Is it ever OK to miss your baby’s birth?
John Barnes watched the Liverpool-Chelsea match rather than seeing his child born. Does a father’s absence from the delivery room matter?No one could accuse the former footballer John Barnes of being anything other than cool, calm and collected about the birth of his seventh child. But there’s admirably relaxed – and then there’s shockingly laidback. [...]
Classic Hotels in the City of Angels
No where is the alluring past of the City of Angels more profoundly evident than in the classic hotels and bungalows scattered about town.
Study: Chromosome change points to autism
People who possess a specific change in one of their chromosomes are nearly 14 times more likely to develop an autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia than those without this change, according to a new study.
What dads really want for Christmas
Don’t know what to buy your dad this Christmas? Identify his type with our handy guide, then find out what he really wants – and what he definitely doesn’tDads are notoriously difficult to buy for. They may profess to behappy with an M&S sweater and a pair of slippers but, deep down, isthat truly all [...]
Common painkillers could be linked to male reproductive disorder
Scientists find link between mild painkiller use in pregnancy and raised risk of having a son with cryptorchidismThe use of mild painkillers, such as paracetamol, in pregnancy – previously considered harmless to the baby in the womb – could be a major factor in the rise of male reproductive disorders, according to a study.Scientists in [...]
My family, the enemy
Israeli film-maker Noa Ben-Hagai went in search of a forgotten great-aunt and found cousins who are Palestinian Arabs. What happened next?Back when peace did not seem such an impossibility, it was fashionable to cast the Middle East conflict as a family feud. Jews and Arabs were held to be if not brothers then long-lost cousins [...]
Up close and personals: Tim Wayne-Wright
A longer look at a lonely hearts adI broke up with my girlfriend of five years in August 2009. I’m a singer, and away a lot with work and she, it transpires, was unhappy so cheated on me – she was seeing someone else for a few months behind my back. I found [...]
Families divided by the care system
Ex-drug addict Natalie’s children were forcibly adopted, Amy was never allowed to take her babies home, and Jayne had 12 children removed from her care. But when is it appropriate for the state to come between mother and child? And is the fundamental right to have children now coming under threat?Last month, American organisation Project [...]
Dear Mariella: Though I’m married now I would like to contact my ex, who had our child, and give them some money
I walked away from my first serious girlfriend when she was six months pregnant, then married a wonderful woman, but we have not been blessed with children. Pangs of guilt have come to the fore, and I feel I’ve been cursed for my selfishness. I’ve thought of hiring detectives to trace my ex and pretend [...]
An Appetite for Ellijay and Apple Orchards
The fall, more than any season, it seems, is all about food. There are countless festivals around the country in both big and small towns, ranging from cranberries to beer, and even some chitlins. You’ve got all the tailgating activities surroun…
‘We’re going to be famous’
Joanna Moorhead meets the family who agreed to let TV cameras watch their every moveJulie Adesina was at work, serving in her takeaway in London, when a TV researcher dropped in. Would she, the researcher asked, be willing to have cameras rigged up in her home, so that she and her family could be filmed [...]
Sheryl Crow: All I wanna do … is be a mum
Rock star Sheryl Crow’s dream of a family fell apart when her wedding to Lance Armstrong, the cyclist, was called off – and then she learnt she had cancer. But it all helped her focus on what she really wantedWhen Sheryl Crow was younger – an optimistic twentysomething and then stoically hopeful in her 30s [...]
Joe Calzaghe: My family values
The ex-boxer talks about his familyMy dad, Enzo, was a musician who sang and played guitar. He had a record contract and was managed by the group the Barron Knights. He never quite made it, but he still has a recording studio in his gym and he still records. It’s in his blood and he loves [...]
A new mum again … at 48!
Following the fortunes of our heroic mother-of-fiveFor the first time, I am pleased to wake up and find that the clocks have gone back. An extra hour in the day. How fantastic. On this one day, I promise myself, I will get the children to bed at the time they should usually go to bed and I [...]