They do say that “opposites attract” but it seems that a new study has undermined that belief. In fact, experts found that people associate with and are attracted to those who are similar to them in terms of values and opinions. And it’s not just romantic couples, they found that friends and casual acquaintances also […]

8 years ago

“Children need inner strength from an early age,” says Eileen Keane Haly, Life and Parent Coach. “If children learn to believe in themselves, it really stands to them in later life.” As the pioneer of Jumpstart Your Confidence, Eileen works with thousands of young people and teens every year through school-based workshops and one-to-one consultations. […]

8 years ago

You’re welcome.

8 years ago

From the minute we become mothers, we are showered with an overwhelming amount of advice from the other mammies in our lives. The road to parenting is paved with The Irish Mammy’s good intentions. Here are the top five pieces of old-school parenting advice that you’ll hear from your mother and granny that should stay […]

8 years ago

It’s not good for the follicles.

8 years ago

It could seriously impact on your wellbeing.

8 years ago

Ok, get the tissues ready. I know we poke fun at parenting a lot. We write lists and lists about the things we miss now that we have kids; our high heels, privacy, sleep, expendable income, romantic getaways, boozy nights out.. But it’s all tongue in cheek, to be fair, isn’t it? Because nothing compares […]

8 years ago

Sarah Ockwell-Smith, best-selling author of The Gentle Sleep Book writing in The Huffington Post, has made an argument against telling younger children to say ‘sorry’. Ockwell-Smith acknowledges that by school-age most children have developed a degree of empathy, but as we all know, toddlers’ lack of empathy is legendary. My own toddler thinks nothing of […]

8 years ago

Ireland’s only milk bank provides lifesaving breastmilk to over 900 babies a year, in the face of an exceptional donor shortage. The Milk Bank, the only one of its kind in the country, is based in the small town of Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh and is managed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust. The Milk […]

8 years ago

Cutting the crap: 5 things I could have done without

8 years ago

Pinpointing what changes when you start a family is about as futile as trying to quantify what changes when you discover Nutella for the first time. The pre-family days and the post-family daze are radically different. However in a bid to scratch the surface of this question here’s 9 things that change when you start a […]

8 years ago

Late nights and erratic sleeping habits don’t just make kids grumpy in the morning, they also make them more likely to be tempted by junk food. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, kids who get less than 11 hours of sleep per night were more eager to eat a favourite […]

8 years ago

Turns out, having a weird name could actually work in your favour.  Experts believe that an unusual moniker helps children to think differently than peers with more run-of-the-mill names. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that begins with an unusual name and ultimately leads to unconventional or creative thinking,” New York University professor of psychology Adam Alter told […]

8 years ago

Children’s television in the 70s and 80s was an odd experience.

8 years ago

Last week, I made the embarrassing mistake of asking for a diet coke in a hipster eatery. Let’s just say I received a very specific look. Some might call it a death stare. The waitress told me in no uncertain times that they don’t serve “that stuff” but asked if I’d like some Kombucha instead. […]

8 years ago

Bought or thinking about buying a fixer-upper?

8 years ago

We’ll try anything at this stage.

8 years ago

Infertility affects 15% of couples of reproductive age worldwide. Male factors, including poor semen quality, account for approximately 25% of these cases. Many fertility clinics recommend simple lifestyle changes, such as increased physical activity, stress reduction, and reduced alcohol and caffeine consumption, in order to improve sperm quality. Now, researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit […]

8 years ago

Babies in prams accompanying older siblings on the school run are twice as likely to be exposed to harmful air pollution in the morning than in the afternoon, a new study has found. The new research, published this week in the journal Environmental Pollution, highlights the high levels exposure of babies in prams to air pollution […]

8 years ago

Because it IS like stuffing an octopus into a mesh bag.

8 years ago

You are getting very sleeeeeeepy…

8 years ago

Those of us with sleep debt have probably forgotten what it feels like to be truly rested. However, research shows it’s not just parents who are sleep deprived: The National Sleep Foundation has revealed that children should be getting more sleep than experts originally thought. Tasked with updating the official recommendations, 18 scientists and researchers came together to […]

8 years ago

Life after kids is wildly different from life pre-kids, that is stating the obvious in the extreme. The big differences become apparent immediately: There’s a baby in my house, it wants things, I have to give them to it. The little differences, however, only become evident little by little. For example, one day you’ll hear […]

8 years ago

There’s a new wave of artistic expression unfolding in the form of baby names inspired by the masters.  Here’s our top ten names for your little Monet or Matisse (those two don’t feature, we swear!). 1. Bohan The influential French fashion designer of the house of Dior. 2. Soutine A Lithuanian-born expressionist painter known for bold, […]

8 years ago

Getting the chicken pox is something of a rite of passage for Irish children. While a vaccination against the viral infection is available privately, most off us will opt to allow our kids to get it, and have it over with, while they are young. The couple of week’s downtime from creche or school can […]

8 years ago

Is there a Boogie Man lurking in your little one’s bedroom?

8 years ago

You have your hands full there…

8 years ago

Brought to you by Wella Professionals.  When it comes to how we look, plenty of us are pretty much OBSESSED with our hair. Whether we’re talking cut or colour – hair has the power to shape our face and create an entirely different look, and confidence. Below is a peek at a few options we’re taking […]

8 years ago

Before you purchase, read this.

8 years ago

You can still eat tasty things – hallelujah!

8 years ago

It certainly takes a while.

8 years ago

Growing up FAST.

8 years ago

You’ll feel so much better.

8 years ago

Irish mums are the oldest in Europe.

8 years ago

Lots of expectant mums are unsure about how much extra they should be getting.

8 years ago

A lot has changed.

8 years ago

Break up with the bean.

8 years ago

Excuse us while we melt in a puddle of cuteness overload

8 years ago

Our baby’s clothing can hold such nostalgia for us parents. I remember the first few newborn growers I bought to bring to the hospital with me. They looked SO tiny that I couldn’t imagine any creature small enough to wear them. Then my son, the Sparrow, was born, a little early and so very little […]

8 years ago

Oh yes; a little planning makes for a stress-free journey

8 years ago

What you need to know.

8 years ago

The American hurricane belt has nothing on Curracloe beach in August.

8 years ago

Admit it. We are all guilty of judging other mothers at one point or another.  Equally, we look at each other knowingly over supermarket trollies and roll our eyes in solidarity as another desperate mother feeds her child another bag of crisps to shut him up. We all lapse from our supposed-to-be-wholesome parenting methods from […]

8 years ago

Does anything taste better on a hot summer’s day than fresh-from-the freezer homemade ice pops? We don’t think so. With the incredible heatwave settling in this week, we’re craving some of these bad boys. And so are our little ones. So, save time googling recipes and whip up one of these for time well spent with the kids. Fun to […]

8 years ago

You don’t have to be the mama version of Bear Grylls to go camping with kids.

8 years ago

There’s no denying just how AMAZING cookie dough is. Sadly, it’s the not the most nutritious go-to snack. Now you can recreate the magic with this healthy alternative (yes, really). Made using Greek yoghurt, this protein-packed cookie dough has less calories than the original stuff, but with all the taste. Plus, it’s super easy and quick to create. […]

8 years ago

The low-down on the sleep disorder.

8 years ago

Are you a pleasure-seeking, slow-eating Taurean foodie? Or a straightforward meat and two veg kind of Aries? Find out what your star sign says about your likes and dislikes when it comes to nosh.. Aries Aries are the ultimate meat and two veg people. Don’t bother faffing about with Masterchef style presentation because the impatient ram […]

8 years ago

Where to go and what to do.

8 years ago

Your baby’s immune system debunked.

8 years ago