Messages:
Mum - great to have you up and running and a new member of the iPad club, even if you did beat me at our first game of chess. Expect lots of requests for rematches!
Dad - my solution in seven steps (if we call the 8 unit jug A, the 5 unit jug B and the 3 unit jug C):
Pour A to B, B to C, C to A, B to C, A to B, B to C and finally C to A!