Helpline service tells parents ‘it’s ok to ask for help’

PARENTLINE launches its fifth annual national parents week today in a bid to encourage more parents to get help on raising their children when they run into problems.

Parentline manager Rita O’Reilly said the week was all about celebrating the fantastic job parents do and letting parents know it is ok to ask for help and guidance, no matter what the issue or the age of their child.

“We fully recognise the difficulties facing families today,” she said. “We speak with thousands of callers each year. No one family is the same and we know there is no training manual.”

This year’s event, supported by healthcare company, Abbott, will focus on five parenting topics – premature babies, post natal depression, primary school issues, teenagers and fathers.

Parentline will be promoting the website www.prematurebaby.ie that provides relevant information for parents on what to expect and how to care for a premature child.

Included on the website are stories from other Irish parents of premature babies.

There will also be a series of educational events in maternity hospitals around the country for parents of premature babies.

And, with as many as 15% of mothers in Ireland experiencing post-natal depression, Parentline is anxious that medical attention should always be sought, pointing out that early diagnosis and treatment by a doctor results in a speedier recovery.

Parentline will also be advising parents of primary school children on a variety of issues including building self-esteem, the importance of listening, facing conflict, discipline, bullying and giving encouragement.

The week will also deal with the many challenges of dealing with teenage children. The week will end with the focus shifting to the changing role of fathers in Ireland.

* www.parentline.ie