If you have a child with dyslexia, you’ll know how difficult it can be to get them to open a book, let alone take pleasure in reading. Dyslexia Ireland wants to change that.
Its Readable Project offers book clubs for children from third class to second year. Taking place over six to eight weeks, each group consists of a qualified teacher and six young people of a similar age and sharing similar interests. Together, they explore topics such as animals, Harry Potter or classics by Roald Dahl. First and second year students cover short stories and poetry aligned with the Junior Certificate curriculum.
The idea is to introduce them to reading in a fun and social way, assist them in finding the reading format that suits them best and encourage them to spend time discussing stories and investigating the meaning of words.
More details about groups, themes and dates can be found at www.dyslexia.ie
A breath of fresh air
Irish nursery brand www.clevamama.com is helping parents of children with allergies to breathe easy with ClevaPure, its new ozone-free air purifier.
When they discovered that 60% of parents were anxious about their babies’ exposure to allergens, Suzanna Browne and Martina Craine – the mums and sisters behind the ClevaMama brand – decided to do something about it.
Their research found that over 50% of babies suffer some form of allergic reaction and that mould, dust, pollen and air pollution were the main culprits.
This is why they developed ClevaPure. Retailing at €224.99, this medical-grade air purifier removes 99.5% of irritants that can trigger asthma and allergies in young children. It comes in a fun and friendly design, is easy to operate via a simple touch system or an app on your phone and promises to make your home a safer place for all the family.
School for parents
From struggles with breastfeeding to coping with sleepless nights, parenting can be a challenging experience for new mums and dads. They often have questions and may not know who to turn to for answers.
Since 2019, the Dublin-based Baby Academy has been there with the answers. It provides virtual professional support and education to new parents and recently reached the milestone of 1m registered users.
These users include parents from Ireland, Britain, the US and Canada, who have signed up for live interactive classes delivered by local healthcare professionals in each country. It aims to support parents through the vital stages of their baby’s early development by providing them with information about lactation, baby first aid, perinatal mental health and more.
“I believe our success is indicative of the need for additional support for new parents commencing their parenting journey,” says Baby Academy co-founder Brian McGovern.
Going potty
Toilet training can be a stressful experience for children and their parents. If you’re wondering whether or not you’re doing it right, behavioural specialist Deirdre Holland Hannon may be able to help.
The mother of two, who is from Co Limerick, provides parenting support to families and has several online workshops scheduled over the coming months. They include one that will tackle the topic of bedwetting on January 24, covering the causes and what may help or hinder treatment.
On February 7, another workshop will deal with toilet training and how to do it less stressfully. Holland Hannon will share tips and strategies for preparing your child prior to training, using reinforcements and rewards, managing fears with empathy, and more.
To register, visit www.deirdrehollandhannon.com and follow her at @deehollhan on Instagram for no-nonsense advice on toilet training and other common parenting issues.
