This is worrying. Unless you have been living under a rock lately, you will no doubt have heard of Squid Game, the newly released Netflix horror series where characters compete in playground games with gruesome twists to win a cash prize worth €33million. The South Korean show, which is both gripping and truly chilling, sees […]

4 years ago

The is great news for families of young children. Ireland is one of the most expensive for childcare in all of the EU, with parents having had to pay upwards of €1200 a month for a creche space for one child these past few years. However, this might be about to change as the Government […]

4 years ago

It IS a big deal. Getting your period, that is. But to many tweens – and their parents, having open, honest and informative conversations around this can feel a little tricky. And embarrassing, maybe. Getting your period for the first time can be mortifying, weird and messy – and asking questions about it can feel […]

4 years ago

All set for Halloween? The spookiest night of the year is only around the corner, and up and down the land kids have started planning what they are going to dress up as when they head out tricking and treating. With there being no Halloween celebrations last year, I think it’s totally fair to go […]

4 years ago

Thoughts? The tooth fairy has been busy in our house these past few months – luckily, she had a free pass to travel during the pandemic. My children write their letter, the tooth goes under the pillow, and for the most part (unless the tooth fairy completely forgets and has to try again the next […]

4 years ago

Halloween is a fun night most of us look forward to. However, keep in mind if your family has a pet, especially a cat or a dog, this is often not the case for them. Because although we love the thoughts of fireworks, trick-or-treaters and bonfires, your four-legged friend does not. But luckily, Village Vets, […]

4 years ago

Taken up sea swimming (along with the rest of the country) these past 18 months? If so, you might have been eyeing up a Dryrobe to keep you warm after getting out of the water? I know I sure have. In fact, these days, I spend as much time Dryrobe spotting and feeling envious of […]

4 years ago

The countdown is on. To families across Ireland, the Late Late Toy Show is in many ways the event that really kick-starts the festive season every year. It is the night when so many of us put up the Christmas tree. When children are allowed to stay up late and when we all really start […]

4 years ago

“I think over the past year-and-a-half, every parent across Ireland has seen just how important healthy habits are.” Johnny Sexton might be the the captain of Ireland, and Leinster, Rugby, but he is also a dad of three young children. And so when it comes to establishing healthy habits – and helping children do so […]

4 years ago

This is not the year for procrastinators. If you are the type who like to save your Christmas shopping for December, when the Christmas lights are lit and Christmas FM is blaring from every shop radio, we got some grim news for you. This is not the year to hold off on your Christmas shopping […]

4 years ago

Ireland ranks pretty poorly among developed countries for affordable childcare. In fact, in June this year, a report by UNICEF found that an Irish couple with an average income would need to spend between a third or half of their income on childcare fees. Last week, Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman, promised to ‘double’ state support […]

4 years ago

Being a parent at Christmas time is magical. Getting to feel the excitement this season brings to children, creating memories, it truly is the highlight reel of parenting in my opinion. However, can we also all admit that Christmas time when you have young children in the house can be rather crazy too? December is […]

4 years ago

It’s not as if these past couple of years could get any wackier anyway. If you, like me, is feeling like you can’t wait to wave this pandemic era goodbye, you might be wanting to speed things along a bit. And sure look, it might be a bit early to hang the mistletoe and put […]

4 years ago

Time to get creative. When it comes to festivities, I have one vibe: Lean in hard. As in; embrace it – fully. I mean; why the heck not? Doesn’t life have enough regular days as it is? And so now, in my house, we are full on Halloween. I am talking broomsticks and pumpkins and […]

4 years ago

Having lived through the absolute mess that was 2020 and 2021, I think it is no wonder that most of us are gravitating towards all things cosy, warm, nostalgic and safe. And with this in mind, it really is no wonder that that cottagecore, a lifestyle trend that favours a back-to-nature, rural-countryside, nostalgic vibe, has […]

4 years ago

My little girl was an absolute nightmare when she was younger when it came to mealtimes. Not so much about what she ate, she was quite good that way, and loves her fruit and vegetables. However, she did not like any food touching on her plate, and entire dinners could be left untouched if the […]

4 years ago

Pure hygge. Light some candles, set the table for a cosy dinner with friends, snuggle up under a blanket – autumn is here, and we are leaning in big time. After a summer spent outdoors, we are ready to get back inside and cosy up. And right now, having had a sneak-peek at the brand […]

4 years ago

The most widespread, accepted and unrecognised form of torture of women today. Anyone who has ever given birth, will no doubt tell you that while it is an incredibly empowering experience with the most amazing outcome, there is no denying that giving birth is, indeed, pretty darn painful. But as it turns out, the position […]

4 years ago

The days are long, but the years are short. These are the words uttered to so many mums, and yet, at first, we don’t really see how true they are. When our babies are tiny, the days are indeed long, and sometimes relentless in their monotony and full-on-ness. However, as our children grow, and milestones […]

4 years ago

Got a toddler throwing tantrum after tantrum? An overly boisterous pre-schooler? You might be surprised to find that the explanation for their behaviour does not necessarily come from a missed nap or too much screen-time, but rather, interestingly, from what is happening inside their tummies. After examining stool samples from 77 children aged between 18 […]

4 years ago

We are increasingly surrounded by – and reliant on – plastic in our day to day lives. This, of course, is a giant – and growing – problem for the planet and environment, but maybe even more worryingly according to a new study, it is proving to be a concern for human health as well. […]

4 years ago

It’s hard to believe as it feels like school only just started back – but the October midterm is not only around the corner. And if you have already started looking for things to do with the kids while they are off school, you are in luck – as Tayto Park has just announced a […]

4 years ago

I don’t know about you, but ever since bingeing on The Crown, I always picture that when the royals eat dinner, they do so in a very fancy manner, around giant dark-wood tables in one of their many castles. However, this, of course, is not the case at all – certainly when it comes to […]

4 years ago

Trying to be tidy and live a more minimal life is no easy task when you have little people in your house. Children might not be very big in the physical sense of the word, but my goodness, they sure do come with a lot of stuff. And by stuff, I mean toys. Everywhere. On […]

4 years ago

Paracetamol is one of the most widely used over-the-counter pain medications used globally. However, now a new Danish study suggests that women who are pregnant should be limiting their use of it. The research, conducted by the University of Copenhagen, found that “the painkiller could affect foetal development and potentially increase the risk of brain […]

4 years ago

It might seem much soon to be thinking about the return of that little elf that lives in your house in December. But, guys – December 1st (and Elf Return Week, as that week is also known) is really not that far away – especially if you are looking to order some fun props to […]

4 years ago

We are smack bang in the middle of pumpkin spice season. But – while many are a fan of the now-iconic autumnal beverage, others (myself included) find pumpkin spice lattes just a little bit too sickly and spice heavy. However – I am absolutely a fan of making hot drinks extra decadent this time of […]

4 years ago

Trends can be a fickle thing. One minute something is hot, the next minute not so much. This, of course, goes for not only fashion, interior styles or music, but also things like baby names. It’s not hard to figure out which names are popular right now – pop by any creche and you are […]

4 years ago

If your house is anything like our house, you are probably one piece of creche- or primary school artwork away from drowning in brightly painted paper. Seriously, my kids bring home various pieces of art every single day, and at present, the pile on our dining table and stack on top of the fridge are […]

4 years ago

I always think of being a mother as always being ‘on.’ There is no flight mode when it comes to motherhood. It is full-on and all in – and I love it with every fibre of me. My children and their well-being is at the forefront of everything I do and every decision I make. […]

4 years ago

In a world where there is increasing pressure to be perfect, to succeed, to do well, to get ahead – all made worse by the social media we all consume – is it any wonder more and more children are now being diagnosed with anxiety disorders? However, when it comes to reckognizing the signs that […]

4 years ago

Science says so.

4 years ago

Schools are back – and with that, life has suddenly returned to more normal patterns again. Suddenly, we are back to packing lunchboxes again. And fighting over homework. And washing uniforms around the clock. And ferrying kids to and from football and ballet and taekwondo. And figuring out dinners and clamping down on screen time […]

4 years ago

Who’s ready to re-furnish the house? Penneys, our favourite haunt for affordable fashion, has just announced that they are set to bring out a furniture collection, and honestly – having had a sneak peek, we could not be more excited. The collection will include small furniture products such as statement chairs, sideboards, shelving units, side […]

4 years ago

Do we need the reminder? Well, according to one of the UK’s top fertility doctors, apparently we do. The former chair of the British Fertility Society, Professor Adam Balen, recently spoke to Newstalk Breakfast and stated that more and more people are attending fertility clinics in their late thirties and early forties, “not realising they […]

4 years ago

The value of stay-at-home parents’ work is constantly being underestimated. However, some brand new research from the UK has shed some light on just how much money it would cost to replace the work done by mothers and fathers who stay at home with their children. And that sum, believe it or not, is an […]

4 years ago

‘Tis not quite the season just yet – but that doesn’t mean we can’t all start getting a little excited for Christmas already. The past year-and-a-half has been a long slog, so forgive us if we were ready to stick our tree up the minute autumn set in. UK high street giant John Lewis has […]

4 years ago

Yes, we know it is still September. But as we also all know by now, every year the most popular toys keep selling out, leaving us parents in an absolute panic – and so this year, we are well prepared and have started our shopping early. This year, this is apparently especially important, as industry […]

4 years ago

A win for working parents and for work-life balance. As of August 2022, parents of newborns in Ireland will all be given seven weeks’ paid leave. And come August 2024, this will increase to nine weeks. According to The Irish Times, the changes in paid leave for new parents come into force as European Union […]

4 years ago

It’s still a while to go (14 weeks to be exact). But that doesn’t mean we can’t start to get a teeny, tiny excited about Christmas already. And let’s be clear – studies have actually proven that people who decorate for the holidays early are, in fact, happier than those who wait until it’s actually […]

4 years ago

Earlier today, in a whole new parenting low, I promised my little boy Pokemon cards if he would just please be super-quiet for 10 minutes while I did a phone interview for work – in the kitchen, while he played (quietly) with Lego at the dining table. Bribery and bargaining – two parenting tactics I […]

4 years ago

They are loving our names!

4 years ago

A match made in heaven. If you are forever feeling guilty that you can only manage a cup of coffee in the morning and no breakfast – we might just have found the perfect solution for you. Combine your morning java with a refreshing and healthy smoothie, and voila – problem solved – our two […]

4 years ago

It has happened. First, it was just ballet. Once a week, no stress, all cute tutu’s and tiny leotards. Then came second class and school hockey. Then my little boy was suddenly not so little anymore and I figured football might be a good idea – all fresh and outdoorsy and team spirit and all […]

4 years ago

Having to split your time between a mum and dad living in two different houses can be tough for kids. Moving between houses and feeling a little bit overwhelmed as to when you are going to be where, it is no wonder some children find it a little stressful, much as we, as parents, try […]

4 years ago

Warning: This will cause tears.

4 years ago

Nooooooo. After a pretty grim Christmas in 2020, I think most of us are really looking forward to more normal times this year, once more being able to gather friends and family around our dinner table and enjoying the festivities together. However, if you were banking on getting your order in early to M&S to […]

4 years ago

It’s one of those things that just scream autumn to me. We are lucky enough to live right beside the beautiful Marlay Park in Dublin, and every autumn, my children and I – and often a whole collection of their little friends too – will spend hours upon hours collecting conker on our many, many […]

4 years ago

‘Pink tax’ is the phrase that is being used to refer to the broad tendency for products marketed specifically toward women to be more expensive than those marketed for men. This includes toiletry products, clothing, cleaning products, sports equipment – and more. And the added cost of ‘pink tax’ starts early. According to new research, […]

4 years ago

I don’t know about you, but I admit, when I hear the term ‘mindfulness game’ I sometimes tune out. They can seem very complicated but having recently tested out a method that can absolutely be described as a mindfulness technique on my own little boy, I don’t think I’ll be quite so dismissive of it […]

4 years ago