Blog List

Facebook has eased privacy rules for teen users, allowing 13 to 17-year-olds to post updates that can be seen by anyone. Currently, posts by users in this age range can only be seen by friends or ‘friends of friends’. The move comes at a time when cyber bullying and its horrific consequences are making headlines, resulting in calls for more protection for children and adolescents online...

TV cook and Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry is calling for all children to be taught how to cook in schools. The baking legend says pupils should be shown 'what's good for them, how to buy it and how to make a few dishes that they enjoy and don't cost too much'. She says schools need to step away from the science side of cooking and that every child should leave school with...

Late or irregular bedtimes have been found to cause problems for children. The study, which excluded children with ADHD, Asperger syndrome and autism, found kids with late or irregular bedtimes displayed hyperactivity, behavioural problems, emotional difficulties and problems with peers as they got older. However, the research conducted at University College London also found that children who...

A number of Irish primary schools have been reaping the rewards of meditation time for students. Children are using it in the school yard during moments of conflict and other pupils say it has helped them ward off nervousness during exams. Teachers have noted the improvement in children’s concentration and say it has worked as an anger-management strategy. One principal even said meditation...

Heidi Klum says she believes parents rely too much on television to entertain their children. The model admits she’s banned her own kids from watching TV for long periods and encourages them to play outside as much as possible. Heidi says; “I’m old-fashioned, and I feel like technology ran away with everything. I don’t believe in setting your kids in front of something, always. I think...

A new study has found one in five songs in the UK Top Ten is glamorising alcohol. Today’s music is more likely to glorify drinking than songs from ten years ago and researchers warn that chart music could be encouraging children to drink. Many songs link alcohol with confidence, socialising or attractiveness rather than with hangovers and health problems. Researchers are calling for warning...

Nearly one in five parents say a school league table has influenced where they chose to live. New research has found almost one-quarter of UK parents with school children would be prepared to pay 2-10% more for a new home in the catchment area of a good state school. And while the link between high house prices and good school catchment areas is already know, this study found parents are making...

With a rise in the number of smartphones and tablets being used, free online games have become increasingly popular for children. However a new report has found some of these games have been pressuring children into buying extra features through in-app purchases. Many of these games come with the option of buying additional content and a new study by the Office of Fair Trading in Britain has found...

Caffeine could be preventing your child’s brain from developing properly. Swiss scientists say caffeine present in fizzy drinks and coffee are preventing adolescents from falling into a deep sleep – an incredibly important time for brain development. With teens’ caffeine consumption rising 70% in just 30 years, there are worries about the effects of caffeinated drinks on teens, with problems...

Schools will be given guidelines on how to monitor children’s happiness levels under a new public health initiative. While teachers will be encouraged to take note of the effect school activities and extra-curriculars have on children’s emotional state, parents will be taught to create stable home environments. The initiative aims to create good relationships between teens and the adults who...