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A study published recently shows that many children in Australia think that their parents work too hard.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies points to a growing lack of balance between work and home. Parents’ concerns about work, and about bringing work-related stress into their families, were similar to their children’s concerns.
Professor Alan Hayes, Director of the Institute, said that more than 33% of 10- and 11-year-olds were worried because they believed their fathers worked too hard; 27% believed the same of their mothers. 23% of mothers thought that family time was less enjoyable and more stressful because of work.
The report reads: Helping children grow is fundamental to parenthood. Children need to be given nutrition, sleep and exercise to ensure their healthy growth from infancy onwards.
For infants, breastfeeding is recognised as providing a healthy start to life. In the LSAC sample, 92% of infants were breastfed from birth, 82% were still being breastfed at one month old and 70% were still breastfed at three months old.3
As children grow, parents and carers introduce them to other foods. A healthy diet is one that includes fruit and vegetables. According to LSAC, in the 24 hours prior to interview:4
- 92% of 4-5 year old children had at least one serve of fresh fruit and 48% had at least two serves of vegetables (cooked or raw);
- 90% of 6-7 year old children had at least one serve of fresh fruit and 50% had at least two serves of vegetables (cooked or raw); and
- 87% of 8-9 year old children had at least one serve of fresh fruit and 47% had at least two serves of vegetables (cooked or raw).
Having a healthy diet encompasses more than this, and should take account of the amount and range of food and drink in children’s diets.
Focusing on 10-11 year old children, most primary carers5 appeared unworried about their child’s diet. When asked about this:
- 61% of parents were not concerned about their child eating too much or eating unhealthy foods, 29% said they were a little concerned, and 10% said they were concerned; and
- 86% of parents were not concerned about their child eating too little, 9% were a little concerned, and 5% were concerned. Continue reading
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