Parenting

The parents of a three-year-old boy who died from meningitis are warning other parents to look for signs of the disease.  Hector Kirkham, from Lancaster, was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on 27 March after contracting meningococcal septicaemia, but died later that day. Another child from his nursery, Little Learners in Galgate, was taken to hospital with the disease but has since been discharged. In a statement, Hector’s mother Charlotte and father Lee described him as a “gorgeous, cheeky, happy boy”. They said: “Hector was perfect in every way, our absolute world, our sunshine, our very best friend. Hector became very poorly very fast from contracting meningococcal septicaemia, Hector’s symptoms of sickness and a temperature only presented 12 hours before we sadly lost the love of our lives. “We urge all parents to be vigilant and any signs or symptoms that point towards meningitis being a possibility please, please seek urgent … [Read more...] about Parents Of Child Who Died From Meningitis 12 Hours After Displaying Symptoms Warn Others To Be Vigilant

A mum has shared a warning to parents to learn what to do should their child start to choke after her two-year-old son nearly choked to death on a bouncy ball.  Carrie Owen shared her story with parenting site Channel Mum and explained her son Toby had managed to get a 2cm bouncy ball (the type often found in party bags) lodged in his throat. Owen noticed when Toby came towards her holding his throat as he was unable to breathe. Both and she and her partner tried to dislodge the ball, but nothing helped. They called an ambulance and meanwhile, a friend tried to help by performing CPR.  “Watching that being performed on your own child is a vision I will never be rid of,” she shared on Facebook on 2 April. “He managed only a couple of short laboured breaths and went in and out of consciousness. On two occasions he stopped breathing, his body went limp, eyes in the back of his head. We all thought the worst.”  The ambulance crew arrived at the … [Read more...] about Mum Recalls Horrifying Moment Two-Year-Old Son Choked On Bouncy Ball As Warning To Parents

CLEMMIE HOOPER was once reduced to tears by an ­episode of DIY SOS – and she blames motherhood. Overwrought and exhausted by life with a new baby, an hour’s worth of feel-good home renovation by Nick Knowles pushed her over the edge. And thanks to sharing these sort of admissions about her imperfect life as a working mum of four, Clemmie has become a social media sensation. Nearly 470,000 people follow her Instagram page, which is called @mother_of_daughters and is rammed with stories from the messy front line of parenting. That means the good, the bad and the bodily fluids — a welcome antidote to all those perfect Instagram mums showing off pictures of their angelic sleeping children. The midwife, 33, says: “There is no right or wrong with parenting, ­everyone does it differently. But the truth is, it’s not easy. “And it’s definitely not squeaky- clean and happy all of the time. “I share what I do as a mum. It’s not … [Read more...] about How working mum Clemmie Hooper became a bestselling author after sharing her hectic parenting life on Instagram

A mum has been commended for warning parents against purchasing additional unofficial car seat accessories for their children, after her daughter had a near miss in an accident. Parents can buy car seat strap covers from high street shops, some of which are fluffy or have animal faces on them to appeal to kids. However, Hannah McKinney, from Georgia, US, put a warning on Facebook as she claims her two-month-old daughter was ejected from her car seat due to the sheep skin seatbelt covers when she was involved in a car accident.  “When we got to the vehicle all straps were tight and in tact, but with the force of the vehicle the sheep skin slid against her shirt and made her go flying out,” the mum wrote. “Please, please, please people do not put things on a car seat that did not come that way from the manufacturer.  “They may look cute and it may be soft, but for your child’s safety don’t do it.” Speaking to HuffPost … [Read more...] about Mum Warns Parents To Avoid Extra Car Seat Accessories After Daughter Flung About During Accident

Mums and dads are being put to the test to see if they can answer the Year 6 SATs questions their kids get tasked with at school.  As part of the four-part Channel 4 series ‘Class of Mum and Dad’, a group of parents went back to primary school to experience life as a Year 6 pupil first-hand. This group of 17 adults committed to complete half a term at Blackrod Primary School in Bolton. They agreed to follow all school rules, including wearing school uniform, eating school dinners, doing homework, participating in sports day and building up to the SATs exams.  In the first episode, airing on Tuesday 10 April, the class teacher gives them a maths test. Whilst some excel, others struggle, and for 47-year-old Julia, who has not done a maths test in over 30 years, it was all a bit much. But another parent 52-year-old engineer Mark, found the long division and algebra a doddle. Below are 10 questions from maths and English exams the parents had to … [Read more...] about ‘Class Of Mum And Dad’: 10 English And Maths SATs Questions That Puzzled Parents