Set up for life

25 November 2020

We’re used to the idea that as adults we have some control over our destiny: what we eat and drink and how much we exercise can affect our health. But the risks of heart disease and diabetes can be programmed much earlier – even before we are born.

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‘Terrible twos’ not inevitable: with engaged parenting, happy babies can become happy toddlers

06 May 2020

Parents should not feel pressured to make their young children undertake structured learning or achieve specific tasks, particularly during lockdown. A new study of children under the age of two has found that parents who take a more flexible approach to their child’s learning can - for children who were easy babies - minimise behavioural problems during toddlerhood.

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Gardeners and carpenters: the ‘skill’ of parenting

08 November 2018

Wanting your child to have the best chance in life is natural for any parent. But by focusing too much on the ‘skill’ of parenting, are we losing sight of things that matter more – how we talk to and play with children? Cambridge researchers are examining how parents can best help their children in their early years through nurturing rather than shaping.

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Pets are a child’s best friend, not their siblings

26 January 2017

Children get more satisfaction from relationships with their pets than with their brothers or sisters, according to new research from the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge. Children also appear to get on even better with their animal companions than with siblings.

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Back to school (crop)

New index of children’s ‘school readiness’ highlights importance of family support

28 May 2015

̽»¨Ö±²¥importance of family support on a child’s ‘school readiness’ is highlighted in a study published this month in the British Journal of Educational Psychology. Researchers developed and piloted a new index that might provide a simple and stress-free alternative to the government’s proposed baseline assessments for four-year-olds starting school.

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