Parenting - Preschool - Irish Examiner

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PARENTING - PRESCHOOL

A collection of the articles on parenting during the preschool years. Enjoy.

<p>All of this treat talk is, of course, never more intensified than when we face into Easter and pretend that we haven’t secretly been consuming Easter eggs in our car since late February, when the children weren’t looking. Picture: iStock </p>

parenting

Julie Jay: I won’t sugarcoat it — my children eat far too many sweet treats

Whether your kids are eating treats on the daily or indulging only on a Friday afternoon, ultimately we are all just out here doing our best as parents, and isn't that all that matters (my dentist might disagree)

<p>Fintan McCarthy: 'Rowing gave me a sense of purpose. It became my thing and helped me believe it was OK to be myself.' Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo</p>

parenting

My Childhood with Fintan McCarthy: 'When we moved from London to Skibbereen, I stood out'

<p>‘It’s very typical for babies, in the early weeks and months, to wake frequently and to need feeding, comfort, or just to be awake when everyone else wants to be sleeping,’ says sleep consultant and author Lucy Wolfe. Picture: iStock </p>

parenting

Lucy Wolfe: These are the most common childhood sleep-related questions parents ask me

3156119_1_org_Julie_Jay_Circle_headshot

Julie Jay: Head lice or an extra-marital affair? I know which one I would pick

3156119_1_org_Julie_Jay_Circle_headshot

Julie Jay: Sometimes you really should talk to strangers

Tots to Teens: Nourishing little bowls with big hugs

parenting

Tots to Teens: Nourishing little bowls with big hugs

Child is climbing up the tall bed, there's a risk of him falling down. Kid aged two years (two-year-old boy)

Julie Jay: A hotel break can feel more like a breakdown when you have a toddler

Anyone with small children knows a weekend away with small children is basically a hostage situation, only with nicer tea and coffee facilities

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

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

Cute child, running on a Norway white sand beach in the summer

Julie Jay: Dunnes wellies are cheaper than a work visa for Australia

When it comes to a rain-soaked childhood, the only thing differentiating my kids from the McCourts is our ability to get new Dunnes wellies delivered to the house at the click of a button

Tue, 03 Mar, 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

Toy gun in hand on a white background, isolate.

Julie Jay: Son of a gun — why everyone in our house is suddenly ducking for cover

My husband took our son for a haircut and came home with an army regulated crew cut and the gun to match

Tue, 24 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

Close up of mother and a child hands at the sunset.

Julie Jay: Lessons in resilience from my personal parenting guru

My 'paediatrician' — aka a friend with four children — told me that as much as my children will have to become resilient in the face of rejection by their peers, I need to be resilient for them too

Tue, 17 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

Busy mother working from home

Julie Jay: I used to be sound, but now I am officially a bad mammy

After a few weeks of being a cranky old wench, I am convinced I am giving even Medea a run for her money in the bad mammy stakes

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Allergy skin of an Asian kid on her legs with hand to scratch in natural light.

Dr Phil Kieran: My son's childhood eczema is back and it's painful

Eczema often settles down to some extent with age. For your son, this means that although it hasn’t settled yet, there is a decent chance it will over the next few years

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Tots to Teens: How to build a bird nest box with your children

Tots to Teens: How to build a bird nest box with your children

Plus card games, expert-led talks, and more

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Mother Wearing Headphones Listening a Podcast While Baby Sleeps

'A trusted voice is very important and can help when parents are questioning everything'

Whether it’s helping your baby sleep, feed, or thrive, there’s a show to support you. We chat to the hosts of some of Ireland’s most popular parenting podcasts

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

Mikey Geaney celebrates kicking the winning point 18/1/2026

Julie Jay: My five-year-old’s first trip to Croke Park was a cracker

When a town wins the All-Ireland final, it’s not just the players at the pitch who win, but everyone, whether its the child blowing his horn or the 40-something-year-old woman like me who’s never kicked a ball in her life

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith

Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith

Storytelling skills, an aid for messy eating, and developing a positive mindset

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Child, cute boy, playing with toys in a playroom, focus on his feet

Julie Jay: My toddler believes the word ‘no’ is an invitation to start negotiating

With missiles flying around my kitchen left right and centre, I feel like Packie Bonner in Italia 90

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

You're going to be the best brother ever

Joanna Fortune: I'm not sure how I'm going to manage it all when my baby arrives

Keep in mind the old saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child’

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Tots to teens: Where play meets child development

Tots to teens: Where play meets child development

Children's wellness range in Aldi stores has affordably priced products designed to encourage gentle play and mindful moments

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Little doctor using stethoscope on teddy bear at home

Julie Jay: Making a doctor’s appointment is up there with getting a bikini wax in January

Despite both being on antibiotics, I am still chasing my children around shops, because even when fuelled by penicillin, they have yet to meet an automatic door they haven't wanted to run through

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Take a step in the right direction

Tots to Teens: Take a step in the right direction

From January 19 to February 15, the 2026 Forvis Mazars Steps Team challenge calls on people of all ages and fitness levels to take on one of two physical challenges and raise funds for Jigsaw and Bumbleance

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Brush up your art skills for RTÉ contest

Tots to Teens: Brush up your art skills for RTÉ contest

Under 18s have until midnight on January 31 to submit works with theme of 'This is Nature'

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

Box of Xmas decorations

Julie Jay: Why I'm thrilled to finally say goodbye to Christmas

I used to feel melancholic putting away the decorations, now I am craving beige interior, floor space, and a life that is tinsel-free

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

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

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