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 I do to help my child have regular bowel movements?
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Colman Noctor: Sport and study are not opposites but partners in academic success
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Julie Jay: Bambi Fury isn’t the only baby vampire in town
Adorable caucasian girl playing with telephone toy sitting on floor at kindergarten
Joanna Fortune: My four-year-old doesn't want to share her toys 
Her only-child status may be more ‘correlation over causation’ when it comes to her struggles. Many solo-children can turn-take and share, and many sibling-children will struggle just as you describe.

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Close up photo of plantar wart on man's foot. Verruca plantaris on the heel.
Dr Phil Kieran: What is the best way to treat my son’s verruca?
A verruca is a wart on the foot. These can differ slightly from warts elsewhere in that they tend to be flat or even grow inwards, due to the pressure on the foot preventing it from growing outwards.

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Little boy reading a book in green armchair
Joanna Fortune: My child is struggling with reading in class
Reading is nurtured and developed in school from ages five to eight years (and beyond, of course), which means your son is still very much in the 'learning to read' (and specifically learning to read with fluency) phase of his education.

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Families encouraged to help clean their local coastline as part of Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean
Families encouraged to help clean their local coastline as part of Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean
This weekend, volunteers and their families will remove the litter from our shorelines as part of the annual Clean Coasts Big Beach Clean

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Tots to Teens: GAA fuelling young sports players with its new healthy eating pack
Tots to Teens: GAA fuelling young sports players with its new healthy eating pack
And Culture Night for kids — events on near you this Friday, September 19

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Mother Doing Head Lice Inspection On Daughter
Dr Phil Kieran: How can I treat my long-haired child's head lice?
Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire way to prevent lice, but understanding how they spread can help reduce the risk somewhat

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Cute girl using tablet with virtual assistant hologram
Colman Noctor: Raising children in the age of artificial intelligence
With AI, we are not merely competing with entertainment, we are also competing with another type of AI — artificial intimacy

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Little boy swimming crawl in pool
How to help your child stick with a new hobby or skill
Most children are excited to learn a skill or hobby, but some will struggle to stay the course. It’s all part of the learning process

Sun, 14 Sep, 2025

Low angle view of pensive little girl in pajamas looking away at home
Joanna Fortune: What happened to my sweet little girl?
"So much is written and said about the critical early years of our children’s lives, and again when they reach those tricky teenage years, but very little attention is given to the middle stage of childhood, the years between eight and 12."

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Colman Noctor: What 'The Traitors' can teach us about honesty in the real world 
Colman Noctor: What 'The Traitors' can teach us about honesty in the real world 
"As entertainment, it’s gripping. As parenting material, it’s complicated. What does it mean when the same adults who insist that honesty is the best policy also cheer when their favourite contestant lies skilfully? How do we reconcile the values we want to instil in our children with the cultural messages we enjoy for leisure?"

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Tots to Teens: Have a field day with this model-farm toy
Tots to Teens: Have a field day with this model-farm toy
"The toy was inspired by a request from Roscommon man Padraic Cuddy’s young son, Tommy, who wanted a field for his animals to graze, and his father obliged by building a realistic toy field, complete with hedging and a wooden gate."

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Lonely girl in bedroom
Dr Phil Kieran: My anxious Leaving Cert child is already struggling with sleep 
Life is stressful for many of us, and during the two years of the Leaving Cert cycle, that pressure builds and builds and can be difficult to manage.

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Football concept
Joanna Fortune: My son has stopped playing football since he was called 'crap' by a friend 
Since then, he has become very withdrawn and finds it hard to go outside even to play with friends, as he doesn’t feel good enough now

Tue, 02 Sep, 2025

Redhead Male on Phone
Colman Noctor: Why many young people do not recognise they have been bullied
Research shows that, while bullying remains a widespread experience for children, many choose not to tell an adult. It’s particularly likely to happen with 13-year-olds, with one in four of them staying silent

Tue, 02 Sep, 2025

Tots to Teens: Healthy lunches, Harvest Festival, and a Belfast fairytale
Tots to Teens: Healthy lunches, Harvest Festival, and a Belfast fairytale
A Belfast Fairytale by Mel Carroll is a fun-filled picture book for young children. It retells the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff in a Belfast setting

Tue, 02 Sep, 2025

Baby eating mother's milk. Mother breastfeeding baby.
Aoife Hearne: I'm worried about giving formula milk to my baby
Research suggests that breast milk has a favourable influence on the infant's gut and microbiome, which protects against the development of allergies. The majority of research focuses on exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life

Tue, 02 Sep, 2025

Sad little boy in red soccer jersey seated on bench
Joanna Fortune: My son is being left on the bench during matches
You could talk to the coach about your concerns in a calm way, without venting. The coach could clarify the club’s structure, focus, and goals for the team, enabling you to make an informed decision about whether your son should stay.

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Hearing a father's advice
Colman Noctor: Supporting your child during the limbo days between results and CAO offers 
For parents, too, these days can be a test of patience and perspective.

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Little girl playing xylophone
Music therapy has huge benefits for children but it's still not officially recognised in Ireland
Despite the practice showing many benefits, Ireland has yet to recognise the treatment. It is time for that to change

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Heinz x Barnardo’s Campaign
Tots to Teens: Teach young kids to cook 'grate' meals
Plus: Heinz has reunited with Barnardos for the fourth year in a row to launch limited edition Heinz Meanz Mealz Beanz three-packs to raise funds for vulnerable families across Ireland

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Closeup beautiful young asian woman applying cream and lotion onto foot dry on bed, beauty asia girl moisturizer and treatment c
Dr Phil Kieran: Could stabbing pain in her heels be plantar fasciitis?  
"Foot pain is a problem we often see in general practice and can be due to a wide array of causes. Plantar fasciitis is a fairly common condition, which is why people often hear about it."

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Young family having fun outdoors
Joanna Fortune: How do we explain to our young children that daddy is out of work?
"The best thing you can do for your children in the meantime is to take care of yourselves and each other. Focus on maintaining open communication and connection, and ensure you have a support system you can activate for yourselves: Friends, family, professional therapy, etc."

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Reading is Fun!
Preschool: How to help your child navigate a brave new world
"Pre-school asks a lot of children, says Teresa Heeney, CEO of Early Childhood Ireland. “It’s a very significant transition that involves adjusting to a new physical environment, different routines, new children, and new group dynamics."

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Tots to Teens: All the fun of circus at a Cork fort
Tots to Teens: All the fun of circus at a Cork fort
"All sorts of circus performers will provide the entertainment, including aerial acrobats, dancing Disco Dragons, and stilt walkers. Cork’s 96FM will be on hand to provide the music."

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Starting secondary school: How to cope with a steep learning curve
Starting secondary school: How to cope with a steep learning curve
On the cusp of adolescence, we leave behind the familiarity of one teacher to join ‘big school’. We ask prominent people how they coped

Sun, 17 Aug, 2025

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