Positive Parenting Week 11th - 17th May 2009

As Tumble Tots celebrates its 30th year, our Positive Parenting campaign celebrates its 12th year with the theme 'Happy Families'.

Our Positive Parenting campaign is all about cheering parents on during the early years of their parenting journey. As Tumble Tots celebrates its 30th year, our Positive Parenting campaign celebrates it's 12th year with the theme 'Happy Families'.

This year's theme was inspired by the recent publication of 'A Good Childhood (2009)', based on a report ,The Good Childhood Inquiry' which is the first independent inquiry into childhood in the UK. Evidence was collected from over 30,000 sources including experts and children from the age of five. Children themselves said that family and friends are the most important thing in their lives. Love, mutual respect, open communication and getting along as a family were just some of the points children and young people listed as what they thought made for a happy family life.

 Indeed comments from Olympic legend and Tumble Tots Ambassador Sally Gunnell would agree with some of the points raised above as she says "I would say for me, a happy family is one where children can come home, feel relaxed, secure, loved and know that no matter what day they may have had, at school, nursery, playgroup, home is where there will always be love, hugs, understanding and fun. I have long noticed how much happier and settled my boys are when we spend time as a family and like most parents who work, I always make sure I spend quality time with them at the weekends and every opportunity I have during the week." 

From the moment we are born the interaction with our parents influences our nurturing habits and interaction with our own child in the future as we subconsciously record our feelings and experiences, creating blue-print auto-responses to help us survive. I'm sure there have been occasions when you find yourself saying something to your child that your parents used to say to you, and this is known as your "auto-parent". Gael Lindenfield, psychotherapist and author of 'Confident Children and Confident Teens' provides more insight into your "auto-parent" in her articles 'The Parent Trap' and 'Controlling Your Auto-Parent' which include parenting tips. This year's booklet also contains articles about 'Confidence Building' an ethos supported by Tumble Tots, and the importance and tips on nurturing our children's friendships in 'You've Got to Have Friends'.

Look out for your free Positive Parenting booklet on 'Happy Families' at your local Tumble Tots centre, or call Head Office 0121 585 7003, alternatively you can download a copy by clicking here or on the image of the booklet above.