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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>The final Christmas Magical Parade of the year is taking place in Killarney on Saturday. <span class="contextmenu emphasis CaptionCredit">Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan</span>
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parenting

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

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Joanna Fortune: My nephew doesn't get on with my children — and he's staying for Christmas

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Colman Noctor : Teaching children to choose kindness in a 'me first' world

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Dr Phil Kieran: I'm worried about my teenager's stress fracture

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Julie Jay: The Big Man always comes up trumps despite his workload

Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal

parenting

Tots to Teens: Shining a light on childhood cancer appeal

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

Tots to Teens: Post Santa letters and explore Christmas markets at Waterford's Winterval festival

Tots to Teens: Post Santa letters and explore Christmas markets at Waterford's Winterval festival

Waterford is celebrating Winterval, its annual Christmas festival that will run from Thursday to Sunday every week from now until December 23

Tue, 25 Nov, 2025

sick young kid using tissue after cold, rhinitis or allergies

Dr Phil Kieran: What can I do to boost my child’s immune system?

Children and crèches are a perfect storm for bugs.

Tue, 25 Nov, 2025

Cars in rush hour at sunset with city traffic abstract watercolor painting

Julie Jay: Dublin's traffic comes as a shock to this West Coast hipster

Despite getting a lot of flak, the capital city is a great spot for an afternoon filled with Lego mosh-pits, fake martinis and untouched lunches

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

Young female primary school teacher and schoolboy sitting at a table working one on one, looking down, front view, close up

Colman Noctor: How small shifts in schools can do much to support children with dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a persistent difficulty with motor co-ordination and it interferes with daily life and cannot be explained by another neurological condition

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

'I was so afraid we would miss something': Cork family affected by childhood cancer seeking support

'I was so afraid we would miss something': Cork family affected by childhood cancer seeking support

Hand in Hand charity provides practical and emotional support during and after treatment, says Helen O’Callaghan

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

Christmas Stars, Baubles and Gold Ribbons (XXL)

Joanna Fortune: My mother-in-law insists on celebrating Christmas early

"You need to hold your boundaries and pick your battles. This time of year is exciting for children, as your mother-in-law says, but I also see every day how utterly overstimulating this season can be for them."

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Students Listening To Female Teacher In Classroom

Colman Noctor: Do secondary school merit points favour girls over boys?

"A 2024 review found that girls receive better classroom grades, despite achieving comparable standardised scores, mainly because teachers value non-cognitive skills — such as organisation, neatness, and cooperation — that girls are socialised to develop."

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Specsavers nationwide children's short story competition

Tots to Teens: Open a new chapter for storytellers

Specsavers wants to hear from little ones who enjoy telling tall tales. The company has just launched its annual short story competition, calling on budding authors to submit their most creative compositions.

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Little boy with a sore throat

Dr Phil Kieran: How can I tell if my son's sore throat needs medical attention?

Sore throats are very common and can be caused by a wide range of issues, from seasonal allergies that cause us to breathe more through our mouths at night to acid reflux, overuse of the voice (such as singing or shouting), or, more commonly, upper respiratory tract viruses.

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

Parenting is hard – and harder when you’re sick

Parenting is hard – and harder when you’re sick

Being a parent with a chronic illness is challenging, but accepting your limitations and being open about the condition can help

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

School boy and his father hiking together and exploring nature with magnifying glass. Little boy and dad spend quality family ti

Colman Noctor: Understanding science starts with moments of wonder, not in our genes

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard parents say, “She’s just not a maths person”. We don’t say, “He’s not a reading person”, yet it’s somehow acceptable to suggest a child’s brain just doesn’t “do numbers”.

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

A sleepy teenager lazily eats porridge early in the morning

Aoife Hearne: My teen won’t eat unless I put food in front of him

The teenage years are a time of exponential growth, and more often than not, they are accompanied by a strong appetite. While appetite fluctuations are normal, especially as exercise levels reduce, a sudden and abrupt drop off in appetite is unusual and warrants further investigation.

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

Jack O'Lantern And Witch's Hat On An Orange Background

Julie Jay: I'm already quizzing my son about next year’s Halloween outfit

This year, I made up for my son’s insistence on reusing last year’s Halloween costume by getting creative with my own outfit, and by creative, I mean donning a bin bag and a Post-it note

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

Funny happy Dog

Joanna Fortune: My family want to get a puppy but I'm not so sure

You all need to be in the right place to welcome a new family member and it is OK if you don’t feel that you have the capacity to take on any more right now

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025

School children running together outdoors

Colman Noctor: Do 'brain-rot' chants actually aid cognitive development?

Children spend so much of their lives under the authority of adults (teachers, parents, and caregivers) that they enjoy discovering or inventing phrases that give them a sense of independence.

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025

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