Wanted: Parenting tips

Yakub Qureshi

April 27, 2007

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KIDS: Share your parenting tips

MUMS and dads in Manchester are being asked to share their parenting secrets.

The council is producing a book of tips which will include advice on the best way to quiten a noisy baby or getting children to eat fruit and vegetables.

Parents are being asked to send in suggestions for helping to bring up children from infancy through to their teenage years.

Other problem areas likely to feature are how to deal with the `terrible twos', helping youngsters make friends at school, coping with exam pressures, and health advice.

Education officials at Manchester council are putting together the book, called The Little Book of Parenting Tips, in response to queries teachers and health workers have received from parents.

It will also list contact details for education and child-related services across the city.

Fantastic

Pauline Newman, the council's director of children's services, said: "We already know that Manchester has many fantastic parents who are doing a great job bringing up their children.

"Even the best parents, however, would have to admit that life as a parent can bring its challenges.

"We hope that the book of the top tips will help parents to get through some of these challenges just a little more easily," said Pauline.

The book, which will be published in June, is part of the council's `100 day challenge' which aims to promote school attendance, healthy living and the environment over a three-month period.

The book, which will have an initial run of 1,000 copies, will be distributed in children's centres and nurseries and parents will also be able to download it from the internet.

Parents who provide advice for the book will be entered into a prize draw to win £200-worth of vouchers.

Anyone who wants to provide advice that could appear in the book should email campaigns.team@manchester.gov.uk or phone 0161 234 7256 before the end of May.

What do you think? Have your say.

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ace, manchester (27/04/2007 at 11:18)

Oh my god? i hope that we dont get advice off some of the parents ive seen around manchester? like the ones who cannot cook a meal or buy booze for their young kids,or the ones that are left to their own devices (walk the streets all night)

David,North M/C (27/04/2007 at 11:32)

My advice to the geniune people out there in Manchester is if you havnt got any already is not to have kids.This city is a dangerous place to bring up kids they are bound to be a victim of violence whether its a knife ,a gun or beaten unconsious for no reason.There is no protection from the police or judges or anybody and it will only get worse.If you have the means leve and bring them up somwhere nomal.

Leo Branca (27/04/2007 at 11:51)

What's the point? The parents who are already making an effort don't need to be patronised; and the ones who aren't don't care anyway!

edwards (27/04/2007 at 12:00)

There are plenty of good parents in Manchester but like everything else we rush to concentrate on the bad parents.

AH, Manchester (27/04/2007 at 12:02)

If Manchester have this money to waste, they should put on compulsory courses for parenting education. Non attendees or failures should be made to retake the course and fined - which will provide money to fund the next round of parenting education!

Other than that - have a look in the papers and see how awful and violent Manchester is becomming. Stick your kids on a working farm and give them some physical labour to do so they'll gain some respect for living creatures and they won't think to waste their energy going round stabbing people.

transit, manchester england (27/04/2007 at 12:28)

how do you teach common sense to parents? it seemed to be automatic years ago.families being split up by modern living and divorce etc. may be part cause.

Mr Manchester (27/04/2007 at 12:42)

Correct, edwards. I've lived in this city all of my life. I routinely go into the city centre to visit Central Library, the art galleries, the Royal Exchange and so on, and have encountered nothing of the sort as detailed below. It would appear certain people base all of their assumptions on negative press headlines. They are an insult to the many thousands of decent parents and families living and working in Manchester.

Ms D, Manchester (27/04/2007 at 13:47)

What did this scheme cost ? So called bad parents (and there are plenty) won't even buy the book so it defeats the object.

wooden.top, Nottingham (27/04/2007 at 14:44)

Can't blame all single parents for yobbish behaviour in teens. It's lack of communication between parents and offspring that need to be addressed. Most parents now are both working to help pay the ever increasing fuel bills etc leaving their children to their own devices. That's where the problem lies

David,North M/C (27/04/2007 at 21:26)

Mr Manchester,you are not likely to encounter anybody that I refer to on your visits to Central Libary,The Royal Exchange or The Art Galleries. The masses of people who I refer to are not intrested in reading books,the arts or watching plays,they are not of that mentality.You assume people just read negative press headlines.Do you walk about in the inercity areas,do you use public transport.I consider myself a good parent and want the best for my children but I am devestated in this violent city which they have to grow up in,most crime doesnt make the press at all. I could go on and on with this matter but it goes to deep.

ace, manchester (27/04/2007 at 23:35)

edwards
I know there are plenty of great parents but we have a massive amount of bad ones. and no i dont look at the negative i look at how many people get attacked each year by kids under the age of 15 Ect .even in this paper a lad lost his eye to youths? this happens every day..great kids.

LookingForLogic, Stockport (28/04/2007 at 00:31)

Don't worry ace the council will have to edit carefully, no doubt they'll get plenty of 'dodgy' suggestions though. They should include the dodgy ones in a second book of bad parenting tips to be avoided at all costs.

Dave-manchester isn't great & I'd be out of here like a shot if I could be, but where would you define as 'normal'?

Leo, even the best parents make mistakes & need good advice.

AH-parenting courses are being run all-over the place & help lots of people who seek advice, mainly the good parents. 'Bad' parents can be forced to attend with the threat of further action. Books can be taken home & reffered to anytime the parent needs to.

Transit-It can be done :) but i think you're right about modern living playing a part,in the past there were more close knit families & you used to gain lots of different advice on parenting before you were even thinking about becoming a parent.

At least something is being done, all good news. I hope it includes some tips on why the home/work life balance & why it's so important to get it right.

janetj235, chorlton (28/04/2007 at 10:14)

1. when you bring your new born baby home from hospital, do not creep around when the baby is asleep, in the day have the tv on or music, when i had my first son, in the day he would sleep in the living room, with the hoover going the tv and then at night he would sleep in the bedroom, all dark and snug but he could still hear our voice's due to living in a flat and slept like a log.

2 teach manner's respect and disapline from an early age.

I have 3 lovely children, my first is a trained skillsman, my second is in training and my third is in the last year at school, and very nice respected adults

janetj235, chorlton (28/04/2007 at 10:19)

oops i put my tips on here sorry, but just reading other view's i would just like to add that my children are now 22, 18 and 16 and have been a single parent for 11years so its the person's strength and determination to bring there children up right

Mr Manchester (30/04/2007 at 11:49)

David: the answer must surely be to move your family to another area/city/town which is crime-free. Unfortunately, no such place exists.

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