Viewing all items in Resource Category: Looking at You

It is important to be as kind and patient as possible with other people this autumn.  Covid-19 has turned many millions of lives upside-down, and the resulting distress, anxiety, fear, grief and economic meltdown means that now widespread mental illness is inevitable. So says the new president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr Adrian...

Have you ever heard a certain song or tune that immediately takes you back to your youth? It can be a very poignant moment. When researchers at the University of Westminster examined the choices of 80 different guests on the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs, they found that most guests had chosen music which...

The numbers of people looking for pet-friendly homes to rent has risen by 140 per cent in some areas since March. It all started with lockdown, when many of us decided to get a dog or a cat. The Kennel Club said breeders have seen a 180 per cent rise in the number of people...

Is your child naughty?  Consider getting a dog. A recent study has found that children who grow up with a dog are far more likely to be willing to share and help others. Researchers at the University of Western Australia in Perth have found that young children who live with a dog and who frequently...

Debts and lockdown Think about making a will and planning your funeral THE WAY I SEE IT:  What have you missed most during lockdown? What is lurking in your garden? Talking better with your hands Fussy eaters Still love your neighbours? Who is most lonely now? Dramatic rise in home exercise injuries during lockdown More...

Over the lockdown period there has been a honeymoon for people in debt, when some official action has been put on hold. Honeymoon is perhaps not the best word; holiday may be better. At the beginning of the coronavirus emergency, the Government introduced regulations to temporarily prevent court officials such as bailiffs seizing goods in...

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  John 11 17-19 We have been living in strange times throughout the lockdown. Many of the...

It’s a good question, because it is about the things that make us tick. When I examined my list, I found obvious things – going to church, live sport on TV, meeting up with friends for a coffee or a beer. But as I thought more deeply about it, I realised that what I missed...

Is there something alien in your garden which is beginning to worry you? Something that is growing too fast, spreading too fast, for you to keep up with? Gardeners across the country are being asked by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and the University of Coventry to find – and report –...

Do you move your arms about when you speak? Probably you do – at least sometimes. Gesturing while we speak has been common behaviour for thousands of years, but it has been less clear as to WHY we do it. Now a study by scientists at the University of Connecticut has found that there are...

If your child is still a toddler, here is some good news: this is the best time of their lives for you to introduce a variety of foods, and thus expand their food preferences. Recent research has found that picky eaters are unlikely to change if they do not have a varied diet by the...

One side-effect of lockdown has been seeing more of our neighbours – which of course can be very nice indeed. But if those neighbours constantly play loud music or hold smoky barbecues, it can be tiresome. And just wait until they invest the latest craze:  a big bubbling hot tub for their garden. The craze...