Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at You

As our children go back to school this month, what do parents really think about the past six weeks? More than half of all parents found the summer break too long, and a ‘challenge’ to cope with. So says the national charity, Parentkind. Its recent poll found that more than half of parents feel that...

More children and young people are in danger of confusing the normal anxieties of life with a genuine mental health condition. So says the government, and it has issued new guidance to schools to try and correct the trend. The guidance states that pupils should be taught “that worrying and feeling down are normal, can...

It has not been a good summer to let your dog go swimming. The hot and dry weather this spring sparked a rise in toxic blue-green algal blooms which have affected lakes and rivers across the UK. Blue-green algal blooms are triggered when colonies of bacteria use warmth and sunlight to reproduce rapidly. The colourful...

If someone in your family wants their driving licence this autumn, they may have to wait months before even getting a driving test. For the average waiting time across all test centres has recently increased to 22 weeks, up from 14 weeks back in February 2024, according to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)....

Plant-based milk drinks, including soya milk, oat milk and almond milk, have soared in popularity in recent years. But how do these compare with cow’s milk? A recent report from the nutritional experts who advise the government says that vegan milk is not ‘nutritionally equivalent’ to cow’s milk. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)...

If you drink alcohol after 10pm at night, you may still be over the limit by 9am the next morning. So says IAM RoadSmart, a road safety charity. It has warned that drinking alcohol late into the night can pose a ‘serious threat’ to your safety as a driver the next morning. And even if...

Gratitude may help you recover more quickly from a heart attack. So says a study by the University of California, who examined gratitude as part of an outlook that involves appreciating the positive aspects of life, and often goes hand in hand with spirituality. It was found that people who have a life attitude of...

September can be a bad time for financial pressures. This is when the children have just returned to school, universities are opening, and suddenly Christmas spending looms. Retrospectively, the bills for summer child-care and that holiday (where you spent too much) are coming in, as well as the recent outlay you had to make on...

Holiday reading Are your sunglasses good enough? In praise of olive oil Dogs and heatstroke Those long car journeys of summer… Why can I see the moon in the day? Read a book! Being bored is good The benefits of coochie-coo ** Editor: David Pickup, a solicitor, considers how to fill those spare moments on...

When I go away, I first write a list of things to pack. I pride myself on being able to pack quickly; just throw some spare clothes in a bag, toothbrush, other things I need and of course plenty to read. My experience tells me I need at least a book a day. I take...

They may look trendy, but when you bought them, did they have the official UKCA or CE markings on them? If not, your eyes may NOT be protected from the sun’s dangerous rays. So says the Office for Product Safety and Standards, which is part of the Department for Business and Trade. It warns that...

Olive oil is surprisingly good for you. It has been found to be able to ward off chronic disease and to boost your brain health. So, when those ancient Greeks praised it as an aid to staying young and healthy, it seems they were right. While the Mediterranean diet can include up to four tablespoons...