Tell Us About Your Family

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

It broke the house rules because it had the temerity to ask if the programme could be constructed without tedious listener input.



??????

The BBC is a cult. John Sweeney should look into it

The questionnaire is very simple - I haven't spoken to my parents for years as they are both dead. It could have had a NA option.

It's a bit ill conceived and insensitive not to have a NA option.

Thank you Nigel.

Thanks Nigel. I was going to answer it but couldn't for the same reason as Zeldalicious.

I must be doing something wrong - this is the 2nd time that I've tried to complete the questionnaire and the 2nd time that it's binned me out saying that the survey is there for reference only & hasn't been upated since 2005. If you want info - porvide a working facility to use!

As the only people filling this in will be 5 Live listeners, do you think it will produce a rather lop sided view of the quote: "state 'the family' is in, in 2010"?

Carrie, you forget, 5Live is the "most democratic station" in the UK. So I am sure it will be representative.

re Carrie's comment (11); It will be even more "lopsided" and thoroughly depressing, if responders are influenced by the header picture and a disproportionate number of Eastenders viewers respond.

Since our most important learning occurs in our early years, the influence of our family and home environment has a huge effect on children’s life chances. If the children have the opportunities to develop the 8 skills they need to succeed their life chances are increased immensely.

Following almost 40 years as a secondary school teacher (and recently as a learning consultant) I recently ‘retired’ to focus upon ‘helping everyone learn to succeed’, by providing support and understanding using the extensive scientific research on the everyday concerns that seem to affect almost everyone, especially parents and young people. I particularly want to help everyone understand what our children most need to learn to increase the life chances.

Almost a year ago I had a book published “A Wonderful Life?”, an easy-to-read 21st century 'Christmas Carol' , with a typical 19 year old girl, instead of Scrooge, that provides a clear understanding of why so many people are struggling to succeed, have such poor behaviour and how we can help them learn to succeed and improve their wellbeing.

Following the success of the book, I received some Government funding to help to set up my business (social enterprise?) and website that attempts to address the common concerns experienced by most people.

The 1902 Education Act effectively introduced state secondary schools and since then they have emphasised academic achievement, assessed through written exams, as providing a route to ‘good life chances’. This ‘Victorian premise’ is now very questionable as reflected in that “The World Health Organisation predicts that within 20 years more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem. According to the WHO, depression will be the biggest health burden on society both economically and sociologically.” (2nd Sept 2009).

“Successful people have learnt the 8 skills needed to identify and overcome the difficulties they meet and achieve happiness” – this is the outcome from extensive research throughout the world over the last 60 years, in areas as widespread as sport, music, books, film, science and business.

1. Effective Learning Skills - We need to learn to survive but unless we develop our ability to learn throughout our life the continually changing situations and difficulties in the 21st century will destroy/defeat us.

2. Communication skills – concentration, verbal skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing), non-verbal skills (visual gestures, body language, touch)

3. Cognitive (thinking) skills - analytical and conceptual (systemic) thinking

4. Self-awareness

5. Managing Feelings

6. Motivation

7. Empathy

8. Social skills

Therefore if our society is to be really improved – developing these 8 skills is essential.