Do popular school kids grow up to be rich?, 2009 Popular school children are most likely to earn more money in later life, a new study has revealed.
Essex University researchers concluded that just one extra school friend increases a person's salary by around two per cent; adding to emergent evidence that social skills are just as important as academic abilities for success in adult life.
Researchers found on average, the most popular pupils in 1957 earned more than other students, 35 years later.
Pudney, said: 'A workplace is a social setting. People have to manage each other and work in teams - you can see why social skills would be helpful.'
The study, which was done in conjunction with the University of Chicago and the Institute for Employment Research in Nuremberg, also found that belonging to a relatively wealthier family did not make a student more popular.
How to improve a toddler's vocabulary, 2009 According to newly found research from the US, it has been recommended that parents be encouraged to gesture with their toddlers in order to improve their vocabulary.
Researchers Meredith Rowe and Susan Goldin-Meadow described how they videoed 50 children from diverse backgrounds interacting with their parents at 14 months, and assessed their vocabulary skills at the age of 4.
The researchers discovered that more educated parents with higher incomes tended to gesture more when interacting with their toddlers. This consequently led to greater gesturing on the part of the toddlers, which correlated to improved vocabulary by the age of four.
Rowe said, "As a good vocabulary at school entry is a key indicator of academic success, our findings were significant". She also said, "It would not hurt to encourage parents to talk more and gesture more when they are interacting with their toddlers".
Children’s fear of parents’ divorce grows, 2009 Research suggests there is likely to be an increase in the number of children in search for help when dealing with the distress of their parents' separations, ChildLine has warned.
Today’s financial strain caused by the downturn in the economy, are expected to put further pressure on marriages.
The phone counselling service says more than one child a day calls the hotline due to arguments at home, and recommends that parents reassure their children as much as possible.
"Divorcing parents can be overwhelmed by feelings like anger, sadness, and helplessness. This often makes it hard to focus on the wishes and needs of scared and bewildered children; whose lives are about to be turned upside down”, says ChildLine boss Sue Minto.
She added that children could be helped to adjust to divorce if they are told how much they are loved.
Are primary school days the best in a child’s life? UK, 2007 If you were to look back at your school life, what period would you say was the best? For children today, it would appear that primary school days are the best. A study of nearly 8,000 pupils across 25 different primary and secondary schools in the UK has highlighted some interesting discoveries. In particular, 82% of children while attending primary school at aged 10 saying they are happy – with the figure dropping to 58% at the time of their GCSE’s in secondary school. Antidote, the charity which conducted the study said the report shows that as children began working on their GCSE’s “Over 40% of them experience a low level of well being.” Also highlighting the figures showed “Where we need to focus if we want to improve the situation.”
The source of good parenting. UK, 2006 In today's society media plays a very important factor in how we learn, and for parents it could be fair to say you could never learn too much on how to be a better parent. However the type of medium we may become increasingly dependent on for this knowledge may for some be slightly concerning. A study of 3,938 parents by the National Family and Parenting Institute found that 83% of those who watched parenting programmes discovered at least one tip useful to them. The concern however was that 37% felt that parenting programmes such as Supernanny and The House of Tiny Tearaways, tended to exaggerate problems the families featured had. The study also showed that 72% of parents with children under the age of 16 watched at least one parenting programme shown on TV. Mary Macleod, the chief executive of the National Family and Planning Institute expressed the need for producers to act responsibly, also highlighting the various other forms of media by which parents still access information such as books, magazines and websites.
Link between poor reading skills and bad-behaviour in boys. UK/US, 2006 It has long been suggested that poor reading skills and bad behaviour in children were linked, although it has not yet been identified which occurs first. However, a study of 2,200 twins born in 1994-1995 by a team of researchers from Wisconsin-Madison University in the US and King’s College London has discovered the problem exists more in boys than in girls. Dr Terrie Moffitt, who co-authored the study, highlighted children who displayed difficulties with their reading and vocabulary, became increasingly involved in anti social behaviour, such as bullying, lying and theft. The researchers however found no such pattern in girls adding in their case it was “extremely rare.” The researchers also used twins in order to examine genetic causes, and found no such links, concluding it to be an issue of environment, such as “What goes on in the classroom.”
Children bored after 12 minutes in the car. UK, 2006 A research study of 3000 parents by the online auction site eBay also backed by the UK charity Raising Kids, has found it takes approximately 12 minutes for children to become bored while travelling by car. While it may seem that children get the short end of the stick, it is also less than entertaining for the parents who then have to find ways to keep their little ones occupied for the rest of the journey. 1 in 3 of parents said they regularly lost their temper with their children while driving, 4 in 10 said they usually tried to bribe them with a treat. 3 in 10 confessed they had snapped and threw something at them and 6 in 10 said they gave their children food to keep them quiet.
Should children really stop fidgeting? UK, 2005 One statement many of us would have most certainly heard in during our childhood would be that old favourite “Stop fidgeting.” For as unrestricted as children would prefer to be in their movements during a lesson, fidgeting is probably one of those things teachers would prefer children not to do. It can be a source of distraction not only for the unwitting child, but for those around them. However, research carried out by the University of Hertfordshire found that children who were allowed to move freely were better at learning than those who were not. The researchers performed the study by looking how well children learned when they were not able to move there hands, by using pairs of mittens attached to the table. The children aged between 6 and 8 were then given the task of naming objects in various pictures. The researchers found that gestures and hand movements helped the children to arrive at the correct answer. Dr. Karen Pine, one of those who lead the study said "People often think we gesture to help others understand what we are saying, but in fact it helps us to find the right words" adding "If teachers encouraged more fidgeting in class they might find children actually learn more."
Children who walk and cycle to school are more active during their day. DK, 2005 A research study in Denmark has found that children who walk or cycle to school are more active than their schoolmates who travel by car or bus. Although the study did not establish a clear cause-and-effect association between travelling by foot or bicycle and the overall increase in active behaviour, the study did support active travel programmes as a way to increase physical activity in children and young people. The study authored by Niels Wedderkopp, M.D. which included 332 Danish school children who wore accelerometers to record their minute-by-minute activity, found boys who walked or cycled to school were more active than those who travelled by bus or car, although not for girls who cycled. Their activity levels measured much the same as girls who travelled by car. The study concluded that the number of children being driven to school is increasing, one of the reasons being that more children are attending schools outside of their local area, reducing the number who can safely walk or ride to school.
Parents can influence how their children think about substance abuse. US, 2005 An American research study has shown that children with warm and involved parents are less likely to use alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana. The study showed that parents who were more affectionate and involved with their children affected their thought process about substance abuse, giving them a negative view of people who drink or smoke cigarettes or marijuana, insuring they won't use such substances even when they're easily available. The researchers concluded the results were encouraging because they "consisted of things that most parents can do."
Are children who stare into space more intelligent? UK, 2005 Were you told off by your parents or teachers for not looking at them when answering a question? Scientists at Stirling University found that children who turned away from their teacher while trying to answer a question, performed better than children who did not. More than 70% of 5 year olds who gazed into the distance (also known as 'gaze aversion'), performed better on a series of problem solving tests they were given, compared with 52% who looked directly at the teacher. Dr Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon of Stirling, said adults usually have the "idea of 'Look at me when I’m talking to you'", also highlighting, for a child "Looking at faces is quite mentally demanding". Concluding, "It should be okay to look away at some point" during a conversation.
God is the most famous person in the world. UK, 2005 A recent nationwide study by Luton University asked 2,500 children 10 years old and under questions such as 'What do you think is the very best thing in the world?' and 'If you were king or queen of the world, what rules would you make?' The most popular answers children gave for 'the best thing in the world' was money and getting rich, being famous and football. No drugs, knives or guns were among their answers for rules as king or queen of the world. A further 72% said they would get married when they grew up, and when asked who they thought was 'The most famous person in all the world' God ranked No1 with Wayne Rooney 2nd and Jesus 3rd, ahead of The Queen and David Beckham at 4 and 5.
| Home | 
