rabbit munch Rabb These ado adorable salad servers will add an element of fu fun to your family alfresco lunches and BBQs, a and may just get your kids to dig in.

Rabbit E Ears Salad Servers, £5.49 (www.findme-a-gift.co.uk). me-a-g

This delightful round-up of goodies will brighten your family’s outdoor eating experience…

Pretty in pink If you don’t want a full on BBQ for your garden, you may need something portable, like this Pink Portable Bucket BBQ, £15, from selected Tesco stores. Call 0800 505555 for stockists.

Have a LEGO lunch Pack your child’s sandwiches in this seriously funky lunch box, and they’ll be first out of the door for that family outing.

Don’t forget the drinking bottle with the screw-top LEGO man head. LEGO Lunchbox and Drinking Bottle, £8.00 each (www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk).

FOOD

Summer

eating

Best-selling children’s cookery writer Annabel Karmel gives her ideas on making your family meals more imaginative this summer - without emptying your purse

Cooking to a budget doesn’t mean cutting back on taste - it just involves a bit more organisation. By planning meals using good value ingredients in advance, there is no need to compromise on flavour.

School lunch boxes Making lunch boxes can be an added stress in the morning when you have a million other things to do before you take the kids to school.

Try making the fillings for sandwiches the night before, and storing them in the fridge, ready to be made up the next morning.

For healthy sandwich fillings, try tinned tuna mixed with crème fraiche and a little ketchup, or the traditional but always tasty egg mayonnaise.

Pasta salad is also a great lunch box favourite with children. It’s especially delicious when mixed with cooked turkey, plus all sorts of summer vegetables, like cherry tomatoes, mange tout and baby sweetcorn.

You can also try cutting up vegetables, such as carrot and cucumber, into sticks. If you wrap them in damp kitchen paper and then in clingfilm, theyy will keep fresh for three to four days. Kids love to dip vegetables, so scoop some hummus 32 |

into a small tub and pop it in their lunch box.

Flapjacks packed with oats and dried fruits are a great lunchtime treat that will release energy slowly and are much better for your child than the shop-bought bars. Try adding a handful of Rice Krispies or Cornflakes for a delicious flavour and a bit of extra crunch.

Family picnics I love summer as it means I can indulge in one of my favourite family activities – picnics. Wraps make a brilliant alternative to sandwiches, especially when filled with your family’s favourite food. One option could be a mixture of sautéed vegetables and grated cheese.

To make one of my children’s favourite wrap fillings, mix together some mayonnaise with a little plum sauce and spread it over the wrap.

Arrange shredded chicken,

cucumber matchsticks and toasted sesame seeds in a strip along the middle and roll up.

Cover it in clingfilm to keep fresh.

Before you set off, encourage your kids to help make the pudding.

They will have fun cutting the fruit into chunks,, and threading it onto thin straws to make fruit kebabs, which are also brilliant for kids’ lunch boxes, s, wrapped in clingfilm. Fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, melon, apples and bananas are great for fruit kebabs. Don’t forget to squeeze lemon juice on apples and bananas to stop them from going brown.

If you go to a pick-your-own fruit farm, bring your picnic with you and enjoy some of the berries you have picked and paid for as pudding. Not only are red berries, such as raspberries and strawberries, packed full of nutrients, but the fruit is often cheaper than at a supermarket. To freeze picked fruit, separate the berries on trays to stop them sticking together.

Barbecues Rather than buying lots of expensive cuts of meat to grill, I make

FOOD

...on a budget A salad always goes very ve well with a barbecue.

For Fo a tasty change, stir chopped mango or pear ch into in an ordinary green salad. sa

F Family evening meals m

barbecue skewers mixing chicken or beef with vegetables such as peppers and red onions. Avoid using stewing steak as this is a bit tougher when cooked on a barbecue.

Another tasty option is chicken drumsticks marinated overnight in two tablespoons each of ketchup and mango chutney. Take care when barbecueing, though, as the sugar in the marinade will burn very easily.

For a really sticky drumstick, make up more of the marinade before you eat, and boil it down to make a glaze for the meat once it has cooked through.

Veggie lovers will enjoy delicious roasted vegetable skewers using different coloured peppers, onions and courgettes. Serve with different dips – try hummus and guacamole.

B being imaginative with By the t contents of your store cupboard and fridge, you c can c create some delicious, fast family meals that won’t be a strain on your wallet.

with fillings such as tuna, sweetcorn and spring onion, then sprinkle with grated cheese and grill until melted.

For puddings, look at what fruits are in season - I usually find that foods in season taste better and are more reasonably priced. A great example of this is rhubarb, which is great in crumbles and delicious in a fool, especially with ginger. And it’s easy on your budget too.

Left-over cooked chicken makes chicken fajitas, or use up last night’s cooked pasta and chicken to make a salad with sweetcorn, tomatoes, spring onion and a tasty honey and soy dressing. Cooked vegetables can also be made into delicious veggie burgers.

Before doing the big weekly shop, I use up all the odds and ends in the fridge by making a delicious vegetable soup, Spanish omelette or maybe a quiche. Some of my best quiche fillings have been made by frying off some onions with leftover vegetables and sprinkling with cheese from the fridge.

Potatoes are also a great main ingredient for a cheap and healthy meal for the family. Stuffed potatoes are always popular - mix the flesh

Annabel’s Kitchen: My First CookC book (Ebury Press, £12.99) has hundreds of step-by-step photographs to follow and handy hints for all budding young chefs.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 33

ADVERTISEMENT NATIONAL FAMILY PROMOTION WEEK PROMOTION

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n o i t i t e p Win tickets to see Batman Live, thanks to French’s com ti m e !

Mustard and National Family Week

If you enjoy whipping up tasty summer treats, tie on your apron and get cooking National Family Week and French’s Mustard are holding a cookery competition to look for the

34 |

nation’s favourite family barbecue and grilling recipe. All you need to do is think up an original barbecue recipe that your family would enjoy. It could be a delicious dip, a summer salad, a sensational sauce or a mouth-watering main course – you can be as imaginative as you like.

The only rules are that the recipe includes either French’s Smooth & Spicy or Classic Mustard, and it must take no longer than 25 minutes to make from preparation to serving up. It must also be a completely original recipe, never before published. When you’ve created your dish, upload the recipe, plus a photo of what you have made and a brief description of why you should win, to the National Family Week website at www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk by 6 June 2011. The dishes will be judged by celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson.

The winner and three family members will be treated to an

amazing trip to see the all new liveaction arena show Batman Live at a venue of their choice*. As well as fantastic seats for the show, they will spend a night in a hotel.

Batman Live is a multi-million pound stage production launching in the UK this summer. It promises stateof-the-art lighting, stage-fighting, stunts, pyrotechnics, illusions and video sequences. A new storyline has been especially created for the show, in which Batman and Robin will battle The Joker, The Riddler, Catwoman and The Penguin.

Five lucky second prize winners will each receive a family ticket (for up to four people each) to see Batman Live.

But even if you don’t win, each and every entrant receives a bottle of French’s Mustard, so dust down your mixing bowls.

Gadzooks! Now there’s no excuse not to get cooking.

NATIONAL FAMILY ADVERTISEMENT WEEK PROMOTION PROMOTION

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Recipe shown: pork chops with French’s rarebit

Competition: Terms and d conditions diti Winning tickets are valid for Wednesday - Friday performances, dates are subject to availability per venue. The winner will get four Gotham City tickets, which are for premium seats. Accommodation is inclusive of bed and breakfast. Additional services will be at a cost to the winner to be settled on check out. Winning tickets reserved at the venue for collection. Prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative. Travel to and from destination not included. For the second prize winners, family tickets are two adults and two children or one adult and three children. Tickets will be top price seats. Winning tickets valid for Wednesday - Friday performances, dates are subject to availability per venue. Winning tickets reserved at the venue for collection. Prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative. Travel to and from destination not included.

Closing date for competition entries is 6 June 2011. *Visit www.batmanlive.com for the full tour list of UK venues.

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To the Customer: This coupon can only be used as part payment for French’s Mustard. Only one coupon can be used us per customer per purchase and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Please do not attempt to redeem this coupon against any other product as refusal to accept may cause embaratt rassment and delay at the checkout. No change will be given. Copied, damaged or defaced coupons ra will not be accepted. This offer is subject to availability. Consumer close date: 30 September 2011. w To the Retailer: French’s Mustard will redeem this coupon at its face value provided that it has been taken in part payment for French’s Mustard. va French’s Mustard reserves the right to refuse payment against misreFr deemed coupons. For reimbursement, please submit coupons to Valassis de Ltd, 5 Alpha Court, Corby, NN17 5DP. Retailer close date: 30 November Lt 2011.

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Family Time Summer 2011

>

| 35

FOOD

My

, y d d Da e Coo th

Nick Coffer, 38, is a stay-at-home dad with a difference – he has fans all over the world, his own culinary radio show and a brand new cookery book. His luck first changed when he started a blog at mydaddycooks.com about his experiences in the kitchen with his three-year-old son, Archie. Nick tells his story...

Why did you become a stayat-home dad? I used to run a business distributing bottled waters to restaurants, cafés and hotels, but in early 2009, I closed it down as it wasn’t doing very well in the credit crunch.

I opted to be a stay-at-home dad, looking after Archie, then aged one, until a work opportunity turned up, while my wife Jo, 38, returned to work part-time.

How did you and Archie start cooking together? When I started out looking after Archie, I’d make his lunch every day. Sometimes Archie would rather continue playing with his puzzle or toy, but at other times he’d come in to the kitchen and help.

Archie and I now cook together two or three times a week – he’s my sous chef with his own chef’s hat and apron to wear. He has developed a real feel for food, and can help for anything from 10 minutes to an hour and a half.

36 |

Why did you start writing a cookery blog? By September of 2009, I was really fed up with the lack of work and my morale was crashing. All the things that I had tried to do to create a new revenue stream hadn’t worked out. On the plus side, I was really enjoying spending time with Archie – I was well aware that once he went to school, that would be it.

One day, I just thought that I’d start a blog about the cooking we did together. The blog was supposed to be a creative outlet for me while looking after Archie. I now realise it’s also a great way to record his childhood. I filmed us working in the kitchen, thinking that a video would be the best way to put across how we cooked. A friend with video experience gave me some pointers about filming and editing.

Luckily, Archie loves the whole experience - he especially enjoys watching himself on the videos and laughing at himself. While it remains fun for him, I’m happy.

What sort of foods do you cook together? Anything really. I’m not a trained chef, so I just use what’s in the store cupboard and fridge.

I cook spontaneously and make it up as I go along.

I’ve always enjoyed food but when I went to live in France in my twenties, I really fell in love with cooking – in particular, cooking really good quality, fresh ingredients in a simple way.

We have made sea bream baked in a parcel, chicken tarragon hotpot, pan-fried sea bass with oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, shepherd’s pie and cheese and vegetable muffins.

We’re pasta fiends, eating it three times a week. One of Archie’s favourite meals is breaded escalopes because he likes all the dipping you get to do. We also make lots of cakes and no-bake desserts. One of his favourite things to do is press the buttons on the food mixer.

FOOD

ok Does Archie eat the e meals he has helped to cook? ook?

He’s a toddler and fussy, ssy, so he doesn’t eat everything. hing.

But he likes Chinese and Thai food, and when he’s been involved with cooking g something, he’ll eat it nine times out of 10.

What sort of things do you do with Archie when you’re looking after him, apart from cooking?

I take him to see his grandparents, who live close by, or we go to the park or the fishmongers. We just hang out really, playing puzzles and reading.

Tell us about your new cookery career? The blog spawned a career that I didn’t know I wanted but that I really love – I was contacted by publishers and now have my own cookery book coming

out, plus a weekly cookeryy show on local radio. I’ve evolved from ‘stay-at-home dad’ to ‘work-atrk-athome dad’, but count myself elf very lucky in that I’m at home me 80 per cent of the time.

I still get to cook with Archie, ie, eat breakfast with the kids and put them to bed. Our baby, Matilda, is only four months, but when she is bigger, I’d love to cook with h her too. I know Archie is keen to have her help us in the kitchen. It will be a whole new experience.

My Daddy Cooks (Hodder & Stoughton, £16.99) is published on 26 May. See his blog at www.mydaddycooks.com.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 37

MONEY

Overhaul your

family

With just a click of a mouse or a few minutes on the phone, it’s quite easy to move your money to better savings and borrowing deals. Here’s our guide to getting the best deal for your family

Mortgages Your home loan doesn’t need to be a headache. Unless you are on a deal which ties you in with penalties, you should be able to remortgage. However, thanks to the credit crunch, you’ll usually need at least 25 per cent equity for the

best deals – so if your home’s worth £200,000 that means a mortgage of no more than £150,000.

Fixed rate deals are a good idea if you’d find it difficult to pay your mortgage should a variable interest rate rise. But fixed rates aren’t a bargain at the moment – they tend to cost more than variable rate deals.

Understandably, more than 90 per cent of Britain’s 11.5 million mortgages are on a variable rate.

However, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, if interest rates rise by just two percentage points then nearly three million mortgages would be at risk of missed repayments. If you can remortgage, remember there will be legal costs and arrangement fees.

Credit cards If you always pay your bill in full, the interest rate on your card doesn’t 38 |

matter matter. So instead look for a deal which offers you cash back or gift vouchers on your purchases. Make sure you set up a direct debit for the full bill each month.

If you prefer to pay a little off each month, you need a card with a low rate of interest. Remember that you won’t necessarily get the rate offered on a card advert – that’s just an average.

Check your credit rating If you’ve got a good credit record then you’ll get a better rate than someone who has missed repayments on past borrowing. Do check your record is correct – it will cost you £2 to find out from one of the credit reference agencies (Equifax, Experian and Callcredit) and you can get mistakes corrected.

0% cards If you’ve got an outstanding debt on a card at the moment, consider moving that balance onto a card with a zero rate of interest for an initial period – current deals last up to 18 months. You’ll have to pay a transfer fee – usually around three

MONEY

p cent of per yyour balance – but it’s worth it for w big b balances.

Aim A to pay the t debt off by b the time the t 0 per cent period c is over.

Junior Isa On November 1 this year, the government is launching the new Junior Isa, a tax-free savings account, which will be available to any child who doesn’t already have a Child Trust Fund. As with the Child Trust Fund, the savings will be locked away until the child’s 18th birthday.

Insurance Be careful Fina never Finally, use yo your credit card to withdraw cash. You You’ll pay a withdrawal fee plus a high rate of interest – even if you pay your bill off in full that month – so you’ll end up paying a lot lo more for your money.

Savings All adults aged over 16 can save up to £5,340 into a cash Isa this tax year. You can open a cash Isa with just a few pounds, and you’ll earn more interest than on an ordinary savings account because you won’t pay tax on it. Cash Isas are offered by all major banks and building societies so check out the best rates on comparison sites.

Kids’ savings accounts

Words: Charlotte Beugge

Children shouldn’t have tax deducted on a normal savings account as long as you fill in an R85 form when you open their account. Don’t be swayed by free gifts when choosing an account for them – your main aim should be for a good rate of interest.

Nationwide’s children’s account is highly rated, and small local societies often offer good deals too. Halifax pays a top rate if you save at least £10 a month on the child’s behalf.

your family if the worst happens.

If you buy it when you’re young, it’s cheap. It can cost just £6 a month to cover your life for 25 years if you’re in your thirties and don’t smoke, giving your family a £100,000 payout if you die. Again, it pays to shop around – you can get cover from traditional insurers and even your local supermarket.

It just goes to show how a few careful moves will mean more money to enjoy with your family.

Never accept a renewal notice from an insurer without checking out comparison sites to see if you can get a better deal.

Home For household insurance, make sure your security is top-notch to cut your costs – burglar alarms, good locks and belonging to Neighbourhood Watch schemes can all cut premiums. Opting for a larger excess can also save money – as long as you’re happy paying the first part of any claim equivalent to the excess.

Holidays It’s a false economy to holiday without travel insurance. For example, hospital treatment in the USA is very expensive – £6,000 to fix a broken leg, says insurer Churchill.

Without insurance, you would have to pay all your costs.

If you travel abroad more than a couple of times a year, an annual travel insurance policy should save you money. A family of four could pay as little as £35 for a year’s European cover.

Life Life insurance pays out if you die during the term of the policy, which could help pay for caring for Family Time Summer 2011

| 39

2

Ed Marshall.

Husband. Father.

Fly Half.

There are three true loves in Ed’s life: His wife Sue, children Jack and Emma and Rugby Union.

And although he’s never had the call up for the England squad, he’s been a pretty decent player over the years, converting more tries than any other player in the clubs’ history.

And that’s why in his Funeral Plan Ed has asked that everyone wear the rugby club shirt to his funeral. And afterwards, it’s back to the clubhouse to raise a glass or two.

People’s passions, pastimes and loves matter to us. And whether it’s reflecting requests in a Will or help planning a funeral, we care about the little things.

We think every life is amazing and should be celebrated. To find out more, request a copy of our free guide today.

For your FREE guide to planning ahead or any advice, call Ian, Shaun or Chrissie on 0800 023 4710* quoting “NFW” or visit www.youramazinglife.co.uk *Lines are open Monday - Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-1pm, excluding public holidays

Life is amazing. Pass it on.

YES, I’d like a free copy of your guide to Wills and Funeral Planning. Please tick below: My FREE guide to Wills and Funeral Planning

A Funeral Plan application pack

If you would like one of our team to give you a call to answer any queries, when would suit you best?

Title: Initials: Address: Town/City: Daytime tel no (inc. code): Email:

Morning

Surname: County:

Afternoon

Male Postcode: Date of birth:

/

Female

/

Send to: Freepost RRYB-HCRX-XJJJ The Co-operative Life Planning Team, 2nd Floor, Hanover Building, Hanover Street, Manchester M60 0AD. (No stamp needed.)

As you’d expect from The Co-operative, we won’t pass your details on to any third parties for marketing purposes. Please indicate if you WOULD LIKE to receive details or offers from The Co-operative Wills and Funeral Planning or other businesses or subsidiaries within The Co-operative Group . Communications may be by post, telephone, email, SMS, MMS or other computer methods. The Co-operative Wills and Funeral Planning is the trading name for Co-operative Life Planning Limited, a subsidiary of The Co-operative Group.

NFW

0 2

MONEY

ways to sa ve m on e y instan tly

n, ily is lots of fu H avi ng a fa mb e a b ig d ra in on bu t c a n a lso la nc e. Read on for you r ba nk ba w to m ake you r top ti ps on hort her budget go fu

1

Get on top of your debt

Interest on debts mounts up fast so it’s a good idea to work out your monthly budget and then prioritise paying off what you can. “Never just pay the minimum repayments,” says Martin Lewis of Moneysavingexpert.com. “Do this and it’s likely that your debt will outlive you and cost you a fortune. Shift debts to 0 per cent balance transfer cards (fees of around three per cent apply).

“If you can’t get one, target your repayments towards the costliest debts first. Those who use cards to supplement spending should draw up a budget and cut back, or the debt will never be cleared.” The Citizens Advice Bureau (www.adviceguide. org.uk) can offer you free impartial advice on managing your debt.

4

2

Save as little as 50p a week

Don’t pick up a basket

It doesn’t have to be much, but even putting aside 50p or a pound a week will help pay for your child’s birthday present, says the charity Family Action (www.family-action.org.uk).

Alternatively you could put the money towards ice cream cones on a day out.

If you’re just going to the supermarket for two or three items, like milk and some fruit, don’t pick up a basket.

If you do, chances are you will fill it and spend more than you intended.

See page 103 for moneyoff vouchers on family days out.

3

Don’t put your foot down

Driving at 50mph rather than 70mph can cut your fuel costs by 30 per cent, according to The Slower Speeds Initiative.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 41

MONEY

5

Do the downshift challenge

“Try dropping one brand level on everything you buy at the supermarket to save 30 per cent on the contents of your trolley,” says Martin. “So if you buy the luxury range, choose the own brand range. If you buy the own brand normally, choose the budget range. If you can’t taste a difference, keep buying that product.”

9

KEEP AN EYE ON A DAILY DEALS WEBSITE

Group-buying websites offer deep discounts every day.

They work by relying on a certain number of people to purchase their discount voucher within a certain amount of time. If not enough people sign up, the deal is cancelled and no payment is taken. For instance, look out for Likebees (www.likebees.com) for family activities with deals on days out, family restaurants and kids’ parties.

Visit Groupon (www.groupon.com) and LivingSocial (www.livingsocial.com), for offers on meals out, spa treatments, beauty, sporting events and family activities. activities

42 |

6

Buy a whole chicken Rather than buying chicken breasts, which can be pricey, buy a whole chicken for £5, suggests the charity Family Lives (www.familylives.org.uk). “Out of this one chicken you can make a curry with the breasts, a mini barbecue with the wings, legs and thighs, and a pot of chicken and vegetable soup with the bony remains.”

Use a meal planner Online meal planners can save you time as well as money, as they enable you to bulk-buy ingredients and only shop for what you need – so no more throwing out rotting fruit and vegetables that didn’t get used.

8

7

Turn the oven off early Try turning the oven off five minutes before the recipe asks you to. The oven should stay hot enough to finish off whatever you’re cooking, and you will save money on your energy bills.

Choose your gas and electricity tariff carefully

10

Don’t worry too much about your utility company – you need to be more concerned with the tariff you’re on. “Just as Kelloggs sells different brands of cereal, British Gas has a lot of different electricity tariffs,” says Martin.

“It’s possible that they have the most expensive and the cheapest electricity tariff at the same time. For a massive saving, try to get an ‘online tariff’.”

11

Think twice before signing up for a Christmas hamper scheme

“These schemes, in which you put money aside every month to pay for a Christmas hamper, aren’t better value than buying the same goods in the supermarket - and in fact the products work out as vastly more expensive,” says the charity Family Action.

“If you’re saving up for Christmas, open a savings or Credit Union account. Your money will go further and you won’t pay over the odds.”

MONEY

12

Borrow rather than buy

Rather than dipping into your pocket, borrow items you need for just a few days, such as a tent or car roof rack. As well as asking friends, check out the borrowing scheme at www. ecomodo.com, which enables you to loan, for free or a small fee, everyday objects that would otherwise be gathering dust in someone’s shed or loft.

14

13

LOOK LOCALLY

“If you are stuck for inspiration on what to do with the kids during the holidays, check your local newspaper and also the websites of your local council, tourist information centres and community centres for what is happening in your area,� says the charity Family Lives. “These often have lots of low-cost or free ideas.� Also look out for more ideas on days out at www.familytime.co.uk.

16 on meat

15

Meat is pretty expensive. If your family are meat-lovers, try to cut down on the number of days you eat it per week. Instead, tuck into pulses, vegetables, salads, pasta and eggs. When you do eat it, add pulses to stews to stretch the meat further.

CHECK YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT MOBILE PHONE TARIFF

“If you are on a contract, it’s most economical to match your useage exactly to your monthly bill,� says Martin. “If you go over your minutes allowance, it’s very expensive. If you don’t use enough of your minutes, you are paying too much for your bill. And at the end of the contract, don’t be afraid to ask for a new phone and better deal.�

The website Freecycle (www.uk.freecycle.org) matches people in your local area who want to get rid of things with people who want to receive them. It’s a great way to get hold of something that otherwise you would need to fork out for. Likewise you can return the favour and get rid of something that you really don’t need any more.

Cut down

Local cinemas may offer cutprice viewings for kids at weekends.

Sometimes cinemas lay on activities, such as card-making and colouring, for kids to do before the movie starts.

17

Find freebies

18

Don’t pay for premium phone numbers

Search for a cheaper alternative instead on www.saynoto0870.com.

Sell off your clutter

You can make quite a few pounds by setting up a stall at a car boot sale or selling off on Ebay those bits and bobs lying around in your loft, like your kids’ outgrown clothes.

Form a babysitting circle

19

20

Babysitting is really costly and makes you think twice about going out for the evening. Join forces with some of your friends who live close by, or ask at your kid’s school to see if they have a babysitting circle. If not, see if you can form your own.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 43

MONEY M

QUICK CHECK

WHICH BENEFITS ARE YOU ENTITLED TO?

More than £16 billion in means-tested benefits and tax credits go unclaimed every year, say the Citizens Advice Bureau. Read on for their rundown of the most common benefits for families For all families Although there are plans to incometest Child Benefit from 2013, it is currently available for each child under 16 years, or under 20 years for those training or in full-time education, such as those doing A-levels. Many parents don’t realise you can claim for kids over 16.

Normally, your child has to live with you to claim Child Benefit, but you may still qualify if your child lives with someone else, is in care or in hospital – including getting medical treatment abroad.

Looking after children that are not your own may make you eligible for Guardian’s Allowance. If your spouse has died, ask about Widowed Parent’s Allowance.

If you are on low income You may receive Child Tax Credits if you are on a low income, whether you are working or not, but you don’t need to have a very low income to qualify. Families need to have a combined income of £41,000 or less to qualify. As with Child Benefit, you can continue claiming until your child is under 20 while in full-time education or doing approved training. Again, your child should normally live with you.

Tax Credits are calculated on your previous years’ earnings and people often get into difficulty with overpaid benefits because they don’t admit to increased earnings.

This shouldn’t put you off claiming, 44 |

but you should always inform all benefit offices of a change in circumstances, such as your income or household.

Those on a low income may also be entitled to other help, such as free school meals, money towards a school uniform or healthy food vouchers during pregnancy. You may also be eligible for other benefits, including housing and council tax benefit.

Help with childcare If you or your partner work at least 16 hours a week but your household income is less than £55,000, ask about claiming Working Tax Credits towards the cost of your childcare.

Another option is childcare vouchers, and many employers take part in this system. This involves giving up some of your pre-tax pay in exchange for vouchers. Single parents may get help with childcare to do a training course or look for work.

Carer’s Allowance. You may also receive a larger sum from other benefits, like Child Tax Credit.

Other help available includes care, transport, parking and education services.

Pregnancy Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is generally available if you work, but you may not be eligible if you don’t have a permanent position or have not worked in your job continuously for 26 weeks. An alternative, Maternity Allowance, is available for those who are registered self-employed or have previously worked during this pregnancy. If you are unable to work because you are pregnant, benefits such as Income Support or Employment Support Allowance are available. You also have specific rights at work during your pregnancy, including time off for antenatal care. Working fathers may be entitled to paid Paternity Leave, and if your baby was born on or after 3 rd April this year, dads may be entitled to Additional Statutory Paternity Leave.

Find out more

Disabled child A parent of a disabled child can claim additional benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance and

For advice on any of the above, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk.

Call the government’s Child Benefit helpline on 0845 302 1444, and the Tax Credit helpline on 0845 300 3900, or visit direct.gov.uk. Lone parents can also get tailored advice from www.yourhorizons.co.uk.

MONEY

Earn up to £500 a year for you or your child Half of the UK shop online and 95 per cent pay more than they need to. Find out how you can join the thousands of parents who earn money back on their shopping

Family life can be expensive, with the cost of everything from the supermarket shop to school uniforms and days out soon adding up. So to save money on everyday family purchases, National Family Week has teamed up with KidStart to create the Family Value Club. Unlike some reward schemes that give you points, our club rewards you with cash every time you buy from popular online retailers.

You can have the cash paid directly into your bank account or nominate other accounts to pay it into, such as a charity or school account, your kids’ saving accounts or Child Trust Funds. If you’re putting money aside for children, you can save in as many children’s accounts as you want - and grandparents and the extended family can all save money for children this way too.

How does it work?

Advertisers within the Family Value Club pay us a commission when their products and services are purchased by our members. We keep a small part of this money to run the site and return the rest to you as cash. For example, if you use our club to book a Canvas holiday for £400, you’d receive £28 in your account. Alternatively, you could book directly with Canvas and pay the same price and get no reward. The Family Value Club is free to join.

Which retailers are taking part?

part, with many more to follow soon.

There are hundreds of stores and companies participating in the Family Value Club scheme, all focusing on family-oriented products and services.

After signing up, just nominate a credit or debit card and link it to your Family Value Club account to receive your cash rewards every time you shop in participating high street stores.

You will find big name retailers like Sainsbury’s, Tesco Direct and ASDA, department stores such as Debenhams, and clothes retailers such as Littlewoods, Topman, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins to name a few.

You can shop for family entertainment at Toys“R”Us, Waterstone’s, Argos, Play.com, WHSmith, HMV and Game. Stock up on electrical and technical items at Apple, PC World, Currys, Comet and Dixons.

You’ll also enjoy cash rewards from companies in travel, insurance, utilities and more.

By signing up for the Family Value Club, you’ll be able to receive weekly alerts and updates about special offers, family events and activities exclusive to National Family Week and www.familytime.co.uk.

It all means that you can spend time with your family while also saving money.

Save when shopping offline You don’t have to shop online to benefit from Family Value Club – you can make savings when you pop out to the high street too. We currently have House of Fraser, JoJo Maman Bébé and Goldsmiths taking

To sign up for Family Value Club, find out more information or search for participating stores, visit www.familyvalueclub.co.uk.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 45

HOMES AND GARDENS

If your home doesn’t feel particularly child-friendly or welcoming, Danielle Proud, 46 | www.familytime.co.uk resident interior designer on ITV’s This Morning, has some tips

Danielle Proud, resident interior designer on ITV’s This Morning

Danielle Proud, the resident interior designer on ITV’s breakfast show This Morning, is also a mum-of-two, so she has firsthand experience of how to make a house more homely.

Keeping up with the washing and tidying can be tricky enough when you have children, but it doesn’t take much more effort to turn your home into a tasteful family haven.

Danielle suggests you start by asking your children what their bedrooms should look like. “Without kids having a say in the decisions, their parents end up projecting their ideas instead,” she says.

“Kids are much less sophisticated than we think – they are not really into muted colours, for example.”

HOMES AND GARDENS

“One idea is to tie muslin from a few large cup hooks attached to the ceiling to create four poster bed-style curtains,” says Danielle.

Another way of continuing with a princess – or indeed any other – theme is to appliqué curtains or duvet covers. This is far easier than the name suggests, and it’s also a great way of brightening up an otherwise dull room.

a change. Simply unpick the stiches and peel off the appliqué patches.”

First of all, you’ll need to dig out some of your kids’ favourite outgrown clothes or pyjamas, which feature interesting patterns or cartoon characters. You’ll also need to buy double-sided fabric adhesive, available from haberdashery shops.

“They are cheap and cheerful, and much less hassle than wallpaper,” says Danielle. “Wall stickers also help you create zones, as you can stick up whole scenes of images on one wall, for example a forest or sea scene. And when they grow out of those pictures, it’s simple to

For both boys and girls, Danielle suggests wall stickers. These are removable stickers that are specially designed to adhere to the wall without damaging it. They are another great way to change the look of a bedroom without spending a fortune.

‘It’s silly to spend a fortune on children’s rooms as they grow out of phases so fast’ “Next, chop out patches or characters from the pyjamas,” says Danielle. “Place a piece of the fabric adhesive between the patch and the curtain, and iron over the patch so that it sticks to the curtain. You may choose to stitch it into place afterwards to keep the corners from eventually peeling up. “It’s easy to take off when the kids are ready for

just take the wall stickers down and start again.”

Try c u rt a in s in c h il d re n’s b ro o m s rath e d e r th a n b li n d s , a s th ey lo o k m o re cosy

Big cork notice boards are ideal for kids’ bedroom walls, and for teenagers in particular. They can put up photos of their friends,

Keep costs low But don’t feel you have to spend a lot of money – particularly in your kids’ bedrooms or play areas.

“It’s silly to spend a fortune on children’s rooms, as they grow out of phases so fast,” says Danielle, who also runs her own boutique interior design firm, House Proud, and is author of House Proud: Hip Crafts for the Modern Home-Maker (Bloomsbury, £12.99).

For example, if your daughter is into the princess theme, don’t feel you have to buy an expensive themed bed or duvet set which she might decide she hates in six months’ time. Instead, think of ways to create a similar look on the cheap.

Family Time Summer 2011

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HOMES AND GARDENS

Keep computers communal Keep the family computer in a communal area so that you can keep an eye on your child. If you are running out of space, consider converting the under-stairs cupboard to a computer area.

snippets of information or pictures they have drawn. “But rather than splashing out on a big board, try my cut-price version – a pack of selfadhesive cork flooring tiles. Peel off the stickers on the back and they will stick to the wall to form a notice board. I’ve done this in our playroom for my children, who are only aged two and three, but they already love sticking pictures up and ripping them down again.”

Play areas In playrooms and play areas, Danielle recommends keeping clutter to a minimum by installing tall cupboards and shelves that reach the ceiling. “Having these cupboards means extra storage space so that you can put away some of your children’s toys. Otherwise, all the toys are out at once, littering the floor in baskets.” For decoration, try putting up wall stickers or invite the kids to paint a mural. “I love the idea of 48 |

Make a den

Seating the masses

To make an easy indoor den, attach two hooks to opposite walls of a bedroom or playroom, and tie a clothes line across. “My kids hang a sheet over the clothes line to make a camp,” says Danielle.

If your kids often have friends over for tea and you run out of seating space, you could invest in a bench for the kitchen table.

“It means more bottoms on seats,” says Danielle. “Benches are also wipe-clean, so you don’t have to worry about spillages.”

projecting a family photograph or arty picture on to the wall using a projector camera,” says Danielle.

“Keep the camera switched on while the kids draw in the outlines and colour or paint in the picture.

When you remove the camera, you should be left with your children’s amazing drawing on the wall.

paints, which dry quicker and are more hard-wearing,” says Danielle.

“If your kids love the design, make it last longer by painting over the top with several coats of clear varnish.

And when they do get fed up, you can just sand it right back to the wood again.”

Outside, try creating a child-friendly play zone in the garden. “Paint “If you would rather they one wall in a bright colour, didn’t paint directly on Texture is as or use stencils and spray the wall, buy a roll or important as paint to create a spectwo of lining paper, colour at making a tacular design,” adds which is available house feel homely Danielle. really cheaply from and cosy, so try DIY stores. Just to use wool, fake “Buy or make some stick several strips fur and natural bunting and keep it up all of the paper to the woods summer. It fades very pretwall, and the kids can tily in the sun, but makes for a then decorate it howlovely party atmosphere when the ever they want. When they’re kids are outside. finished with that design, it’s very easy to just take it down and put up “Putting a tent up in the garden is more.” another great idea. It keeps little kids busy for ages, and means If you’ve got some plain chairs or your older children have another a low table, your kids might like space to escape to other than their to brighten these up too with their bedrooms.” favourite colours. “Use acrylic

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HOMES AND GARDENS

Ho w

A third of children killed in accidents suffered their fatal injuries in the home, say the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). Read on for the top 10 reasons children aged four to 14 years in the UK visit A&E after accidents in the home, plus RoSPA’s advice on how to prevent them

1. Falls What happens: The most common type of home accident. The most serious happen on the stairs and from windows.

A&E visits per year: 191,300 Prevent it: Keep stairs free of clutter and talk to children about the importance of not rushing. Fit window restrictors that limit their opening to the first floor and above.

2. Bumps and collisions What happens: Colliding with furniture or your child dropping something heavy on to a foot. It could also be a heavy object, like a wardrobe or television set,

toppling over.

A&E visits: 132,500 Prevent it: Place flat screen TVs on a wide, stable base designed to accompany the set and use anti-tip straps. Encourage children not to climb on furniture.

3. Cuts, pierced skin and crushings What happens: Cuts and pierced skin, for example, from kitchen knives, broken glass or children stepping on to sharp objects.

Crushed fingers, perhaps from being trapped in doors, will also fall into this category.

A&E visits: 58,700

Prevent it: Teach children how to use knives safely and to be careful in the kitchen and around doors.

Clear up broken glass straight away and tidy away tools used in DIY or gardening after using them.

4. Foreign bodies, including choking What happens: It’s not just toddlers who put objects into their mouths, noses or ears. Many older children also end up in A&E departments for this reason. This category also includes fragments of glass or other materials ending up in a child’s eye, plus choking on food.

A&E visits: 26,900 Family Time Summer 2011

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HOMES AND GARDENS

alarm and look out for prolonged flu-like symptoms in your family.

Prevent it: Learn how to give first aid to a choking child or adult. If you can’t dislodge the blockage, call 999 immediately.

9. Chemical contact 5. Bites and stings What happens: Includes nips from pets as well as stings from bees, wasps and hornets and other insect bites.

A&E visits: 13,300 Prevent it: Teach children to be kind to pets and to stay calm around insects. Learn the signs of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock, including itching, swelling and difficulty breathing. If you see these symptoms, call 999 immediately.

What happens: Cleaning products or toiletries, such as hair products or nail glue, getting into children’s eyes, lips, face or scalp.

A&E visits: 2,000 Prevent it: Keep products in their original containers to avoid confusion and talk to children about how to use them safely.

10. Electric shocks Prevent it: These injuries are often minor, but encourage children to wear appropriate footwear for what they’re doing and to take care.

6. Burns and scalds What happens: Burns and scalds from flames, hot appliances and hot water.

A&E visits: 12,400 Prevent it: Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children, and teach them about the dangers of playing with fire. Ensure they take care around hot drinks and kettles.

If they run their own bath, make sure they put the cold water in first.

7. Strains, sprains and pulled muscles What happens: Twisted ankles, strains and pulled muscles, perhaps from riding bikes in the garden or rushing too fast.

A&E visits: 8,900

8. Suspected poisoning What happens: Swallowing cleaning products or medicines or breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) fumes.

A&E visits: 5,500 Prevent it: Keep medicines and cleaning products out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard. Never decant a product into an unmarked container.

To prevent CO poisoning, use an engineer from the Gas Safe Register for the installation and annual servicing of gas appliances, and have other fuel-burning appliances (e.g. wood, oil or coal burners) serviced regularly. Keep rooms well ventilated and have chimneys/flues swept regularly. Fit an audible CO

What happens: Electric shocks from sockets, leads and appliances.

A&E visits: 500 Prevent it: Don’t use appliances with cracked plugs or worn cables.

Talk to your children about the dangers of electricity, and warn them to never touch electrical appliances, switches or plugs with wet hands and to unplug chargers when not in use.

Around a million under-18s a year visit an A&E department in the UK after being injured in accidents at home Visit www.rospa.com for more advice and information

Top tips for your home from the fire safety campaign Fire Kills s )NSTALL A SMOKE ALARM ON EVERY LEVEL OF YOUR HOME – without one, you are more than twice as likely to die in a fire. Test the alarm weekly. s !VOID LEAVING COOKING UNATTENDED ESPECIALLY WITH children around – more than half of all accidental fires start in the kitchen.

52 |

s 4AKE CARE WITH ELECTRICS n THE MISUSE OF ELECTRICAL products caused more than 21,000 fires across the country in 2008. s "E CANDLE SAFE n NEVER LEAVE A CANDLE UNATTENDED and put it out completely when you leave the room or go to bed.

HOMES AND GARDENS

How does your

garden grow?

Children love growing vegetables and flowers, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Discover their tips on how to entice kids to get their hands dirty

It’s great to get kids interested in growing plants in the garden – and not just for the free labour. Children aged from toddlers to teenagers benefit in many ways from learning about how their garden grows. For example, gardening teaches them about the seasons and environment, working in a team and the natural life cycles. Research by the RHS shows that children who garden perform better at school, becoming more resilient and ready to learn.

you still don’t have to wait long for results.

Another benefit is that you may find your kids become more interested in healthy eating – they are more likely to try and taste new vegetables that they have grown and harvested themselves.

Growing vegetables is a lot of fun.

Not only do you get to watch the plants grow, but you can eat them once they are ready. Try taste tests with your kids to see which homegrown vegetable is their favourite.

Again opt for quick-growing and

Children also love plants which appeal to their senses. Try poppies with their rattling seedheads, the furry Stachys byzantina, the curry plant (Helichrysum italicum), the lemon-smelling Melissa officinalis and cocoa-scented chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus).

Home-grown vegetables

easy crops. Try radishes, lettuces and runner beans, all of which can be sown in May and munched during the summer months. Radishes are especially quick growing – they should be ready to harvest two to eight weeks after planting. Add some surprise as well as colour to your lettuce salads by growing the flower nasturtium too – the peppery blooms can be eaten.

For show-stopping results, plant out pumpkin. Sow it in May and it will be ready when the skin toughens, in time for Halloween.

It shouldn’t cost the earth Growing plants from seeds is really cheap but you don’t need to spend

How to choose what to grow When you’re gardening with children, it’s important to choose your plants carefully to maintain their interest and enthusiasm. Flowers with larger seeds, such as sunflowers and nasturtium seeds, are easier for young children to handle and sow. Sunflowers are also great to grow with children because you can see the results almost instantly and they create a real spectacle when they’re full size.

For older children, favourites such as love-in-a-mist (Nigella), cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) and marigolds (Calendula officinalis) have smaller seeds to practice dexterity, but the plants grow quickly too, so Family Time Summer 2011

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HOMES AND GARDENS a fortune on pots either. Eyecatching flower pots can be made from almost anything, so think about using pretty tins and boxes – with drainage holes punched in the bottom – old wine crates and even used wellington boots.

Keeping a gardening diary with your children can also become part of the fun. It helps them to observe the changes in the garden and seasons, while also providing an understanding of how long it takes for seeds to grow into plants.

No-garden gardening You don’t need to have a garden to develop your kids’ green fingers – all you need is a window ledge.

Help your child create a haven for butterflies, bees and bugs by filling a window box or small crate with wildlife-friendly plants, such as snapdragon, dwarf hebe, chives and lavender. Help your child make a mini insect house by folding some corrugated cardboard inside a bottle, or tying together some hollow sticks and seedpods for creatures to crawl into. Add a few small rocks for insects to crawl under and a tiny pond made from a small dish or foil tray, and you’ll have wildlife flocking to your window ledge every day.

More ideas for kids’ gardening projects Flowerpot people Children can make sunflowers look even more cheerful and give them a real personality by painting the pots they are planted in. Old paint tins with a few holes drilled into them make great plant pots. Your children can then paint ‘clothes’ for the sunflower on the outside of the pots. If your kids keep watering the plants, they will soon see the sunflowers grow and flower.

Once the flowers have opened, try using a pencil to pick out some of the tiny flowers on the head to make a face.

Floral tepee Create a perfect hideaway for summer games and adventures with your children by making a flowercovered tepee which will grow all through the summer. Tie beanpoles together at the top with twine to create the structure of the tepee.

Kids can have fun creating doorways and windows with dried out branches, then sprinkling seeds around the bottom of each beanpole. If they are kept moist, morning glory, sweet peas, black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) and Lablab purpureus will climb quickly up the poles, covering the sides of the tepee with flowers and creating the perfect den for your children.

Pizza garden If your kids like pizza, they may be interested in making their own pizza garden. The toppings won’t be ready as quickly as if you order a takeaway, but will be much tastier and healthier.

In early summer, buy plants of small tomatoes, peppers, onions and Italian herbs and plant them into a large container. Your kids can add colourful, painted section dividers. The plants will soon grow if you put them in a sunny spot and water them regularly, and children will love cooking the crops to make their very own perfect pizza.

The Royal Horticultural Society’s book Ready, Steady, Grow! (Dorling Kindersley, £9.99) has more ideas for gardening with children. Also visit www.rhs.org.uk/children for monthly activities.

54 |

HOMES AND GARDENS

Hit it The family favourite All Surface Swingball, ÂŁ29.99, has been revamped with a wider base for greater stability. Just ďŹ ll the base with water or sand and you’re ready to play. Available from major retailers.

Wheelbarrow heaven Kids can help with the gardening with this red metal wheelbarrow from the Little Gardener’s Tool Company. Buy it from www.dotcomgiftshop.com, £29.95.

Flying fun ArrowCopter, £3.99, from Halfords (www.halfords.com), m), is essentially a rubber band and a stick. But it’s also a simple ying toy, designed to soar up to about 90 metres.

fun the garden

Have more in

Spoil your kids with these outdoor ďŹ nds

Comfy seating Give your kids their own comfortable garden seating with water-resistant outdoor beanbags, from BeanBagBazaar (www.beanbagbazaar. co.uk), from ÂŁ36.99.

Build a den Connect the Brik-aBlok panels, ÂŁ120 for a 26-piece set, to build a play house, fort, castle or den outside (and indoors too). The panels are nontoxic and water-resistant, and perfect for budding engineers. Call 01254 872454 for stockists.

If your kids are creative, this paint-your-own tool set could be just the ticket to get them gardening. The kit provides two childsized gardening tools and a metal watering can, plus craft acrylic paints and a paintbrush. Faber-Castell Paint Your Own Watering Can and Garden Tools, from ÂŁ11 (www.johnlewis.com).

Familily Time Fam Family Time Summer S mmer 2011 2011

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FAMILY TECHNOLOGY

Phones kids?

4

Discover the facts about mobile phones and children so they stay safe Mobile phones are now central to our lives and how we communicate.

And for better or worse, mobiles are hugely popular with children.

The latest stats from communication regulator Ofcom show that half of all children aged five to 15 have a mobile phone, and the likelihood of owning a mobile phone increases

Camera cons While phones with built-in cameras can be great fun, there are a couple of issues you need to raise. “It’s not possible to withhold a number when sending a photo from a mobile,” explains parenting expert Sue Atkins (www.TheSueAtkins. com), “so photos your kids send or receive can be traced.”

Once a photo is out there, it can be easily shared, and could end up in the wrong hands.

Web alert Helping to make sure your kids don’t view unsuitable material via the web on their phones is actually 58 |

with age. In fact, only 13 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds don’t have one.

Mobile phones allow children to communicate with their friends, take pictures, play games, look up facts, and generally feel connected.

From a parent’s viewpoint, you can reach them, and they you, in an emergency. Mobile phones also offer a stepping stone for many

young people towards responsibility and independence.

quite simple - UK mobile operators provide an internet filter on their phones, though operators often need to be asked to activate such parental controls, Ofcom point out, so do ask.

child any time. “There’s no need to become obsessed with the possibility – but both you and your children need to have an idea of what to do if it happens,” says Sue.

Experts warn WiFi can get round internet filters, so discuss this with your child. Turning Bluetooth off on your child’s phone will ensure it is not seen by other Bluetooth users.

Cyber bullies On mobile phones, cyber bullying can happen through nasty texts, calls, instant messages or via social networking sites. It means cyber bullies can theoretically get to your

But alongside the exciting possibilities come potentially harmful pitfalls – both to the wellbeing and safety of your child. It’s important to be aware of the issues so you can help your kids get the most out of their phones and stay safe.

If it does, ensure your child knows it’s not their fault, and that it is essential to tell someone. Experts advise that children must never text the bully back or retaliate. Teach them to save offending messages and note dates and times. “The one upside is that with cyber bullying, you at least have proof it happened,” points out Suzie Hayman, trustee of the charity Family Lives (www.familylives.org.uk). This would be useful if you need to talk to the

FAMILY TECHNOLOGY

school or police. Use the block buttons or privacy settings available online. Know the relevant number of your mobile network if your child receives malicious calls or messages.

Keep a careful eye As well as talking through careful mobile phone use, parents should set boundaries and have rules that, if broken, have consequences. You could have mobile-free times for instance. “It’s a question of sitting down and talking through the responsibilities of the privilege of having a mobile,” says Suzie.

Bills are easier to monitor if you sign your kids up to a contract. ‘Pay as you go’ may teach older children how to manage money, but you don’t get monthly itemised bills.

If you’re buying them a mobile phone, ensure you read the invaluable checklist from charity Childnet International (www.childnet-int. org/safety/factsheets.aspx). It lists important questions to ask your mobile operator. And think about whether they’re ready to actually have a mobile. “Around 11 when starting secondary school is an appropriate age, but every family is unique and different, so it’s important to consider what’s acceptable to you,” says Sue. Suzie agrees. “There’s no need for children at primary school to have a phone. The exception is children with one parent (or even a sibling) living apart from them,” she says.

Did you know?

The average number of texts sent per week by 12 to 15-year-olds has doubled since 2007, according to Ofcom

“It’s incredibly important for the child to have regular contact with their family member and to have control over that contact.” Remember you can get mobiles without a camera or the internet.

Health scare?

There’s another kind of concern.

You may have seen the headlines and pondered whether mobiles could harm your family. A large number of studies have looked at mobile phone use and potential health risks. The official line from the World Health Organisation and the Health Protection Agency in the UK is that, to date, no adverse health effects have been established. That goes for cancer (of the brain and nervous system), and symptoms such as headaches.

issues, since the body and nervous system are still developing into the teenage years. As a precaution, the Department of Health advise that children under 16 should be encouraged to use mobile phones for essential purposes only, and to keep calls short. There are other ways to reduce your child’s (and your!) exposure to the radio waves from mobiles, such as getting them to text rather than call where possible, or using a hands-free kit.

As with most things, the question of kids and mobile phones seems to be one of informed balance. Your mobile operator owes it to you to keep you informed – check out parental advice on their websites.

Here’s the but – we’ve only been using mobile phones for a relatively short time, so more research is needed, especially to assess if there are long-term risks. A 20 to 30-year study is currently under way to address this imbalance, as is research specifically looking at children. It’s thought children may be more vulnerable to potential health

Golden rules to give your kids if they use a mobile

Words: Aviva Ingram

s /NLY GIVE YOUR MOBILE NUMBER TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW and trust. s 4HINK ABOUT THE MESSAGES AND PHOTOS YOU SEND out or post online. Could they upset someone? Do you mind if lots of people see them? Do the photos reveal personal details? s )F YOU RECEIVE ANY NASTY MESSAGES OR INAPPROPRIATE pictures that upset you, speak to someone about it –

be it mum or dad, your teacher, or even a helpline if you prefer. Try www.cybermentors.org.uk. s 4O AVOID YOUR PHONE BEING STOLEN TRY NOT TO MAKE it too visible when out and about and never leave it unattended. s "EWARE OF PREMIUM NUMBERS AND PREMIUM TEXTS they’re more expensive. For more information, visit www.phonebrain.org.uk.

Family Time Summer 2011

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FAMILY TECHNOLOGY

friend or foe?

We often hear about the negative side of gaming, and while there are important issues to consider, there are also many benefits In case you were in any doubt, gaming is hugely popular. Recent figures show the vast majority of children use some kind of gaming device. And of course, the variety of games and ways to play them today is huge – from portable hand-held consoles (such as the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP) to consoles you plug in to your TV (Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3), games on mobile phones and via apps, on computers and via the web.

But should parents be worried about the rise in gaming? Certainly, some fairly negative research and views have been reported in the press – including possible increased aggression from playing video games, addiction, attention issues and fatigue.

Yet we also know that video games can be a positive experience for the whole family. So how do you help your children get the best from gaming?

Gaming issues unravelled Many parents think their children play video games too often - but this could be just because it’s not something they did as a child.

“As a rough guide, for children under eight, it’s best that they don’t play for more than an hour or two a day,” says Prof Mark Griffiths, chartered psychologist and director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University.

“But if your older child is playing games for around three or four hours a day, and still has time to do her homework, chores and has lots of outside activities, that’s ok.”

It seems the key to playing in moderation is to make sure your children have plenty of other activities to pursue in their free time, besides playing video games. “We know the more negative consequences of playing video games involve children who are excessive users,” says Mark. “A small number are affected and the effects tend to stop once they stop playing so much.”

As for children having a true ‘addiction’ to playing video games, Mark says it is possible, but very rare. “In my experience, while all video game addicts are excessive players, not all excessive players are addicts.”

If you’re concerned about the risk of increased aggression from video games, you can breathe a sigh of relief – for now anyway. The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) says there is no conclusive evidence directly Family Time Summer 2011

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FAMILY TECHNOLOGY

1. Control what your children play This is easier than you may imagine. Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony consoles, as well as Windows, offer parental controls to help you control what your kids play and how long for. Apple’s operating system iOS (for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) also allow restrictions.

Visit www.ukie.org.uk/playsafe for more information. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft also have advice on their websites.

2. Check the rating Games published in the UK have an age rating on the packaging, as well as a set of icons indicating the type of content - such as violence, bad language and fear.

3. Follow good screen habits Experts advise playing in a well-lit room, keeping a minimum distance from the screen, and not playing when tired. If your children are playing too much, set time limits. Encourage your child to take regular breaks from the screen of at least five minutes every 45 to 60 minutes, advise UKIE.

4. Chat to your kids “Talk about the content of the games so that kids understand the difference between make-believe and reality,” says Mark.

He recommends choosing ageappropriate games that are fun.

There are lots of good educational games, for example.

Protect family time Gaming can certainly eat into family time. In a recent report by child psychologist Dr Pat Spungin, 86 per cent of mums agreed that technology, including video games, has had an impact on the quality time they spend with their kids – for example, if children spend long hours playing, don’t eat with the family or if they play late at night and are tired the next morning.

Games are increasingly played online. It can be fun and social, but it also means online safety measures apply. For example, tell your child to be careful with their personal information.

62 |

Video games can even help bring the family together. “People were originally afraid of how TV would affect the family, yet it’s provided conversation and shared interests – families can watch together and get involved,” says Pat. “The same can be true for video games. Arrange a family games night and set each other challenges. Look for games you can all play together rather than allow yourself to be excluded.”

Kids can even get some exercise while gaming. There’s been a growth in game consoles and games which involve being active – Nintendo (Wii), Sony (PlayStation Move for PlayStation 3) and Microsoft (Kinect for Xbox 360) offer systems that involve moving the body while playing.

‘Video games can even help bring the family together. Look for games you can all play rather than allow yourself to be excluded’ One way to protect family time is to eat together as a family as often as possible. “Make sure your children keep game consoles or phones away from the table, so you can eat and talk together,” says Pat. “And on long journeys, don’t let all your kids ‘plug-in’ to their devices the whole way. Spend some time talking and observing.”

The benefits

5. Be online savvy

nation and raise self-esteem. Video games can also provide elements of interactivity that may stimulate learning.”

There is a plus side – played responsibly and in moderation, “video games can provide educational, social and therapeutic benefits,” says Mark. “Since the early 80s, research has consistently shown playing computer games can increase reaction times, improve hand-eye co-ordi-

It seems it’s more a case of monitoring your child’s game playing to help avoid the potential downsides, rather than gaming being downright bad. So swot up, and enjoy.

Words: Aviva Ingram

What parents can do

linking violence in individuals to the games they play. “But as a responsible parent, you wouldn’t want to let your nine-year-old play Grand Theft Auto,” says Mark. “There’s no evidence as yet looking at such effects on children in the long term, but there are decisions you can make as a socially responsible parent.”

FAMILY TECHNOLOGY

favourite

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Rated: 7 plus For: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, Nintendo DS (Disney Interactive, from £34.99)

Words: Oliver Holden-Rea

Through multi-player modes, all the family can sit together and take on the roles of more than 70 characters from the Pirates of the Carribean movies. So have fun finding those gold coins, laughing as bad-guys fall to pieces (literally) and spotting the appearance of the LEGO skeleton. Out now.

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles 2 Rated: All ages For: Wii (OG International, £19.99) This game gives your family the opportunity to test each other’s intellect with seven great puzzles, including Sudoku, Towers, Squares and the brilliant Number Soup. Released 17 June.

Carnival Games: In Action Rated: All ages For: Xbox 360 Kinect (Take 2 Interactive, £29.99) Swing away in a batting cage, avoid twisting tornadoes or take a galactic journey in a rocket. Alternatively, choose from a wide range of other games that also involve the whole body. With prizes to win and a variety of skill levels, everyone in the family will be up p and moving. g Out now.

Ma and the Magic Max Marker Ma Ra Rated: All ages For: Fo Wii and Nintendo DS (Easy Interactive, £24.99) (E Using the Wii remote or DS pen, U Max M and the Magic Marker lets you y draw directly inside the game world, where everything drawn becomes physical objects.

So not only will your child have to think creatively, have to as well, as you travel through i l but b you’ll ’ll h three beautiful worlds inspired by childrens’ drawings, working together to overcome fifteen puzzling levels facing death traps and monsters. Released 16 June.

Game Party: In Motion Rated: 7 plus For: Xbox 360 Kinect (Warner Bros Interactive, £29.99) All ages and abilities can now enjoy a range of favourite family games, using the whole body to mimic real life movements.

Games include darts, arcade games and air hockey, so you could even stage a family tournament. Out now.

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IS YOUR CHILD SAFE ONLINE? The web can be a great learning tool and lots of fun, but we need to be aware of the risks. Read on to find out how to help your kids stay safe on the internet, says online safety charity Childnet International

While many parents are still getting to grips with the web and all it offers, our children, who have grown up with the internet, are technologically much more clued up. This offers a challenge as we want our kids to have fun and enjoy their online access, but we also want them to stay safe.

Understand the issues The first step as parents is to understand the types of risks they may face online. This could include a bully or abuser making contact with your child online, or kids stumbling across inappropriate websites or material, such as pornography.

Other risks are triggered by your child’s online behavior or that of their friends – perhaps by posting their own mobile number or the name of their school on a website.

Traditionally, key advice has been to keep the computer in a family room, giving parents or carers the opportunity to walk past and see what a child is doing online.

This is still sound advice, but we now know that more than half of young people going online in the UK can log on to the web from their bedroom or another private room. After all, the internet can be accessed not just from computers, but via mobile phones, gaming consoles and handheld gaming devices, making internet access more portable than ever before.

What you can do It’s really important to talk to your children about online safety, and understand how they use the web.

By advising and teaching children to use the internet responsibly, parents can help to keep their

kids out of harm’s way. The next step is to get to grips with social networking sites, such as Facebook, Flickr and Bebo. These are very popular with children – recent research has shown that although the minimum user age for many of the popular social networking sites is 13 years, about a quarter of nine to 10-year-olds have a profile on a site, as do about 60 per cent of 11 to 12-year-olds.

This suggests that the start of secondary school is a trigger for young people to want to use social networks.

Many social networking sites have information and advice for parents.

There may also be safety tools to help children block unwanted contact, plus you can activate privacy settings to control who can access your kid’s postings. Talk with your child about how it’s best to use these services.

The top two websites for five to 10-year-olds are Facebook and YouTube, according to the market research agency ChildWise.

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Consider agreeing family rules about how to use the internet.

These could include what personal information to keep private, as well as the length of time that children should spend online, depending on age. Childnet has a family use agreement available if you are interested (www.childnet.com/kia/ parents) which can help. It reminds children not to share family pictures online without asking their parents first, for example.

Technical protection Check with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) about filters and other types of protection provided to protect young people using computers, often for free.

appearing in the search results. For example, if you click on ‘Search settings’ on Google’s home page, you can implement its SafeSearch filters. Another tip is to see whether the search engine you use has developed a child-friendly version, such as Yahoo! Kids.

Similarly, most devices that enable users to access the internet, such as the iPod touch and games consoles, have tools that parents can set up to limit access for younger users. Your service/device provider should be able to provide more detailed advice if needed.

Filtering software or parental controls can be applied to the computer to help block inappropriate websites and material. Filtering services can also offer the opportunity to set time limits for internet use for each member of the family.

However, filters – both for your computer and on searches – and other technical solutions aren’t always 100 per cent effective and so they are not a substitute for parental involvement. Do continue to talk to your kids about staying safe online, for those times when they may access the internet without protection, for example when they are at friends’ houses.

The search engine you use may also have a ‘safe search’ type feature, which can block and limit certain types of web pages from

Hopefully your children will soon be online safely, and you’ll be feeling more confident about what they are up to.

Help your children stay safe online by encouraging them to follow Childnet’s ‘SMART’ rules, written especially for young people

S

M

A

R

T

Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information, whether it’s to people you are chatting to online or by posting it online where other people can see it.

Meeting: Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then, only when they can be present.

Accepting: Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files or pictures from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages.

Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are, and information on the internet may not be reliable. Check information or advice with other websites, books or with someone who knows.

Tell: Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you, or someone you know, is being bullied online.

Childnet aims to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. For more information, visit www.childnet.com.

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CSEF Aware, Alert, Online!

GIVING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES GREATER ACCESS TO SAFETY EDUCATION Thousands of children are injured and many die each year as a result of unintentional injuries at home or on the roads. These accidents could be avoided by taking some simple measures.

The Children’s Safety Education Foundation, (CSEF), works with schools, families and communities to help young people make the right choices, promote greater independence, and support their physical and emotional well-being.

Our unique range of online safety programmes have been designed specifically to reach more children with life saving safety advice and information on topics such as bullying, drugs and alcohol, anti-social behaviour, fire safety, road and home safety, personal safety and risk awareness.

Our programmes allow young people to encounter real-life scenarios at the push of a button on a platform that they can interact with on a daily basis. It is easily accessible, engaging and helps promote effective learning within the classroom and at home.

Prevention is the best treatment for accidents and this is CSEF’s number one priority. We are here to help you protect them.

To access our range of safety resources or to find out more about the work we do, visit www.csef.net or call 0845 741 3591 0161 477 5122

0161 480 4504

info@csef.net

www.csef.net

Registered Office: Hilton House, Lord Street, Stockport, SK1 3NA. CSEF Registered Charity Numbers: 1103344 and SC037714 Family Time Summer 2011

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Websites that make

learning fun

Research shows that when parents are involved in their children’s education, their offspring do better at school – but keeping kids interested and motivated to learn can be tricky. Don’t despair as you can jumpstart their education online, and they will have fun at the same time

Ages Ag Phonics Play

Ages 4-7

4-7

Let’s learn about: Reading and using grammar Where to find it: www.phonicsplay.co.uk How it helps: This site is filled with loads of interactive games to guide children through the very basics of phonics, all the way up to more complicated grammar in key stage 2, where they can practice skills like past tenses and making compound words. It’s a £10-a-year a year subscription, but the fee is probably worth it.

Poisson Rouge Let’s learn about: The alphabet, telling the time and French Where to find it: www.poissonrouge.com How it helps: This colourful site has lots of fun but also educational games for children that will help them to develop their memory, understand shapes, learn about letters and tell a story, while also learning French at the same time. They won’t realise they’re learning with this one.

Education City Let’s learn about: Maths, letters and literacy, science, French, German and Spanish Where to find it: www.educationcity.com How it helps: This site has lots of games featuring fun, colourful cartoon characters. It’s easy to use and you can choose game levels depending on your child’s abilities, as it’s aimed at kids aged up to 11 years. The downside is that it’s a subscription-only site, but it’s worth checking out their free 10-day trial. If you decide to sign up after this, it costs ts £29.95 a year.

National Geographic for Kids Let’s learn about: The natural world Where to find it: www.nationalgeographic.co.uk How it helps: Your kids will learn about animals, countries, weather patterns and more. The site also contains plenty of adventure and action games plus craft ideas, like making a kite or bird feeder. The news section keeps kids informed with environment and science feature stories.

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EDUCATION

Guinness Book of World Records Let’s learn about: The biggest, the smallest, the fastest and slowest Where to find it: www.guinnessworldrecords.com How it helps: This is a searchable database of record-breaking feats that will have kids gripped while they’re also learning facts about science, weight and geography. The smallest unit of time, anyone?

Bitesize Science Let’s learn about: Science Where to find it: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science How it helps: This BBC science website is broken down into ‘living things’ (biology), ‘materials’ (chemistry), and ‘physical processes’ (physics). Kids can choose a module, like ‘helping plants grow’, play an interactive nteractive game, read a short chapter and take a quiz to see what they’ve remembered.

Ages

Mathletics Let’s learn about: Maths Where to find it: www.mathletics.co.uk How it helps: This award-winning website, aimed at kids aged d between five and 18 years, is from the team behind World Maths hs Day. It features animated maths exercises and activities that tailor lor themselves to your child’s strengths and weaknesses, covering topics, such as geometry, algebra and probability. Kids can n also compete in live maths games against others all over the world. Mathletics claims that 99 per cent of kids master a topic c after completing a maths activity three times. Unfortunately, the e subscription to the website does cost £39 per child per year, but ut you can at least get g a familyy discount for siblings. g

11-14

M MYLO Le Let’s learn about: French, German, Spanish, Chinese W Where to find it: http://mylo.dcsf.gov.uk Ho it helps: This is a free language resource set up by the How De Department of Education. Designed for children ages 11 and older, MYLO uses games and real-life challenges, such as ol designing a football kit for a French-speaking team. Kids de always have resources to help them, for example an online al foreign language dictionary and cultural notes. fo

Words: Kelly Hagen

First News Let’s learn about: Current affairs Where to find it: www.firstnews.co.uk How it helps: Children can read about what’s going on in the world in this weekly national newspaper, which is aimed at children aged seven to 14. Published every Friday, it offers all the important stories of the week in an easy-to-digest child format.

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Choosing a school for your child We try so hard to get it right, yet it seems so easy to get it wrong. Whether you’re choosing a primary or secondary school, this guide can give you a helping hand.

Lisa Freedman, education consultant, explains more Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Unlike the childhood game, making a school choice is usually no fun at all. Ending up with the ‘right’ school can be as much a matter of luck as skill, but there’s no doubt that careful preparation definitely improves the odds.

How to get started The obvious starting point in any educational quest is your local authority. They will supply you with a list of schools in your area, details of the application process and deadlines you need to meet. Local authority advisors, too, can give some guidance about your chances of getting in – they know how many applicants were turned away last year – and let you know what happens if you don’t.

The schools’ own websites (where available) are equally informative.

They detail the criteria by which the school admits children – whether that’s distance from the gates, sibling priority, church attendance, aptitude and so on – and give a flavour of what the school is like.

They also supply specific information about matters such as uniform, subject choice, and homework.

Check league tables It also makes sense to do a bit of independent research. League tables and inspection reports are undoubtedly imperfect – increasingly so since many primary schools have now boycotted Key Stage 2 tests and ‘outstanding’ schools are no longer inspected – but they remain a helpful starting point.

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(www.bbc.co.uk) and you can read Ofsted inspections at www. ofsted.gov.uk. League tables will let you know what percentage of pupils reach the expected government standards, and inspection reports offer insight into aspects of school life not always highlighted in the prospectus. They will, for example, help you find out whether bright children are sufficiently ‘stretched’ and whether homework actually gets marked. Bear in mind, however, that reports can date quickly and that the word ‘satisfactory’ is often damning with faint praise.

See for yourself Nothing, of course, beats a visit.

Most schools hold open days or open evenings in the autumn term just before applications are due in.

To find out precise dates, look on the school website or contact the school secretary.

It’s sensible to go on a tour during the school day if you can. Though pupils are generally on their best behaviour, you’ll get a much clearer idea of whether teachers are friendly and energetic, students well-behaved and considerate.

Look carefully, too, for tell-tale signs: the displays on the notice boards, sweet wrappers on the floor and the condition and positioning of the loos (often home to the school bully). Ideally, the loos will be centrally located so that they can be easily supervised. If it’s possible – and it isn’t always – try and see the head. All science labs look the same, but headteachers define the school’s unique approach to discipline and expectations. You don’t have to like them, but you do have to respect their views.

Talking to the pupils is equally vital, particularly if you can access those not carefully sifted for the show and tell. With little prompting, pupils are usually happy to spill the beans about cliques and gangs, the awfulness of school dinners and the availability of drugs.

Exam grades are more important at secondary than primary, so do read the statistics. The government benchmark at 16 years is five GCSE passes at grades A* to C. The newly introduced English Baccalaureate intends to establish how many pupils in each school attained these grades in English, maths, a foreign language, two sciences and either

Ask, too, about school trips, extracurricular activities and careers advice. Education is not just about exams, but about helping your child develop into the type of adult who will flourish at work and play.

Distance from the school gates should also be something to think about. No matter how out-

‘No matter how outstanding a school’s results, if it takes too long to get there, you may end up with an exhausted and unhappy child’ history or geography. Currently only a relatively small percentage of schools (in the state and private sector) achieve this target though, because foreign languages, history and geography have not been compulsory subjects in recent years. In other words, don’t judge a school on its E Bac results. Instead, look out for where pupils go onto university or college. This is a much better indicator.

What else to consider Your priorities, of course, will vary according to the age of your child.

Small children often worry about the food and the playground, while older ones will be more interested in the range of sports on offer and the homework load. And if your son or daughter has a particular interest – in maths or music, modern languages or science – you may want to prioritise a school which has a speciality in that area.

standing a school’s results, if it takes too long to get there, you may end up with an exhausted and unhappy child.

School choice, of course, is only a choice if you actually have an option and, particularly in London, this is rarely the case. It’s important to downplay any anxiety you feel if your child doesn’t get into the school that’s top of your list. By all means consider going to appeal – nationally the success rate is about one in three – but try not to let your child know you’re concerned about the likely alternative. This can have a serious impact on their chances of making it work.

Lisa Freedman runs At the School Gates, offering independent education advice.

For more information, visit www.attheschoolgates.co.uk.

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It’s normal to be anxious about how our children cope during the school day as we’re not there to help. Here’s how to tackle some of the issues facing our kids

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Starting a new school For a small child, starting primary school can be daunting. Not only does he suddenly have lessons every day but he is also expected to sit down for much of it too. “This can be particularly difficult for little boys who need to run around and climb,” says Eileen Hayes, parenting advisor to the Parent Channel (www.parentchannel.tv). “They may regress when they start school to show you that they don’t really want to be big and grown up yet.”

Make the transition easier by ensuring your child can do up his own shoes before term starts, and can recognise his name when written on a peg. It’s also important for children to attend open days in the run-up to school so that it becomes more familiar. And don’t forget to talk up the fun to be had there.

Starting secondary school can be equally unnerving – especially if some of your child’s friends are going somewhere else. Be aware that secondary is a big jump from primary school – for example, kids suddenly need to follow timetables and locate classrooms. “Tell your child that it will be tricky and strange for a while, and it will take time to get used to it, but not to panic,” says Eileen.

Before secondary school starts, try to make the practicalities of life a bit easier. For example, if your child will

be travelling by bus alone to school, make sure he practices the journey a few times. “Talk about change, and encourage him to open up, without planting any worries,” says Katharine Hill, spokesperson for the charity Care For The Family (www. careforthefamily.org.uk). “You could try, ‘Tell me how you are feeling about starting school next week?’”

Once term starts, try to be there for your child after school, if possible for the first couple of weeks.

Pressure to misbehave Peer pressure is very powerful.

Wanting to feel accepted in a group is a normal part of growing up and often peer pressure is positive, but it can be dangerous if friends pressure your child to misbehave – perhaps by drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking or truanting.

Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked or to fit in, or they worry that others will make fun of them. Others are

‘Discuss what he thinks should be done.

After all, your child is the expert on the situation as he knows the bullies’ Bullying Bullying can take many forms, from pushing and hitting to teasing, name-calling and the cold shoulder at playtime. If your child confides in you that he is being bullied, take it seriously and don’t dismiss it.

This would have been difficult for him to tell you so praise him for his honesty. The worst thing to do as a parent is to storm into school and demand action. “Instead, sit down with your child and discuss what he thinks should be done,” says Katharine. “This gives him back some control and prevents him from being a victim. After all, your child is the expert on the situation as he knows the bullies.”

Most schools have anti-bullying policies in place so it’s a good idea to let them take action. You could talk to the class teacher, or go straight to the head. Also ask your child to jot down each day’s bullying incidents in a diary for a clear picture of what is happening.

In the meantime, tell your child to act as though the bullying hasn’t bothered him – after all, the bullies want to trigger a reaction and see your kid get upset. However, if bullies ever physically hurt your child, he must let a teacher know.

For more advice, visit Bullying UK (www.bullying.co.uk).

just curious, and want to try what everyone else is doing.

“The key is to teach your child very early on to believe in his own feelings and opinions, and to have the courage to say no,” says Eileen.

“Role play helps practice different situations, such as his friend wanting him to take sweets from a shop. What does he think he should do?”

Saying no can be challenging in front of a group, so other tactics your child could try include making an excuse, pretending he hasn’t heard before walking away, or laughing the idea off.

Encourage him to choose friends who share the same values. It’s also important for parents to watch their own behaviour and be a good role model. If you are a heavy drinker, for example, you send your child a message that this is okay.

Whatever the problem, try not to pass your own anxieties on to your children. If they sense that you are worried, they may think that there’s really something to fret about. So be as calm and reassuring as possible and, hopefully, their problems will soon be resolved.

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How to talk to your child If your conversations with your kids are more calamitous than calm, family therapist Miriam Chachamu may be able to help

We all want to get on well with our kids, and the way we communicate is crucial to this. When our children feel criticised or blamed, they become defensive or withdrawn.

On the other hand, when they feel valued and respected they are more likely to talk to us and to listen to what we have to say. So if things go wrong between us and our children, it is often because of the communication gap – the gap between what we say and how they understand it.

Read on to find ways to talk to your children.

How to get your way without saying no Kids don’t like hearing the word ‘no’. Hearing this makes them frustrated and angry as they

feel that their opinion doesn’t matter to parents.

One trick is to avoid using the word itself. Instead, ask questions that will make your child realise that he can’t have what he wants. For instance, it’s 8pm, and your child asks to bake a cake. Instead of turning him down, start by saying that it’s a great idea and you can make one tomorrow. If your child is persistent, say, “How long do you think we’ll need? What’s the time?”

Hopefully, he will realise that it’s a bit late to start cooking and will be

happy to make sure you have the right ingredients to bake tomorrow.

Try this with any unreasonable requests, and be prepared to be surprised.

How to communicate with a child who is sad or upset When children are miserable, they need to feel heard and understood. Asking a child what is wrong doesn’t work because many kids, even older ones, don’t know how to explain their feelings.

‘If things go wrong between us and our children, it is often because of the communication gap – the gap between what we say and how they understand it’ Family Time Summer 2011

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To help your child, you need to avoid dismissing his misery as though it doesn’t matter – because of course, to him, it is very important. Instead, help your child calm down by trying to guess how he is feeling. Try, “I can see something is wrong� or “You look a bit sad right now.� The key is to not ask any questions but use open statements.

If your child tells you what is wrong, for example, that nobody wants to play with him and he hasn’t got any friends, you can also guess his feelings. He may calm down if you say, “I can see you had a tough day at school today� or “It can be hard when your best friend plays with someone else.�

How to correct mistakes without pointing them out Most of us think that when we notice a problem in our children’s homework or behaviour, we need to point it out so that it can be ďŹ xed.

But children rarely hear our good intentions – they tend to feel criticised instead.

You can use the same idea for correcting a younger child’s table manners. Instead of reacting whenever he talks with his mouth full, catch him being good and congratulate him on how he is using his fork so nicely, and how his mouth is closed when he chews.

being rude. Instead, stay calm – teenagers are extremely sensitive to tone of voice and body language.

Try asking, “Did my comments upset you? I didn’t mean to do that. How can I talk to you without upsetting you?� Most teenagers will be glad to explain. But even if they don’t, they will see that you care.

Your teenager is having a problem, not being a problem

At a quiet time, tell your teenager that you like him but that you are unhappy with the way you all argue with each other. Come up with ideas together for how you can communicate better as a family.

One idea for better communication is to start your sentences with ‘I’, rather than ‘you’ as it is less critical.

So try, “I would like you to tidy up� and not “You always leave a mess.�

Teenagers have a hard time. They are experiencing many changes to their bodies and to their brains, making them sensitive, moody, self-conscious and insecure. But they do care deeply about their relationships with their parents – even though their behaviour may not show it. And, thankfully, they do eventually grow up.

It is very tempting to shout and punish when your teenager is

Miriam Chachamu is the author of How to Calm a Challenging Child (Foulsham, ÂŁ9.99).

Another tactic is to praise something that your kid is doing right. For instance, if you want to correct his handwriting in his homework book, ďŹ nd one letter on the page that looks right. If you say, “I really like this ‘a’. It closes so that I can see clearly that it is not a ‘u’â€?, your child is likely to quietly correct all other appearances of the letter ‘a’ by himself.

More tips on dealing with teenagers s 0ICK YOUR BATTLES !SK YOURSELF WHETHER THIS ISSUE IS LIKELY TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON YOUR CHILD IN YEARS TIME s !VOID CRITICISING YOUR TEENAGERS CHOICE OF DRESS 0RESENT YOUR CONCERNS AS DISPASSIONATELY AS POSSIBLE Try saying, “How do you think people may react to you if you wear this? Why do you think I am worried about it?� Remember, if you forbid a style of clothes without discussion, your teen may hide things from you or lie to you. s #ONSIDER ALL SPECIAL REQUESTS CAREFULLY !SK FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED AND EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE THEIR request is important, you need to think about it and consult their other parent. If you have to say no, it will be easier for the teenager to accept if they know you have thought about it.

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Have you lost that

feeling?

If you’re wondering why you and your partner seem to bicker more often than not, don’t despair. It may be possible to rediscover your romance

The kids are full on, work is draining, the housework is piling up and when you and your partner talk, it’s to snap about money, childcare or whose turn it is to wash up. If this sounds familiar, don’t despair.

Sometimes life gets in the way of our relationships, but much of it is down to understanding three of the main arguments that we encounter after having children, and how to deal with them...

Argument 1 Parenting style Often our troubles are down to a difference in parenting style. Maybe he’s laid back and you like a few more rules, or perhaps he thinks television should be restricted, whereas you believe it’s no big deal and there are other issues that are more important.

The way we parent is usually down to the lessons we absorbed when we were little. So this means that you may subconsciously copy your parents’ values, or instead be rebelling and adopting the opposite behaviour.

Rather than continually arguing over the same issue with your partner, reach a compromise. For example, if you disagree about allowing the kids to watch TV at the dinner table, you could decide that viewing times are limited to snack-time or lunch, or to educational programmes only.

Argument 2 Work-life balance When you have children, it’s tricky to find the time for each other, especially if one or both of you are working.

“Another idea is to say, ‘Okay, I’ll give in to this battle, but in return, I need to get my way over the argument that I feel more strongly about,’” says Paula Hall, Relate relationship therapist and author of Improving Your Relationship For Dummies (John Wiley, £15.99).

You may feel as though you are working too hard and are underappreciated - whether it’s in your job, looking after the kids or doing household chores. Tired, stressed couples can find themselves bickering over how much one person is contributing – or not – to the family.

“Ultimately, you need to accept that there isn’t really a right and a wrong way to parent, as both of you want your children to be healthy. You just have slightly different ways of getting there.”

“Firstly, don’t assume that your partner knows how much you do or how stressed you are,” says Paula.

“You each need to talk about your workload as it allows you to understand the other person better.”

‘You need to accept that there isn’t really a right and a wrong way to parent. You just have slightly different ways of getting there’ Family Time Summer 2011

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Just talking to each other calmly, without blame, may help you work out how to make things easier for each other.

It’s even more important to make time for the two of you as a couple.

Spending a couple of hours alone together – with no kids, mobile phone or chores – should remind you why you fell in love. It doesn’t have to be an expensive night out – ask a friend to babysit and go for a stroll or a coffee.

Argument 3 Money This is another issue that’s ripe for rows. Interestingly, couples argue about money whether they have it or not – although the less money you have, the more you will argue.

“Our feelings about money are often rooted in our childhoods,” says Bonnie Jacobson, clinical psychologist and author of Save Your Marriage in Five Minutes A Day (Adams Media, £9.99).

“If your dad was frequently out of work and you grew up watching your mother urgently hunting through the coupon section, you may still have a lingering sense that there will never be enough money to feel secure.

“On the flip side, those who are spenders to the point of carelessness often grew up without effective financial guidance. Lessons about saving and credit card overuse were missed.”

Usually we argue about money because we have different opinions on what to do with it, whether we prefer to hoard, share or spend it as quickly as it comes. Again, talking it through calmly with your partner is key so that you each understand why the other feels that way. It’s worth discussing how money was spent in your childhood, as the way our parents budgeted their cash influences our own financial behaviour. Make sure you have a spending and saving plan, so that you know how much you can spend after all the bills have been deducted each month.

Conflicts over money can also be triggered because one person has stopped working, perhaps to look after the kids or because of redundancy. It can cause resentment on both sides – the person still at work can end up feeling trapped into working harder, while the one at home can feel powerless and resentful of their dependency.

Discuss it with your spouse, and recognise that you may have to change or postpone plans and dreams.

Five ways to boost your relationship 1. Touch each other daily “When we touch someone, we produce oxytocin, the hormone which bonds us to each other and makes us feel closer,” says Paula. A hug, kiss or holding hands would be perfect.

2. Have more sex Sex brings us closer to our partner.

If you’re too exhausted, don’t leave sex till bedtime but get creative and take advantage of when your kids are away on sleepovers or at Brownies.

3. Bring something new to the relationship Sign yourselves up for a new activity, bring home a CD you haven’t listened to before or research an idea for a different holiday destination. “If a relationship is to last for 50 years, it’s important to keep introducing new elements so that you can remain curious about each other and talk about something fresh,” says Bonnie.

4. Nip problems in the bud When you feel slightly irritated by something, talk about it so that you clear the air before it festers into an enormous issue. For the best outcome, use sentences that begin with ‘I’, rather than ‘you’, such as, “I feel irritated when you leave the cap off the toothpaste. Please could you stop doing that.”

5. Keep laughing Laughing together is a bonding experience, and also helps us relax, releasing stress and triggering the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormone. So rent a funny DVD, go to a comedy night or just find something about your day to chuckle about.

For more advice on relationship problems, call Relate on 0300 100 1234 or visit www.relate.org.uk.

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Visit:

www.nhs.uk/family for information you can trust, whatever your health query

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RELATIONSHIPS

HELP!

I DON’T LIKE MY CHILDREN’S FRIENDS

Children’s relationships are usually fairly innocent, but as they grow up, you may not like who they are hanging around with. Wondering whether it’s just a normal part of growing up or something you should be concerned about?

80 | Read on to find out

RELATIONSHIPS

4 to 6 years old Let’s hope that you like all your kid’s friends at this tender age. “But there may be cause for concern if a child two or three years older has befriended your son or daughter,” says psychologist Dirk Flower. “It may be completely innocent, but there are children who have difficulty making friends within their own peer group because they are so controlling. They then engage a friendship with a younger child to have a friend/follower.”

Keep an eye on the situations that your child finds himself in and, if you’re concerned, try to limit his contact with this child. Talk to the school if that is where the problem is occurring.

Sometimes, the problem is more that you think your child’s friend is a bad influence – perhaps he is rude to you when he comes to your house or he doesn’t use his manners. Avoid getting angry but do set a good example, and say, “We don’t speak to each other like that in this house.” Make sure that all your child’s friends know the house rules when they come to visit – for example, that everyone always says please and thank you.

If you’re really not sure about this friend, invite another child around for a play-date at your house. Most children in this age group will go with the flow, and this gives your little one the chance to get to know someone new.

7 to 10 years old Children at this age are still mastering the social skills to fit in.

“Sometimes young children hang out with the wrong kids simply because they don’t know how to get in with the good ones,” says educational psychologist Mallory Henson.

So, for example, your son might want to join in an ongoing football game – but he doesn’t know that you have to ask from the sidelines whether you can join in, and then wait until they say yes. Instead, he might barge out into the game, which would make the group immediately reject him.

Enrolling your child in Brownies, Cub Scouts or another supervised after-school group will help children who are struggling to learn to interact, as will teaching them how to share and ask nicely.

clubs or classes, such as art, sport or amateur dramatics have the added bonus of helping to boost confidence, while providing the opportunity to make friends with similar interests.

During the holidays, sign up your kids for camps where they can learn self-discipline and engage in lots of physical activity to let off steam, but also provide the right sort of environment for dealing with different types of young people.

‘Sometimes young children hang out with the wrong kids simply because they don’t know how to get in with the good ones’ 11 to 14 years old We tend to think of teens as rebellious, but in fact they do want to conform – just with their peer group, rather than their parents.

Obviously, children need to choose their own friends, and adults shouldn’t be involved in this.

It also means they move beyond meeting the same old faces at school.

Finally, just relax – it’s pretty inevitable that you won’t like all your kid’s friends, and that’s absolutely fine. Just be there for your child for when his friendship, as most do, moves on.

However, parents do need to set very clear limits – like what time to expect them home after the cinema and that you don’t permit smoking.

But don’t disapprove too much of their friends. “Be tolerant – teens are always going to dress in a way that adults don’t find appealing,” says Mallory. “And if you’re more relaxed, your children will be more likely to invite their friends around occasionally, and that way you can get to know them and keep an eye out.”

Keep teenagers from this age upwards extra busy after school as it’s the key time for mischiefmakers. After-school Family Time Summer 2011

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RELATIONSHIPS

grandparents Why

are good for our kids

Granny and granddad are really important to our children’s health and wellbeing, says Sam Smethers, chief executive of the charity Grandparents Plus.

Discover how to nurture these family ties A child’s relationship with their grandparents can be one of the most important of their lives.

Grandparents provide stability and support as kids battle life’s problems – from the smaller issues, such as homework struggles and learning to read, to serious traumas, such as their parents separating or dying. Grandparents also provide a cultural heritage and personal history that help the child understand who she is and where she has come from. But most importantly, grandma and granddad can provide a unique, loving relationship that can see a child through to adulthood.

There are 14 million grandparents in the UK, with half of these aged 82 |

under 65. Increasingly, they’re no longer the oldest in their families, as four and even five generation families become more common.

The role that grandparents play in family life is set to grow as our population ages, simply because they will be around for longer.

Learning and sharing There really is no limit to the activities that grandparents and grandchildren can share. One young granddad we met recently said he shared his love of vinyl records with his grandchildren, so that they could learn what ‘real music’ sounds like. Favourites tend to be

days out at museums or the park, or simply spending time with them without feeling what most parents experience – the pressure to be doing something else.

Learning about the past is a key thing that grandparents and grandchildren can do together. I know from my own childhood how much I enjoyed hearing my nan’s stories of when she was a girl and what it was like living through the war.

But grandparents can also pass on important life skills to help children become more independent, like cooking and money management, or those ‘soft skills’, such as being a good listener and showing empathy.

RELATIONSHIPS

Always close by Increasingly, families don’t tend to live around the corner any more, so it’s often thought that grandparents aren’t around for children.

But research suggests otherwise.

Nearly half of grandparents with pre-school age grandchildren say they see them weekly, as do one in four grandparents of teenagers.

Modern technology such as Skype, webcams on laptops and PCs, mobile phones and Facebook mean grandparents have a range of ways to keep in touch. Many have overcome a reluctance to use computers if it means more contact with their grandchildren.

There are proven benefits to close contact.

For example, research shows that children who have a grandparent involved in their care are less likely to be taken to accident and emergency departments with minor conditions. Another study found that teenagers who spend more time with their grandparents become more sensitive and considerate to others.

Cutting costs Grandparents don’t just provide support to kids – they are also very helpful to parents. Many families turn to grandparents as they feel the effects of financial pressures, reduced childcare support and cuts in public services. About £4 billion each year is given by grandparents directly to their grandchildren, with

a third of grans and granddads putting money aside to give their children’s kids a leg up on to the property ladder later.

Grandparents also help many families cut costs by providing free childcare. One in three working mums already rely on grandparents for this reason. Many families move closer to grandparents when they have children to tap into this help, or seek to overcome distance with the ‘travelling granny’ phenomenon.

This is the grandparent who travels some distance every week to provide childcare for their grandchildren, perhaps staying a night or two before travelling home again.

Usually, it is the younger grandparents in their 40s, 50s and early 60s who find themselves leaned on more for childcare. Some grandparents drop out of work or reduce their paid hours to help out. As the retirement age goes up, we will all be expected to stay in work for longer, so the number of grannies and grandpas trying to juggle work and childcare will increase.

Many families do have an enormous respect for the help, support and pleasure that grandma and

granddad offer. When asked who they would turn to for advice about their own child’s health, a third of parents said their own mum or dad, ahead of friends, the internet or the media.

Special issues Grandparents often report that their grandchildren make them feel younger, and for most it is a very positive experience. But it is important to remember the 200,000 grandparents who have stepped in during a family crisis to raise their children’s kids – perhaps because a parent is ill, has died or been jailed, or has been abusing drugs or alcohol. In some of these cases, the grandchildren may now have complex emotional or behavioural problems.

Grandparents coping in these difficult situations often find that their health deteriorates. They experience isolation, stress and depression and, on top of that, around two thirds have a chronic health condition or disability themselves.

While many say it is a rewarding experience and not one they would change, raising their grandchildren is not what they had planned for themselves as they approached retirement.

It’s clear we shouldn’t take granny and grandpa for granted. Make sure your kids let them know they appreciate them – after all, we all need some love.

Grandparents Plus is a national charity championing the vital role of grandparents and the wider family in children’s lives. For more information, visit www.grandparentsplus.org.uk or call their advice line on 0300 123 7015.

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT H

Are we

there yet?

Travelling with kids can be hard work – in fact, you may come back from your trip more in need of a break than before. But with a bit of preparation, you can have a happy family holiday. Brigitte Barta, co-ordinating author of LonelyFamily Planet’s Travel Time Summer 2011 with Children explains how

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

Choosing your C d destination e Deciding where to De go on holiday with your family can be yo daunting as there da is sso much choice.

There are now many The options and possibiliopt ties for family travel, from camping and activity holidays to acti resorts and cruises. reso Cities are easy to visit Citie with kids because there’s always so there much to see and muc Child-friendly do. C European cities include Euro Rome, Lisbon, Berlin Rome and C Copenhagen. children for Ask your y Schooltheir thoughts. t age kids may want k to go to places their friends have been. This might mean Disneyland or visit visiting Santa’s headquarters in Lapland. quarte Meanwhile, your teenage Meanw daughter may prefer a daugh four-day shopping trip to four-da York.

New Yo If your tteenagers are studying a foreign studyin language at school, languag consider travelling to conside where it is spoken to help their studies. stu forget about your Don’t fo home turf. tu Just because you can fly to Ibiza for doesn’t mean you £2 does shouldn’t consider options shouldn’

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closer to home. There are plenty of colourful places to visit within the UK, including the Outer Hebrides, Snowdonia, Bath, Brighton and Whitby.

But sometimes children just want to return to last year’s holiday destination. A place that you all get to know well, and that they grow up visiting, makes for some very happy childhood memories.

Before booking any trip, do bear in mind how long it will take you to get there. Although flight or train times might only take a few hours, doorto-door journey times when flying internationally can take between seven and 11 hours. That might be okay for your family if you are holidaying for a fortnight, but if you’re only going for a long weekend, that’s a lot of en route.

Once you’ve chosen your destination, you need to find somewhere to stay. Campsites, hotels, static caravans and cottages are all good options with kids.

Look for a hotel that has rooms with a balcony or a living room, where you can relax after the kids have gone to bed. Don’t rule out youth hostels – many have family rooms and are relaxed, fun places to stay with children.

Be prepared Good preparation and planning is the key to travelling with children.

This doesn’t mean mapping out your entire route or booking every night’s accommodation, but with children in tow you need to anticipate their needs.

HOLIDAYS HOLI HO LIDA DAYS YS AND A ND DAY D DAYS AYSS OU OUT UT

Before you go, build interest by looking at maps, teaching your kids a few words of the local language, taste-testing the cuisine, either at a restaurant or at home, and, if they’re old enough, encouraging them to research where you’re going online. If you’re going abroad, organise passports, visas and travel insurance well in advance of your

their MP3 players and hand-held computer games.

Slow down If you did a lot of travelling before you had kids, you might be used to arriving in a new place, hitting all the main sights and activities in a couple of days and then moving g

‘Children aged four to 10 can be very enjoyable travel companions, as long as they’re occupied. Keep the younger ones amused on journeys by telling them stories and playing games’ departure date. In particular, check that your children’s passports have not expired – in the UK, they only last for five years.

on. With kids in tow, you’ll have to holiday at a much slower pace. Build d in dawdling time and understand that your plans might not suit your child’s mood some days.

Ages and stages

Accept that your children are going to be more tired. The journey itself, combined with disruption to normal sleep routines, tends to wear them out. So structure in regular meals and include time for reading or quiet play at your hotel, cottage or campsite every day.

Children aged four to 10 can make very enjoyable travel companions, as long as they’re occupied. Keep the younger ones amused on journeys by telling them stories, playing games, making up silly rhymes and singing.

Older kids enjoy keeping a travel diary and talking about the things they’d like to do. Holidaying with pre-teens and teenagers is a whole different ball game. They’re able to entertain themselves, which is good, but this can raise safety issues if they want to go off on their own.

A plus is that your evenings will be less restricted – you won’t be confined to your hotel after 7pm.

To keep kids amused during downtime, make sure they bring basic equipment such as pens, notebooks and cameras. Drawing, writing and taking photos works for children from five upwards. Older children will probably want to take

If you approach the journey with a spirit of adventure, and involve your children in the planning and problem solving, you may be surprised by how adaptable they are.

Your plans won’t always go as expected, of course, but then they never do with holidays, or with kids.

Brigitte Barta is co-ordinating author of Travel with Children (Lonely Planet, 5th edition, £12.99)

Family Time Summer 2011

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

FLYING made easy

The thought of travelling by plane with young children fills many parents with dread – but it is possible to make your journey less stressful…

Let’s face it – flying with children is never going to be top of anyone’s fun list. When you’re faced with delays, boredom, cramped seats, air sickness and baggage troubles, a plane ride can be a struggle for even the most laid-back parent.

Before you book For a smoother journey, consider carefully the day and time of your departure before you book your tickets – for example, midweek flights are generally quieter than those at weekends, so there won’t be so many people milling about the airport or on the plane.

If you’re travelling long-haul, a night flight could be the answer as the children should – with any luck – be asleep for quite a lot of the journey. Meanwhile, if your plane takes off during a meal time, you should get some peace and quiet for a while as the kids tuck in to whatever plane food is on offer.

Check-in When you arrive at check-in, consider asking for seats with extra leg room, particularly if your children are young. It means everyone can stretch out a little on a long flight.

Also ask whether the flight is full – your kids may be able to spread out to any neighbouring vacant seats.

Another idea is to ask whether you can sit near other families with young children, especially if you’re going on a long flight. That way, the kids can all entertain each other.

time for a last loo stop before you get on the plane.

On board If you’re normally quite strict on TV viewing times, relaxing your rules may give you a calmer flight, for at least a little while. Having your kids glued to the in-flight entertainment system as a one-off treat will help you through what could be a stressful flight, rather more peacefully.

The other bonus is that if they’re really noisy or start playing up, you won’t feel quite so concerned about upsetting nearby passengers. In this case, that old adage about safety in numbers is certainly true.

If you’re not sure that you approve of what will be showing – or your flight isn’t long enough to offer in-flight entertainment – consider bringing a portable DVD player to keep your kids busy. Make sure you’ve got enough batteries for the flight.

Don’t forget to leave lots of time at the airport to get to the gate. Kids get distracted, especially in a place like an exciting, bustling airport, and it’s a good idea to give everyone

Other activities are also important to keep them busy once the initial excitement of being on a plane has worn off. Get your kids to fill their own small backpack or Family Time Summer 2011

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

bag with belongings, such as stickers, games, colouring activities, magazines and small toys. You can also pack a new toy or puzzle book.

Try wrapping up the gift to add to the excitement, but you’ll need to keep one end unsealed so that you can show what’s inside to airport security. For more ideas, visit www. mytravelsurprise.co.uk – it sends out all purchases wrapped in cartoon wrapping paper with one end unsealed.

For a free treat, hide a few of the kids’ old and well-loved toys a few months before you go, wrap them up and then bring them out during the journey. Your kids will hopefully see them as a novelty, even though they are old favourites, and you’ll get a few minutes of peace and quiet.

The contents of your hand luggage are just as crucial for a peaceful journey. For a start, make sure everyone has a jumper – plane journeys can be on the chilly side.

Think about taking a change of

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www.familytime.co.uk

clothes, particularly for younger children, in case of accidents and spills. You’ll also need plenty of snacks and bottles of water.

Other useful items for your hand luggage are wipes for sticky fingers, plus a water spray and moisturiser.

The last two will keep everyone hydrated, and the spray will also add some extra fun for a while. If you have a child who suffers from travel sickness on aeroplanes, pack nappy bags to double up as sick bags.

Remember to buy items, such as drinks, water spray and moisturiser, after you’ve been through security checks – you are only allowed to take liquids of 100ml or less, in one transparent, resealable plastic bag.

This must not exceed one litre.

If all else fails, and your kids kick off, don’t panic. Remember, most of the passengers on that plane will know exactly what you’re going through – they’re likely to have flown with kids at some point too.

Why does flying give some kids earache?

That weird ear ‘pop’ we experience during flights is caused by pressure changes behind the eardrum. Normally the Eustachian tube – a passageway between the middle ear and the back of the throat behind the nose – equalizes this pressure change when we yawn or swallow, triggering that popping sound.

But in some children, the Eustachian tubes can be very narrow and may not function as effectively – especially if they’re suffering from a cold. For these kids, the higher air pressure pushes on the ear drum and can feel painful.

Remind your kids that they will feel a pressure on their ears when the plane takes off and lands, and that it’s perfectly normal. Help by giving them hard sweets to suck during take-off and landing, or gum to chew. You can also encourage them to yawn. Make sure your kids stay awake for take-off and landing – when we sleep, we don’t swallow as often, so it’s harder to keep the air pressure equalised in the middle ear.

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top tips

10

on bagging a bargain holiday Need a break, without breaking the bank? Try our tips on getting a good deal and keeping your costs low while away

1. Book your y holiday either early or late If you’re going ing for a package deal and have flexibility with your dates, don’t book till about two months before you would like to leave. Bargains will start to become available about eight weeks before the departure date, because the tour operators need to fill up seats and rooms or else they will lose money on the trip. You can delay booking until even later if you aren’t fussy on where or when you go.

However, if you’ve got a larger family, are restricted to school holidays or must travel on a certain day, you may be better off booking early. A lot of tours, hotels and airlines offer early bird special offers if you book nine months or more in advance.

3. Book your airport parking in advance You’ll pay over the odds if you turn up at the airport car park on the day of your flight without a pre-booking. But if you book in advance, you’ll get a better deal, especially if you choose an off-site parking offer which includes a courtesy shuttle bus to the airport. Also check your travel insurance for any special tie-in deals.

Visit www.airport-parking-shop.co.uk for more information.

2. Consider an allinclusive package Those all-inclusive packages may look more expensive at first glance, but they may offer a better deal.

As well as providing all your food and flights, these packages often include extras, such as car hire or activities for children, to keep them busy and give you a break.

4. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price Lots of travel agents sell the same tour packages so check out good offers with one, and then see if another agent will beat the price.

5. Pack light Most no-frills airlines charge extra for suitcases, so if you need to check in luggage, pay online in advance as you’ll be charged more at the airport.

Alternatively, try to fit what you need into hand luggage – most airlines entitle paying passengers, including children, to bring one piece of hand luggage into the cabin. If you can pack everything your family needs into hand luggage, you won’t have to pay to check in suitcases.

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Check out current deal prices beforehand on Teletext on your TV, or compare prices on travel websites, such as www.teletextholidays.co.uk, www.travelsupermarket.com, and www.traveladvisor.com.

Then call your travel agent and start haggling.

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6. Book your trip for the beginning or end of the summer holidays You’ll get a better price if you book your departure for the day after school finishes, or a week before the autumn term begins. You should beat the high season crowds too.

7. Don’t eat out too often Enjoying every meal in a restaurant while on holiday can really strain your wallet.

Some ways to cut down on this cost would include booking an all-inclusive trip, or a hotel with breakfast included, which will at least save you on one meal.

Kids will be happy to stop at the supermarket for lunch or take sandwiches to a park or beach for a picnic.

9. Avoid hiring a car Car hire is a major hidden cost when travelling, so if it’s not included in your holiday package, aim to stay in a small town or at a beach, making it easier to walk or take a bus to where you need to go. Alternatively, holiday in a major city and familiarise yourselves with the public transport system. Even if you take taxis from time to time, it should still end up cheaper than hiring a car.

8. Think about a house swap You don’t need to give up going on holiday if you’re short of cash – just arrange a house swap.

While you may be fed up of your house, other people will see it as an exciting place to stay while they get to know a new area.

Likewise, you can lounge about in a lovely home, hopefully with kid-friendly diversions, such as DVDs, as part of the package.

Apart from paying for travel costs to your holiday destination, the only other fees involved are membership of one of the house swap websites.

For more information, visit www.homelink.org.uk or www.homeforexchange. com.

10. Take a break from your mobile phone

Words: Kelly Hagen

If you’re going abroad, leaving your mobile phone at home means not paying, or worrying about, expensive roaming charges or international calling plans. Even in the EU, where costs are capped, it can cost 15p per minute to receive a phone call, while you can pay £1 a minute to make a call.

Instead, consider visiting internet cafés to access email or make Skype calls, or use a landline telephone instead.

If you can’t leave your phone at home, try to stick to text messages – they are free to receive anywhere in the world, but you’ll pay about 50p to send one message, so keep your communication brief.

Switch off expensive data roaming before you travel and instead use free wi-fi hotspots to check emails. Alternatively, ask your mobile operator about any special packages to cut the cost of phone calls when abroad.

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Fly high The usual lap belt attached to a plane seat may not keep kids up to the age of five safe in the event of an accident. If your child is a frequent flyer, consider the CARES aeroplane harness system, £79.99 (www.kidsflysafe.com).

Available from major retailers, e rs r , including in ncl c ud din ng Mothercare and Amazon.

Play zone This backpack for your child’s hand luggage unzips to reveal a safe play space for drawing, writing orr pl playing.

Content d draw dr raw w in ng, g w wri rriiti i ti ting ng o p ayy in ng. C on nte e ntt & Calm Traykit, Ca C a lm mT rayk ra yykk it, itt, £26.97 £2 26.

6 97 7 (www.traykit.com) ( www. w w w. ww w tray trrayy ki k i tt..c co om)) available iss a va a ililab ab b le e from f ro o m Sainsburys, S ain Sa iin nsb burys u r ys, ur yss, John Jo hn Jo Lewis, major L Le w is, wi s, Boots B Boo o otss and oo a nd nd other oth ther er m maj ajjorr rretailers. e ai et a ile aile e rs rs..

Puzzle time This travel trivia game is great for kids aged 12 years and older, and it won’t take all night to play. Smart Ass, £6.99, from WHSmith, Smyth Toys and Amazon.

Handy holiday helpers Gett the G th mos most out of your travels with these great holiday oliday lid b buys

Drive in style Take T Ta a ke ke tthe he e hassle out of your holidays with this th hiss ttravel ra av booster seat that doubles up as a rrucksack ru uc ckksa ac for your child’s treasures. It’s easy to o convert c on onve vve e and meets current safety standards kids fo for o r kki idss aged between four and 12. Trunki BoostApak, £44.99 (www.trunki.com).

Bo o os ostA ostA A

Sun shade S h d A sun tent will protect your kids’ skin on the beach or in the garden, while giving them a safe den to play, read, eat or sleep in. Tesco Family Pop-up UV Sunshade, £30 (www.tesco.com) comes in its own bag, has UV50 sun protection and is big enough for everyone.

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Travel bug Mosquito Milk Roll-on Insect Repellant, £6.49 (www.chemistdirect. co.uk) offers eight hours of protection against mosquitoes, biting ies, deer ies, ticks, black ies, sand ies and Scottish midge.

Building game This miniature building block game for kids aged eight plus (and grown-up kids too!) has taken Japan by storm.

Each set comes in its own resealable blister pack for easier travelling. Nanoblocks, from ÂŁ8.99 (www.nanoblockshop.com).

Help long journeys pass in a ash with these wipe-clean cards packed with crosswords, puzzles and other activities, aimed at kids aged ďŹ ve and over. Usborne’s 50 Things To Do On a Plane, ÂŁ5.99 (www.mytravelsurprise.co.uk). (w (www w ww w.m myt y trave ra avve e ls lsurpr urr pr pris iss e e..c co o.u u k) k)..

Boredom buster Bored This T Th iss ffun, u n family I-spy card game will help pass the time on un long car lo o ng gc a journeys. You score points by spotting objects, vehicles, ve e hi h cl c es e people and signs out of the window, and can play i tteams. in e m Are We There Yet? Travel Game is priced at ÂŁ7.99 ea (www.amazon.co.uk). (w w ww w.a a

Easier camping Ea

Carry Savlon Dry Antiseptic Spray, ÂŁ3.83, in your holiday holdall and you’ll have a handy ďŹ rst aid treatment, designed to prevent infection and aid natural healing. Available from Boots, supermarkets and independent pharmacies.

IIff grappling g with poles puts you off camping, check out this th i new pole-less tent. It takes just ďŹ ve minutes to pitch is – just ju peg it down and blow up the inatable beams. ju Vango V Va n AirBeam InďŹ nity, from ÂŁ490 for a family-sized four-person tent (www.vango.com).

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Stay s fe at the beach Heading to a beach with your family this summer? With so many people hitting the sand, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has issued guidelines to keep us all safe...

Choose a lifeguarded beach These are the safest beaches to use as you know that your safety is being carefully monitored. Check out www.goodbeachguide.co.uk to find your local beach with lifeguards.

2

Swim between the red and yellow flags

These flags are internationally recognised as marking the safest zone for swimming, bodyboarding and using inflatables.

Lifeguards use their knowledge and experience to place these flags away from rip currents and other hazards.

Read the local hazard signs

3

These are placed at the entrance to the beach, and identify key dangers to be aware of – for example, if the beach is prone to rip currents, or if it’s an area in which boats operate.

4

Check tide times before you go

These will help give you the times of high and low water. You can check tide times online, with a lifeguard, in the local newspaper, in local watersports shops or at the harbour master’s office. In some areas, tide times will be shown on signs near the beach entrance. Remember tide times can be very different within a small area.

Also check the weather forecast before setting out.

Never use inflatables in strong winds or rough seas Inflatable toys are best kept for swimming pools and not for use in the sea. Your child’s dinghy or rubber ring could get into trouble very quickly and even be swept out to sea. If used in the sea, you’re safest doing so at a lifeguarded beach, between the red and yellow flags.

6

If you get into trouble, stick your hand in the air and shout for help

Doing this helps people on the shore spot you more easily if you are struggling in the water, and is an easily recognisable signal for help.

7

If you see someone else in trouble, tell a lifeguard

If you can’t see a lifeguard, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard – but don’t enter the water yourself.

Family Time Summer 2011

| 97

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

Ever been baffled about the meaning of those flags flying at the beach? Read on to find out more

What do the WARNING FLAGS mean?

1 Red and yellow flags Flags which are half red and half yellow indicate the area patrolled by lifeguards. These are the safest areas to swim, bodyboard and use inflatables.

2 Red flag This means it is not safe to enter the water because conditions are too dangerous – perhaps because of rough seas, large swell or strong currents.

3 Orange wind sock The sock indicates that the wind is blowing out towards the sea, rather than from the sea towards the shore. Inflatable toys should never be used in the sea when the orange windsock is flying. This is because they are light-weight and can quickly and easily be swept out to sea, away from the shore, by even a light wind.

4 Black and white chequered flags These flags indicate an area zoned by lifeguards for use of watercraft, such as surfboards and kayaks. Never swim or bodyboard in these areas.

1

The RNLI’s guide to beach safety, On The Beach, is packed full of more advice on how to stay safe at the beach. It is available free-of-charge by emailing beachsafety@rnli.org.uk or calling 0800 328 0600.

For further practical advice and tips on how to stay safe, go to www.rnli.org.uk/beachsafety.

2

3 4 98 |

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

Annabel Croft A Former tennis star Annabel F C Croft has two daughters aged 13 a and 17, and a 15-year-old son.

“We’ve been going to the Algarve in “W Portugal for more than 20 years. It’s Po beautiful, the weather is fantastic, the bea people are really friendly, the food is fresh peo and there are lots of sports facilities. We tend to have a leisurely family breakfast before doing sports activities with the kids – usudoin ally ttennis or golf – and then hang out on the beach with a picnic.” beac Annabel is director of The Annabel Croft Tennis Annab Academy (in partnership with The Co-operative Acade Food) which inspires young people to lead an active lifestyle.

Ever wondered where the celebrities spend their family holidays? Now you can find out…

Alex Winters Alex Winters, a presenter on BBC’s CBeebies, has a son, two, and a daughter, four.

“Our favourite holiday destination at the moment is west Wales. We’ve tried caravanning (which my children found very exciting!) as well as hotels or B&Bs. There’s also a holiday retreat we love with childfriendly places nearby to visit, such as a hands-on farm and indoor swimming complex. Our children love activities, the beach, being outside and running around.”

Alex is a 'Families Ambassador' for Caudwell Children – a UK charity helping sick and disabled children.

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HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

Gail Porter Gail Porter is a TV presenter, and has an eight-year-old daughter.

“My daughter and I love holidaying in Scotland. We love it for the beautiful scenery, great culture and the amazing hospitality. We stay at a hotel and visit my father who lives on the east coast. We love nothing more than hiring a car and taking a road trip together along the coast, which gets quieter and quieter the further you drive.”

Gail is the face of Elias Superwipes.

Aldo Zilli Aldo Zilli is a celebrity chef and dad to a fiveyear-old son and a daughter, aged two.

“I love going to my home country, Italy. Children are welcome everywhere, in every restaurant, and I don’t feel embarrassed if they start crying and running around as all the other kids are doing it too. I don’t mind where we go in Italy, but one of my favourite places is the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples. When we’re away, we love going fishing. The kids really enjoy being on a boat out on the sea and it’s a great family day together.”

Experience Aldo’s famous Italian cuisine at his London restaurant, Zilli Fish.

Ed Miliband Labour leader Ed Miliband has two sons aged two years and six months.

“My family and I went on holiday to Cornwall last year. It has everything a young family need. We enjoyed the beautiful landscape, and the children love playing on the beaches and having fun at all the family attractions that Cornwall has to offer.”

A

maze

ing days out

Coming up with a continuous stream of ideas for fun family days out is no easy task. Nor is it all that easy to find something that impresses your brood.

We may have found a day out that fits the bill perfectly, and takes place over that long stretch of hard-to-fill summer holidays

Introducing the maize maze….

‘The what?’ we hear you cry. As the name suggests, it’s literally a maze created out of a large field of living maize plants. But it involves far more than turning left and right in a field of corn. The process that goes into making this special maze has been developing every year since its invention in the mid-nineties, at a farm in Pennsylvania, USA. Should that still not be enough to excite your kids, most maize mazes include extra puzzles, quizzes and treasure hunts. Perhaps the best point about this unusual activity is that each maze is unique, and the design even changes from year to year. And of course it’s an activity the whole family can take part in at the same time.

Where can I find one?

The mazes are found in a variety of locations throughout the UK, including leisure or country parks, and farmers’ fields. Maize mazes typically open in July once the maize plants have started to grow.

By September, the ‘maize maze season’ comes to a close and the plants are harvested for animal feed. So you really do have to catch them while you can.

Remember to plan a whole day out for your visit – as well as the main attraction, you may find further activities, including play areas, pedal go-karts, farm animals and tractor rides. Maize mazes usually offer some form of refreshments, and some have restaurants on site.

Looking for more great days out?

If you love this idea, and want to discover thousands more equally fantastic family days out, simply visit www.familytime.co.uk.

You’ll also find lots of inspiration for fun rainy day activities to do with your children at home.

DAYS OUT AND HOLIDAYS SAVE £££ ON FAMILY TRIPS AND HOLIDAYS WITH THESE VOUCHERS The cost of living may be rising, but we all know enjoyable time out together as a family is still important. With this in mind, we’ve brought together a fabulous range of vouchers that will help your money go that bit further while having fun as a family. From Austria to outdoor playgrounds, these vouchers will ensure no one misses out, including your wallet.

KIDS GO FREE

3 FOR 2

ON SUPERSAVER BOOKS

AT SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

BUY 3 SUPERSAVER BOOKS FOR THE PRICE OF 2 AND SAVE £9!

ONE FREE CHILD TICKET PER PAYING ADULT

BUY 3 SUPERSAVER BOOKS FOR £18 INSTEAD OF £27, SO YOU SAVE £9!!

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

2 FOR 1 ENTRY Buy 1 get 1

FREE See overleaf for

HOME OF THE UNBELIEVABLE!

MONKEY AROUND FOR PEANUTS!

50% OFF BABOONS

details

ZSL WHIPSNADE ZOO BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY ALONG FOR A BIG ADVENTURE TODAY Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

ONE FREE CHILD TICKET PER 2 PAYING ADULTS

(aged 10 to 15 years)

AT THE DEEP, HULL

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

Did you know?

Around 75 per cent of parents see days out together as one of the best ways to spend quality family time, according to research commissioned

by National Family Week. The same research shows that most kids wish they could go out more often as a family, but that the biggest barrier to spending more time together is lack of money.

For more ideas on great days out, visit www.familytime.co.uk.

3 FOR 2 ON SUPERSAVER BOOKSΑ BUY 3 SUPERSAVER BOOKS FOR THE PRICE OF 2 AND SAVE £9!

KIDS GO FREE AT SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE. ONE FREE CHILD TICKET PER PAYING ADULT.

BUY 3 SUPERSAVER BOOKS FOR £18 INSTEAD OF £27, SO YOU SAVE £9!!

WWW.THENEEDLES.CO.UK HOTLINE ON 0871 720 0022 Terms & Conditions: Subject to availability. Not in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Availability: 30 May – 5 June 2011 Terms & Conditions: Can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Voucher must be shown at time of purchase. Only one voucher per transaction. Restrictions may apply. Valid 01/05/11 to 31/10/11

2 FOR 1 ENTRY BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY ALONG FOR A BIG ADVENTURE TODAY. BRING THIS VOUCHER WITH YOU TO ENJOY TWO TICKETS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE AT ZSL WHIPSNADE ZOO. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 2LF, T: 01582 872171, zsl.org Terms and Conditions 1. One Adult or child is admitted free of charge when accompanied by a full paying adult. 2. Only 1 voucher to be used per transaction. 3. Vouchers are for single entry and must be surrendered upon entry of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. 4. The offer is obtained on presentation of a valid 241 voucher for ZSL Whipsnade Zoo only. 5. The offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount voucher, offer, third party payment method or concession rate offered by the attraction. e.g family or group rates or other special offers. 6. Photocopied, damaged or forged vouchers will not be accepted. 7. The voucher is valid from 23rd May to 22nd July 2011 Offer subject to normal attraction opening dates and times, unless otherwise stated. Please check opening and closing times with attraction prior to visit. 8. All information and prices are subject to change throughout the promotion.

9. The attraction reserves the right to refuse admission where these conditions have not been adhered to. 10. There is no cash alternative in lieu of using a 241 voucher to visit an attraction. 11. Exchange, re-sale of vouchers is strictly prohibited. 12. The attraction accepts no liability for lost or stolen vouchers. 13. The attraction reserves the right to withdraw, amend or replace the offer without prior notification 14. This offer is only available to walk up sales and can’t be used with internet bookings. 15.

Entry terms and conditions apply and managers decision is final

ONE FREE CHILD TICKET PER 2 PAYING ADULTS AT THE DEEP, HULL. PLEASE BRING THIS VOUCHER WITH YOU ON YOUR VISIT TO THE DEEP. Code Familytime31711

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Plus 25% off in Ripley’s Gift Shop

Terms and Conditions: Offer only valid upon purchase of a full adult Ultimate Explorer ticket with souvenir guidebook, (price £28.80) and on presentation of this voucher. Valid from 30th May 2011 – 5th June 2011. Valid for up to 6 people per transaction per voucher. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer including the Family ticket. Management reserves the right to refuse entry. 25% discount token for Ripley’s Gift Shop will be given at admissions, minimum spend £10.00.

Redemption: Please bring the voucher and hand it to admissions at the beginning of the transaction.

Availability: Valid from 30th May 2011 – 5th June 2011.

www.ripleyslondon.com

Piccadilly Circus, Exit 4

MONKEY AROUND FOR PEANUTS! 50% OFF BABOONS (AGED 10 TO 15 YEARS) AVAILABLE AT 26 UK ADVENTURES (EXCLUDES GO APE! WOBURN) TAKE A LOOK & BOOK AT GOAPE.CO.UK OR CALL 0845 643 9215 QUOTE: NFW011

Terms & Conditions: 1.The voucher entitles the holder to one free child ticket with the purchase of two full paying adult tickets (excluding online tickets). 2.The voucher is only valid once and must be surrendered at the ticket office 3.Photocopies will not be accepted 4.Not to be used with any other offer or discount 5.Valid until 31st July 2011 6. Not valid bank holiday weekends

Terms & Conditions: Offer valid for National Family Week Only, 30.05.2011 to 05.06.2011. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Terms and Conditions apply.

7 WILD DAYS AT WOBURN SAFARI PARK Meet the Wildlife for ONLY £12.95 per person with this voucher on these 7 dates:

7th June 10th June 13th June 20th June 1st July 4th July 11th July

Terms and conditions apply

J1320 WSP NPW voucher_April 2011.indd 1

KIDS GO FREE ONE FREE CHILD WITH EACH PAYING ADULT.

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

FREE CHILD WITH ADULT TICKET PURCHASED PURCHASED TO ONCE UPON A WARTIME AT IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM LONDON Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

Free child ticket with this voucher

Fantastic Family Holidays in the Alps with Free Childcare ht stay

7 nig ily of 4 in for a fam tel from ho ** a 4-star

495

1, 4 voucher_PWP family week voucher 09/05/2011 11:46 Pag PWP £ Family

5/3/11 12:17 PM

ONE CHILD GOES FREES WITH TWO PAYING ADULT WHEN YOU BRING THIS VOUCHER

WITH SO MUCH TO DO, YOU WON’T WANT TO LEAVE!

For more info visit pwpark.com

ED FROM SIGNPOST25 OF M25 N JUNCTIO

Paradise Wildlife Park, White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne, Herts, EN10 7QA

ONE FREE CHILD TICKET PER PAYING ADULT THE BEST OF BLACKPOOL: FEATURING AMAZING ACTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

free child ticket with this voucher

with a Full paying adult on combination tickets For mersey Ferries and spaceport/u-boat story

when accompanied by a full paying adult

www.merseyferries.co.uk

www.spaceport.org.uk

Terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

terms and conditions apply, see overleaf for details.

Relax this summer

while your youngsters have mountains of fun

Kinderhotels offer up to 60 HOURS a week of FREE CHILDCARE, from nurseries for babies as young as one week old, to activities for adventurous teenagers. Kinderhotels are set in beautiful Alpine countryside in top locations in Austria and all promise:

Present this voucher at the gate and get a wildly reduced price of £12.95 per person

• Fully-trained English speaking nannies • Free child supervision and a wide range of activity programmes for children • Free baby and toddler equipment • Hotels with treats for adults too!

• All meals included – no hidden extras • Free airport transfer (at destination) offered by selected hotels • Fantastic value for money: a 7 night stay for a family of 4 in a 4-star hotel starts from £1,495*

Terms & Conditions: This voucher is valid only for the dates overleaf in 2011 only. The voucher applies to everyone in your vehicle and one voucher will be accepted per vehicle. This voucher is not applicable for group visits (12 or more people in their party). Vouchers must be presented in paper format (not as a digital image) and photocopies will not be accepted. This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other voucher or promotion.

This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with online tickets or other discounted ticket offers. For more details about Woburn Safari Park visit www.woburn.co.uk/safari

*in selected for a family of 2 adults and 2 children under 12 09/05/2011 years of age.

PWP Familyhotels, voucher_PWP family week voucher 11:46 Page 2

The award winning Paradise Wildlife Park is signposted from junction 25 of the M25. The Park is easily accessible by train to Broxbourne mainline station.

Paradise also operates a courtesy mini bus service to and from the station.

PWP

A1

A10

M1

J24

M40

M25

J25

London

A121

KIDS GO FREE ONE FREE CHILD WITH EACH PAYING ADULT.

J1320 WSP NPW voucher_April 2011.indd 2

J26

5/3/11 12:17 PM

M25 Liverpool St

For more information visit us online Terms & Conditions: Valid until 30th June 2011 • Not valid on Bank Holidays • Entry valid one Child per voucher • This voucher must be presented on arrival • Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer • Cannot be re-sold or exchanged for monetary value • Defaced, photocopied, faxed or fraudulently obtained vouchers will not be accepted • The management of Paradise Wildlife Park reserves the right to refuse admission

CODE: FAM11

How to find us

Broxbourne

www.kinderhotels.co.uk Information hotline: 0845 0822 422

pwpark.com

FREE ENTRY TO JUNGLE JIM’S WITH A FULL PRICE TICKET TO THE BLACKPOOL TOWER CIRCUS. THE BEST OF BLACKPOOL: FEATURING AMAZING ACTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD www.theblackpooltower.com Terms & Conditions: This voucher entitles one child free entry to Jungle Jim’s when purchasing a full rate ticket to The Blackpool Tower Circus. This voucher is valid until 06/11/2011. Children must be accompanied by an adult to all The Blackpool Tower attractions. Please check show times before your visit. Entry to Jungle Jim’s must be redeemed on the same date as entry to The Circus. Voucher can only be used as stipulated and it cannot be exchanged for cash or used in any other way. Sale of the voucher for profit is prohibited.

Admission prices are subject to change. Voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or ticket, pre-paid ticket or combination ticket. Voucher must be presented upon entrance. Photocopies not accepted. Only one voucher per person and per transaction. For further information please visit; www.theblackpooltower.com REF: FamilyTime0511

Telephone number 0844 893 7938 www.national-aquarium.co.uk

Terms and conditions: One child (aged 5 to 15 years old) goes free if one adult ticket (£11.50) is purchased. Not valid with any other offer or discount. Offer expiries 31st March 2012. Entrance does include 4D cinema.

FREE CHILD WITH ADULT TICKET PURCHASED TO ONCE UPON A WARTIME AT IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM LONDON See the stories come to life in this dramatic exhibition. Free child (aged 15 and under) with every full-price adult ticket purchased to the Once Upon a Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children exhibition at Imperial War Museum London. Visit www.iwm.org.uk/wartime for further information on the exhibition and events programme.

Terms and conditions: Only valid on full-price adult tickets to the Once Upon A Wartime exhibition.

A child is aged 15 years and under. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. One voucher per transaction. Offer only valid on presentation of this voucher. Amended or defaced vouchers will not be accepted. Offer only valid for on-the-day tickets bought at Imperial War Museum London, not valid on advance purchase, online or telephone bookings. Offer valid until 30 September 2011.

free child ticket with this voucher when accompanied by a full paying adult

Free child ticket with this voucher with a Full paying adult on combination tickets For mersey Ferries and spaceport/u-boat story

nfw2011sp

nFw2011mF

terms and conditions: Offer available on Spaceport only tickets and combined Spaceport and Mersey Ferries’ River Explorer Cruise tickets. One child free with every full paying adult on presentation of this voucher. Offer not available on family tickets. Offer valid until 31/08/11.

Not to be used with any other offer.

Terms and conditions: Offer only available on combined River Explorer Cruise & Spaceport/U-boat Story tickets. One child free with every full paying adult on presentation of this voucher. Offer not available on family tickets. Offer valid until 31/08/11. Not to be used with any other offer.

FAMILY TIME PROMOTION

Bring your family to ours Bring your family to our five national museums across Scotland.

With special exhibitions, events and activities for all ages, we look forward to welcoming you.

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh National War Museum, Edinburgh Castle National Museum of Flight, East Lothian National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride National Museum of Costume, Dumfries ed form um Trans nal Muse o i t d Na otlan of Sc ns e re-op 2011

ly

29 Ju

0300 123 6789

www.nms.ac.uk

Hastings & 1066 Family Fun Historic Coast & Countryside

When it comes to having fun, 1066 Country is full of exciting adventures for the whole family.

With lots of things to see and do, now is a great time to get the family together in 1066 Country. Discover the past at Hastings Castle, 1066 Battle of Hastings, Abbey & Battlefield and Bodiam Castle. Become a pirate at the new adventure golf or have a lazy afternoon on Bexhill’s beach or the lovely sandy beach at Camber.

With many free of charge attractions plus lots of offers waiting for you at www.visit1066country.com/familyfun you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Why not sign up to our enewsletter to get monthly updates www.visit1066country.com/newsletter-signup Family Time Summer 2011 | 107

Battle • Bexhill • Hastings • Herstmonceux • Pevensey • Rye

1066 Country

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

Straight face This is a very simple game that will have everyone chuckling. Pick an amusing phrase for the child who is ‘it’, such as ‘my monkey’s tail’ or ‘my soggy swimming costume’. Next ask the child questions, such as “What do you brush your teeth with?” and “What do you like to eat for breakfast?” She must only answer with the phrase that has been selected.

If she laughs, it is someone else’s turn to be ‘it’ and the family chooses another phrase.

Word Games

The big sing-along Simply choose a song that everyone knows – whether it’s a charttopper, hymn or nursery rhyme – and take it in turns to each sing one word from the song.

It’s an easy and very entertaining game.

I packed in my suitcase This is a classic memory game which can be adapted to kids of all ages. The first player thinks of a word beginning with the letter ‘a’, for example, saying, “I packed my suitcase with an apple”. The next player repeats the sentence and adds something beginning with ‘b’ – for example, “I packed my suitcase with an apple and a banana.” Play continues with the list getting longer, until someone can’t remember or makes a mistake.

Keep going until there’s a clear winner, or you reach the end of the alphabet.

What am I? One player chooses a category from either object, person or place, and thinks of an interesting subject from that topic for the others to guess. The other players take turns asking questions that may help narrow down the possibilities – with only a yes or no answer allowed – until they guess correctly.

Observation games

So, what am I counting?

One player decides to count something outside but keeps what she’s counting a secret.

Ideas of what to count could include street lights, telegraph poles, blue signs, single-storey houses, red doors or white cars.

Whenever the object is passed, the player should count out loud, adding to their score. The other players have to guess what is being counted.

108 |

Car bingo The easy variation of car bingo, for younger kids, is that every player picks a different colour and then counts the number of cars of that colour that they drive past. The first person to spot 10 cars in their colour, shouts, “Bingo!”

For older children, draw up or print off from the web a bingo grid (five boxes wide by five boxes long.) Each player fills in a grid with any 25 numbers between one and 99. One car passenger then calls out numbers read off the last one or two numbers from car number plates, making a record of what is called at the same time. The first person to get a full row, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, should shout, “Bingo!”

Alphabet game Give the children a pencil and some paper each. Ask them to look out of the window to spot words beginning with each letter of the alphabet. For example, ‘a’ for aeroplane, ‘b’ for bus stop and ‘c’ for cat.

Unless you are passing the occasional zebra crossing, it might be best to forget about ‘z’.

The first child to complete her alphabet list is the winner.

Visit The Entertainer for a great range of toys & games

E V I S EXCLU

F F 0% O

1

ime T y l i m for Fa ers! read

Find your local store at TheToyShop.com/Stores Shop In-store!

10% OFF

Shop Online! TheToyShop.com Or Call! 0844 800 5100

TOYS & GAMES

TERMS & CONDITIONS Simply redeem this voucher at any Entertainer store or online at thetoyshop.com before 1st July 2011. Only one Voucher can be used in store at voucher may be redeemed per customer. One voucher per transaction. Photocopied vouchers The Entertainer or online at will not be accepted. Offer excludes the thetoyshop.com Voucher valid until 1st July 2011 purchase & use of gift vouchers,TP products or Online Discount Code: ‘NATFAM11’ Plum. Cannot be used in conjunction with any For till operator: discount reason code 07 other voucher or discount code. The Entertainer retains the right to withdraw the offer at anytime.

National Family Week READER OFFER

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

crafty on a

Get

RAINY DAY

Have you got a house full of kids who are bored because they’re cooped up indoors? Get them busy with these ideas for making and sticking using common household objects

1. MAKE A RAINBOW LIGHT What it is: This is actually a science experiment disguised as a craft activity. It will help budding scientists discover how light travels in water and air.

You’ll need: Black construction paper or card, a torch, sticky tape, a small mirror, white card and a clear plastic box.

What to do: Fill the box half-way with water. Next, cover the lighted end of the torch with the paper, cutting a small slit in the paper. Secure with sticky tape. Stand the mirror in the water so that it leans against the end of the box at an angle. Next, keeping the torch outside the box, shine the beam through the water onto the mirror. Position the white card in such a way that it will catch the beam of light reflected from the mirror, and your child should see a rainbow light.

3. BAGEL BIRD FEEDER

Suitable for: 7 to 10 years

2. AIR AND GRAVITY PAINTINGS

What it is: A bird feeder that’s easy enough even for the youngest children to make, with a bit of help of course.

What it is: An offbeat – but slightly messy – way for your child to make a masterpiece.

You’ll need: Half a bagel, string, bird seed, scissors, peanut butter and treacle.

You’ll need: Straws, paint, paper, ping pong ball or marble, plastic tray.

What to do: Place a piece of paper in the middle of a tray and drop large splotches of paint onto the paper. Blow through a straw onto the paint to see the pattern formation on the paper. You can also try blowing a ping pong ball or rolling a marble along the paint-covered paper.

What to do: Tie a length of string around a bagel. In a bowl, mix treacle and peanut butter together, and spread generously all over the bagel so that it is completely covered. Pour some bird seed on to a plate and press the bagel into the bird seed until entirely coated. Tie string around it so that you can hang it up.

Next ask your child to pick a place in the garden to hang their creation. Once it’s hung, go back indoors to watch the birds nibbling the treat.

Suitable for: 4 to 6 years

Suitable for: 4 to 8 years

110 |

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OUT

4. BLUE JEAN PURSE What it is: A perfect sewing project for beginners.

You’ll need: A pair of old jeans, a sewing kit, string and materials to decorate.

What to do: Cut off a 30 centimetre portion of the bottom of a jean leg, measuring the portion from the bottom seam up. Turn this strip inside out and sew the cut edge closed. Turn it back the right way round, forming a pouch. Sew on beads and sequins as desired. Fold the bottom jean seam over the top of the pouch, making a flap. Sew a loop of string on the flap, in between the folded jean seam. Sew a button where the loop falls on the body of the pouch.

Suitable for: 10 to 14 years

6. MAKE YOUR OWN PLAY DOUGH What it is: A recipe that a child can mix themselves, and then add texture, colour and scent.

You’ll need: Peanut butter, powdered milk, honey and porridge oats for the basic recipe.

What to do: In a large bowl, stir in equal parts of the above ingredients. If your kids would like more texture, try mixing in coloured rice, available from craft stores, or sand, salt, porridge oats or coffee grounds. For colour, add a few drops of food colouring and glitter. If your child prefers a scented play dough, stir in a drop or two of vanilla extract or peppermint oil.

Suitable for: 4 to 6 years

5. LIGHTED LAMPSHADES What it is: Innovative lampshades that make your room sparkle with light.

You’ll need: Coloured paper, stamps, a drawing pin, craft foam/flower-arranging oasis, white lampshade, tape or glue, stampers and white ink pad.

What to do: Cut a piece of coloured paper to fit the white lampshade. Keep the paper a bit longer in order to tape the overlapping edges together in the end. With stamps and ink, print designs on your lampshade. The high contrast between white ink and paper works well with the following designs: night sky themes (stars, planes, clouds on dark blue), firework themes (splashes of colour and stars on black) and garden themes (flowers, leaves, bugs on dark green). But don’t feel limited by these suggestions— feel free to invent your own. After the paper is printed, place it on top of a piece of craft foam. Using the drawing pin, make holes around all the designs. The more holes, the better the final effect on the lampshade.

When finished, wrap the paper around the shade and tape together. Turn on the light and see your design (and your room) glimmer.

7. PAPER BEADS What it is: Recyclable fashion jewellery that girls especially should enjoy making.

You’ll need: Old newspapers/ magazines, scissors, glue, a pencil and string.

What to do: Cut the paper into long triangle shapes, 10cm long by 2cm wide, choosing colours that you like. Apply glue to the pointed end of the triangle. Start wrapping the wide end of the first triangular shape tightly around a pencil, continuing until all the paper is wound. Make sure that the pointed end secures firmly, using more glue if necessary. Once the paper is dried, take it off the pencil. You should end up with a thick oval-shaped bead. Make the beads into bracelets, necklaces, rings or headbands.

Suitable for: 7 to 14 years

Suitable for: 7 to 10 years Family Time Summer 2011 | 111

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

10. BOOK SAFE

www.familytime.co.uk

8. SLITHERING SNAKE What it is: Make a fearsome or friendly creature with little more than paper rolls.

You’ll need: Red ribbon, paper rolls, coloured paper, marker pens, wiggly eyes, glue, scissors, tape, hole puncher and string.

What to do: Cut toilet paper rolls into half (and paper towel rolls into six pieces). You will need seven or more pieces. Tape coloured paper around each roll to your own design. Using the hole puncher, punch a hole into the front and back of all the rolls except two. Leave these last two with only one hole – these will be the head and tail pieces.

Glue the wiggly eyes on to the head piece. Using string, tie the rolls together loosely so that the snake can slither. Tape a scrap of red ribbon to the front of the head piece for a tongue. Tie a longer string on the back or front of the snake if you would like to turn it into a pull-along toy.

Suitable for: 4 to 6 years

9. BLACK-OUT STORY What it is: An unusual way to encourage your child to write a story or poem.

You’ll need: A newspaper or magazine and a black felt tip pen.

What to do: Select a word-heavy page from a newspaper or magazine. Cut out a quarter or half of the page to focus on, and then skim-read for words or phrases that pop out. Next, compose a story or poem using the useful words and phrases, blacking out with a pen anything not needed.

Suitable for: 10 to 14 years 112 |

You’ll need: A hard-covered book (at least 4 cm thick) that you don’t need any more, a craft knife, felt, ribbon, glue, ruler and a pencil.

What to do: Open the book to page 20 or so. Use an elastic band to attach these first few pages to the front cover to keep them out of the way. Take a ruler and a pencil and make a rectangle on the next page, leaving a 1.5cm margin between your rectangle outline and the outer edge of the book.

Glue the last page to the back cover of the book.

Glue every other page down below the rectangle as well, but only at the page corners. Let the book dry and stack other books on top of it during the drying process to prevent wrinkling. Once the book has dried, turn to the page with the rectangle traced on it. Cut out the rectangle with a craft knife down to the last few pages, but don’t cut all the way through the book. Line the sides and bottom of the empty rectangle space with felt and glue down. Add a ribbon on either edge of the book to tie it and keep it closed.

Suitable for: 11 to 14 years

11. THE MAGNETIC ALPHABET What it is: Fun magnets that let you showcase your creativity and wit on the fridge.

You’ll need: Magnet sheets, colourful cuttings from magazines, fabric scraps, scissors, pencil, glue, craft knife.

What to do: Arrange and glue magazine and fabric scraps to the magnet surface. Get creative with the logos, textures, patterns and colours. Once the magnet sheet is dry, trace out letters onto the material, making sure you include lots of vowels.

Cut out the letters with scissors and trim with a craft knife. Stick them on the fridge and see how many words your child can make.

Suitable for: 11 to 14 years

Words by Kelly Hagen, illustrations by Viki Haemmerle

If you like these ideas, check out hundreds more on our website

What it is: A great way to stow precious keepsakes and other valuable items. Put it on the top shelf in your room and locker and keep your secret treasures safe.

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ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

Get your kids stuck into a book Research shows a link between parents’ support with reading and children’s ability to read. Here are some practical and easy solutions to help your family get in the habit, says Reading For Life

Make sure your child squeezes in some reading every day Everyone leads busy lives, but don’t be hard on yourself if there isn’t much time to spend sitting down, reading with your child.

Instead try incorporating reading into your daily chores – children love helping and they won’t even realise that they’re practising their reading. For example, at the supermarket, encourage your child to read out the shopping list. Put your child in charge of ordering the food from a restaurant or café menu, and in the car or bus on the way home, she can read out road signs. When you’re cooking, ask one of your kids to read out the recipe for the cake you’re baking or the lasagne you’re making for dinner.

If you’re out at work during the day, try leaving notes for your kids to read later.

Younger children will love to hear you read their favourite story to them down the phone. Meanwhile, pop some books or magazines in your bag, just in case you have some free time the next time you’re out together, for example, while waiting for a doctor’s appointment.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on books Don’t worry, just stock your shelves every week with a visit to your local library. If you’re not already members, sign up the whole family. You can also take advantage of the free internet available there. Ask the librarian about 114 |

the latest children’s books, or where to find books that tap into your kid’s interests.

For more free reads, don’t underestimate what you have lying around the house. Your child could read out practical information from a car manual, or peruse free leaflets you have been given, like school newsletters and holiday brochures.

Jumble sales, car boot sales and school fairs are great ways to get hold of cheap books.

Reading on the web The internet gives you access to lots more reading opportunities. Most of the material is free, and ranges from poems and children’s news to games and stories. Interactive computer games may be helpful for enhancing your child’s problem-solving skills, while adventure games often have a storyline to read.

Boost communication skills While reading is important, it’s also crucial to talk and listen to your child.

Speaking and listening skills are often overlooked in favour of reading and writing, but all four skills provide the building blocks to communication.

Without strong communication skills, children are more likely to struggle with the written word.

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

So keep talking to your child, ask her questions and listen carefully to the answer so that she thinks she’s interesting and wants to communicate further. One of the easiest ways to do this is to ask about her school day.

cereal or 10 characters from a favourite TV show. This is a great activity for long car journeys.

Another tactic to develop talking and listening skills is to play a word game, like ‘quick fire 10’, in which you name 10 types of breakfast

Think about what really interests your kids – one surefire way to encourage a reluctant child is to give her reading material that

For more tips and advice about how you can encourage your child to read for pleasure, visit www.readingforlife.org.uk.

But my children aren’t really interested in reading

In 2011, The National Year Of Communication, Reading for Life is working closely with the Hello campaign.

feeds her passion. So if your kid is a football or tennis fanatic, for example, encourage her to read the sports pages of the newspaper or a specialist magazine. Direct a child who loves animals to websites about different dog breeds. Finally, learn to enjoy reading yourself. If you are a reading role model, you let your children know that you think it’s cool. It won’t be long before they love reading too.

Visit www.hello.org.uk for further information and free resources to support and develop your child’s communication development.

Family Time Summer 2011 | 115

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

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How Rocket Learnt to Read

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by Tad Hills Boxer Books, ÂŁ6.99 Ages: 4 plus Just released

The Wrong Pong

by Steven Butler PufďŹ n, ÂŁ5.99 Ages: 6 plus Just released Young Neville Brisket wakes up from a nightmare to ďŹ nd his room a mess and his dog sitting in his laundry basket. He is then whisked to another world through the toilet. In this new world, Neville is the member of a disgusting troll family and must ďŹ nd someone to help him get back to his real family through some very messy adventures.

This beautifully designed book is the creation of Tad Hills, the New York Times best-selling author and illustrator. He is well-known for his Duck and Goose picture book series. Kids who are learning to read will understand exactly what Rocket is going through.

Steven Butler brings families a story reminiscent of Horrid Henry favourites and Roald Dahl’s masterpieces. Through vivid illustrations and a hilarious storyline, families will be both grossed-out and highly entertained.

Books we l ve Get your kids reading this summer with these latest books to hit bookstores and libraries

Storm Singing and Other Tangled Tasks

by Lari Don Floris Books, ÂŁ5.99 Ages: 8 plus Release: June 16 A girl named Helen and her animal friends help an Irish mermaid win a singing contest, but the prize leads to an adventure. In a series of challenges, Rona, the mermaid, must defeat her competitors and also save the entire sea from possible war. This imaginative story will keep kids gripped.

Writer Lari Don won the 2009 Royal Mail Award for her book, First Aid for Fairies. Her book, Rocking Horse War, won the 2010 Kelpies Prize and was celebrated at the Edinburgh International Book Festival last August. Storm Singing promises to be another literary gem.

116 |

Operation Black Cobra

by Ilka Remes Andersen Press, £6.99 Ages: 12 plus Release: June 2 When Luke tries to buy a fake driver’s licence online, he gets more than he bargained for. In an attempt to protect the girl who was selling him the licence, he gets mixed up with her criminal dad and a plot to attack a nuclear convoy.

He must ďŹ nd out how to stop the attack, before a catastrophe sweeps across London and the rest of the world.

The novel navigates skilfully between high adventure and sensitivity – with a touch of romance thrown in – exploring what it means to step out of your comfort zone while staying true to a friend. This novel is the second instalment in the action-packed crime series written by popular Finnish author Ilka Remes, who has sold more than two million books worldwide.

Words: Kelly Hagen

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Rocket the puppy isn’t the least bit interested in reading – that is until a determined little yellow bird decides to teach him the alphabet. Together they explore the glorious world of imagination and reading, one letter at a time.

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Family Time Summer 2011 | 117

ENTERTAINING NTERTAINING THE KIDS

s ’ t I ! e tim

e i v o m

at o u r s ev i e y n i ow n s mo et t l e de c h il d r e n’ et hing s , n r opco ’s som gh th your plook t h rou m e r. T h e r e b a r G sum ke a a n d t a e s fo r t h i s e releasfor eve r yon here Horrid Henry: The Movie

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 In the second best-selling children’s book series (after Harry Potter), Henry is back to his terrible antics in the classroom and at home in this film, as he continues his ongoing war against ‘the tyranny of adults’. The movie, starring Anjelica Huston and Richard E Grant, is released in 3D on July 29.

Kung Fu Panda 2 In this final installation of JK Rowling’s masterpiece, Harry, Ron and Hermione hunt for the remaining Horcruxes and eventually battle Lord Voldemort in the final face-off at Hogwarts. Starring all the usual suspects, it’s the only one of the series to be released in 3D, and is a must-see for the bigger kids in the family. Released on July 15.

Our favourite kung-fu students are now kung-fu masters, and they just might have met their match.

The evil Chinese emperor Lord Shen, voiced by Gary Oldman, threatens everything they have learned. Po (Jack Black) is forced to confront his past. Angelina Jolie is another famous name in the voice cast. Released on June 10.

118 |

ENTERTAINING THE KIDS

The Smurfs

Snuggle down together

The original television show is re-invented in 3D, with voiceovers

by Katy Perry and George Lopez. Pursued by an evil wizard, the Smurfs flee their medieval village, wander through the forest, and find themselves transported in time and space to modern day New York. They must get back to their village before the wizard catches up with them. Catch it from August 10.

Cars 2

© 2011 Disney

on your sofa with one of these latest DVD releases

Tangled We all know the story of Rapunzel, but in Disney’s movie, she has a mind of her own. Determined to see the outside world, she leaves her home with the help of a somewhat-trustworthy thief named Flynn. In this tale of drama, passion and discovery, Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) grows into a determined woman who is not afraid to pursue her dreams.

DVD released on May 23.

Best buddies Lightning McQueen, voiced by Owen Wilson, and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), are competing in the World Grand Prix. While McQueen competes for the title of “Fastest Car in the World”, Mater finds himself involved in international espionage in Europe and Japan. Watch out for Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), a British secret agent who closely resembles James Bond’s Aston Martin. In cinemas in 3D from July 22.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins Yogi Bear

Words: Kelly Hagen

Yogi Bear, voiced by Dan Aykroyd, and Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake) are two brown bears who live in Jellystone National Park. They must save their home when it’s threatened by loggers and a money-hungry mayor. The bears and rangers arrange a festival to raise money for the park, and adventure ensues.

DVD released on June 27.

Mr. Popper, played by Jim Carrey, is a high-powered businessman living in New York. He inherits six penguins and his life transforms as he learns the true importance of family and friendships. The film is based on the 1938 children’s book by Richard and Florence Atwater, but promises to be a modern take on the classic. Also starring Angela Lansbury, the film is in cinemas from August 5.

Family Time Summer 2011 | 119

CHILDREN’S PAGES

LazyTown’s Sportacus talks about what time he gets up and what it’s like being a superhero What time do you get up in the morning and go to bed?

I get up at 8.08 am and I go to bed at 8.08 pm. I need a good 12 hours sleep because I’m so active all day and need the energy. I love my bed and sleep really well.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

When I wake up, I like to do six star-jumps and six press-ups, and then I eat my breakfast before cleaning my teeth. That’s a really good way to start the day.

What is your favourite form of exercise?

I like most exercise, because I like to be active. Sometimes I like running on my own especially when the sun is shining, and other times I like playing football with my friends.

Have you ever had an accident or fallen down?

Sometimes when I practice I have fallen down, but luckily I have never hurt myself.

The secret when you start any new exercise is to go slowly at first and take care, and practice until you become good at what you are trying to do. That way, you’re less likely to hurt yourself.

120 |

Are you scared of anything?

Not really. If you are fit and nd healthy, then you don’t need to be scared of much. uch.

When I was a child I wass scared of spiders because se of the way they could move ove so fast, but when I saw what an amazing job they did of making a web, and how beautiful they were, I stopped being scared.

How can a child become me a superhero like you when they grow ow up?

Every child can be a superhero perhero if they choos choose se to, just by being the bestt they can be. That means finding something g you enjoy doing and giving it your best, whether that’s doing star jumps or learning to swim. Or even just by being kind to your friends, e nds, or helping your mum. It also helps if you choose c oose a healthy ch lifestyle, with lots of sports candy, rts c andy, sleep and exercise – because being g a ssuperhero u erhero takes up energy, and that’s the way stay ay to st a fit and ready for action.

What do you like to do o to relax at the end of the day? Do you watch atch any television?

Mostly I just go to sleep! But I like to see myy friends, and talk to them and make plans for the fun we can have together. My airship does have a television, but most of the time I’m out and about with my friends and I only really spend time there to o sleep.

CHILDREN’S PAGES

Do you have a kitchen on your yo airship so that you can cook your dinner, or do you eat it somewhere else?

There is a small pop-out kitche kitchen on the airship, behind panels, but I don’t use it one of the e vvoice-activated pane much. Although Althou u gh g I always have llots of fresh sports candy and milk, milkk, fresh fruit juice and water to drink in the fridge.

What do you like to eat for breakfast? b Breakfast is a really important impo portant meal. My favourite is porridge, but sometimes I have a boiled egg and toast, fruit and I always have some fru uit to eat, too – whether that’s blueberries b ueberries on my cereal, orr a banana. For dinner, I like bl to o share s hare a meal with friends, and a n my favourite would be salmon, salm mon, rice and broccoli.

Which is your favourite sports candy?

I always enjoy apples, apple but it depends partly pa y on my mood and what I feel like eating atin ng sometimes I – so sometime choose carro carrots,, orr melon, or grapes. gra es.

What’s great about bou ut sports candy is the e choice – there is i so much to choose from om so it’s easy to get your y ur 5-a-day 5– and it’s all rreally allyy good goo od for you.

Is there any sports candy that t at you don’t like?

The sports sp candy I only eat onc once in a w while hile is turnip, which isn’t myy favourite! fav vourite!

What is your favourite colou colour? ?

I would have to say that my my favourite fav urite colour is definitely blue.

Do you like Robbie Rotten?

I would like Robbie e Rotten if on only he trying kids to be lazy and would stop tryin ng to get the kid doesn’t try to get you eat sweets. A real friend doesn something to do some ething that is bad for you, ou, so I don’t like it wh when he does these things. thing .

Who is your best friend in La LazyTown? yTown?

All the kids in LazyTown – Trixie Trixie, Pixel, Stingy and Ziggy – are my best friends, riends, and Stephanie, too.

Family Time Summer 2011 | 121 F

CHILDREN’S PAGES

How well do you know you r family?

T h is fu n q u iz w il l te s t yo u o n O n c e yo u h ow we ll h ave fi n is yo u k n ow h e d a n sw c h e c k yo yo u r fa m e ri n g th e u r a n swe il y. q u e s ti o n rs w it h yo s o n yo u r u r p a re n ts ow n , and add u p yo u r s c o re.

1.

01

Who is the tallest in your family?

Dad Mum Your brother/sister You

02

How old is your dad?

Between 21 and 30 years old Between 31 and 40 years old Between 41 and 50 years old More than 51 years old

03

What kind of music does your dad like?

Rock Classical Pop He doesn’t listen to music

05

How many siblings does your dad have?

Nought to two Three or four Five or six More than seven

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How long have your parents been together?

Less than 10 years Between 10 and 20 years Between 20 and 30 years More than 30 years

07

What is your mum’s favourite room in your house?

Her bedroom The living room The bathroom Another room

What colour are your mum’s eyes?

Green Brown Blue Something else

04

06

08

What does your dad like to watch the most on television?

Sport Films The news Documentaries

09

Who does the most housework in your family?

Dad Mum You What housework?

10

Which of these meals would your dad rather eat?

Roast dinner with all the trimmings Curry and rice A breakfast fry-up A healthy salad

11

Who can run faster in your family?

Mum Dad Your brother/sister You

12

How long has your family lived in your home?

Less than five years Between five and 10 years Between 10 and 20 years More than 20 years

13

What does your mum eat for breakfast?

Cereal Toast Porridge Something else e

CHILDREN’S PAGES

14

Which season does your mum love the most?

15

What would your parents buy if they won a million pounds?

Spring Summer Autumn Winter

16

What is your dad’s favourite colour?

How many did you get right?

0 to 5: Try to spend more time talking to your family. Getting to know them is very important. Not only will it help you to better understand the people who are around you, but it will help you to understand yourself as well – relationships with our family help shape us as people.

6 to 10: Not bad, but maybe

17

What is your mum’s all-time favourite book?

18

Which is your dad’s best-loved film?

Words: Oliver Holden-Rea

19

2 20

How did your mum and dad first meet?

What kind of pet did your mum have as child?

you should ask your family more questions when at home, or simply spend more time with them. Try suggesting ideas for days out together, such as to the park or a museum, or just make sure you sit down to dinner together more often.

11 to 15: Good, but you don’t quite know everything.

You could try and find out why your family answered the questions in that way. Start by asking your dad why he likes that particular type of TV programme or about your mum’s favourite book. You might find out something you didn’t know.

16 to 20: Very well done, you have clearly been talking to your family a lot and listening carefully to what they say. Keep up the conversations and family activities. It’s clear that you know your family very well indeed.

Family Time Summer 2011 | 123

CHILDREN’S PAGES

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Colour me in

Join the dots

CHILDREN’S PAGES

© 2011 Disney. All rights reserved.

Family Time Summer 2011 | 125

CHILDREN’S PAGES

126 | www.familytime.co.uk

Colour me in

Illustration by Dan Hallett http://danhallett.blogspot.com

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CHILDREN’S PAGES

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Cut me out

Try these puzzles

CHILDREN’S PAGES

Fire & Rescue puzzles F

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Search & rescue the words FIRE

SMOKE ALARMS

FLAMES

TEST

SMOKE

RESCUE

BATTERY

ESCAPE PLAN

HEAT

OXYGEN

LADDER

FIREFIGHTER

SAFETY

WATER

A R M S

Can you find two escape routes from this maze?

outes from this maze

ase of fire you should k out two ways to ape from each room in r home, and practice se with your family.

ere is a fire in your me remember: Sta

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aise the alarm et out ay out all 999 - Fire Service

Family Time Summer 2011 | 129

CHILDREN’S PAGES

Colour me in

says never play with matches

say w 130 |

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