BOTANIC TODDLER

When Marnie was born, her parents decided that their daughter would grow up to have the same love of gardening and all things botanical that they had. They had a large garden where they grew vegetables, raspberries and strawberries, several varieties of fruit trees, as well as the beautiful flowers of which her mother was extremely proud. She entered competitions and the local floral show annually with her best blooms, and her efforts had been rewarded with many prizes over the years.

So, wishing to pass her expertise and knowledge on, she would take Marnie, when still a baby, into the garden and lift her up to touch the leaves of the trees and to see the flowers. Marnie would pull at the leaves, and her mother would pick them to tickle her face. Even before she could talk, Marnie was learning the names of plants and she was an enthusiastic assistant in the garden.

One day, when Marnie was about two years old, she wandered outside alone. Her mother assumed she was playing in the garden as she usually did at this time of the morning. But realising that it was unnaturally quiet, she went to investigate. She discovered her daughter, bending over some pot plants. Marnie turned her strawberry smeared face to her, smiled serenely and then delicately pulled off the last of the new blossoms that had been intended for the district flower show.

Do you think Marnie's mother should be angry with her? Why do you say that?

BOTANIC TODDLER

When Marnie was born, her parents decided that their daughter would grow up to have the same love of gardening and all things botanical that they had. They had a large garden where they grew vegetables, raspberries and strawberries, several varieties of fruit trees, as well as the beautiful flowers of which her mother was extremely proud. She entered competitions and the local floral show annually with her best blooms, and her efforts had been rewarded with many prizes over the years.

So, wishing to pass her expertise and knowledge on, she would take Marnie, when still a baby, into the garden and lift her up to touch the leaves of the trees and to see the flowers. Marnie would pull at the leaves, and her mother would pick them to tickle her face. Even before she could talk, Marnie was learning the names of plants and she was an enthusiastic assistant in the garden.

One day, when Marnie was about two years old, she wandered outside alone. Her mother assumed she was playing in the garden as she usually did at this time of the morning. But realising that it was unnaturally quiet, she went to investigate. She discovered her daughter, bending over some pot plants. Marnie turned her strawberry smeared face to her, smiled serenely and then delicately pulled off the last of the new blossoms that had been intended for the district flower show.

Do you think Marnie's mother should be angry with her? Why do you say that?

THE HUMAN FOOT

The human foot consists of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves and twenty-six bones. In a baby, the bones are made of cartilage. The foot is not the same shape as an adult's foot - it is wider and shorter, tapering towards the heel. It is soft and flexible and at this stage, susceptible to damage.

The cartilage gradually changes into bone as the baby grows, and by the end of the first year, the foot is about half the size of the adult foot.

As the foot is growing so much, it is important not to constrict it in a way that will interfere with its development.

If you were a parent would you be concerned about your baby's footwear? Why do you say that?

THE HUMAN FOOT

The human foot consists of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves and twenty-six bones. In a baby, the bones are made of cartilage. The foot is not the same shape as an adult's foot - it is wider and shorter, tapering towards the heel. It is soft and flexible and at this stage, susceptible to damage.

The cartilage gradually changes into bone as the baby grows, and by the end of the first year, the foot is about half the size of the adult foot.

As the foot is growing so much, it is important not to constrict it in a way that will interfere with its development.

If you were a parent would you be concerned about your baby's footwear? Why do you say that?

BLOOD RELATIONSHIPS

Sometimes police find traces of blood at the scene of a crime but they don't know who it came from.

How can they even begin to find out? The best way to ascertain whose blood it is, is to compare it with a sample taken from the victim or the suspect.

There are times when police believe that they know who the blood belongs to, but they cannot find that person and therefore cannot do a blood match.

An investigation is more difficult if the police suspect that the blood came from a victim or perpetrator whose whereabouts is unknown. Today, science can assist. DNA taken from the blood left at the scene can be compared with DNA taken compulsorily from the genetic parents of the person they believe the blood belongs to. If it is their offspring, the DNA samples will be almost identical.

Do you think police should be able to take blood from the parents of suspects?

Why do you say that?

BLOOD RELATIONSHIPS

Sometimes police find traces of blood at the scene of a crime but they don't know who it came from.

How can they even begin to find out? The best way to ascertain whose blood it is, is to compare it with a sample taken from the victim or the suspect.

There are times when police believe that they know who the blood belongs to, but they cannot find that person and therefore cannot do a blood match.

An investigation is more difficult if the police suspect that the blood came from a victim or perpetrator whose whereabouts is unknown. Today, science can assist. DNA taken from the blood left at the scene can be compared with DNA taken compulsorily from the genetic parents of the person they believe the blood belongs to. If it is their offspring, the DNA samples will be almost identical.

Do you think police should be able to take blood from the parents of suspects?

Why do you say that?