Family

Advice, tips and lifetsyle features aimed at parents, children and families.

Trio create firm to protect our loved ones after we are gone

Three businessmen who met while playing table football competitively have set up a firm to help protect our loved ones after we are gone.

Richard Thomson, Ben Mason and Tom King have combined their skills to create end-of-life planning firm kinherit – to ensure final wishes are carried out.

The team offers complex trust and will-writing services, coordinated handovers after...

woman-labour-pushing-birth-obstetricians-spouse

Read this if you are worried about what might happen during labour

I’m pregnant with my first baby, and as the birth gets closer I’m worried about things that might happen during labour – am I likely to scream or swear a lot, and will I poo as I push? What if I just can’t push enough? Are these common worries?

Midwife Marie Louise, a hypnobirthing teacher and author of the new book The Modern Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond (Vermilion...

Ten fragrant gardening gifts for Mothers

So many plants offer fantastic scents – the sweet headiness of lily-of-the-valley in spring, the strong perfume of roses, mock orange and lilies through summer.

From shrubs whose scent is carried in the wind and can be enjoyed out on the patio, to houseplants that fill a room with fragrance, along with scented balms, oils and candles aimed at gardeners, your mum can inhale the joy of...

Seven ways to lift up other women in your workplace

Let’s face it, even on the best of days the workplace can feel like a testosterone-filled, dog-eat-dog environment, and if you’re a woman that’s just starting out on the ladder or struggling to get the recognition you deserve for your work, it can be a pretty frustrating place to be.

The impact of women supporting other women can make a big difference to workplace culture though; it...

Paddington Bear with Window Cleaning Bucket. Family. Culture (StudioCanal/Jay Maidment/PA)

Nine of the best family films to watch this Easter

We might not be able to head out on giant Easter egg hunts or book a table for the whole family at our favourite restaurant, but settling down with a punnet of popcorn and watching a film together whilst we’ve all got some time off, is definitely still achievable.

Get the kids to design tickets, draw the curtains and ready the snacks – then screen one of these classics from your...

Happy toddler with cerebral palsy in his father's arms

My baby has a disability – how will this affect our family life and how do we adjust?

I’ve just found out my baby’s got cerebral palsy and I’m devastated that I’ll probably have to spend the rest of my life caring for her. Is there any hope that my partner and I can lead a normal life with our daughter?

Sera Johnston https://serajohnston.com is a health and mindset coach who specialises in supporting parents of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, and...

When should you let your kids wear make-up?

At what age should you let kids start wearing make-up?

Parents have been saying that for decades – but in 2020, when kids are so grown-up they’re leading the climate change movement, running a hectic social life and constantly surrounded by imagery on TV, social media and the internet, wanting to look a certain way can start seeming important at a young age.

I’m a fan of fashion and beauty, but I’m also keen on slobbing around in my...

Food writer Jack Monroe has the most genius way of getting her son to eat (almost) everything

Even if you’re the kind of person who will try everything from offal to deep-fried Mars bars, that doesn’t necessarily mean your children will be the same.

Most kids spend years being fussy about what they eat, and that can be an uphill battle for parents.

However, dinner time doesn’t always have to be a struggle, food writer Jack Monroe has learned. In fact, she’s developed...

What is the best way to help my baby learn to talk?

My baby is 12 months old and is just starting to speak. Is there anything I can do to help her learn to communicate better or more quickly?

Infant language expert Dr Robert Titzer, founder of Your Baby Can Learn and an expert speaker at The Baby Show https://www.thebabyshow.co.uk , says: “I suggest parents apply the following principles that have been shown in studies to enhance...

Six signs that mean you might be in a toxic relationship

Experts tell us that no relationship is perfect, and that some amount of arguing and compromise is normal.

But if your partner’s behaviour is becoming a constant source of negativity, it might be a sign that you’re going through more than just a rough patch.

When it comes to love, we can easily be blind to the signs that a relationship is becoming harmful – because we all...