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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Should I put my children on a sugar detox? 
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Colman Noctor: Porn is now the first sex educator for children
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Colman Noctor: Growing role of AI chips away at trust and fuels anxiety in children
Loving Little Sisters
Joanna Fortune: Our eldest child won't let her younger sisters out of her sight
Risk-taking activity enables children to experience mastery over a task and encourages them to stretch beyond what they think they can do so that they develop confidence

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

family celebrating Christmas
Back-to-school mode activated: How to help your child adjust after a relaxed Christmas break
Switching from the relaxed-holiday mode can be jarring for children. But a positive attitude can make a huge difference

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Early events to welcome the new year
Tots to Teens: Early events to welcome the new year
Also, check out some hat-and-mitten sets, personalised book crates and snuggle bibs for your little ones as well as events for exhausted mums

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

Sick child girl coughing, sitting on bed at home, close up, side view
Dr Phil Kieran: Could my child's night coughing be due to asthma?
There are specific tests, such as pulmonary function tests, but most of the time, asthma is diagnosed clinically and confirmed by a successful response to treatment

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

Mother and daughter are arguing at home
Joanna Fortune: My eldest says we're mean and no fun 
Celebrate Christmas by celebrating the fun in simple, everyday connections

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Happy woman with Santa's drinking wine during Christmas lunch at dining table.
Should you give your teenager alcohol at Christmas?
The short answer is no, according to experts who point out that starting earlier increases the odds of heavier drinking 

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Christmas morning joy
Colman Noctor: Children need our presence during festive season not a performance
When we manage expectations we can hopefully make room for what matters most: Presence, warmth, and connection

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Keep little hands and minds busy
Tots to Teens: Keep little hands and minds busy
Sit your little ones down over the next few days with pencils, markers, paints, or a tablet or laptop so they can then enter their designs in the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Photo of cute tired sleepy boy pupil sleeping lying soft divan after school lesson apartment room interior indoors
Dr Phil Kieran: My sporty son says he feels tired all the time 
Fatigue after an infection is pretty common, making it harder for parents to know what is normal and when they should be concerned

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Last chance to visit festive wonderland
Tots to Teens: Last chance to visit festive wonderland
Last Christmas Magical Parade of 2025 is taking place in Killarney on Saturday, December 20, where the streets come to life with colourful floats, festive music, and beloved fairytale characters accompanied by Santa and his elves

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

‘Innocence of pregnancy forever taken after a loss’
‘Innocence of pregnancy forever taken after a loss’
A mum talks about her harrowing experience of stillbirth, how she and her partner coped with the trauma, and the subsequent joy of having a healthy baby

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Sad boy with gift box in christmas hat
Joanna Fortune: My nephew doesn't get on with my children — and he's staying for Christmas 
December 25 can be an intense day, and families often feel under pressure. Manage expectations

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Female Doctor Putting Walking Brace On Person's Leg
Dr Phil Kieran: I'm worried about my teenager's stress fracture  
It is essential that your son take his time to fully recover from this injury

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Orphanage concept. Sad little girl at table indoors, space for text
Joanna Fortune: My two-year-old is missing her granny, who had to undergo surgery 
"My daughter is asking lots of questions about when Granny will be coming back to play with her. She cries when I say Granny is not well right now. How can I explain to her what is going on?"

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal
Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal
Fair City actress Kiara Noonan is calling on the public to support the Irish Cancer Society’s children’s Christmas appeal.

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Headshot of an annoyed teenage boy
Dr Phil Kieran: What can my teen do about his flaking scalp?
"The exact cause or mechanism for this condition isn’t fully understood, but I’ll go through what we do know about and what I can recommend for your son."

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Teacher Spelled in children’s blocks
Julie Jay: I survived my first parent teacher meeting... just about
Listening to the teacher talk made me realise how much of my parenting anxiety isn’t really about my child - it’s about me

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025

Angry Teens
Joanna Fortune: My teenage daughters have started to argue
The fact that your girls have recently started arguing may not be related to their differences in skill sets and abilities — it is more likely due to a developmental clash based on their ages and stages of development.

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Pink pastel candy background
Aoife Hearne: Clubs rewarding children with sweets are being irresponsible
We have to teach our children how to eat them in small quantities and take the power away from forbidden foods.

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Cute little girl standing in front of kids programming electric toys and robots at robotics classroom
Colman Noctor: Afterschool clubs need to open their doors to all children 
Afterschool clubs are not the only effective option — relatives and childminders can also offer warmth and stability. However, when access to enriching opportunities depends on income, we risk entrenching inequality in childhood.

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Cute little preschool girl in safety helmet riding bicycle. School kid boy, brother teaching happy healthy sister child cycling
The kindness we seek in strangers starts in our own homes
If we want our children to be kind to others, we must start by teaching them to be kind to themselves and their siblings

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Barnardos asks the public for donations
Tots to Teens: Barnardos asks the public for donations
"More families turned to the charity in 2024 than in any other year, because of the cost-of-living crisis and rising homelessness, resulting in more than 35,600 children and adults availing of its services. That’s the highest number ever."

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

The boy eats jelly beans or takes vitamins
Julie Jay: Sharing is caring — unless you’re giving away your five-year-old’s jellies
As much as we would all love to live in a socilaist utopia, the reality it is it is every man for himself out here, especially when it relates to jellies

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025

Young mother hugs daughter in pajamas holding her in her arms.
Colman Noctor: Finding moments of comfort and joy this Christmas after experiencing loss
Grief doesn’t pause for Christmas. If anything, the contrast between the festive atmosphere and a young person’s internal reality can make this time of year especially distressing

Tue, 25 Nov, 2025

New programme aims to increase eating disorder awareness in teens
New programme aims to increase eating disorder awareness in teens
Inside Out, a new programme for secondary schools, educates teens about the links between dieting, body image, and self-esteem

Tue, 25 Nov, 2025

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