... I saw an advert on a website I belong to which said to ring a number and you get a free issue of Junior and then a further 3 issues for just £1. I couldn't resist and then the next month, my first ever issue of Junior dropped onto my doormat.
The first thing I noticed was the quality of ... Read review
Advantages: Lots of articles, full of information, gorgeous photography Disadvantages: Expensive
...get a free issue of Junior and then a further 3 issues for just £1. I couldn't resist and then the next month, my first ever issue of Junior dropped onto my doormat.
The first thing I noticed was the quality of the magazine itself. The cover is lovely and glossy, and all of the pages inside are very thick and have that expensive look to them, you can tell this is a magazine aimed more towards the upper class reader (I'm not being a ... ...the price. An issue of Junior costs £3.50 in the shops, yet M&B costs just £2.35. However, for the extra £1.15 you get a lot more adult and intellectual reading, which is relevant to mums of children of all ages, not just newborns. The magazine is aimed at parents of children from 0-8 and I think they easily tick all the boxes for each age group.
Possibly the favourite part of this magazine for me is towards the back of it, entitled ... more
I have always seen this magazine in WH Smith whenever I go to pick up the other parenting magazines I buy every month, but to be honest I have never paid that much attention to it. I saw an advert on a website I belong to which said to ring a number and you get a free issue of Junior and then a further 3 issues for just £1. I couldn't resist and then the next month, my first ever issue of Junior dropped onto my doormat.
The first thing I noticed was the quality of the magazine itself. The cover is lovely and glossy, and all of the pages inside are very thick and have that expensive look to them, you can tell this is a magazine aimed more towards the upper class reader (I'm not being a snob, just my opinion!). The cover has the work JUNIOR across the top in bright colours (This varies according to the colour scheme of the issue) and around 5 or 6 articles which are inside the magazine. Along the bottom, there are 4 words which are meant to describe the rough content idea of the magazine, and these are FASHION * HEALTH * LIFESTYLE * EDUCATION. I will go into more detail about these as I progress with the review.
The format of each issue is basically the same, just the content varies issue to issue. The first couple of pages are usually advertisements, and it then moves onto the contents page which tells you the name of articles throughout the magazine and a sentence about them, useful if you only want to read a few things that would appeal to you. There is also a letters page.
The "Junior Life" section of the magazine is 4 or 5 pages dedicated to little snippets of information, news, entertainment, shopping and events which are happening in the month of the magazine. There is quite a lot of reading over these pages and I usually find the content very interesting. It is dotted with bright, colourful pictures which accentuate the quality and appearance of the pages.
After this section, the magazine progresses into a large section of articles. Each article is typically between 3 and 6 pages long, and there is a lot of text to each article, so they can take you up to about 15 minutes to read, which is great for anyone who enjoys reading. All the articles are superbly written, very articulate, and well presented. Again pictures are dispersed throughout the article, and really add an extra something to the article.
A large difference I noted straight away about this magazine compared to the other parenting magazines such as Mother & Baby and Prima Baby is that this magazine is NOT a parenting manual as such. There are no articles comparing nappies, or telling you how to breastfeed, or birth stories. It is purely articles about things related to parenting and children. The articles in the issue I am referring to for this review come from the August 2007 edition. The following articles are in this issue: Astronaut or Accountant; How Toys Can Predict Your Child's Future Career, Rebel Toddlers; Learn to Love Their Fesity Ways, Long Live The Picture Book and Could You Save Your Child's Life? I find them very interesting and it makes a change to the other magazines I buy.
Another big difference between the magazines is the price. An issue of Junior costs £3.50 in the shops, yet M&B costs just £2.35. However, for the extra £1.15 you get a lot more adult and intellectual reading, which is relevant to mums of children of all ages, not just newborns. The magazine is aimed at parents of children from 0-8 and I think they easily tick all the boxes for each age group.
Possibly the favourite part of this magazine for me is towards the back of it, entitled Junior Resources. The section has a grey border around its pages, so you can easily find it in the magazine, which is handy if you need to quickly look up something. Within this segment are the following sub-sections; Health, Development, Natural Parenting, Education and Books. Each has a double page spread dedicated to it, and has Need To Know information, little facts and a page of Q&A to an expert in that field. I particularly enjoy the books section, as they exhibit all the latest books in different age groups i.e. Baby and Toddler, Picture Books and Early Readers. Each book has a paragraph about it too, so you know what the story is about. It also has a Personal Top 5 Favourites from a famous author. This particular issue it is by Michael Morpurgo, previous Children's Laureate.
The shopping section of the magazine is called the Children's Emporium, and is a directory of shops and internet shops which sell clothing for children. However, a lot of these places are boutiques and therefore expensive. I have also noted that the clothes printed throughout the magazine are way out of my price range, i.e. skirts from £50 and trousers at £75!! It is nice to see how the other half live though lol!
In my opinion, this magazine is fantastic. It is not patronising, it is full of intellectualy articles, fascinating information and plenty of reference points too. The photography through the magazine is fantastic, and the clothes modelled by children are gorgeous. Yes, the magazine is much more expensive than others on the market, but I do believe you get a full month's reading for that money. I read an article every few days, and then go through all the other information in the magazine. It definitely is plenty of reading for a busy mum! However, I would say tht this magazine is just as applicable to dads as well, as it is more literary based than other parenting magazines.
The heading right at the top of the magazine says the Junior is "The World's Finest Parenting Magazine". I would agree with this, and would recommend it to anyone who wants an information filled magazine which appeals to a broad children's age range, and enjoy an informative intellectual read. You can subscribe to the magazine through special offers in the magazine, and online. I would recommend subscribing as it is cheaper than buying each issue in the shops. Try it, you may be pleasantly surprised.
For more information see the magazine's website: www.juniormagazine.co.uk
Junior also produces Junior Pregnancy and Birth magazine which is aimed at pregnancy, I presume this magazine would be the one to switch once you are a parent!
Advantages: quality writing and presentation Disadvantages: overpriced and uptight!
...gloss pages and a properly bound spine. According to my toddler it tastes better too! Seriously, for all it’s shortcomings Junior has a lot to recommend it, and if you’re sick of reading Q&As about nappy rash in the other mags then do give it a try sometime. ...
Cazz 15.05.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Junior
Advantages: Well written, non-patronising Disadvantages: Expensive - and don't even look at the prices of clothes!
...than normal baby magazines? Then Junior magazine is for you!
With the tag line ‘The World’s Finest Parenting Magazine’ this is a magazine that goes far beyond what to expect in pregnancy and birth, how to feed your baby and how to change his nappy. I have purchases this magazine on and off for the past few years and it is the only parenting magazine I will now buy. For an example of what to expect, these are some of the cover stories ... ...releases are also featured.
Junior is published monthly, except at Christmas when there is a January/February double issue. Each issue costs £2.90, which is quite expensive for a magazine. However, at 130 pages long, the magazine will keep you reading for a while and is one you can dip in and out of and come back to at a later date. Subscriptions are available at £27.97 for 1 year or £49.97 for 2 years. You can pay by cheque, credit card or quarterly ...
jools30 05.03.2002
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Junior
Advantages: Quick to read Disadvantages: Not enough advice
Junior seems at first to be a good parenting magazine - after all it does have 'the finest parenting magazine in the world' plastered across it. Well, I think the world is just a bit ambitious because I don't even think it's a very good parenting magazine for anywhere, let alone the entire planet. Basically, it seems to be stuffed to bursting with advertisments, and huge photos. But I don't think that there's a huge amount to read and what there ... ...not spoiling your child senseless. But to be honest, I don't think that the majority of parents out there can afford this. Children are expensive enough as it is! Junior was a big let down for me and I really don't know why parents read it.
Cost: Around 2.50 ...
gaultier100 07.03.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Junior
'You've been Framed' used to just about be worth a watch when the late Jeremy Beadle used to host it but even then it was only ever viewed by me when there was truly nothing else on.
Since the days of Beadle it has gotten even worse and the once slightly funny programme has become car crash TV.
The idea of this show is that members of the public send in video clips they have captured of funny moments such as the next door neighbour falling whilst doing something in the garden or perhaps your child or dog doing something mildly amusing.
These days however it seems more and more of what is shown on the show is clearly set up to net the £250 you get for sending the clip in, we regularly see granddad or dad taking a whack in the unmentionables from juniors golf club or some supposed sensible adult falling in a pool full of kids ...
Advantages: Compulsive viewing, crazy guests Disadvantages: Scum of the earth guests
Jeremy Kyle is a daytime talk show that can really only be described as having the scum of the earth guests. Where they get these people is beyond me but I guess with Britain's track record of ASBO's and the like it is not too shocking nowadays.
Now, I do admit to watching it because I am at home in the mornings nowadays and it follows GMTV so I do have an excuse. Once it starts you do find yourself mesmerised buy the shocking displays you see and it's quite hard to turn off. However, I do not watch it religiously as some people do. My father is a junior school teacher and one of the parents actually said to him that she couldn't come and see her son in the school play that morning because it would mean missing Jeremy Kyle. My dad had no idea what to say but no doubt that lady and her children could one day be future guests!!
The show ...
Spottydog11 05.08.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Jeremy Kyle
Advantages: Fun for anyone of any age Disadvantages: Loads of adverts, and electricity bill!
Nickelodeon is a great television channel available on sky. It is jam packed with loads of cool television programmes. Nickelodeon is for everyone of any age, from 1-100!
On weekday mornings, Nickelodeon have what they call Nick Junior. Nick junior is presented by a face that changes colour, pulls faces, and says all the programmes that are going to be on. Some of the programmes on Nick Junior include, Babar, and the all famous Blue Clues! Nick junior is not only fun to watch and enjoy, but it also helps toddlers learn at the same time. Without them knowing it. Nick Junior is meant for children aged between 1-6. But hey even i watched it till i was a bigger kid!
Then we have normal Nickelodeon. This nickelodeon is for the big people. Theres loads of competitions, television programmes and special guests on here. Some ...
party_girl 19.08.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Nickelodeon