Swindon MP Julia Drown with her own daughter OttilieCHILDREN should be taught at school how to be good parents, Swindon MP Julia Drown has urged.

She called for the lessons to be made as part of the national curriculum, alongside sex education and other social skills classes.

Her proposals have met with a mixed reaction from parents and teachers in Swindon who mostly feel it is impossible to define 'good parenting' as there are so many varieties of families nowadays.

The MP, who wants to talk to experts first before deciding on what age group should be taught the skills, insisted the move would help cure anti-social behaviour problems, as well as boost pupils' job prospects.

Speaking to the Adver, the mother of two said: "We have to do more to support parents. I always find it amazing that we provide intensive help and advice during pregnancy and for the birth, but after the baby pops out it all stops.

"It's as if we suddenly expect to find two people suddenly transformed into wonderful parents. But it's not like that."

Government-backed schemes, including Sure Start programmes, are already in place to give some assistance to new parents. But the South Swindon MP warned these did not go far enough.

She said: "I really think we should be teaching children from an early age about being parents, about what it involves and how to cope.

"We shouldn't forget many children will already be playing an important role in looking after their own brother or sister."

The Labour backbencher said long-term anti-social behaviour problems would be cut if more children were properly brought-up and cared for.

She said: "These are incredibly useful life skills, not just something only a mother or father can use."

Dick Mattick, a former teacher and secretary of Churchfields Parent Teachers Association, said: "A lot of parenting skills are already taught in schools as part of social skills lessons so it is hard to work out what she means. Also, how do you define a good parent? There are so many different ways of parenting and so many different types of family that this is an impossible thing to define. I can understand practical lessons, like how to spot illness or feeding families on a tight shopping budget, but when it comes to moral guidance, who is going to say what is good parenting and what is not?"

Rachel Kilford, 32, of West Swindon, who has a two-year-old daughter, feels that Ms Drown needs to think about her idea more and be a bit more specific as to what she is proposing.

She said: "We need to know what age group she is referring to, as it would be pointless teaching very young children about parenting."

Mother-of-three Meryl Grant, 37, of Old Town, said: "If children are going to be taught parenting skills, it should be done properly in an educational way that puts across to them the huge responsibility involved in bringing up babies."

Niki Wyness, 32, of Swindon town centre, who has a 16-month old son, added: "I do not think it should be the teacher's responsibility to teach children how to be responsible parents."