Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., April 28, 2008 Nisan 23, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:10 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

That's what friends are for By Tzafi Saar Tags: education, Children, study Children who are expert at manipulating others can make their parents feel guilty for daring to leave them at home and spending time with friends. Some children even wonder why their parents do not take them along. They need time, it seems, to realize that their parents also have a life of their own, one that isn't connected to the children (and which amounts to 20 or 30 years approximately). A new study has now been released, which frees parents of such unnecessary guilt feelings: According to its findings, parents who enjoy themselves actually help their children, because it appears that kids whose parents are more sociable are better in arithmetic, reading and writing than their peers, and have a bigger vocabulary. The study, which was conducted in Britain, examined the social life of 3,000 parents. Prof. Sarah Brown and Dr. Karl Taylor, of Sheffield University, looked at how many friends the parents had, how frequently they met with them, whether they were members of sports clubs or other social groups, whether they volunteered in the community, and so on. This information was compared to the results of tests administered to these parents' children in fields such as literacy, arithmetic and vocabulary. The study found that children with sociable parents did better in these tests than those whose parents are less socially active. Advertisement The researchers also noted a connection between certain social activities and specific achievements. Children whose parents were members of sports clubs had better results in reading, arithmetic and vocabulary tests, while those whose parents had volunteered topped their peers in arithmetic and reading, and children whose parents were members of the parent-teacher associations could read well and had a good vocabulary. Previous studies had found that sociable children succeed in their studies more than others - this latest study now shows that the parents' social skills have a similar effect. The researchers also took into account factors such as the parents' educational level and socio-economic background, which tend to affect the children's academic achievements. But even without taking these issues into account, it transpired that the extent of social activity had an important effect on studies. The researchers assume that, among other things, sociable parents have a social network that allows them to discuss their child's development, to get advice and to give and share, all of which certainly helps the children. It is also possible that the kids of sociable parents themselves develop these kinds of skills. Bethan Marshall, a senior lecturer in education at King's College in London, said in an interview with the London Times that a broad social network built by parents is invaluable for a family's quality of life. Among other things, she noted that it is easier for someone with many acquaintances to find the right person to help out with any given problem. Marshall also linked the findings of this latest research to the results of previous studies, which showed that the way in which parents talk to their children has a decisive effect on the kids' achievements. She thinks that parents who are satisfied with their lives talk a lot to their children, and do so in a positive manner, which benefits the children. Most parents are familiar with the advice that they should talk a lot to their children, a recommendation supported by many studies. But what the researchers apparently failed to take into account is the extent to which parents feel pressured by such advice. These instructions, it would seem, are aimed at people who are not very talkative. But first-time parents sometimes treat this type of advice as if it were the Torah itself, handed down in Sinai - even if they are very verbal. As a result, more than one parent has confused a newborn with a torrent of words, sometimes more than what was needed. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Survivors and pioneers Yad Vashem exhibit shows how Holocaust survivors helped shape Israel's identity Researching bacon Lahav's pig breeding gained widespread notoriety because of its legal loophole.

Read & React U.S. irate after Israeli envoy to UN brands Carter 'a bigot' Responses: 299 Israel: Gaza truce hinges on Hamas control over Jihad Responses: 68 Avraham Burg: Jonathan Pollard is America's Vanunu Responses: 68 Report: Hezbollah man says new attack on Israel is question of 'when, not if' Responses: 197 More Headlines 01:50 Israel: UNIFIL is hiding information about Hezbollah from Security Council 22:18 Netanyahu: PM promised Golan to Syria before talks ever began 01:39 State prosecutor likely to appeal Benizri sentence 00:11 MK Ariel: Arabs should be urged to willingly emigrate from Israel 22:56 IAF Chief: Hitler wasn't believed, we can't make that mistake with Ahmadinejad 02:09 New education panel to promote Jews and Arabs living together 21:01 On Israel's only Jewish-run pig farm, it's the swine that bring home the bacon 01:48 Katsav's lawyers want police to investigate main complainant 21:32 Exhibit shows how Holocaust survivors helped shape Israel's identity 17:05 Assad: Facility Israel bombed in September was not nuclear 19:38 Experts recommend nullifying law granting mothers automatic custody 22:45 Hamas urges Palestinian fuel association to end strike in Gaza Previous Editions Select Day 27 apr 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr 17 apr 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Learn Hebrew online with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today Pardes Institute Summer Sessions Study Jewish texts and issues in Jerusalem, Co-ed, All Levels Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved