PARENTING - PRESCHOOL

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

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Julie Jay: The years go fast, but some days I can't help but wish they hurried up a bit
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Julie Jay: We must teach children that nothing in life is guaranteed
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Joanna Fortune: How can I control my young children on their first flight? 
View from behind of a boy and girl run with bucket to ocean
Julie Jay: Give parents a break and let them take children on holiday in term time
If covid taught us anything, it is that learning doesn’t stop and start at the school gate

Tue, 03 Jun, 2025

Little girl sitting on sofa and touching painful belly with arms at living room. Child suffering from stomach ache at home.
Aoife Hearne: Has my child inherited coeliac disease from her grandad?
Should I eliminate all gluten products from her diet? Or does she need to be tested?

Tue, 03 Jun, 2025

Tots to Teens: Tiny atoms make big reactions at Cork Carnival of Science
Tots to Teens: Tiny atoms make big reactions at Cork Carnival of Science
Plus free creative events and activities for Cruinniú na nÓg

Tue, 03 Jun, 2025

Sad little girl
Joanna Fortune: My grandchild gets upset when it's time to leave the playground
Transitions are not easy for young children to manage, so they often struggle with ending one fun task (playing on the playground) and doing something not so fun (going home for lunch/nap, etc)

Tue, 27 May, 2025

Cute little baby boy, eating mashed vegetables for lunch, mom feeding him
Too much sugar for your sweet baby — a look at ready-made meals and food pouches
Ready-made foods and food pouches for infants are often high in sugar, watery, and much less nutritious than is claimed, and purées may hinder development of motor and chewing skills and also hand co-ordination

Tue, 27 May, 2025

The father holds the tiny legs of a newborn baby in his palms.
Julie Jay: Can the 'just you wait' brigade please stop raining on our parenting parade?
Because there will, of course, come a time when the baby who leans into you becomes their own person, a person with the power to refuse your request to stop at the chipper on the way, and insist on playing their own music in the car because ‘they’re driving’. Just you wait? I can’t wait, and that’s the real joy of it

Tue, 27 May, 2025

A little boy is watching football on TV at home
Julie Jay: My stubborn determination for my son to play GAA is paying off 
Like all sports autobiographies, our football journey has so far been one of dizzying heights and terrifying lows

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Labrador Puppy
Joanna Fortune: My children refuse to help look after our new puppy 
This new puppy is a new baby of sorts in your family, and like any new baby, it is taking up a lot of your time, attention, and energy

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Child rock pooling and collecting sea shells
Tots to Teens: Life’s a beach with Cork seashore tour
And Little Puckers, the award-winning children’s playgroup for aspiring GAA stars, is holding Gaelic games-themed play sessions for children aged 18 months to five years across the country

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Saving memories in gadget. Selective focus on display of telephone recording video with first grade girl
Why you should think twice before posting photos and videos of kids on social media
It’s natural to take pictures of highlights in your child’s life, but think twice before sharing them on social media

Sun, 18 May, 2025

Sneaky Snacks
Joanna Fortune: I'm worried about bringing my noisy children to wedding 
Weddings can be overwhelming for children. A big part of what makes them and similar events so difficult for them is that the day starts early with much waiting and sitting around

Tue, 13 May, 2025

Tots to Teens: From Barnardos ‘Big Toddle’ fundraiser to colourful fun in Cobh
Tots to Teens: From Barnardos ‘Big Toddle’ fundraiser to colourful fun in Cobh
The Big Toddle is a fundraiser that Barnardos has organised every May and June for the past 22 years, raising €4.84m for Barnardos’ early years services in the process

Tue, 13 May, 2025

Child holding placard with pensive emoticon, question marks doodle
Julie Jay: My preschooler is a walking, talking, information-gathering machine
My four year old’s insatiable curiosity is a reminder that the older that we need to ask more questions, not less

Tue, 13 May, 2025

Jumping in the sea waves on the beach
Joanna Fortune: My child hates going to the beach — I need a solution that works for both of us
Your son might never love being at the beach, but you can slowly, respectfully, and with play start to make it more tolerable

Tue, 06 May, 2025

Julie Jay: Is there ever a good time to have kids?
Julie Jay: Is there ever a good time to have kids?
If we waited for the perfect time to have kids, we’d never have them

Tue, 06 May, 2025

Tots to Teens: Spot the difference and join the dots with activity book featuring Michael D Higgins
Tots to Teens: Spot the difference and join the dots with activity book featuring Michael D Higgins
From the President's Sticker Activity Book to playing dress-up, here's a selection of products and activities for the children to enjoy

Tue, 06 May, 2025

Grandmother is hugging a grandson
Julie Jay: Nana’s visit has relegated me to second place in my children’s eyes
I am the fossil fuel to my mother’s renewable energy source, the sod of turf to her wind turbine, the briquette to her solar panel

Tue, 29 Apr, 2025

Baby Sam from Cork is making waves after open heart surgery
Baby Sam from Cork is making waves after open heart surgery
Referred to a cardiologist at four months, the Cork infant has recovered well from surgery with the help of swimming classes

Tue, 22 Apr, 2025

Group of people roasting marshmallows over a campfire, holding sticks with marshmallows near bright flames. Hot drinks with mars
Julie Jay: My son is going to camp, but it’s not like an 1980s American movie
Camps are bigger than ever, but bear little resemblance to their American counterpart in that there are fewer grizzly bears and a lot more central heating

Tue, 22 Apr, 2025

Tired stressed out mother holding her daughter.
Colman Noctor: Parenting is hard, and even harder with mental illness
Contributing to the shame is how society increasingly idealises parenthood, often equating good parenting with unshakable emotional stability

Tue, 22 Apr, 2025

Confident about the Answer
Julie Jay: Teaching your little ones the delicate dance between being truthful and being popular
When it comes to keeping friends and not making enemies I have to remind my four-year-old that it is a delicate dance between being truthful and being popular.

Tue, 15 Apr, 2025

BUMBLEance ‘Shocking Shirts’ fundraiser supporting families of children with life-limiting conditions
BUMBLEance ‘Shocking Shirts’ fundraiser supporting families of children with life-limiting conditions
Now in its third year, the campaign raises funds for and awareness of BUMBLEance’s work. It helps the 8,000 or more families across Ireland that have children with life-limiting conditions

Tue, 08 Apr, 2025

Toothache
What you need to know about raising a highly sensitive child
‘Highly sensitive’ children pause before they act, because they feel so deeply that any change in their life is dramatic

Tue, 08 Apr, 2025

Child drawings hanging on the wall, preschool child painting, kids room, Children's creativity, empty space
Julie Jay: Nothing cures sentimentality like being a parent
As a first-time parent, everything was treasured. But the second time around, I have my kids’ art binned at the first opportunity.

Tue, 08 Apr, 2025

cute baby girl eating
Children facing ‘allergy epidemic’ due to delayed introduction of certain foods
Avoiding certain foods, as advised in the past, may actually increase the risk of children developing allergies

Sun, 06 Apr, 2025

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