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  • Reasons to be cheerful!

    Saturday 14 August 2010

    Categories: Education, Family Relationships, Parenting, Teenagers

    Part 1: It’s official – lavishing love and affection on our babies is good for them. Researchers have discovered that hugs, kisses and declarations of love rub off onto children so that they grow up to be more emotionally resilient and better able to form secure emotional attachments. An affectionate mother’s warmth creates children with strong social skills who can handle distress. Specifically, children of “warm” mothers were far better at dealing with anxiety than those of emotionally cold mothers.
    Of course it’s important to know when enough is enough – smothering mothering can be damaging. Researchers also warn about embarrassing your children but personally I think it’s very character-forming, whatever my daughters say!
    Daily Mail 26 July

    Part 2: Surprise, surprise – most people think teenagers are friendly and respectful, hardworking and clever according to a recent poll. Very different to the stereotypical surly, knife-carrying, alcohol-fuelled yobs of the mass media. This is another reason to be kind to your home-grown one and permit the occasional lie-in; another piece of research shows they really do need it as their brains and their bodies are undergoing such massive changes.
    While it is reassuring to learn that most adolescents are delightful, remember that whatever behaviour your beloved offspring is currently demonstrating it is, to quote my mother, “only a phase”. And that is true whether she is in Little Miss Perfect mode or mimicking a hormonal Hellcat. It will pass.
    Metro/Harris interactive poll 1 August

    Part 3: Sisters are A Good Thing. Whatever Just William believed, having a sister is good for your health. No matter whether she is older or younger or quite distant in age, a sister protects against negative feelings such as depression, loneliness and fear. Research shows that this is because girls are better at talking about problems and take on a care-giving role.
    Even sibling squabbles can bring benefits: fights give children a chance to learn how to make up and how to control their emotions, both of which girls can teach their brothers a thing or two about.
    And don’t mention Violet Elizabeth Bott – she was an only child.
    Metro 2 August

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