This is to announce the publication of Nothing More Important which, for the first time worldwide, gives a comprehensive account of the idea’s history, and a wealth of detail about projects in schools and elsewhere which have prepared (some still prepare) children and young people aged 3–18+, of all ethnicities, abilities, faiths and social classes, or with special needs, to be good parents. It will be of invaluable help to anyone concerned about babies, children, young people, parents, families, mental health, and creating a safer society.
Teaching parenting is fascinating and fun in the present – with knowledge remembered in the future.
Ros Kane, a psychotherapist, parent, grandparent, author of To Have an Only Child, and The Miracle of NEWPIN, has worked in prisons, schools, play therapy settings, mental health and parenting organisations, has run parenting education in schools, and trained others to do so. I offer FREE training sessions and a free model lesson to schools or other venues in the UK working with families or young people, e.g. prisons, and youth or therapy services. Please see below for contents of the book and feedback from readers.
‘I don’t usually like working much do I, Miss? But I could
have worked on that forever!’ Student after a parenting lesson
‘After a lifetime in education, and as a father to three children, I have concluded that nothing matters more than good parenting.
It is only after our children have grown up that we learn how we should have done it. This book could not possibly be on a more important subject.’ Sir Anthony Seldon
‘This book should be on the curriculum of all teacher training courses.’ Dr Penelope Leach CBE
Available from Ros Kane: roskane@btinternet.com
One volume: £10 incl. postage Both: £15 incl. postage. Please pay into Co-operative Bank, account 11000015, sort code 08 90 76 (and let me know) or send cheque made to Ros Kane, to 15 Matcham Rd, London E11 3LE.
Published 2025 by the charity Before Becoming a Parent
Nothing More Important Volume One
Teaching parenthood education in schools: Five centuries of heartfelt advocates
CONTENTS
Part One: This is not a new idea: what has been written and said in the UK
The 16th century to 1969 / The 1970s / The 1980s / The 1990s / The 21st century
Part Two: What has been written and said in the US
1888 – 1960 / The 1970s / The 1980s / The 1990s / The 21st century
Part Three: What has been done in UK secondary schools
The Ladies National Association for the Diffusion of Sanitary Knowledge 1857
Mothercraft from 1941
West Suffolk, 6th forms, Wiltshire 1966
Redbridge/Waltham Forest 1970s, and Anthony Gell school, Winkworth 1972 – 79
The Gloucestershire Scheme for Education in Personal Relationships and Family Life 1971
GCSE and CSE exams 1976
Birmingham/London Education Authority/Norfolk 1979
A school in Avon, west England 1979 – 83
The Open University course 1981
Five schools in five local education authorities 1983 – 84
Parenthood education in four mixed comprehensive schools: village, small town, Cambridge, Hackney 1983-4
Flour babies, brick babies and egg babies for teenagers 1992
Parenthood education in five schools in Greater Manchester 1995 – 96
L8r: ‘Six Futures, You Decide’ 2000
Parenthood education at Manchester Academy 2003
The Baby Borrowers 2007
The Play Mentor Programme: Scottish youth mentoring pre-school children 2014
Part Four: What has been done in US secondary schools
Education For Parenthood 1972
Education for Parenting 1979
The Caring Project: Learning How To Care, Education for Parenting 1980s
New York City: Child development, parenting and parent development course 1985 – 2000
Teen Choices 1990
Dads Make A Difference (DMAD) 1993
Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents (PTP) formerly The Parenting Project 1995
Part Five: The Resistance and the Evidence
The Resistance: Why isn’t parenting a core curriculum subject?
The evidence, evaluation and feedback about past projects in UK and US schools:
Problems of doing research
Evidence: UK projects
- Parenthood Education in Manchester 1995 – 96
- The Baby Borrowers 2007
Evidence: US projects
- Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents from 1982
- New York City public schools from 1985
- Teen Choices 1990
- Educating Communities for Parenting 1992
- The Caring Project 1994
- Dads Make A Difference 1993
Part Six: Schools
What should schools be for?
Nothing More Important Volume Two
How to prepare children and young people at school to be good parents
CONTENTS
Summary: How to teach good parenting
Part One: Why this is an urgent need
Lack of preparation: ‘I was shocked’
Two Crises: Mental health and education
Part Two: Who’s doing/has done what in UK secondary schools
Power2 (formerly Teens & Toddlers)
Teenagers in Playgroups / Tots and Teens
Growing2Together
Virtual Babies
Teenage Parents / Straight Talking Peer Educators
WAVE: Parenthood & Relationships Education Project
Before Becoming a Parent (B4BP)
Other parent education in schools
Parenthood education in other countries
Part Three: The central role of drama
‘I don’t usually like working much, do I, Miss? But I could have worked on that forever’
Part Four: Who is doing what in the US
Virtual babies in US secondary schools
Educating Communities for Parenting (ECP) 1976
p.a.p.a. (Parenting and Paternity Awareness) 1988
Parents Under Construction (PUC) 1991
Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) courses
Connecticut Coalition for Child Development Education 1997
Educate Tomorrow’s Parents(ETP) 2005
Part Five: Work with 3-to-11-year-olds
Roots of Empathy (ROE) and Seeds of Empathy
BASE®BabyWatching and Watch and Wonder
Other baby/parent observation schemes: Circles for Learning / Understanding Each Other
Flour Babies
Year Six Help the Nursery
Part Six: How to teach parenting in schools
What qualities do you need?
Cythia Reynolds: secondary students’ expert
What makes for memorable parenthood education?
Part Seven: Evidence, evaluation and feedback
Secondary schools UK: evidence, evaluation and feedback
Before Becoming a Parent: evidence, evaluation and feedback
Projects in the US: evidence, evaluation and feedback
Work with under-11s: evidence, evaluation and feedback
Part Eight: Resources to use
Quotes, true & false statements, role-plays, plays, treasure basket, crying babies, parent & baby visit, breastfeeding quiz, what does a baby need?, hitting children, myths & truths, songs, poems, books, films, disability, facts, homework, positive and negative attitudes to childcare
Bibliography and some relevant organisations
Teachers, writers, therapists, parenting experts have said……
How is it that we so unthinkingly perpetuate a chain of emotional and imaginative deprivation in our education system? Ros Kane at last spells it out, with boldness and clarity, where the shortfall lies. An educational system that fails to nurture the skill to nurture is in trouble. Ros details the story of efforts to rectify this over several centuries and the sources of resistance to change, in a way that should challenge, inspire (and perhaps even shame) educators into thinking again about what it is to educate human beings whose task it is to help others be more human. Dr Rowan Willliams
This nails the most important thing they didn’t teach you at school. A crucial book. It deserves a lot of attention.
Oliver James, author of They F**k You Up
Very important. Professor Lord Richard Layard
Really interesting and so important! Professor Dr Mary Nolan, Editor, International Journal of Birth & Parent Education
A monumental achievement! A major contribution to the field of children’s wellbeing. You organise material well. The books are fabulous! I’m awed by your accomplishment and honored to have been included. I know this has been a huge undertaking. You’ve created an incredible resource: breathtaking in scope, but also diligently researched and beautifully written. Inclusion in your book reassures me that my decades of work will have an opportunity to assist educators & program developers in the future. This is SO gratifying!! Randi Rubenstein, Founder, Educate Tomorrow’s Parents, US
I appreciate your doing a book on this very important topic.
Dr Myriam Miedzian, philosopher, social activist, author of Boys will be Boys, co-founder of Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents, US
I hope your book is widely read. Dr Christopher Clulow, author and consultant couples psychotherapist
I think what you are trying to convey with your book is fantastic and much needed in the current climate.
Juliette Marshall, teacher, Bacon’s College, London
Wow – your book looks truly fascinating and something very much of interest to the Mothers Union and our focus on supporting families in all forms to flourish. The virtual babies was a very big initiative all over the UK about ten years ago but it seems to have slowly petered out. I’m not sure why. Alison Fernandes, Mothers Union
I’m sure you are thrilled with your books. They’re a service to humanity. Lou Howort, former parenthood teacher, US
I do hope the book gets the attention it deserves. What a huge amount of work you have done! Your account is very comprehensive. Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer, policy consultant on parenting and child development, author of many best-selling books about children’s wellbeing, e.g. Self Esteem for Boys
I believe this topic would be incredibly engaging for my students. Head of Sixth Form, East London school.
You’re tackling one of the most pressing questions in the developed world.
Sue Palmer, Upstart, Scotland, author of Toxic Childhood & Detoxing Childhood
Very impressive book! Dr Henri Parens, co-founder, Baby Watch, US
I am really enjoying your book – so positive, so thorough, so important and needed! This book is an impressive accomplishment, and you deserve to be very proud of yourself. The content is excellent, and how you’ve organised it is excellent. Noel Janis-Norton, parenting expert and author
Your new writings look absolutely amazing. I extend my deepest congratulations to you on this important psychological achievement. You should be very proud. Professor Brett Kahr
Terrific, very convincing and splendidly detailed. Jenny Uglow, author
Your book will be a resource as we try to move ahead over here. Dr Harriet Heath, co-founder The Caring Project, US
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