PARENTING - TEENS

Helping teenagers navigate difficult years and coping as you do so is never easy. Hopefully these articles will help.

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Colman Noctor: Growing up in a flatscreen world can flatline social skills
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Dr Phil Kieran: My son's mood has dipped since getting an injury
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Richard Hogan: We need to take on Big Tech and let children really be children
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Colman Noctor: F**k Around and Find Out — What is fafo parenting?
Allergy skin of an Asian kid on her legs with hand to scratch in natural light.
Dr Phil Kieran: My son's childhood eczema is back and it's painful
Eczema often settles down to some extent with age. For your son, this means that although it hasn’t settled yet, there is a decent chance it will over the next few years

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

woman smoking electronic cigarette
What's in a vape and how to tell if your teen has started vaping
Many young people still believe that vaping is a harmless alternative to cigarettes, writes Helen O’Callaghan

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Teenage boy having scrambled eggs for breakfast
My teen follows a strict high-protein diet but I'm worried about his weekend eating habits
At the weekends, he eats all around him — fried breakfast, toast, roast potatoes and desserts

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Unhappy at School
Colman Noctor: Wellbeing is not always visible and a quiet child's struggles often go unnoticed
When being the quiet child comes at a cost 

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Tots to Teens: How to build a bird nest box with your children
Tots to Teens: How to build a bird nest box with your children
Plus card games, expert-led talks, and more

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Elementary School Pupils On Climbing Equipment
Colman Noctor:  Wellbeing in school cannot be taught. It has to be lived
We can teach children about empathy, resilience, and emotional regulation through structured lessons, but if they lack opportunities to apply these skills in real relationships, the learning remains abstract. Wellbeing needs to be practised as well as taught

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Beckham family rift
Family relationships are important — here's what therapists suggest you do when problems arise
As we can see with the Beckhams and daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz this week, even the most 'perfect' or wealthy and well-known families can find it tricky to navigate certain issues and tensions. A new book covering challenges like these is out now, writes Emer Harrington

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith
Tots to Teens: Guidance for the budding wordsmith
Storytelling skills, an aid for messy eating, and developing a positive mindset

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

front and side and back view of same teenage boy standing on white background,
Dr Phil Kieran: Should we worry about my teenage son's short stature?
Height is a complex and sensitive topic that can be normal or indicate a medical issue that may need treatment

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Teenage Boy Studying Using Digital Tablet At Home
Colman Noctor: When mock exams feel all too real for your child 
As a parent of a Junior Certificate pupil this year, I have realised the stress of the upcoming mock exams can be substantial

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Elbow pain.
Dr Phil Kieran: Could my hockey-playing teenager have tennis elbow? 
The first thing to rule out is an injury to the bone. This would most likely occur following a fall or impact. If the pain started after an impact, I would recommend going to see a doctor as soon as you can, as an X-ray may be needed to rule out a small chip or crack in the bone

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Insecure teenager at school with girls gossiping
Is your child experiencing social isolation at school? Here's what you can do
Social exclusion can make young people feel as if something is wrong with them, and presents a difficult challenge for parents to overcome

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

talk mother support and solving problem with teenage boy son
Colman Noctor: Finding the right words to talk to your child about pornography
Ultimately, these conversations are less about sex and more about the trust you have in your child and they have in you, writes Colman Noctor 

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Teenage boy sitting on sofa using smart phone at night
Colman Noctor: Porn is now the first sex educator for children
Porn reduces sex to acts and mechanics, omitting connection, consent, and affection

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

Girl interacting with phone and digital icons emerging. AI Chatbot conversation, Ai Artificial Intelligence. OpenAI generate.
Colman Noctor: Growing role of AI chips away at trust and fuels anxiety in children
For parents, the question should no longer be whether our children will engage with AI, but who they will become because of it

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

family celebrating Christmas
Back-to-school mode activated: How to help your child adjust after a relaxed Christmas break
Switching from the relaxed-holiday mode can be jarring for children. But a positive attitude can make a huge difference

Tue, 30 Dec, 2025

Happy woman with Santa's drinking wine during Christmas lunch at dining table.
Should you give your teenager alcohol at Christmas?
The short answer is no, according to experts who point out that starting earlier increases the odds of heavier drinking 

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Christmas morning joy
Colman Noctor: Children need our presence during festive season not a performance
When we manage expectations we can hopefully make room for what matters most: Presence, warmth, and connection

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Tots to Teens: Keep little hands and minds busy
Tots to Teens: Keep little hands and minds busy
Sit your little ones down over the next few days with pencils, markers, paints, or a tablet or laptop so they can then enter their designs in the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest

Tue, 23 Dec, 2025

Low angle view of young Caucasian woman volunteer in rubber gloves collect garbage squatting on coast. Concept of Earth Day and
Colman Noctor: Teaching children to choose kindness in a 'me first' world
If we want a society that bands together, we need to teach children to help others so that when they grow up they will know they are not alone, and that no one else should be either, writes Dr Colman Noctor

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Female Doctor Putting Walking Brace On Person's Leg
Dr Phil Kieran: I'm worried about my teenager's stress fracture  
It is essential that your son take his time to fully recover from this injury

Tue, 16 Dec, 2025

Headshot of an annoyed teenage boy
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

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

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

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