Modern Family? New Research Shows Traditional Gender Stereotypes Remain in Parenting

NEW research reveals that the average British family still conforms to many traditional parenting stereotypes, despite shifting attitudes when it comes to raising children. The study shows that, for the average family, fathers are less likely to show love and affection than mothers, with 2 in 5 British dads admitting they aren't affectionate with their children. Fathers were also found to be more likely to take an authoritarian approach to parenting by setting clear and strict rules for their children.

However, whilst dads set more rules for their children, the survey commissioned by MyNametags.com found that fathers give their children more freedom to play outside with their friends than mums (56% vs 62%) and are less strict about making their children save their pocket money (58% vs 63%).

When it comes to the softer skills of parenting, the survey found that mums are more likely to spend quality time with their children (72% vs 66%) and are more likely to help their children with their homework than dads (60% vs 54%).

The data shows that mums are almost a third more likely to arrange playdates for their children than fathers. Furthermore, women are 25% more likely to do arts and crafts with their children and 25% more likely to bake or cook with them. Women were even found to be more likely to teach their child to ride a bike than men (55% vs 39%), something which has traditionally been seen as:- 'dad's job.'

Despite these findings, attitudes are shifting in some areas with fathers becoming increasingly conscious of their role as a parent. 55% of men say they feel pressure to be a good parent and are more likely to feel they must compensate for being a working parent than women (57% vs 51%). This, in part, could stem from a fear of judgement, with over half (57%) of men admitting that their peers with children influence their parenting style and a further 44% saying that social media is a contributing factor.

Lars B Andersen, Managing Director at:- MyNametags.com, comments:- "Whilst modern families look very different to how they did 50 or 100 years ago, our research shows that many of the stereotypical roles of mums and dads still remain when raising children in the UK. We can see that attitudes are shifting, and dads are becoming more conscious of their role when raising children, so it will be interesting to see how this will translate in future family dynamics."

Visit the My Nametags website to find out more about the differences between men's and women's parenting styles.Marigold Day Nursery in Wirral sells to Kids Planet

Specilist business property adviser, Christie and Co, has brokered the freehold sale of Marigold Day Nursery in Heswall, Wirral.

The 'Good' rated Nursery, which is located in an affluent Merseyside suburb, has an effective operating capaCity for 64 children aged zero to 5 years old, and holds an exceptional reputation amongst the local community offering first-class early years education. The Nursery operates from an impressive site comprising 2 properties and an extensive outdoor learning environment, ideal for a forest school offering.

The business was established 26 years ago by its current owners, Tina Muscatelli and Kathleen Moore, who consistently operated a highly successful business, creating a welcoming, 'home from home' setting which is unique due to its personable offering. The pair decided to sell to retire.

Following a confidential sales process with Sofia Beck, at Christie and Co, the setting has been sold to Kids Planet Day Nurseries, which takes the group to 163 settings and further strengthens its presence in Merseyside.

Tina Muscatelli, previous owner of Marigold Day Nursery, comments:- "After 26 years of building Marigold Day Nursery into the wonderful and well-loved setting that it is, the time has come for me to retire. My number one priority was to hand over the reins to the right new owner who could take the Nursery forward, whilst retaining the same values and homely feel that are so important to our families. I believe that Kids Planet are the best choice for this. I am confident that the amazing staff and children at Marigold are in the safest hands and that the Nursery will continue to thrive."

Clare Roberts, Chief Executive at Kids Planet Day Nurseries, comments:- "A warm welcome to the whole team at Marigold Day Nursery. This family-feel setting aligns well with the Kids Planet approach and we look forward to supporting the team, children, and parents in becoming part of the Kids Planet family."

Sofia Beck, Associate Director - Childcare and Education at Christie and Co, comments:- "After almost 30 years of ownership, it was certainly a difficult decision for Tina and Kathy to sell the Nursery and retire. As I understood the sensitive nature of the sale, I was very grateful to be asked to assist them. As Marigold is such a lovely, high quality setting in a sought after location, it attracted a strong level of interest from existing Nursery operator buyers. The added appeal of the property was the unused outdoor space to the rear of the existing garden which is rare to come by. With so many benefits and emphasis in the EYFS towards outdoor learning, a day Nursery's outside area can often be its biggest selling point."

Marigold Day Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.
 

Is your local boozer about to call time at the bar? Alcohol tax freeze is about to end?

THE latest research by finance specialists, RIFT, reveals that some parts of Britain have seen as many as 69 local pubs close their doors in the past 2 years, a situation that could be made even worse when the freeze on alcohol tax ends on 1 August 2023. The traditional British boozer is quickly becoming extinct and with a freeze on alcohol tax due to end this August, the number of pubs found across Britain could be set to decline even further over the coming years.  To understand how the recent years of economic turmoil in Britain has impacted the pub industry, RIFT has analysed the changing number of outlets up and down the country between 2020 and 2022.

The top level data shows that despite the Government handing pubs a lifeline in the form of an alcohol tax freeze in the August 2020 budget, the number of pubs across Britain has remained largely static over the last 2 years, increasing by just 164 nationwide.

This tax freeze hasn't been enough to halt the worrying decline in pub numbers across many areas and in London, the number of pubs has fallen by -33, from 4,366 in 2020 to 4,333 in 2022.

There are also fewer pubs in:- Scotland (-20), the South West (-14), and East of England (-11) when compared to just 2 years ago.

However, this Regional overview doesn't highlight the full extent of the dwindling pub trade in Britain, and when analysing the nation at Local Authority level, the severity of this decline becomes all the more apparent.

In fact, as many as 161 Local Authorities across the nation now have fewer pubs when compared to 2020 and nowhere more so than in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, where there are now 69 fewer pubs open for business.

Here's where the number of pubs has fallen across the North West.

Bradley Post, MD of RIFT, commented:- "As a nation of pub lovers, we often measure economic ups and downs by the patronage we give our public houses and the rate at which they open or close. Pubs provide a good indicator of how freely the public is spending money, and whether or not they feel wealthy enough to splash the cash on the relative luxury of social drinking. It's no surprise, therefore, to see the number of establishments falling across large swathes of Britain in the past 2 years, firstly due to COVID and then the current economic troubles stemming from the likes of the mini-budget and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That's why it's particularly concerning to think that a further hike in alcohol tax is on its way in August when the current freeze thaws. The Government might think that increasing the tax will help lift the nation's economic burden, but it also risks pushing even more people away from the pub, destroying small businesses, and further damaging our local economies. Perhaps a better idea would be to reduce the taxes and allow pubs to draw more people in, spending more money and helping the economy tick along at a greater speed."

Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Also please do  let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:-  Mastodon, Facebook or Twitter.