Thank god it’s bi-monthly. This hefty new parenting title from Beach Magazines & Publishing – ‘The world’s finest parenting magazine’, apparently – is certainly jammed full of information from start to finish, suggesting a greater pagination than the 132 available.
Billed as being aimed at ‘ABC1 parents with children under the age of six who want to read about the ‘fun’ aspects of parenthood’ the title offers information on everything – books, toys, fashion (lots and lots and lots), health, child development, food, behaviour, reading etc…..
The first 30 pages are filled with the type of articles you would expect in the ‘childrens’ section of She or Red magazines, followed by in depth, often highbrow articles (for example the use of cranial osteopaths to relieve problems arising from colic to concentration disorders).
There are also occassionally offensive items, such as a four page piece entitled ‘”Dr Laura – the phenomenon” – about a US radio talk show host who comes up with lines such as ‘its disgusting and despicable that there are women like this…. I hope all these children run up and spit in their mother’s faces’. The subject matter for this outburst? Women who have children out of wedlock! The article offends in that it fails to question her stance and in failing to do so suggests that the magazine agrees with her right wing morals.
The front cover also promised an article on ‘child friendly restaurants’ which sounded interesting. The article itself was quite witty, but I’m not so sure about the suggested eateries – I think perhaps the piece should be re-titled “Restaurants Which Parents Enjoy, Where You Can Get Away With Taking Kids”. For example, ‘The Eagle…You can’t book tables, it can get crowded and smoky, but kids are genuinely welcome’, while other suggestions include Belgo Centraal, Montana, Orsino’s and The River Café!
Overall the title, whilst having some interesting features, is more upmarket and high brow than its billing suggested. It is also highly aspirational and occassionally pretentious.
Of the 132 pages 20% are advertising from the likes of Jigsaw Junior, Russell & Bromley, Osh Kosh B’gosh, De Beers, Fairy and Volvo.
Reviewer: Lynne Moxon
Beach Magazines and Publishing: 0181 741 4411
