I'd create merry hell if nothing can be done. The school must have some responsibility for the ensuring the format of the exam is fit for purpose. After all the subject was Geography not IT.

My post about playing outside and my parents not knowing what I was up to was more about the freedom we had and not intending to be critical of today's parents. The trust issue is a society wide problem and down to the changes in how news and information is circulated. That said I think today's teachers have a difficult time with a lot of parents. The attitudes of some parents are simply not reasonable and it's getting to the point where something has to be done about making it more clear where the lines of responsibilities lie between teachers and parents.

MamaCaz I don't think anyone is saying today's parents care more than parents of previous generations.

Being interested in everything that happens at school - I don't have any experience of this yet as my DGD is too young.
My DD, tho, has told me of some appalling attitudes and actions of her teachers, at both primary and secondary school. At the time, she didn't say anything, as she had the feeling that parents already knew all about what happened at school. A bit of probing and then criticism of her teachers would have been in order, I think, and I am sorry that we took the usual attitude of "it'll all be fine".

I thought for an experienced journalist this blog was a mish mash of random ideas. I can't imagine how her smug, judgmental words would help anyone through anything.

I would imagine the vast majority of parents are very happy that their children have opportunities that they perhaps did not have, such as going to university. But is it so difficult to understand that that happiness at a young person striking out on their own can also be tinged with sadness and perhaps some anxiety? Victoria8 you state you grew tired of the constant demands of your daughter/son and being glad when she/he left. Some people have had less fractious relationships with their children and feel differently from you. That does not mean they need to "get a life".

I would agree that being over-protective of one's children may make it more difficult for them to deal with the practical and emotional challenges of life but I don't see it as a particularly modern phenomenon. My mum used to be anxious about all sorts of things: using public transport, using escalators at stations, etc. - and to some extent she transferred that lack of confidence to me. Add to that: going out/going to bed with damp hair - "you'll get a chill", wearing damp underclothes - "you'll get rheumatism", sitting on toilet seats in public lavatories - "you'll get a disease", etc. etc. And yet I could wander off for the whole day on my own or with friends without there being the least worry. Everybody parents differently and to assume that there is some sort of "ideal" model of parenting is, I think, unrealistic.

I don't recall moaning as a child because we had no central heating or indeed any heating at all upstairs. But I feel that's because I didn't know any different. I feel quite sure that if Bel Mooney had to put up with iced-up windows and a freezing cold house now, she would do plenty of moaning. As for never getting a cold, I recall myself and children at school constantly bunged up with colds, suffering with bronchitis, styes and chilblains.

I do agree that there is far too much anxiety about "germs" but to put this down to "fussy" parenting is unfair. These fears have been generated by marketing campaigns for companies selling cleaning products.

Bel Mooney then veers off the topic of parenting and onto one that is not at all cut and dried. She makes some disparaging remarks about what she considers to be the unwarranted sensitivities that she believes certain "minority groups" exhibit. My feeling is that unless she has been subjected to behaviour or attitudes that have upset or disadvantaged her - such as has happened with, for instance, homosexual, transgender, black people, etc. - she has no right to suggest that people who have should "put up and shut up".

I agree with you that the journalism in the article is lazy. But it's a journalist's job to stimulate debate: Bel Mooney has achieved that, it seems. As far as suggesting that certain minority groups should "put up and shut up" she has every right to say whatever she likes (within limits) and we, as readers, have every right to agree or disagree (within limits).

The fact that we are at liberty to debate issues in a reasonable way is a mark of civilised society. We can't advocate free speech on one hand and then chuck our toys out of the pram when we hear something we don't like!

I agree that she perhaps should not comment on issues of which she has little knowledge or understanding but I would absolutely defend her right to voice her opinion, no matter how daft or ill-informed that opinion may be.

Disagree jinglbellsfrocks. Looked like a compliment to me.

Eloethan I remember being admonished about going to bed or out with wet hair - 'You'll catch your death of cold' was one of DM's oft-used expressions. Likewise for not wearing a vest.
Every morning out came the Californian Syrup of Figs and cod liver oil and malt - no fuss, though, it was just routine.

I do remember moaning about iced up windows and getting dressed under the bedclothes, sitting on the hearth and being told I was 'nesh'.
If I made a fuss about anything I was told not to be 'so mardy'.

I remember bottles of disinfectants and in particular Dettol as well as lots of vigorous scrubbing of surfaces, baths etc with Vim, so perhaps a precursor of today's cleaning sprays which are so essential to kill 99.9% of germs!

Despite ensuring that I was warm, well-fed, healthy and happy, I don't think my DP were 'helicopter' parents, anxiously fussing over every aspect of my life like some of today's parents.

i remember a father slapping his child at dentist,she had toothache,,receptionist promptly reported him to social services..he was fined 3oo pounds,,we are all so pc now,,frightened to say boo to a ghost

Really! how many young parents nowadays have the time to make a fuss over all aspects of their children's lives? I know that my DC and their partners all have demanding jobs and still make time to be with their children, advising about homework (as mine did and I did) and ferrying them around to activities like cubs, scouts, swimming, am dram etc. I don't call this involvement in children's lives 'fussing'. Why have children if you can't take an interest?

And, BTW, I am so glad that a man who slapped a poor child with toothache got his rightful comeuppance! I fact, I think £300 was cheap.

I agree annodomini.

miley health professionals who have reason to suspect child abuse have a duty to raise such concerns with appropriate child protection officers - they would be considered negligent if they did not.
RQ Are you from Cheshire? I have never heard anyone else use the word 'nesh'. It was a frequently-levelled accusation in our house

There is a vast difference though between taking an interest and fussing.
Parents storming into schools is commonplace now, and most of the time over something very trivial.
I see a lot of over anxious parenting going on, but don't know why this is so.

Both my Lancashire and Yorkshire grandparents used the word 'nesh', whereas I never heard it locally while I was growing up in Cheshire!

I never heard the word nesh when growing up in Yorkshire!

We have a mystery on our hands.

"Nesh" wasn't used in the part of North Yorkshire where I grew up - I came across it for the first time in Nottinghamshire. And I think it's used in this part of (east) Cheshire.

Yes, I do think it's more commonly used in certain areas of the counties mentioned. Like many words and expressions!

suzie I'm from east Cheshire.

RQ Are you from Cheshire?
janea, no the next County down, Staffordshire! Although DGF was from Cheshire, so perhaps from him.

DH is from West Yorkshire and he refers to me as a nesh southerner because I pile on the woollies in the winter and he walks around in a T shirt.

Although MIL lived in Cheshire when she was young, and I never heard her use those expressions.

There doesn't seem to be any pattern to this - DH is from North Yorkshire and uses 'nesh', whereas I'm from West Yorkshire and had never heard it before I met DH!

I am from Derbyshire , now in Cheshire and " nesh " is well used and understood in our house.