Isn’t it time news stories about multiples starting school and expressions like “set of twins” and “identical twins” followed freak shows into the dustbin of history, asks Victoria White

The Slattery quadruplets from Co Limerick marked another milestone on their miraculous journey when they started school this week.

As let’s face it routines and schedules mostly go out the window during the summer months.

IF you are the parent of a child who is about to venture forth into the hallowed halls of Primary education, or ‘Big School’ as every Irish mammy refers to it since the dawn of time; well, chances are you’ve probably been very active in your Google searches looking for tips and advice on how to ease your child, and yourself, into this next chapter.

It has emerged that other schools, including in Portarlington in Co Laois and in Ratoath in Co Meath, face late delays in opening up for the new school year, joining Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin in Clonakilty in Co Cork, which has had to delay its re-opening for three days next week.

The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP) is offering some practical advice to parents of children on their first day of school.

Temporary safety measures will need to be put in place at 17 school buildings, after structural flaws were identified.

Around 20 secondary school children living in rural Wexford are without a school bus place for the upcoming school year.

When you give into your child’s demands to stay home, you’re reinforcing avoidance

With an empty house for the first time in 17 years, Jen Hogan finds acclimatising to the school routine is full of mixed blessings.

Making the transition to secondary school can be difficult for children and their parents. But planning and organisation will make all the difference, says Andrea Mara

One in ten children travelling in the back seat of a vehicle are not using seat belts or car seats, according to research by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

The countdown is on. As the summer holidays come to an end, Ciara McDonnell asks well-known parents for their back to school routines

The Government and schools are not living up to their duties to reduce education costs for parents, a charity has said.

Nearly half of parents say their biggest worry about the new school term is the cost of equipping their children.

More than 100,000 parents of schoolchildren will receive the annual back-to-school clothing allowance on Friday, July 13.

Bus Éireann has said that in the past week it has halved the number of applicants waiting to see if they have a concessionary school bus place.

Nearly €43m of the €47.4m budget for back-to-school payments for families has been spent by the Department of Social Protection.

Schools might be just out for summer but already the Government have hiked up the back to school grant by up to €50.

Mother of seven Jen Hogan has to be savvy when it comes to back-to-school. Here’s what she’s learnt...

Cash-strapped parents are being forced to turn to charity shops to cover the costs of their children’s back-to-school essentials.

IT IS six weeks until schools reopen, but parents are already bracing themselves for the expense, writes Gráinne McGuinness

Junior Social Protection Minister Kevin Humphreys has today insisted that the backlog of applications for the back-to-school allowance will be cleared.

HERE’S a little maths question to get you into training for the upcoming back-to-school season: if an Irish 14-year-old boy weighed, on average, 37kg in 1948, how much does he weigh today?

From Dublin Zoo to the Shopkins gang, here’s our top pick for online and in the shops.

The latest school costs survey by Barnardos has found it takes €785 to put a child through their first year of secondary school - an increase of €50.

Consumer advice with Grainne McGuinness

About 1,000 applications are being made every day for government help with the cost of sending children back to school.

Fewer families are seeking Government help with the cost of school uniforms than last year but applications are still arriving at a rate of 900 a day.

GETTING the children kitted out for school costs a small fortune. But budget supermarket, Aldi, retails a primary school uniform for less than €6.50.

The costs of school books and uniforms are driving many families to despair, with some parents claiming they are close to breaking point because of the financial strain.

‘Sending son to school is costing us a fortune’