Michelle Bowman, 38, a teaching assistant, is married to Elliott, 40, an office fitter. She is mum to Alissia, 14, Bradley, 12 and Bailey, 10. Three years ago, in May 2009, when Michelle was just 35, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She subsequently underwent an operation to remove the lump in her breast, followed by both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Here, Michelle explains how having cancer affected ...

Thousands of women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, but there is hope for all. While breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, eight out of 10 patients will live beyond five years. The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, and eight in 10 cases are in women aged 50 and over. As part of the NHS breast-screening programme, women are invited to attend routine mammograms b ...

All mums pass on words of wisdom that will, in turn, get passed down to future generations. Here are a few that we love… From the moment you’re conceived, your parents will have passed on their genes, thereby determining everything from the size of your nose to the colour of your hair or how likely you are to wear glasses when you’re a child. Then, as you grow older, they will begin to impart advice, from t ...

Jo Frost tackles a child’s refusal to sleep in his own bed, toddler tantrums, violent video games and more frustrating queries… Tantrum control Q. What can I do to stop my six-year-old yelling and screaming when he doesn’t get his own way? Eleanor Gait, 29, Barnet A. You need to change the way you respond to your child’s screaming by not caving in and giving him what he wants. Ignore the mock tantrums and m ...

Amazingly, one in three parents don’t read to their children and a third of youngsters in the UK don’t own a book. Jo Frost believes this needs to change. Speaking and listening are the building blocks of literacy, and they have a direct effect on a child’s reading and writing ability. Kids who read with their parents expand their vocabulary and knowledge which sets them up to do better in school and improv ...

Keeping calm when there are kids around isn't easy – Try out these methods Whether you’re mum to a baby, a toddler or a teen (or maybe all three!) there will be times when you feel pushed to the limit and, despite your best intentions, lose your cool. Children of different ages push your ‘stress’ buttons in numerous ways – your baby may be tiny but she still has a large pair of lungs on her to belt out a pi ...

Owning a family pet can teach your child about companionship, play, exercise and responsibility. When it comes to family life with young children, one thing is almost certainly a given. At some point, as your children are growing up, they will announce that they must have a pet, and depending on your child’s passions at the time, it could be anything from a goldfish to a horse. Becoming the owner of a pet, ...

Searching for a getaway the whole family will love? We’ve scoured the globe for the best children-friendly holidays that you’ll enjoy, too! Finding breaks that suit toddlers, teenagers and mums and dads in desperate need of some rest and relaxation can prove quite challenging. To cut down on endless hours trawling the web, check out these six holiday havens for a spot of inspiration. From camping by the coa ...

The number of mothers in the workforce is on the rise, with 66% in employment. But are there still jobs out there? And can you be a mum and have a successful career? With the economy as it is, and price rises wherever you look, most women feel they should go back to work after having a baby. This is reflected in figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS, www.ons.gov.uk), which show the difference ...

A father’s role in the family is constantly evolving, but expectations of the modern dad are now greater than ever before. The established duties of a dad have always been very different to those of a mother, and over the centuries, tradition has dictated that women take on the role of primary child carer. But times are changing. The two World Wars had a significant impact on women’s roles in the family hom ...