Are you the type of parent who constantly worries about all the potential dangers lurking in the shadows, waiting to jump out at your children? Several studies done over the last decade indicate that parents are exceptionally prone to overprotective behaviour; more so than in any other western nation.

Avoiding over protectiveness is a matter of understanding two things: natural childhood tendencies and statistical realities. In the case of the former, children have boundless energy and a level of naiveté that leads them to do things adults consider unsafe. This is how they explore the world and learn new things. Parents need to understand this and relax.

As an example, climbing trees is both great fun and a real learning experience. Yes, it’s true that your child could fall and break and arm. So what? A broken arm isn’t the end of life, and if he does so he will have learned a valuable lesson in being careful. He will have also gained the skill of climbing and the knowledge of what it’s like to be up high. Being a parent myself, I can understand that it’s easier said than done, but that’s no excuse for not making the effort.

As for statistical realities, did you know that it’s statistically safe for a child to do many things which make us nervous? For example, your ten year-old is at greater risk of injury or death riding with you in the car than he is walking with a group of friends to the river on a Saturday. Parents who don’t grasp this reality are in danger of always acting based on what might happen as opposed to what is most likely to happen. This is what produces overprotective parenting.

Parents, know that a child’s body is incredibly resilient. Also understand that the world is a safer place than we often perceive it to be. Don’t let fear of injury or illness interfere with a child being a child.

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Deciding to home school your children can be a great decision, but you should be warned from the beginning that this is no easy option. If you do decide that homeschooling is something you would like to try then be prepared for a lot of work and huge demands on your time. If you are not certain that you can make such a commitment you would probably be best forgetting all about it. If you are certain though, this will be a rewarding experience for both you and your children.

Here we will now look at homeschooling and its benefits.

• Homeschooling insures that your children get the attention they need. A teacher will have many demands on their time, and some kids will demand more time than others. It is often not the children who really need the attention who get it; as the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. With homeschooling you can be sure that your kids are the central focus.
• When children attend school they have to fit in with what classroom; this often means that they are bored out of their minds or completely lost. With homeschooling you can fit the curriculum completely around your child’s needs.
• With homeschooling education stops being something that is done between nine and four Monday to Friday. Learning just becomes part of life and everything can be a useful lesson. This is a great attitude for any child to take into the world.
• Providing homeschooling really demonstrates to them how much you value them. Some parents seem to see school as a type of babysitting service, and don’t show too much interest in what happens there. With homeschooling you are showing your children how much you value their education and consequently how much you value them – this can be a great boost to their self-confidence and self-worth.
• With homeschooling you can control the curriculum to some extent. You may have values or beliefs that would not be respected enough in a traditional school system and homeschooling means that you can remedy this situation.
• You can also ensure that your children are following the most effective syllabus and use the most up-to-date books.

Above are just some of the reasons why you might want to choose homeschooling for your children. Just remember thought that along with homeschooling and its benefits there are also some disadvantages as well.

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Every day I hear the same whining song: ‘Emma has one, so why can’t I?’ ‘Olivia got one when she was seven’; ‘Chloe’s mum says she needs it to make sure Chloe is okay after school.’ Yes, of course, we’re talking about cell phones and the right age for kids to start owning them. With all the marketing campaigns directly targeting youngsters these days, it’s hardly surprising that our eight year olds feel they are missing out on life if they don’t own their own cell phone.

I can sympathise with Chloe’s mum, but I can’t see the need for a properly supervised eight or even ten year old to have her own cell phone. But I can also sympathise with my daughter and understand the peer pressure to which she is being exposed. Peer pressure is the most lethal weapon in the lives of our youngsters and it’s up to us, as parents, to diffuse their power and help our kids to recognise what it is and how it works.

This is what we did to diffuse the situation. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but I certainly think it’s worth giving it a try, because it worked for us:

• The first thing we did was to sit down and talk about why Katy thought she needed a cell phone. We made no value judgements; just let her talk while we listened.
• As we expected, Katy didn’t have any really valid reasons, but we made notes and then repeated her points back to her. It was a matter-of-fact and quite adult conversation. We didn’t judge or belittle her points, just reiterated them so that she could hear them again objectively.
• Between us, we drew up a simple chart of reasons for and against owning a cell phone, again keeping the tone neutral and objective. We ended up with about five points under each heading which gave the chart a nice, visual balance.
• We then worked through the points on the chart, systematically discussing them and wiping the ones that didn’t hold up to closer scrutiny.

In the end it was Katy who decided she really didn’t need a cell phone just yet. She settled for a sleep-over party for her best friends and an agreement to re-open discussions about cell phones in two years’ time.

Kids love the summer because it means no school and plenty of fun outdoors. Parents also usually love this extra time with their children, but often struggle for ideas about how to keep them entertained.

Here are a few activities to keep the kids busy this summer; most of these will cost little or no money.

• If you own a conservatory then why not turn this into a kids play area. This is a great way to keep them entertained for hours and enjoy the outdoors no matter what the weather. You don’t even need to spend any extra money; have a look in your attic and you are sure to find many old toys which they can once again rediscover and enjoy.
• Get together with some other parents and arrange some outings. This will not only mean that the children get to do something different but you will also have adults to keep you company. You can do this so that parents take turns accompanying the children and this way you will get a break some of the time.
• Buy some summer games. There really are some great games for children to enjoy playing in the garden during the summer months. Old favourites like swing-ball always entertain or you might want to set up some football nets.
• An inflatable swimming pool can be bought and these are always a favourite for kids. These days you can pick up a really large pool for a reasonable price. The only disadvantage is that you will need to keep a close eye on them when they are in the water; remember that children can drown in only a few inches.
• Check online for nearby attractions. You may be amazed at some of the places that are just on your doorstep but you have never thought to visit. These trips can not only keep the kids entertained, but also introduce you to parts of your local area where you have never known previously.
• Don’t forget books. There is no reason why children can’t enjoy reading even though they are outdoors. An hour or so in the garden with a good story will appeal to a lot of kids.

So there you have just a few activities to keep the kids entertained this summer. There really are endless possibilities and the web is a great resource for ideas.