These figures have been released by FindaProperty.com to coincide with the launch of their latest TV advertisements. The first ad features a dad to be rapping to highlight the problem regarding household overcrowding that expectant parents face. To watch the first 2 ads, and to find out more about the survey log on to  http://rap.findaproperty.com

The study also suggests that just under a million people in the UK are expecting to become a parent within the next few months, and roughly 14% of these are still living in homes that are too small to accommodate their new arrival.

Samantha Baden, property analyst at FindaProperty.com commented: “With the average cost of a three bedroom home in the UK now in the region of £193,000, affordability remains a key issue for families. Very few families can afford to buy or rent a property that meets their exact size and location requirements, and as a result, they are often forced to compromise on one or the other.

“These findings reinforce the importance of investing quality time in the search for a home that meets the needs of the family both now and in the future.”

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Children are a very expensive part of life as they need feeding as well as clothing. It is not just this which costs parents money as they often want to treat their children to special things. Unemployment in the UK has risen to a very high level and for those who have not lost their jobs the chances are they are going to be earning less money,  as the amount of money they are earning has not risen in line with inflation.

Supporting children when you have suddenly lost your income can be very challenging and it can be very hard to find new work once you’ve lost it. Those who have been working in the manufacturing sector have suffered particularly badly and those with manufacturing skills have found it very hard to find equivalent work in the industry.

The number of outgoings that the average household faces can become extraordinary and as soon as you lose your income you realise how unaffordable they are. The recession has caused more people to miss their mortgage payments and many others have lost their homes. Losing a home can be a particularly challenging process for children as moves are unsettling, especially when they are unexpected.

Single parents can suffer particularly badly as not only do they not have the benefit of two incomes coming in, which can also reduce hardship if one party loses their job, but they also have to consider the cost of childcare while they are working.

The law dictates that a parent has a financial responsibility to their children, even if there has been a divorce. However, with the economy in the state that it is, even the absent party might be struggling to make full maintenance payments.This can have a serious effect on the parents who spends the majority of time with the children.

The sad fact of the situation is that many parents do want to pay the other party in order to take care of their children but sometimes they simply do not have the money to do this.

The lack of money that many households have encourages people to take on more debt and this can increase the problem further. Taking on debt, especially irresponsible debt, such as a credit card, can mean that the amount you are having to spend on repayments is very high and this can make your financial situation even worse.

Many people have found themselves in a spiral of debt that they cannot control and they are still having to take on more debt in order to meet their basic living needs.

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Many studies have shown that families where the children and parents touch each other regularly have a healthier environment. These children were shown to be able to withstand pain and sickness better than children who were not touched so often by their parents. Another study showed that children who were regularly touched slept better than those who weren’t.

A recent test has showing that when babies are given a daily massage they tend to be calmer than those babies who are not touched so often. Massage between a parent and child is something that is enjoyable for both parties and it helps the family bond.

Normally massage is associated with the use of oil and other aromatherapy products, but if you are massaging your child then you should be very careful about what sort of oils to use. It is a good idea to do some research into which oils are most appropriate for babies and children before you start using them. That said, these oils can be very beneficial for the health of a child and should help them overcome several ailments.

A recent study found that aromatherapy can be used with pregnant mothers, this  has come from a Scottish hospital and has shown that the use of aromatherapy might be more effective than painkillers when a women is in labour. The study involved 100 mothers and of these 85% said that they found aromatherapy was effective.

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Bullying is vicious and deliberate and nobody becomes a bully by accident. It is a horrendous thing to deal with whether you are an adult or a child. A prime age for bully’s is 11-12, and as they grow older the severity of their bullying increases and all care givers and parents need to  get the message across that bullying is not a normal part of growing up and must be stamped out.

The word bullying is the general term that is applied to any kind of, or pattern of, behaviour where one person takes out their anger and aggression on another. They tend to choose someone vulnerable as their victim and start a relentless regime of criticism, nit picking, exclusion and isolation as well as abusing them mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically.

If a child plucks up the courage to confide in us that they are being bullied we must take it extremely seriously. Surviving the trauma of being bullied is terribly distressing and needs to be dealt with immediately so the victim suffers no more. The victim is never to blame for being bullied and the whole terrible experience can leave a child fearful for their lives and desperate for help.

In the majority of incidents of bullying, many of you will be surprised to discover that there aren’t just two people involved, as well as the bully and the victim there is also the bystander. These may take no physical part in the bullying but they do nothing to stop it either, and tend to encourage the bully by laughing and egging them on and simply by letting it carry on in front of them are often as bad as the bully’s themselves.

Despite all the reports to the contrary, bullying happens in every single school in the land, fact. They want us to believe otherwise and get all high and mighty about their zero tolerance, but bully’s are nasty and sneaky individuals who aren’t going to stop being bully’s just because their schools say they can’t. The better schools will deal with the incidents quickly whilst others will make like an ostrich and pretend it doesn’t happen.

There is a reason why so many schools blatantly lie about it and say there is no bullying in their school, it is avoid adverse publicity and not bring attention to the fact that the headteacher has no control as far as discipline is concerned, lacks interpersonal skills and in fact shouldn’t be in the position of power that they are.

If you ever have an inking that someone is being bullied, whether it is your child or not, do not make yourself into a bystander by walking away and telling yourself it’s got nothing to do with you. If that WAS your child, you would hope to god that someone would help them, so do the same for someone else’s child, before its too late.

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What is interesting about the study as it has found that there is a correlation between those teens who get less sleep and those who engage in risky behaviour, such as smoking, under age drinking and using drugs. It also indicated that those who do not sleep enough may feel more sad.

Lela R. McKnight-Eily who was the lead researcher has said that, “The study clearly indicated that children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to behave in a more dangerous way. It has even been shown that those with a lack of sleep will fight more and are more likely to consider suicide.”

The survey was conducted by asking teenagers a series of questions, some of these asked them how much they slept and the other was asking them what sort of risky behaviours they took part in. They were also asked to indicate how much they took part in these dangerous activities, for example, by highlighting how many cigarettes they smoked.

It was found that those teenagers who slept less than eight hours would have a greater propensity to take part in the activities and if they did, they would do them to a greater extent than their well slept counterparts.

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It also highlighted how many are taking in two or more jobs in an effort to make ends meet. British parents also find it hard to find the time to help their kids to take part in sporting and other outdoor activities, this is stark contrast to Spain where children’s activities are a priority and extended families help out to make this happen.

The reports also says that some parents in the UK complain that they are too exhausted to play with their kids when they get in from work, whilst many of the kids who were surveyed said that they hated it when their parents didn’t make time to spend with them.

There are also suggestions in the report that British parents buy new material objects for their children to try and make up for relationship issue and insecurities. It also says there is a massive disposable consumer culture in the UK and there are houses full of discarded and broken toys and the compulsion to constantly upgrade and buy new items.

It’s a different world in Sweden and Spain, where toys and other electronic gadgets were well looked after, repaired when broken and are cherished and treat as long term companions. Parents in these countries are also more confident about enforcing boundaries, and find it easier to say no to their children, unlike those is the UK.

Rules and boundaries in UK households are less clearly defined, and parents feel guilty about enforcing them when they hardly spend any time with their kids. UK families rarely eat together and many children flatly refuse to do any household chores resulting in tensions and possible arguments.

Reg Bailey, the CE of the Mother’s Union, who the government commissioned to conduct a report on sexualisation and commercialisation of UK children, has said this week that the many of the issues highlighted in the UNICEF report echoed his own research. He said that once again, we were seeing an emphasis on commercialism and possessions, instead of parents giving kids what they really needed, their time.

Consumerism is a major problem throughout society, and something that needs addressing sooner rather than later. There seems to be a serious lack of confidence amongst parents when it comes to actually changing things. Parents in the UK are permanently tired and feel that any improvements involve an uphill struggle. When you are tired, it is easier to just let things so, and not think of possible repercussions.

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The UK’s Sleep Council teamed up with the USA’s Better Sleep Council to conduct the research which polled the parents of 1,000 UK and 1,000 US children aged from 7 to 18 years old.

The survey found that in the US, almost half (45%) of parents believe their child gets better grades as a result of getting more sleep compared to less than a quarter (22%) of UK parents. 90% of US parents felt that their child’s mattress was an important factor for a good night’s sleep compared to 60% of UK parents.

Getting enough sleep allows children to react more quickly to situations, have a more developed memory, learn more effectively and solve problems, according to Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

Jessica Alexander from the Sleep Council said: “In the USA there is much greater awareness of the adverse effects of poor sleep habits. In the UK, sleep has not yet been given equal status with diet and exercise as being fundamental to health and wellbeing. To coin a new phrase we need to ‘catch up on our sleepreciation!’”

The research also shows that almost a quarter (23%) of 7-18 year olds in the UK are losing sleep because of worry. Over half of 7-11 year olds (57%) worry about friendships and family issues while 29% worry about school (grades, homework and classes) compared to 56% of American children. Only a quarter of children, according to their parents, have no worries at all.

Children’s sleep expert Kathleen McGrath said: “Children are, perhaps surprisingly, natural worriers but it’s of concern if they regularly lose sleep through worry. If sleep during childhood is disturbed it can hinder growth and development and cause all kinds of problems for child and parent alike.”

The survey shows that with the new school year just days away, most children are likely to experience some disruption to their sleep pattern with one in three UK and US children expecting to get less sleep and four in ten (42%) getting more sleep when they go back to school.

Among those children in the UK who get less sleep when they go back to school, almost half (45%) are noticeably crabbier. Kathleen said: “All children are crabby when they are tired but to overcome this they need to learn to identify the symptoms of tiredness so they can deal with it and start ‘achieving’ real sleep. Getting them into a good routine is absolutely paramount to this.”

Aside from worry, other things that prevent children from sleeping are homework (26%), while one in five (19%) said electronic devices such as computers and televisions in the bedroom distracted them from sleep. In the US this figure jumped to a staggering 33%.

Kathleen said: “The proliferation of mobile phones and laptop computers means children feel like they need to be in touch all the time but they also need to understand that ‘switching off’ and indulging in quiet time is really important and actually quite normal. Parents can help by limiting computer time and encouraging an electronic-free bed environment.”

Tips to help your child get back into a worry-free sleep routine:

• Impress on them the importance of a good night’s sleep
• Encourage regular exercise
• Suggest a reduction in caffeine (such as coke and other fizzy drinks)
• Try and get them into a routine – doing things in the same order before going to bed at night will help
• Create a restful sleeping environment – a room that is dark, cool, quiet, safe and comfortable
• Make sure the bed is comfortable

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Baby equipment manufacturer Little Terra have realised this, and have now produced a guide that is free to download, to help parents make the right choice when it comes to choosing a child carrier. The guide is available online at www.littleterra.co.uk/choosingchildcarriers and is packed full of useful information such as frame construction, fitting, weight considerations and available accessories.

The managing director of Little Terra, Carolyn Budding, says that child back carriers are once again an invaluable piece of kit when you are spending time with a youngster outdoors. They enable you to easily navigate places that could be difficult if not impossible with a pushchair, such as a stile if you are having a walk in the country.

Children enjoy both the closeness and the elevated position, but should only be used from approximately 6 months old, or when your child can sit unassisted. There are other factors to take into consideration when buying a child carrier, and Little Terra hope their guide will help all parents to make the right choice.

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A babysitter who watches over a sleeping child occasionally for a few hours while the parents enjoy some time out is quite different from leaving the child in the care of total strangers for a sizeable part of the day.

The parent should firstly examine their own attitude to this new adventure. The child should never get the impression from the mother’s attitude that nursery school is a nasty place. Should the child recognize this negativity then he or she will naturally become terrified at the thought of school.

If on the other hand the parent shows excitement then the child will act in a similar way. The school should always be regarded as a good place to be generally. Children, however young, are very perceptive and can easily recognize negative body language and apprehensive speech.

Schools attitudes and teaching methods have changed and most nursery schools encourage the parent to remain with the child for a while or the full day if the need is there. The parent should not interfere and should in fact encourage the child to mingle and play with other children rather than attaching themselves to mom or dad. It is a time for new adventures and gentle separation from the parents.

In this way they will learn to make the change but the parent has to change as well. Time spent at the school should be reduced on a daily basis with no return despite any upset. Many children become tearful when the parent is seen walking away but some clever distraction by a teacher will usually dissolve the tears.

Another way in helping in the separation process is to have someone you and the child know well care for the child on a fairly regularly. It is preferable to do this when the child is at a young age. The mother could spend a few hours shopping thereby allowing the child minder time to interact with the child.

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Photo Copyright: Francis Loney

A London theatre is widening its doors to vulnerable young people by inviting them to see a new play about foster care for free of charge.

The New End Theatre in Hampstead, London, has made over a hundred free tickets available to disadvantaged children in the area for its new drama.

Running throughout August, Where’s Your Mama Gone? is a challenging production that follows the struggles of two children placed in care after losing their mother to a serial killer. The play addresses a number of issues around foster care, including alcoholism, drug use and questions of identity and heritage.

Theatre goers will also get the chance to see two exhibitions that explore the wider issues explored by the play. As well as highlighting the experiences of young people raised in care, members of the cast were asked to create displays about their own roots and genealogy.

The theatre hopes that the project will draw attention the problems foster children in its own borough of Camden. Just 59 per cent of the borough’s children in care achieved a pass mark in any GCSE subject in 2009, compared with 78 per cent nationally. Camden’s foster children also had the highest rate of substance abuse in inner London, with almost one in five reported as having a problem with alcohol or drugs.

Following a critically acclaimed run in Leeds, playwright Brian Daniels is bringing the production to London for a four week run at The New End Theatre, where he is also artistic director. The theatre has a growing reputation for staging socially innovative drama, recently addressing sensitive issues such as child abuse, special needs education and the onset of dementia.

Speaking about the initiative, Brian Daniels, said: “The play was written to offer hope to young people living in care and to draw attention to the vast difficulties they face. Many of the youngsters that we have invited down will not have had the chance to experience live theatre and I urge other venues to set aside some tickets as well.”

The initiative is part of a drive to attract wider audiences to the theatre, which will also see a pioneering new ‘pay what you can’ scheme. This optional pricing system will operate for the entire run of the play in order to attract audiences that would otherwise be unable to attend. Although there will be a suggested ticket price of £15, theatregoers will be free to choose how much they pay at the box office.

Where’s Your Mama Gone? is showing from Monday 2nd August to Sunday 28th August 2011. Tuesdays to Saturdays at 7.00pm, matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 3.00pm. Tickets are available from www.newendtheatre.co.uk

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