MollyMumofTwo's Blog

With addictive shows like Breaking Bad, Homeland and Games of Thrones taking up part of everyone's day, it's not surprising that names like Dana, Skyler, Brody and Arya have increased in popularity. While many presumed George would be a favourite name among expectant parents in the UK, it has actually been pushed out of the top ten due to mums worrying they'll be considered a 'Kate...

The staff at John Lewis Cambridge received the sweetest letter from five-year-old Faith this week. The little girl wrote: "To John Lewis, Cambridge. I'm sorry I broke a Christmas bauble on Saturday. It cost two pounds. Here is the money for it. Sorry again. Faith, aged 5." She taped two pound coins to the piece of paper and even drew a little picture of herself. However, the self-portrait...

A report by Girlguiding found that half of seven to 11 year olds wear make-up and a growing number of girls are unhappy with the way they look. The research involved nearly 1,300 respondents aged between seven and 21 and was conducted online under controlled conditions and also included face-to-face interviews. Of those surveyed, 51% of girls aged between 14 and 16 were unhappy with their...

According to a new survey, four out of five middle income families are unable to save for their children's future. Many are hoping for “something to turn up” as 78% cannot or will not start a nest egg. According to Demos, parents are underestimating the costs that their kids will face in the future, such as high property prices and university fees. The study polled 2,000 people and found...

Getting your child to eat their greens can be a frustrating task but the new sweet Brussels sprouts may be the answer, and they are ready just in time for the festive dinner. Christmas wouldn’t be the same with the little green vegetable, even though kids, and even adults, will turn their noses up at it. However, the new ‘child-friendly’ greens will apparently trick the brain into thinking...

On this year’s Late Late Toy Show, in a flourish of generosity, Ryan Tubridy decided to throw a few much sought after One Direction dolls into the audience - but there wasn’t enough for everybody. Usually when you don’t win something most people will admit defeat, but not the man in this video clip. He wasn’t going to let that 1D doll go, even if it meant pulling it from the arms of the...

Before you sigh in frustration as your little one throws their food across the kitchen, you might find comfort in the fact that messy children are likely to be better at learning. According to a new study carried out by Dr. Larissa Samuelson from the University of Iowa, toddlers who grasp, feel, taste and throw objects are constantly gathering information about the world. Psychologists tested 72...

Sausages, burgers and chicken nuggets are the most popular items on a kids’ menu, despite Ireland’s ever growing obesity problem. According to research conducted by Safefood, 40% of restaurants offer chips with every kid's meal while just 42% offer any kind of vegetables. The watchdog group, who launched the study at the All-Island Obesity Action Forum, is urging parents to demand that...

Still feeling guilty about eating that chocolate cake over the weekend? Well, according to psychologists, those who see eating cake as something to celebrate are more likely to stay slim than those who are consumed with guilt after. Researcher at the University of Canterbuy in New Zealand, Dr. Roeline Kuijer and Jessica Boyce, wanted to test whether guilt from eating sweet things undermined a...

A study showed that the standard of living in Ireland has decreased in the past few years. Findings from the Growing Up in Ireland survey revealed that the financial difficulties that families experience have been both “pervasive and persistent.” Researchers interviewed the families of 11,100 five-year-olds in 2008 and in 2011 and found that the number of parents struggling to get by has more...