News Copy – By Astrid Hall
Knowing how to quell a supermarket tantrum, knowing what emojis mean and memorising the names of TV characters are among the top ‘hacks’ every parent should take time to master, it has emerged.
Researchers who carried out a detailed study also found knowing the secret to getting children to eat their five-a-day also featured as an essential parental know-how.
How to make the perfect pancake, how to remove chewing gum from hair and being able to tell when a child should go from a car seat to a booster seat were also deemed vital pieces of information.
How to effectively control screen time and having more than a basic understanding of what different emojis mean also made the list.
The Bassetts Vitamins research which polled 2,000 mums, dads and carers also highlighted secrets to successful family meal times; including how to get kids to eat their greens and knowing when to ‘pick your battles’.
Skye Lucas-Banks from Bassetts Vitamins said: ‘When it comes to parenting, we know first-hand that it can sometimes feel like you’re caught in the cross-fire of everyday challenges – from tantrums and fussy eating, to gum-in-hair and other parental pleasures.
“So, when we find a tip, hack or approach that works, it’s second nature to pass it on.
''Our social and personal networks show we’re certainly not alone and it’s reassuring to know that someone else has found a great way to either get their kids to eat their veg or remember which shape to cut sandwiches into on a Thursday.”
The study also found one fifth of parents have picked up tips while having a natter at the school gate with other mums and dads, or during a parents’ evening.
Researchers also compared ‘old school gate’ with ‘new school gate’ parents, revealing interesting insights into the evolution of parenting advice.
How to set up parental controls on devices and knowing different social media acronyms, such as LOL and GTG, featured high on modern parenting agendas.
By contrast more traditional tips were insisting on good manners and letting kids fail to help them learn.
Thirty-six per cent of parents and carers swear by the teachings of their own parents, and one third of respondents said mum is still their primary go-to for parenting related questions, over dad.
Nine in 10 agreed their parents’ generation have passed on a number of pearls of wisdom.
And three in 10 said the words of advice they took on were ‘to be a parent and not a friend.’
Two-fifths of parents and carers still find they are learning on the job, picking up tips and tricks from every day parenting.
The study also found a number of eating hacks parents swear by to help their young ones get their five-a-day.
One quarter will play games like eating races with their kids to get them eating their greens and three in 10 hide sleuth-veggies in other foods they like.
And 28 per cent will reward little ones with dessert for eating their greens.
It’s no wonder mums and dads are using little tricks to get their kids to eat better food, as the study found children will only finish eight of their typical 21 meals a week with absolutely no leftovers.
And as a result, six in 10 parents wish they could get more healthy and nutritious food in their youngsters’ diets.
But, there is still hope as more than half reckon children eventually grow out of their fussy eating habits by age 14.
Skye added: ‘While it may seem like parenthood is a series of daily challenges, mind-games and insider tricks, there are so many ways we can share each other’s experiences and pass on pearls of wisdom.
''We’re inviting parents around the country to pass on the tricks and tips they love at www.facebook.com/bassettsvitamins.’'
ENDS
