Class bears may lead to competitive parenting

The practice of young children taking home a classroom teddy bear and recording what they get up to, has reached new heights of competitiveness.

The online teachers network TES, says it is leading to one-upmanship among parents.

Many schools use cuddly toys to encourage parents to get active with their child and pupils to practise their writing and storytelling skills.

BBC News website readers have been sending in pictures of their children having fun with their classroom soft toys.

Maxie the Meerkat was treated to a day out at AFC Bournemouth, with Lily.

Jason Sammut and three-year-old son Ethan took class bear Barney along with Pooh bear to the Oxford Natural History Museum. Jason says: "We definitely weren't going to take Barney just anywhere. I did sneak a peek at what the bear had on with other families and you could see there was a bit of competition, but it was all good-hearted."

Rosie aged seven and her brothers Adam aged five and Harry aged three took Barnaby bear to the village bakers to buy gingerbread men.

Cara aged three, from Derry, had Winnie the Pooh working very hard at the local newspaper where her mum is a reporter.

Barnaby came home with Ava aged four from a school in Beverley in East Yorkshire for a week, where he joined her and a couple of other bear friends in making a batch of gingerbread bears.

While London Barnaby bear took getting kidnapped by a zombie in his stride, when he went home with Isobel.

Catharine Scholes says: "My son was given Gerry the giraffe to take home for a week from nursery. I did feel slightly under pressure to take part in extra activities that I wouldn't have usually done."

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