Child Of Our Time BBC1 9pm Tonight

[RTKangaMummy]

What are Dads for?

9pm BBC1 Tonight

i just remember watching the one where Paris is 2yrs old, and crossing the rd, it shocked me that a child was that good. dd1 is the same age as these kids and at that age she couldnt be let near a road!!

I must be hormonal! That programme had me in tears more than once. Helena is just such a cute little china doll isn't she. A little miracle.
And the two sisters whose parents separated, but they were the best of friends.

I cried at Helena and her sister at the end - it was just so moving the way she introduced herself ! Curious as to why their dad was having such doubts at that late stage about his longevity when the baby was so planned.

However, I thought it omitted some of the more obvious case studies such as Charlie (?), the boy whose dad was a racing driver and who had an affair resulting in the couple splitting up quite early on, also James who has had a couple father figures.

Has anyone done the circle test, to see where they put your family members? Thought that was very interesting.

thought the mum who's in the police & won't let her kids see their dad came across pretty badly..

When she said "I am helena I am your big sister "
that made me cry.

Odd about the etch-a-sketch task - DH and I both agreed that I would have approached it how the dads did and DH would have done it like the mums (DH was a deprived child - never had an etch-a-sketch )

helena's little sister looked massive next to her...

Did I hear correctly that 50% of children lose contact with their fathers after 2 years when parents are separated? Knew the number was significant, but can it possibly be that high?

Also, did they say that 40% of separated/divorced women try to prevent access at least temporarily? Again, I knew the number was significant, but can it be that high?

i know, it's depressing earlybird isn't it?

thank you, will make sure DP watches it too.

ohhhhh, bollocks just realised you posted this yesterday! gutted.

I felt completely choked when seeing Helena with Bella. We went through the mill so badly to get dd for ds and their first meeting was very like that.
I think they must hammer out an agreement with the participating families as to who gets featured in which programmes. Jacqui and Richard must have been happy to be interviewed working out their new living arrangements, maybe Charlie's parents wouldn't consent (understandably).
I love Parys and Alison too, and Helena always gives me a huge lump in my throat. But all of them are cute at this age...

i felt sorry for parys, the whole childcare mess is obviously upsetting for him and his mum.

I sobbed the whole of the way through it...especially for Parys and his thousands of carers. I just wanted to run in and make it all better! It was a brilliant programme. I was watching DH out of the corner of my eye and he was riveted. He'd come in suggesting we watch the Auchwitz programme, but I said it would upset me too much...didn't realise I'd be in floods watching "Child of our Time" Maybe I need to toughen up a bit

bluesky- i did the circle test and ds1 put me next to him and dh(stepdad) and bf in the same place on opposite sides. the bbc website has all of the test available on-line very interesting.

We did the roles test on DS (4) we both work & share tasks. Who can be a
bus driver - Mum & Dad
Astronaut - mum & dad
Doctor - dad (because mummys could be nurses)
Teacher - mum & dad
can mend things - daddy
can make cakes - mummy
can cook - daddy (he does do the cooking but DS explanation was because 'its dangerous in the kitchen & daddy is bigger' !)

Charlie was on it during the tests a couple of times. I think maybe they didn't feature him because they had previously when his dad first left (remember him freezing like a statue - he was only a bub at the time.) In the last one they said he had a step-father and we will find out next week when he is in it more.

The programme guide for next week is here.

Agree that Helena is absolutely lovely, she is just gorgeous and the way she speaks so perfectly. I suppose having an 8lb + baby must feel huge compared to how tiny Helena was, DH was nearly in tears when they showed her when first born.

Felt so sorry for Charlotte, her mum seems to put herself first in all cases. Look previously and I moaned that the last series featured the mum more than the dd.

Sorry I just realised I said Charlie when I meant Calvin, he was the little boy whose dad had the affair.

Ignore me, my brain is mush.

Years ago, DH found his step-daughter pretend-playing to be a nurse. She was about 5 at the time. The conversation went as follows:

DH: 'Or you could be a doctor.'
SD: 'Don't be silly. Men are doctors. Women are nurses.'

At the time, there was a male nurse lodging in the house and a female doctor visiting them from Australia.

Yes Calvin was the one I was thinking of - he did appear in some of the tests, but not any with a dad.

did nobody else feel really sad that when charlotte's mum (the policewoman) spoke about her new partner being a father figure, the first thing she said was "he can tell them off"???
Agree about Helena, what a cutie with her washing on the line and I'm your big sister (need sniffling emoticon). Amazing that she has done so well from being so prem.
Planning to do the circle test (bless little Parys giving his mum legs...) and also the what do dads do? question, might be interesting because dh looks after the children one school day a week and often does the school/nursery run...

aha, killed the thread again

chocfree you haven't killed the thread you just need to wait until the next episode on Tues! I thought the exact same thing about that mother though, poor Charlotte has never had much stability.

OK tonight it's about 1st day at school...
Asked DD (3.5) about who does what, she said men or ladies can be doctors (but not mummies or daddies!?), daddies drive lorries, and tellingly, who gets the children ready and takes them to school? "Mummies and daddies" which is great (certainly true in our house).