SMALL babies need their dads - but not as much as children and teenagers do. There are plans afoot to give fathers more paternity leave. It seems a complicated mish-mash of transferring some of the mother's rights to the father, enabling her to go back to work and him to stay at home and, frankly, looks pretty unworkable. Not least for employers.

But the basic aim is still to give fathers up to six months off with their new babies. Right idea. Wrong time.

A week or two off when the baby's born, yes, great - as much to look after the mother as the baby. But as long as a new baby is fed and clean and cared for, they're not that much bothered who does it.

But when it comes to older children... they really want their dads. And this is where dads come into their own. Instead of six months off at the birth, why not let them have a couple of weeks in the school holidays? A month in each of the long summer breaks when a child is in primary school is still only six months and could be much more useful.

It solves the summer childcare headache for families and it would give dads and kids a chance to really get to know each other, do things together. Much more enjoyable and memorable than pushing a pram.

Come to that, teenagers - especially boys - could really do with a chunk of their father's time. This is when a couple of weeks off could make a huge difference to someone's life. And sometimes it is better for father and son when mother's not there to act as a buffer. Then they have to get on.

Both parents need a flexible approach all the way through their children's lives. Other carers have other responsibilities and will also want to alter their working patterns in the short or long term. We are all going to have to be increasingly flexible in the way we work.

But parenthood lasts a lot longer than the first six months. And it's not just new babies that need their dads.

CHEERING news about the Hamleys' Toy of the Year this year. Instead of some high tech, gimmicky, gadgety bit of hardware, it's actually incredibly low tech. Not tech at all in fact.

CreAtiles are brightly coloured fabric and Velcro tiles, which children can use to build all sorts of things. Like all the best toys since the world began, it actually encourages children to use their imagination. What's more, it's quiet. Now that IS a bonus.

IF you find a book that looks lost in Bishop Auckland this week, cheer up! The book's not lost - it's liberated.

Liberating books is a worldwide movement. Read a book, leave it somewhere for someone else to find it, read it and share the pleasure. Then they can pass it on too. After all, who wants lifetime left on the shelf?

It's a wonderful way to spread a little happiness - and a good story.

As part of the Woodhouse Close Arts Festival, Bishop Auckland libraries have liberated a few books of their own. A splendid Anne Fine turned up on my doorstep and as soon as I've read it, it will be out in the world again.

There's a whole week of events, activities and celebrations in Bishop Auckland this week. And if no liberated book comes your way, don't worry - there are still plenty in the libraries.

ANTHEA Turner is making a TV comeback. In a new series, she's going to teach people how to be perfect housewives. Her qualification for this is that her house is apparently immaculate. Every towel is perfectly folded, every drawer and shoebox labelled. No smudges ever darken her light switches.

That's not perfect, that's obsessional.

And if you haven't got the time and energy to reach such pinnacles of perfection, be thankful. Your light switches might be smudged, but at least you have a life.

DID you know that Monday was International Forgiveness Day? Sorry, I forgot to mention it in time. Forgive me.

Published: 26/10/05