Tots to teens: Prioritising mental health at exam time, and the Big Toddle

Turn2Me.ie is leading the charge for students and parents alike

Pictured with Barnardos Ambassador Amy Huberman are Harry Brassel (5) and Marlie Fitzgerald (3). The theme this year, Big Toddle Little Heroes - celebrates Ireland’s youngest fundraisers who help vulnerable children their own age by completing a fun half-mile sponsored walk in their creche, childcare group, pre-school and with their families.   PHOTO: Mark Stedman

It's time for toddlers to start toddling. Barnardos ambassador Amy Huberman has just launched the children’s charity’s annual Big Toddle fundraising event.

The event sees Ireland’s youngest children completing a half-mile sponsored walk with their creche, preschool/childcare group, or their families. It has taken place every year for the past 20 years, raising €4.46m for Barnardos Early Years Services in the process.

Huberman is delighted to be involved with the Big Toddle. “I’ve been an ambassador for 10 years now and supporting children to have a better start in life is something very close to my heart,” she says. “So, to join in the fun, register today at www.barnardos.ie/bigtoddle.”

When you register, you will receive a Big Toddle Pack with posters, stickers, hats, and sponsorship envelopes. You will then have to set a date for your Big Toddle fundraising event in May or June and start raising much-needed funds. Toddlers can ask family and friends for sponsorship, or you can set up an online fundraising page.

Exam stress

The Leaving Cert is looming, and many students and their parents feel the mounting stress. The national mental health charity Turn2Me wants to help alleviate that pressure.

“We know that young people can really struggle coming up to the Leaving Cert,” says Turn2Me CEO Fiona O’Malley. “It can be challenging to perform well in a particular type of exam, particularly rote learning or a memory test with so many exams back to back. It’s a marathon and if students don’t manage their stress levels well throughout the Leaving Cert, it can have a detrimental impact on their performance throughout the exams.”

This is why Turn2Me set up its first free online Leaving Cert support groups last year. These groups provided a safe space where young people could share their problems anonymously and receive tips on coping with stress, panic attacks, anxiety, and other issues from a qualified mental health professional.

The groups proved so popular that they are back again this year. And in response to demand from parents, Turn2Me is introducing a support group for them too.

The student support groups will run at 6pm on Wednesdays while the parent support groups will run at 6pm on Thursdays. To sign up, visit Turn2Me.ie.

Dr. Fidelma Healy Eames

Prep for secondary school

The transition to secondary school can be an anxiety-inducing one for children. Parents and teachers need to prepare sixth-class pupils for the challenges ahead and provide them with the support they need to thrive in their new learning environment.

On Monday, May 22, the Cork Education Support Centre is hosting an online interactive seminar, ‘Coping with Change: Making an Effective Transition to Second Level’. This course will be facilitated by Fidelma Healy Eames, a teacher, educational consultant, author, and parent.

It’s aimed at parents and teachers of sixth-class pupils and its objective is to enable them to give young people the support they will need to make this transition as stress-free as possible. Topics such as how best to deal with anxious children, children with special needs and highly able children will be discussed too.

• The seminar costs €5 per person and tickets can be booked at cesc.ie/parent-courses.

Rudaí Olla

Irish-made crafts

Handcrafted by Galway-based mum-of-two Sarah Niland, this rainbow wall hanging (€30) will bring an uplifting splash of colour to a child’s bedroom.

Sarah’s mum was craft-obsessed and is now just as obsessed herself. She made the original rainbow when she was pregnant with her first baby in 2018 and needed something to keep her mind busy.

After her baby was born, she sought help for post-partum depression. She says her counsellor gave her the confidence to set up a business.

Rudaí Olla is the result. It is in a range alongside rainbow wall hangings, stands, garlands and magnets, are felt cactuses, prints, cards, bonnets, totes and macramé hat hangers, keyrings, coasters and more — all handmade by Sarah.