Articles written by Frances Laing in Parenting & Pregnancy

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About me - Frances Laing

I'm a freelance writer, journalist and blogger. My focus is people and the environment.

I write challenging, investigative features and articles as well as the ones about people enjoying themselves with travel, tourism, nature and their gardens. I try to

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Breastfeeding tips: 1 of 23
I breastfed my daughter successfully full-time for six months. At that point when she started solids I breastfed her morning and night for the following eighteen months. During that time she was hardly ever ill and now, aged three she has the most amazing attitude to food - she really enjoys it. Here are my top breastfeeding ... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenthood Funny parenting stories: 15 of 85
I'm going to bare my soul and share what has to be my potentially-most-embarrassing-parenting moment. You're going to thank your lucky stars it didn't happen to you!I'd started swimming classes with my pre-schooler, then aged two years nine months. She was getting on really well, smiled in class, really happy getting changed,... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Methods How to make sure your actions influence your children in positive ways: 6 of 30
I'm writing this piece, but despite some decades of life experience and qualifications in education - I don't know everything about how to make sure your actions influence your children in positive ways. I don't think any parent will ever be one hundred per cent sure how to do this. All we can do, when it comes down to it - i... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Breastfeeding: How to overcome objections from family: 1 of 3
In many countries of the world, rates of breastfeeding have gone down significantly in recent decades. The U.N advises that babies be breastfed full-time for at least the first six months of their lives. This is simply because breast milk in the early days is the absolute best form of nutrition they can have.One of the reason... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenthood The impact of delayed fatherhood on child-father relationship: 3 of 8
Research evidence on the impact of delayed fatherhood on child-father relationships is not readily available. The Fatherhood Institute has recently focused on the situation of young fathers instead with it's report and action pack called "Invisible Fathers". It's easy to perpetuate stereotypes. The institute tells us: "Sixty... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Feeding & Breastfeeding Breastfeeding myths: 2 of 5
Breastfeeding is inconvenient and messyIt's true that you may 'leak' a little on occasion - but when you compare breastfeeding with bottle feeding - breastfeeding is much easier to manage. You don't need to worry about hygiene (as long as you wash, that is!). There are no bottles to clean or sterilise. No washing up to do and... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Styles (Other) How parenting helps us discover our inner child: 3 of 6
Watching my daughter play is a humbling experience. On a windy weekend we were at the seaside with a group of children. They were building sandcastles. Daughter of mine (aged three) is collecting mussel shells. There's a row of sandcastles - daughter decides to place the mussel shells very carefully (as a decoration) on the t... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Problems Parents Face How to select the right preschool for your child: 1 of 2
Plan ahead as far as you can. As a new parent you might be thinking you can secure a place at a nursery or pre-school of your choice without further ado. It's not quite as simple as that - depending on which country or continent you live in - most pre-schools and nurseries will have waiting lists and there are lots of forms... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Tips How to manage your monthly budget on baby diapers: 1 of 2
There are lots of ways of reducing your spending on baby diapers.The most obvious one is to buy re-usable and washable diapers. You can save hundreds of dollars if you invest in a set of washable (and adjustable) diapers - and the biggest savings are made if you use these for several children. Chances are you're not likely to... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Toddlers Parents reflect on "The Terrible Twos": 17 of 29
My daughter has now reached the age of three years and seven months. I feel we've turned a corner. We parents don't get much of a chance to reflect on things whilst our children are small - in the 'fog' of busy parenthood. I'd say the 'terrible twos' are no longer fully present - but not yet a distant memory. So I'm in a good... More..