I have a secret urge to throw a good portion of my young children’s ‘art’ in the bin
If your young child catches you trying to secretly sneak some of their Van Goghs into the bin, well God help you
Parenting
Stories related to parenting
A summer of down time: how can three months with nothing to do be good for teenagers?
We often hear how it’s good for kids to be bored, but surely that depends on how long it’s for
Fatherhood: A History of Love and Power - parenting ideals challenged by real-life experience
From Plato to Dylan, Augustine Sedgewick outlines how fatherhood has constantly been redefined by political, economic and religious changes
Róisín Ingle: What a gift to get married when your children are there to see it
This will be our 25th summer together. None of us know how many more summers we have left
What can your boss do to make your working life easier when you have children?
‘When leaders share how they manage children and work, this brings an environment where family commitments are respected’
The loss of never becoming a grandparent: ‘You always assume it’s going to happen to you’
Parenting Taboos: It’s normal to feel a sense of loss if you know you won’t have grandchildren, but it’s important to respect your adult children’s decisions
Thinking of private school for your children? Better start saving now
When should you start saving? ‘When a child is born’
I’m paying €757 to keep my child busy for 3.6 hours a day. Summer childcare maths doesn’t add up
A patchwork of mostly privately run summer camps, supplemented in many cases by parents taking turns to mind each others’ kids in ad-hoc arrangements, are sure signs of failure at the macro level
Breastfeed ‘too long’ and you’re a creep; choose formula and you must not love your child
The rhetoric flowing through decisions about motherhood online can be poisonous
Parents in legal battle over whether daughter should receive medical care in Ireland or Poland
Mother says daughter will not receive care she needs in Ireland due to waiting lists
The motherhood penalty: ‘Once they’re in bed, you log back on at 9pm or 10pm and work’
Hybrid and flexible work helps but juggling work and children is stressful and requires both support and organisation
Bringing up baby: the tech you need and the stuff you don’t
New parents are confronted with a world of tech-enabled assistance that the marketing tells you no responsible parent can live without
Foster carers wanted: ‘You can be over 55, gay, single, a job seeker, of ethnic minority, and be a carer’
There are lots and highs and lows with fostering, says one family who have taken in four children over 20 years
The summer juggle: How to work while the kids are off
Hurray for no more homework, lunchboxes or hurried school mornings. But boohoo for the panic and stress of school holidays
Irish influencers trolled on Tattle Life: ‘They said I’m a bad mum. That I’m ugly. They wrote my address on it’
Social media influencers in Ireland have been the subject of ‘horrific’ commentary on the gossip website, including about their children.
Relationships and ... postnatal depression: ‘We still live in a society where men’s feelings and emotions are often suppressed’
Birth stresses are not confined to one parent, with at least 10 per cent of new fathers experiencing mental health difficulties
More than one third of children in Ireland see online sexual content monthly, says study
ESRI Mobile Phones
‘My daughter is having big anxiety meltdowns. How can I help her?’
Ask the Expert: In helping your daughter, the goal is to understand and address the underlying stresses that cause her meltdowns
We used to vilify unwed mothers. Now we criticise women who don’t want to be mothers
Declining birth rates are a material problem, but not everyone is suited to parenthood - and it’s better for all when they choose to live childfree
Childcare in Ireland: ‘Even as well-paid professionals, it was an exhausting struggle. The numbers never added up’
Despite ECCE and National Childcare Scheme supports, high costs remain a barrier to women working outside the home
An Irish family’s race against time for medication: ‘The boys are living their best life possible’
A new treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy has been partially approved but is not yet available in Ireland
‘My husband is obsessed with exercise and sports ... it feels a bit like an affair’
Tell Me About It: He would rather leave the house for a run, cycle or swim than spend time with me and the children
Not caring about exams was teenage me’s bluntest form of rebellion. My kids are different
They’re self-motivated, I think you’d call it. All I know is that I can take no credit for their industry
At a time when the boom is even boomer, this statistic should mortify us
The stark fact is that there are students sitting Junior and Leaving Cert exams today who went to bed hungry last night
A walk down memory lane in front of the TV took a darker turn
Jen Hogan: A family viewing of Housewife of the Year proved to be an eye-opening experience
Yes, we allow our nine-year-old out on her own
Keep the kids at home, and give them internet access? That’s where the real monsters are
Brianna Parkins: I envy Irish childhoods and the special confidence Irish children seem to have
Like many emigrants, we want our kids to be Irish but worry Ireland won’t be able to support them
Study finds 14% of young children do not live full-time with fathers
Contact with fathers is less frequent as children transition to school - ERSI
‘I’m worried: My ex-husband and I have been invited to a wedding’
Tell Me About It: The problem is my family – they think I am soft and stupid for giving in to him
Summer Camps 2025: A guide to the best sports camps in Ireland
A parent’s guide to the best summer camps, from kayaking and swimming to gymnastics
‘My 16-year-old son doesn’t like the way he looks. He seems to be struggling with puberty’
Ask the Expert: ‘He has now said he doesn’t want to hang out with his friends at school any more but won’t say why’
Nadine O’Regan: An only child is a lonely child? We’re sure about our decision not to try again
No matter what people say, there are many ways to find ties that bind
Almost one-in-eight children live with one parent, CSO survey finds
Half of parents not living with their three-year-old child had lived with mothers during pregnancy
Have your say: Is a woman changing surnames to her husband’s ‘symbolic control’ or harmless tradition?
Should families consider going double-barrelled or come up with a totally new surname?
Non-sports summer camps 2025: From art and archaeology to technology and yoga
Here is our guide to summer camps that do not (generally) involve lots of outdoor physical activity. There is everything listed here from coding to cooking, archaeology to acting.
‘I’ll be grand,’ I reassured my concerned child and headed on my merry way
It’s not something I’ve ever enjoyed – my own company, or walking for no reason
Children and teens make up third of alleged child sexual abuse perpetrators, study finds
Unexplained changes in children could be sign of abuse, researchers note
‘My 10-year-old is being ostracised by her group of friends. Should I email the other parents?’
Ask the Expert: ‘My daughter is particularly upset at the loss of her best friend’
Is four too young to let my daughter go for a walk on her own?
There’s some risk involved in letting her out of my sight on a public roadway (even though I mostly linger where I can see her) but the rewards are worth it
Actor Emily Taaffe: ‘There’s an opening-up about the challenges women face when they become mothers’
The Irish actor’s upcoming TV series, Little Disasters, delves into dark and underexplored issues that can accompany motherhood
An ode to the group chat, a lifeline for new mums
We mourn the loss of the ‘village’ in modern times, but I think the village begins elsewhere these days
‘I’ve met someone and want to try a relationship, but I’m worried about my young children’
Tell Me About It: Separation has taken a toll and left me to shoulder all childcare responsibilities
Thrill-seeking in middle age: the spirit is willing but the pelvic floor is weak
Oh, how I wish I had listened when people were talking about the importance of doing Kegels
‘Am I too old to wear this?’: It’s a question I never thought I’d ask but here I am
Jen Hogan: Motherhood can also bring limitations, but only if we impose them on ourselves
My daughter drags us on to rollercoasters but is wary of the monkey bars. People are a mystery
I usually pass the time on funfair rides by trying to calculate where I will land when whatever contraption I’m strapped into snaps off
Better mental health support needed for women after giving birth says midwifery professor
TCD academic says ending postnatal care six weeks after birth means women struggling with potentially serious issues are falling through the cracks
Why most families can’t afford to take paternity leave
Even though parental leave has personal, family and social benefits, only half of fathers take their two-week entitlement
Coins, batteries and toys: What happens when a small child swallows something dangerous?
Dr Muiris Houston: Foreign bodies may enter a child’s ears, nostrils or mouth, with potentially serious consequences
‘My son’s teacher thinks he might have ADHD but my husband does not want to have him assessed’
Ask the Expert: My husband had a terrible experience of school and doesn’t want to label our son
Don’t tell your child to be careful, or not to fall. Instead, stand ready to catch
I thought about all the lessons I learned in playgrounds. Wherever we went in the world, we ended up in the playground
Lottie Ryan on family life in an apartment: ‘It is very likely our forever home’
2FM presenter and others give their views on why they favour apartment living
Climate anxiety is like parenthood: you get used to living with constant worry
Climate anxiety can incite despair and hopelessness which, for those with existing mental health problems, can lead to depression and substance abuse
Ferris Bueller was right: life moves pretty fast. If you have children in school, you could miss it
There is nothing quite like having a sixth year in the house to remind you how quickly the years go by
‘Buy less, play more’: The Monaghan toy library where everything is free
At Carrickmacross Toy Library parents save money and reduce their environmental impact, while children can try things out and see what they like
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices