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'Let it be imperfect': Sleep consultant Lucy Wolfe on parenthood and navigating sleep challenges
'Let it be imperfect': Sleep consultant Lucy Wolfe on parenthood and navigating sleep challenges
Parents and their little ones gathered at Here's Health in Douglas Court Shopping Centre on Tuesday for the Irish Examiner's ieParenting coffee and conversation event 

Tue, 24 Mar, 2026

Cropped shot of young woman with white stretch marks from a weight loss or weight gain on her thigh
Dr Phil Kieran: Is there a treatment for my teen's stretch marks?
Stretch marks occur in up to 70% of adolescent girls - there is nothing to feel embarrassed about them

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

'Nobody was more surprised than my mother when I wrote a book'
'Nobody was more surprised than my mother when I wrote a book'
Ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday, Liz Nugent, Caoimhe Kenny, Georgie Durcan, Dr Doireann O'Leary and Sarah Maria Griffin share their memories

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026

Teenage girl is applying make-up in her room
Joanna Fortune: My teen daughter wears high heels and makeup. Why does she try so hard? 
Because this is not a shared interest for you, be careful you are not projecting your opinions about women who dress up or wear makeup onto her. She sounds like a happy, healthy, typically developing teenager

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Baby sleeping covered with soft white blanket
Sleep expert to meet Cork parents to help develop a sleep routine for babies
Paediatric sleep consultant and author Lucy Wolfe will join ieParenting at the Douglas Court Shopping Centre next week for a talk on helping your child drift off to the Land of Nod.

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

High School Tutor Giving Male Student Wearing Uniform One To One Tuition At Desk
Colman Noctor: Relationship between teacher and student is key to unlocking academic success
Children and teenagers are motivated more by positive relationships with their teachers than by algebra or formulas

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

Girl Drinking Water
Dr Phil Kieran: My daughter gets constipated when she's stressed  
Treating constipation is a marathon, not a sprint, but helping your daughter to manage it by herself will be a life-long skill that will help her in the future

Tue, 10 Mar, 2026

A mum at 18, a mum at 38: How motherhood was different for us
A mum at 18, a mum at 38: How motherhood was different for us
Comedian Emma Doran and actress Rachel Sarah Murphy became mums at different ends of the age spectrum. As Mother's Day nears, they tell Jenny McEntegart about how their experiences shaped their maternal roles

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

Happy elementary school girl with healthy food in cafeteria
Aoife Hearne: My children have lost interest in the free school meals. What do you suggest? 
A good place to start with your daughters is to understand why they have lost interest in the school meals — are they fed up with the menu options or has the quality deteriorated?

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Group Of Multiethnic Students Chatting And Having Fun After Classes
Colman Noctor: Campus life is a vital learning opportunity for students to connect
Humans are wired for connection. Especially during late adolescence and early adulthood, peer relationships are vital to their identity. Campuses serve as fertile ground for this, acting as vibrant spaces to live, laugh, learn, and love

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Teen girl enjoying evening solitude in her cozy, modern apartment living space
Schools seeing ‘alarming rates of absences’ in post-pandemic years
Schoolchildren often struggle to verbalise the anxiety behind their school-avoidant behaviour, leaving parents torn between getting them to school and being there for them

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Tots to Teens: Toy Library to host swap-and-play time
Tots to Teens: Toy Library to host swap-and-play time
There's also a new picture book from an award-winning writer, and a diary to help children embrace life

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Loneliness concept. Sad teenage boy on windowsill indoors
Joanna Fortune: My teenage son is missing his big brother 
Child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune gives advice about an evolving relationship between two brothers

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Why a sing-song voice helps babies learn to talk
Why a sing-song voice helps babies learn to talk
Speaking ‘parentese’ can help to foster good speech and language development, and encourage clear communication

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Toy gun in hand on a white background, isolate.
Julie Jay: Son of a gun — why everyone in our house is suddenly ducking for cover
My husband took our son for a haircut and came home with an army regulated crew cut and the gun to match

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Little Girl Struggling With School Work
Joanna Fortune: My child says she is stupid because she finds school difficult  
I’ve told her she’s smart almost since the day she was born, but nothing I say seems to make a difference

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Technology addict.
Colman Noctor: Growing up in a flatscreen world can flatline social skills
Time is finite and not renewable. Every hour spent online is an hour not spent doing something else, so when children spend large parts of their day online, something else gets sacrificed

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

'My baby had his first heart surgery at just three days old'
'My baby had his first heart surgery at just three days old'
Between 500 and 600 children are born with  congenital heart disease each year in Ireland 

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Tots to Teens: A Wilde reading adventure for children
Tots to Teens: A Wilde reading adventure for children
Plus activities and clothing for rainy days

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Pensive sad boy teenager
Dr Phil Kieran: My son's mood has dipped since getting an injury
For people with an injury, it can be easy to focus on what they can’t do rather than what they can

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Close up of mother and a child hands at the sunset.
Julie Jay: Lessons in resilience from my personal parenting guru 
My 'paediatrician' — aka a friend with four children — told me that as much as my children will have to become resilient in the face of rejection by their peers, I need to be resilient for them too

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

How to safely wean your baby by introducing suitable foods
How to safely wean your baby by introducing suitable foods
After around 26 weeks, breastmilk or formula alone isn’t enough, so introduce suitable weaning foods when your child shows they’re ready

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Portrait of a little boy in blue at home standing in the middle of the room
Joanna Fortune: My toddler gets upset when I breastfeed the baby
There is no ideal way to navigate this transition — remember that good enough really is good enough

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Annoyed father back to back with son ignoring each other after argue
Colman Noctor: F**k Around and Find Out — What is fafo parenting?
If Fafo parenting helps some parents loosen their grip and trust their children a little more, it may have value. If it becomes an excuse to disengage or harden our approach, it risks missing the very thing children need most

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Tired student trying to study in the night
Dr Phil Kieran: My teenage daughter is listless after antibiotic
Post-infection fatigue syndromes are a complex and variable group of conditions which are still poorly understood

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Busy mother working from home
Julie Jay: I used to be sound, but now I am officially a bad mammy
After a few weeks of being a cranky old wench, I am convinced I am giving even Medea a run for her money in the bad mammy stakes

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

woman smoking electronic cigarette
What's in a vape and how to tell if your teen has started vaping
Many young people still believe that vaping is a harmless alternative to cigarettes, writes Helen O’Callaghan

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Teenage boy having scrambled eggs for breakfast
My teen follows a strict high-protein diet but I'm worried about his weekend eating habits
At the weekends, he eats all around him — fried breakfast, toast, roast potatoes and desserts

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Unhappy at School
Colman Noctor: Wellbeing is not always visible and a quiet child's struggles often go unnoticed
When being the quiet child comes at a cost 

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Tired Schoolboy Sitting Alone on a Bench After a Long, Stressful School Day
Joanna Fortune: My young son hates going to school — what if it escalates to refusal?
I’ve tried every trick in the book to encourage him, but nothing seems to be working.

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Little baby boy at the supermarket.
Julie Jay: I have taken my kids to the supermarket and lived to tell the tale
Every time I head to the supermarket with my children I arm myself with a list and bags for life and convince myself this time it will be different. Spoiler alert: it never is

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Anxiety, thinking and window with child in home for mental health, adoption crisis or stress. Mistake, foster care trauma and ab
Joanna Fortune: My daughter feels jealous of her friend's friendship with another girl 
I would urge you not to dismiss or minimise your daughter’s emotional response, writes child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune 

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Elementary School Pupils On Climbing Equipment
Colman Noctor:  Wellbeing in school cannot be taught. It has to be lived
We can teach children about empathy, resilience, and emotional regulation through structured lessons, but if they lack opportunities to apply these skills in real relationships, the learning remains abstract. Wellbeing needs to be practised as well as taught

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Mikey Geaney celebrates kicking the winning point 18/1/2026
Julie Jay: My five-year-old’s first trip to Croke Park was a cracker
When a town wins the All-Ireland final, it’s not just the players at the pitch who win, but everyone, whether its the child blowing his horn or the 40-something-year-old woman like me who’s never kicked a ball in her life

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith
Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith
Storytelling skills, an aid for messy eating, and developing a positive mindset

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

front and side and back view of same teenage boy standing on white background,
Dr Phil Kieran: Should we worry about my teenage son's short stature?
Height is a complex and sensitive topic that can be normal or indicate a medical issue that may need treatment

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Teenage Boy Studying Using Digital Tablet At Home
Colman Noctor: When mock exams feel all too real for your child 
As a parent of a Junior Certificate pupil this year, I have realised the stress of the upcoming mock exams can be substantial

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

‘KPop’ girls show it’s OK to live with your demons
‘KPop’ girls show it’s OK to live with your demons
Girl-group trio Rumi, Mira, and Zoey double as the ‘Demon Hunters’ in the hit movie and teach children life lessons

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Child, cute boy, playing with toys in a playroom, focus on his feet
Julie Jay: My toddler believes the word ‘no’ is an invitation to start negotiating
With missiles flying around my kitchen left right and centre, I feel like Packie Bonner in Italia 90

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

You're going to be the best brother ever
Joanna Fortune: I'm not sure how I'm going to manage it all when my baby arrives
Keep in mind the old saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child’

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Tots to teens: Where play meets child development
Tots to teens: Where play meets child development
Children's wellness range in Aldi stores has affordably priced products designed to encourage gentle play and mindful moments

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Elbow pain.
Dr Phil Kieran: Could my hockey-playing teenager have tennis elbow? 
The first thing to rule out is an injury to the bone. This would most likely occur following a fall or impact. If the pain started after an impact, I would recommend going to see a doctor as soon as you can, as an X-ray may be needed to rule out a small chip or crack in the bone

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Little doctor using stethoscope on teddy bear at home
Julie Jay: Making a doctor’s appointment is up there with getting a bikini wax in January
Despite both being on antibiotics, I am still chasing my children around shops, because even when fuelled by penicillin, they have yet to meet an automatic door they haven't wanted to run through

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026

Presents near Christmas tree
Joanna Fortune: My teenage daughters barely said thanks for all their Christmas presents 
I was shocked by their lack of gratitude, and said as much to them, but they just shrugged their shoulders and sloped off. Have I spoiled my children for life?

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Insecure teenager at school with girls gossiping
Is your child experiencing social isolation at school? Here's what you can do
Social exclusion can make young people feel as if something is wrong with them, and presents a difficult challenge for parents to overcome

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Boy Coughing
Dr Phil Kieran: Does my child need a second antibiotic?
Frequently, I talk to people who feel the course of antibiotics should be longer than the one they received, but I point out that antibiotics are meant to help the immune system clear the infection. The full recovery often happens only with time.

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Take a step in the right direction
Tots to Teens: Take a step in the right direction
From January 19 to February 15, the 2026 Forvis Mazars Steps Team challenge calls on people of all ages and fitness levels to take on one of two physical challenges and raise funds for Jigsaw and Bumbleance

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

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