Are you a drone, helicopter or lighthouse parent? To be honest, I am a Keep Them Alive kind of parent and people who want to pop MY method into a category please feel free. Let me tell you what it is, before we have a rant about being judged on parenting. A lighthouse stays in […]

10 years ago

What? How is this possible and why didn’t I know this in my 20’s?  Wearing high heels is an art form and one I’m not so good at. Mine have to be very specific; block heels, kitten heels and certainly NOT pointy. Stilletos…not a chance! But what if there was a secret hack to making ALL […]

10 years ago

“In a field of roses, she is the wildflower.” Isn’t that such a beautiful quote?  It could ideally sum up a friend, yourself or even your child. Personally, I thought about my daughter who is a funny little thing, and I would describe her as a bit of a wildflower. I could spend hours looking […]

10 years ago

Does anyone else have a girl pinup? Mine is Olivia Palmero. Obviously, she is a style icon, but she always has a very polished and well-groomed look. It is quite subtle, but these little tweaks can make a BIG difference. You also don’t need to spend a fortune on skincare or hair products. Sometimes a […]

10 years ago

Is it a blue room or a pink one? Unisex themed nurseries are the new black. For some, it makes sense not to go all out pink or blue because they haven’t found out the gender of the baby. For others, they prefer a more gender neutral theme even if they know. EITHER WAY, decorating […]

10 years ago

I had both my girls in Autumn. It is my favourite time of year, when the sun is low in the sky and casts a magical glow over the already crisp, golden leaves. I remember hibernating with my daughters at this time of the year. We would just curl up on the couch, cosy and […]

10 years ago

What is the secret to raising amazing children?  Nobody has all the answers, but we had some interesting conversations with mum’s from all over the country about what they would change if they could AND some valuable advice for mums of today from one generation to another: 1.”Relax. Just go with the flow. Don’t argue with […]

10 years ago

So you have met the man of your dreams, you had the fairytale wedding and have decided to procreate. What now? What happens after Cinderella rides off into the sunset with Prince Charming, and why did nobody explain to me that it involves scraping human poop off your diamond ring? Having a baby with your […]

10 years ago

Step away from the green juice! It really is time to drink champagne and dance on the table! F Scott Fitzgerald once wrote; “too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.” Well, the Great Gatsby author could now be proven right. Scientists have discovered that drinking THREE glasses of champagne […]

10 years ago

Ahhh a lovely bouncing…robot baby. If you are broody but irresponsible, then mini Kirobo could be for you. This 4-inch robot baby costs just €350 AND you can even fit him in your handbag. The motivation behind the robot’s release in Japan has been questionable. Some have branded Kirobo a trumped up Tamagotchi, while others say […]

10 years ago

It’s that time of year when you have to put away the denim jackets and the zip-up bombers and roll out the real winter garb. Luckily, this season is all about rich hues, faux fur, winter berry colours and electric blue for our little fashionistas.  We set ourselves the challenge of buying our children’s winter jackets […]

10 years ago

Well, nature… nothing surprises us anymore. Scientists have discovered that our breasts ‘self-destruct’ once they finish the milk production process. These amazing lumps of mammary tissue transition to milk machines and back again in a remarkably short amount of time. Normally, clearing away these breast cells when breastfeeding has ended, should be a painful process […]

10 years ago

Reality TV star, Kim Kardashian, was tied up and robbed at gunpoint in Paris last night. It’s believed the 35-year-old was threatened by men posing as police officers. Luckily her two children, Saint (9 months) and North (3 years), were not with her at the time. The incident happened at a private luxury apartment in […]

10 years ago

I shudder to remember the number of times I huffed “you have NO idea what it’s like” to my other half while pregnant. But I’m sure it was a lot. My husband is good at most things, but I’m sorry to say he a particularly bad patient, so I couldn’t even imagine how moany he would […]

10 years ago

The first day of school is an emotional day for parents. For the keepers at the Orangutan Rehabilitation School in Indonesian Borneo, it is no different. Except of course that these baby charges are also orange and hairy. At the International Animal Rescue Orangutan Centre in Ketapang, little Didik, who is 18 months old, has just […]

10 years ago

If you have just had a baby, chances are you’ll be getting them the first of their vaccinations shortly. But vaccinations are a complicated issue for many parents and vaccine refusal is on the rise. I remember calling a GP friend of mine when I was in Holles Street, asking her what was BCG, and […]

10 years ago

I have the fondest memories of making mud cakes, jumping in puddles and building ‘bird’s nests’ as a child. Studies now show that children who spend a lot of time in the Great Outdoors show increased coordination, agility, balance and better motor skills. It’s also GREAT FUN! So it is no surprise that pre-schools and […]

10 years ago

We want you to try the Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment and then take our online survey to tell us your experience with it to be in with the chance of winning a €200 One4All voucher. Simply fill out your details below. Fill out my online form. This article is sponsored by Bepanthen. Visit Bepanthen.ie or on Facebook for more information. […]

10 years ago

It is a tool that provides parents with instant peace. Giving my children time on the tablet, phone or TV can also come with a huge dollop of guilt. It can be very hard to strike the balance right with these so-called ‘isitters’. With no formal guidelines here in Ireland, we are relying on contradicting studies from […]

10 years ago

My parents tried to turn me into a nerd from a very young age so school COULD have been a challenge. Happily, I managed to circumnavigate the situation; I spent five years in the school orchestra without EVER actually playing the violin, and my Irish dancing at the school talent show COULD have been a […]

10 years ago

When I was younger, I enjoyed being in school, but being out with my friends exploring was WAY more fun.  There, I definitely learned that cooperating with friends was important, and our imaginations went wild. These are skills that I don’t think can be taught. Baby animals play, and that is nature’s way of learning […]

10 years ago

Limberbutt McCubbins is a feline with VERY high ambitions. According to reports in the Washington Post, the tabby; “professes belief in a fair tax code, a strong middle class, affordable health care and gay-cat marriage rights.” TECHNICALLY, there is no law against a cat running for office. The US constitution declares that “no person, except […]

10 years ago

You may not know this, but there is a fantastic adventure ahead. A fantastic, messy, joyous, head wrecking trip of a lifetime. But you need to be very ready. So, before the madness that is about to ensue, tick these following boxes over and over again. 1. Lie in Lie in like you have never […]

10 years ago

A brand new food pyramid and PE as a Leaving Cert subject – these are just a few of the Government’s plans to stop Ireland becoming the fattest country in Europe. The launch today comes as Irish doctors warn that children as young as two years old are being treated at weight clinics, and 60 […]

10 years ago

The news of the breakup of the world’s two hottest people left us reeling yesterday. I am disgusted with myself over my interest in someone else’s impending divorce. But I don’t think I am alone. Are celebrities fair game when it comes to their personal life because they have put themselves out there? Or is […]

10 years ago

It was a cold case that gripped the world.  Almost 20 years ago, six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado. Her little body had been beaten and strangled, and a ransom note demanding over 100 thousand dollars was found at her family home. At the time, the main […]

10 years ago

There were heartbreaking scenes at Cavan Courthouse yesterday during the inquest into the death of baby Conor Whelan.  The newborn died at Cavan General Hospital two years ago just a day after birth. Giving evidence as part of the three-day inquest, his mother Siobhan described how she begged doctors for a c-section when things started to […]

10 years ago

It shouldn’t still be controversial, but it is.  Today a breastfeeding mum shared a powerful post on Instagram about how her own parents shamed her while she fed her baby during dinner in a restaurant. Kelly Stanley, a first-time mum, said despite having fed her daughter before they all went for the meal, the baby started […]

10 years ago

The size of your babies brain is strongly linked to their likelihood to get ahead in life! Research carried out by scientists at UK Biobank found that head circumference and larger brains are now proven to be associated with superior intelligence. Over 500,000 people took part in the study that delved into the relationships between […]

10 years ago

Hands up if your head is wrecked trying to get the work-life balance right. Once you become a mum, it seems to get even harder. I am perpetually rushing, I inevitably have no time, AND I’m finding that getting any semblance of balance right is more difficult than ever. My life seems like one endless […]

10 years ago

Little Neveah Denton is a beautiful little girl who LOVES school and enjoys making new friends. But just a few years ago her mother noticed some unusual physical changes. Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today, Charlene Denton said she noticed her daughter was developing little breast buds. Concerned she brought her to her GP […]

10 years ago

Northern Irelands public health agency has confirmed that several people have contracted the Zika virus. It’s believed all those who were infected had recently returned from areas known to have high instances of the virus. The Zika virus is spread from bites of a certain mosquito known as Aedes, but can also be sexually transmitted. For […]

10 years ago

If you happen to be in Italy this September 22nd make sure to mark your calendar. It is very first National Fertility Day, and it’s having a whole lot of teething problems.  The country’s Health Minister’s launched the initiative last week in a bid to up Italian birth rates which are in decline. And if you […]

10 years ago

A quarter of Ireland’s children are overweight. This makes obesity the most common childhood disorder in Europe. The implications are frightening. And the problem is getting worse. Obesity is described as a disease in which body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it begins to negatively affect your health. It is measured by […]

10 years ago

Three well-known toy companies have been fined after they were found to contain tools which can track children’s details on the internet. In the US, the practice of collating such personal data through so-called ‘cookies’ is prohibited without the consent of the parents of those children under-13. According to BBC reports today, one of the […]

10 years ago

Scientists have discovered a way of creating offspring without the need for a female egg.  The landmark experiment carried out at the University of Bath, has turned nature on its head, even paving the way for babies to be born from the DNA of two men. This challenges a century of thinking that only an […]

10 years ago

He hasn’t dropped out. Yet. To be honest, he is adjusting to his new school situation even better than I am. I’m so proud of him in his too-big uniform and too-heavy Ironman backpack. But is it wrong that there is a small part of me, in the smallest corner of my mummy heart, […]

10 years ago

Newsflash! Christmas is coming. And before you get outraged by the very mention of Christmas IN SEPTEMBER FOR GOODNESS SAKE, relax, we are here to help This is our pre-Christmas, Christmas preparation list. A way of ensuring that once the Christmas carols hit in circa (looks at watch) 4 weeks, we will smugly smile and […]

10 years ago

Brave mum-of- two Caitriona Lucas has been described as a dedicated hero by family and friends. The 41-year-old, from the small seaside town of Ballyvaughan, was killed during a search and rescue operation in Co Clare yesterday. Caitriona had been a volunteer member of the Doolin Coast Guard for the past 10 years, alongside her […]

10 years ago

It seems that educators are missing a trick when it comes to teaching about the birds and the bees.  An international study, published today by the British Medical Journal, finds that schools are failing to deliver a curriculum that differentiates between the scientific nature of sex and practical advice like the availability of community health […]

10 years ago

It is not the ideal scenario – catching a little nookie while the little one sleeps (if they sleep) But maintaining intimacy after having a child is also hugely important for most couples.  Behavioural psychologists believe, in general, that it can be harmful to a child to witness their parents engaging in sexual acts but […]

11 years ago

An infographic has revealed the average age at which women become first-time mothers for countries across the globe. According to The Huffington Post, Chartmix put the map together using data from UNICEF, the CIA World Factbook and China’s Sixth Nationwide Census. Ireland is fifth on the list of oldest first-time mothers with an average age […]

11 years ago

My daughter’s light shines unusually bright. At five years old she has clear pink cheeks and a babyish run. Her favourite things are unicorns and those daisy wafers you decorate cakes with. She sees the world through those big sweet eyes, and everything is new and fresh and full of hope. To me, she is […]

11 years ago

If you’re a parent, disrupted sleep is nothing new but when you do finally get the kids to bed and under the covers yourself, you want to have a peaceful night. A new study has revealed that diet has a lot to do with this and that there are certain things to avoid for an […]

11 years ago

Mother of two sons, Betty Strachan has spent the last few years repainting dolls faces to make them look more realistic and more mum-like.   Some of her re-designed Barbie’s have bags under their eyes, scrapped back buns, dark roots, glasses and even freckles. Yup, sounds about right! But now the Australian native has taken her […]

11 years ago

Like the sound of an easy cool, effortless style for your hair? Well, say hello to the Scandi Wave. Danish hairstylist Nicci Welsh has developed a new way to create waves with a flat iron and it reportedly impressed beauty professionals at the Front Row beauty convention in Florida. It is also very timely as messy, […]

11 years ago

Have you ever heard of the Infant Cries Translator? Well, if you have a newborn baby in your house, it’s about time you did. According to Reuters, the app (which is also known as Baby Cries Translator) aims to tell you why your little one is crying based on four different situations: hunger, wet nappy, sleepiness […]

11 years ago