The Madness of Modern Families

Birthday Parties

Once upon a time the children's party was a joyous occasion for a parent, but not any more. Modern parents come clean about the madness of children's birthday party inflation. Jelly, games and fun are seen to be dull. Children's parties are now big events and parents know it's about them being on show, not the children. So, this gives rise to venue stealing, entertainer envy, party bag pressure and sleepless nights in advance of the big day.

School

There's nothing mad, modern parents won't do to get their kids into a good school: moving house, adopting religion, inventing illnesses, camping in the playground - and bribing teachers with a lot more than an apple!

Money

Other Parents

Spying and back-biting, mad modern parents know no shame in the competition that starts at birth and continues to the school run: whose baby sleeps through first, whose child has completed War and Peace at the age of eight, who can please the school teachers most. These are serious questions for modern parents who thrive on competition and can't wait to trip each other up.

Extra Curricula

Modern parents confess to the laughable amounts of time they devote to extra curricular activites for their children. With everybody at it, no one dares give their kids any down time so it's a non-stop rush to make it to violin, sanskrit and judo and try to fit in dinner in the car.

Food

Modern parents reveal the dark secrets about family meal times and go into delicious detail about dealing with modern-day, faddy kids, so-called allergies and the torment of eating out.