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PARENTING - SCHOOL CHILDREN

A collection of the latest articles relating to the world of parenting and its unique challenges in the school going years. Enjoy.

<p>When I looked into the Fafo parenting approach, it seems beneath the provocative language lies an idea that is not new at all. Allowing children to experience the natural consequences of their choices has been around since time immemorial. Picture: iStock</p>

parenting

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

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Dr Phil Kieran: My teenage daughter is listless after antibiotic

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

Tots to Teens: Guide to your child’s health from A to Z

parenting

Tots to Teens: Guide to your child’s health from A to Z

woman smoking electronic cigarette

parenting

What's in a vape and how to tell if your teen has started vaping

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My teen follows a strict high-protein diet but I'm worried about his weekend eating habits

Unhappy at School

Colman Noctor: Wellbeing is not always visible and a quiet child's struggles often go unnoticed

When being the quiet child comes at a cost

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Tired Schoolboy Sitting Alone on a Bench After a Long, Stressful School Day

Joanna Fortune: My young son hates going to school — what if it escalates to refusal?

I’ve tried every trick in the book to encourage him, but nothing seems to be working.

Tue, 03 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

Colm O'Regan: Once upon a time... there was violence, cruelty and murder

Colm O'Regan: Once upon a time... there was violence, cruelty and murder

Do you remember Stories for Eight Year Olds — and its companions, stories for under-fives, five-year-olds, six, going all the way up to the over-10s

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Anxiety, thinking and window with child in home for mental health, adoption crisis or stress. Mistake, foster care trauma and ab

Joanna Fortune: My daughter feels jealous of her friend's friendship with another girl

I would urge you not to dismiss or minimise your daughter’s emotional response, writes child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Elementary School Pupils On Climbing Equipment

Colman Noctor: Wellbeing in school cannot be taught. It has to be lived

We can teach children about empathy, resilience, and emotional regulation through structured lessons, but if they lack opportunities to apply these skills in real relationships, the learning remains abstract. Wellbeing needs to be practised as well as taught

Tue, 27 Jan, 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

front and side and back view of same teenage boy standing on white background,

Dr Phil Kieran: Should we worry about my teenage son's short stature?

Height is a complex and sensitive topic that can be normal or indicate a medical issue that may need treatment

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Teenage Boy Studying Using Digital Tablet At Home

Colman Noctor: When mock exams feel all too real for your child

As a parent of a Junior Certificate pupil this year, I have realised the stress of the upcoming mock exams can be substantial

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

Elbow pain.

Dr Phil Kieran: Could my hockey-playing teenager have tennis elbow?

The first thing to rule out is an injury to the bone. This would most likely occur following a fall or impact. If the pain started after an impact, I would recommend going to see a doctor as soon as you can, as an X-ray may be needed to rule out a small chip or crack in the bone

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

Presents near Christmas tree

Joanna Fortune: My teenage daughters barely said thanks for all their Christmas presents

I was shocked by their lack of gratitude, and said as much to them, but they just shrugged their shoulders and sloped off. Have I spoiled my children for life?

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Insecure teenager at school with girls gossiping

Is your child experiencing social isolation at school? Here's what you can do

Social exclusion can make young people feel as if something is wrong with them, and presents a difficult challenge for parents to overcome

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

talk mother support and solving problem with teenage boy son

Colman Noctor: Finding the right words to talk to your child about pornography

Ultimately, these conversations are less about sex and more about the trust you have in your child and they have in you, writes Colman Noctor

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Boy Coughing

Dr Phil Kieran: Does my child need a second antibiotic?

Frequently, I talk to people who feel the course of antibiotics should be longer than the one they received, but I point out that antibiotics are meant to help the immune system clear the infection. The full recovery often happens only with time.

Tue, 13 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

Little girl enjoying a lollipop on a winter city street with warm lights

Should I put my children on a sugar detox?

Rather than focusing on exclusion, shift to thinking about the frequency and portions of each that are being consumed

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

Teenage boy sitting on sofa using smart phone at night

Colman Noctor: Porn is now the first sex educator for children

Porn reduces sex to acts and mechanics, omitting connection, consent, and affection

Tue, 06 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

Girl interacting with phone and digital icons emerging. AI Chatbot conversation, Ai Artificial Intelligence. OpenAI generate.

Colman Noctor: Growing role of AI chips away at trust and fuels anxiety in children

For parents, the question should no longer be whether our children will engage with AI, but who they will become because of it

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

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