PARENTING - ADVICE

A collection of the latest columns, analysis and opinion relating to the world of parenting and its unique challenges. Enjoy.

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Dr Phil Kieran: What can my teen do about her repeat sinus infections? 
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Joanna Fortune: My teenage son and husband seem to be drifting apart  
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Julie Jay: Head lice or an extra-marital affair? I know which one I would pick
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Joanna Fortune: My teenage sons argue all the time
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When tech does the thinking, our children miss the real lesson 
‘My son has Down syndrome and he's the light of our whole world’
‘My son has Down syndrome and he's the light of our whole world’
Two mums whose sons have Down syndrome say their children have changed their outlook on life and want to celebrate and advocate for children like them

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

Tots to Teens: Nourishing little bowls with big hugs
Tots to Teens: Nourishing little bowls with big hugs
Wicklow-based company creates fresh, preservative-free, ready-made meals for babies and toddlers

Tue, 17 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

My complex fertility journey to have a baby after PCOS and endometriosis
My complex fertility journey to have a baby after PCOS and endometriosis
Caitríona O’Donnell has endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome and knew she would need help to get pregnant. A new treatment targeting an overactive immune system ultimately led to the birth of her baby

Fri, 13 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

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

Tots to Teens: Lap and Chat campaign is back on track
Tots to Teens: Lap and Chat campaign is back on track
Workshops aim to help young people to look after their mental health

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

Young happy family with one parent woman mother with two children girls eating cookies on bed room at home
Joanna Fortune: What is the best way to introduce a new partner to my children?
Don’t just focus on what you will say to your children, focus on listening to them and allowing them to share and express their thoughts, worries, or excitement

Tue, 03 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

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: Raise a cup for children’s ambulance
Tots to Teens: Raise a cup for children’s ambulance
Brew for BUMBLEance is asking people in communities, workplaces, coffee shops, and schools all over Ireland to put the kettle on to help pay for the cost of operating Ireland’s only children’s ambulance service

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Little baby sleeping on bed embracing soft toy, free space
Colman Noctor: This is the early years sleep advice every parent should know 
Child psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor outlines common sleep challenges facing parents of little ones

Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Strength workout concept. Active mature man doing squats at home, exercising in living room, panorama, free space
Bernard O'Shea: The Dad Bod Diaries, Week 8 — discovering the humbling power of squats
'I hate them. Unfortunately, they may be the key to longevity,' explains Bernard O'Shea as he continues his exercise regime

Thu, 19 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

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

Tots to Teens: Guide to your child’s health from A to Z
Tots to Teens: Guide to your child’s health from A to Z
Plus the Junior Eurovision song contest, teenage skincare and more

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

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