51 h. ago ‘It’s so boring’: Gen Z parents don’t like reading to their kids

Screen time has increasingly replaced story time, and experts warn this could lead to children falling behindLast week, former elementary school teacher Spencer Russell posed a question to parents who follow his Instagram account, Toddlers Can Read: “Why aren’t you reading aloud to your kids?”The responses, which Russell shared with the Guardian, ranged from embarrassed to annoyed to angry. “It’s so boring,” said one parent. “I don’t have time,” said another. One mother wrote in: “I don’t enjoy reading myself.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Parents debate how much screen time kids should have and 'ban' one thing

A parent has sparked a lively debate online after revealing they won't be allowing their two-month-old baby to watch television for the first two years of their life

Politics

5 d. ago How much screen time is too much for kids? Parents share strategies and concerns

A new parent has sparked a debate online after asking other mums and dads how many hours they allow their child to watch TV or play on a iPad or tablet

Politics

5 d. ago Exact amount of screen time NHS recommends based on kids' ages

A mum has sparked a debate online after telling parents that she refuses to let her child have any screen time until she's at least two years old - and she's not the only one

Politics

5 d. ago When Will Covent Garden’s Wimbledon Screens Return For 2025? Big Screen Dates and Events in Central London

When Will Covent Garden’s Wimbledon Screens Return For 2025? Big Screen Dates and Events in Central London  Time Out

Politics

5 d. ago I swapped gentle parenting for a French approach for a week — this is what happened

As a new public health call in France suggests screen time for under sixes should be axed, mum of two Eilidh Dorgan tries it out to see if a less British approach to parenting can bring harmony to her home

Politics

5 d. ago I swapped gentle parenting for a French approach for a week — here's what happened

As a new public health call in France suggests screen time for under sixes should be axed, mum of two Eilidh Dorgan tries it out to see if a less British approach to parenting can bring harmony to her home

Politics

5 d. ago NHS breakdown of exactly how much screen time your children should have by age

The NHS has set out its recommendations when it comes to how much time children should spend in front of a screen based on their age - but some parents argue it's more about what they're consuming online

Politics

5 d. ago China accused of ‘indoctrinating’ Tibetan children from age of four with state

Group says lives of Tibetan children are ‘irrevocably altered to serve the purposes of the Chinese government’

Politics

8 d. ago Pair of portraits by Dutch master Frans Hals return to the Netherlands

A pair of paintings by Dutch Golden Age master Frans Hals, possibly depicting his own children, are returning to the Netherlands after more than a century overseas in the hands of private owners

Politics

8 d. ago Who is Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron?

The pair were pictured having a squabble in Vietnam,

Politics

1 week ago NSPCC advice on age you can leave children home alone ahead of half term

It will be a question on a lot of parent's minds over the coming week

Society

1 week ago I’ve studied the history of death. I know how we can better face up to our grief – and our own mortality | Molly Conisbee

How we deal with bereavement has changed enormously over the years. But not all the old traditions should be forgottenMany years ago, as part of a school homework project, I asked my grandparents what the most significant social change had been during their lifetime. Two of them answered “child mortality”. I was surprised. Weren’t there other, more significant experiences in long lives that had stretched from the first and second world wars to the 1980s?But now that I am older and have experienced bereavement, I understand their replies. Both grandparents had sisters who died of diphtheria. And my grandfather’s younger brother died of sepsis, meaning his parents had buried two of their four children before the age of three. Their childhoods had been profoundly shaped by loss. Child mortality was, at that time, horrifyingly common, and from their earliest years many people spent a great deal of their lives coping with the emotional fallout of grief, which shaped their lives into olde...

Events

2 w. ago UKHSA issues warning over 'serious' infection that is also 'highly contagious'

While it primarily affects young children, it can be contracted at any age

Events

2 w. ago Millions of food parcels handed out in UK as number rises 51 per cent

There has been a 46% rise in food parcels provided to families with children, and a 32% rise in parcels to support children under the age of five

Politics

2 w. ago Interrail passes are free for kids – so I borrowed my niece for a rail tour of Europe’s great cities

It took a few adjustments on both sides – she wasn’t keen on snails or Rembrandt – but after seeing Paris, Berlin and Venice, she wants to go again next yearA year ago, I discovered a bit of a travel hack – that if accompanied by an adult (obviously) children under the age of 12 can explore Europe by train for absolutely zilch. Profoundly susceptible to any sort of bargain, even those that promise a net deficit in the long run, I determined to take advantage of Interrail’s generous offer, despite lacking dependents of the specified vintage.Sourcing someone under 12 was far easier than I’d imagined. When I lodged an enquiry about my 10-year-old niece, asking if Annabelle might be available for an Interrailing stint at Easter, my brother couldn’t sign her up fast enough. (Though he did insist on some caveats: in bed by 10pm, out of bed by 9am, and no watching sweary Gordon Ramsay shows). Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Taskmaster's Alex Horne reveals which star donned flashy leotard for Channel 4 show

The Horne Section TV Show has returned for its second series, with creator Alex Horne sharing the screen with his actual wife for the first time - and a Strictly Come Dancing star.

Politics

3 w. ago The one change that worked: I started sketching – and stopped doomscrolling

Drawing pictures of my family, pets and strangers has made me a calmer, happier person – and given me a tender record of my lifeI’ve always battled with phone use. I resent how much my sense of being alive in the world – feeling it, doing things, making stuff happen – is affected by my screen time. So a few years ago, I decided to do a sketch every day.I had always wanted to draw, but I was embarrassed about starting out because I was so bad at it. Then I bought a few black notebooks: a small one for my jacket pocket, and larger ones for my bedside and for the kitchen table. As no one would ever see my drawings, I decided I didn’t need to care about what anyone thought. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Screen time rewires your child’s brain – here’s what you can do about it

Scans show screen time can change the brain’s physical structure and pathways

Politics

3 w. ago Charity raises concerns as kids are 'forming romantic attachments to AI bots'

A children's online safety charity has revealed that British children are increasingly bypassing age verification checks to form both sexual and emotional relationships with AI chatbots

Politics