‘My children have not settled in to our new blended family. Should I consider moving us out?’ Ask the Expert: Blended families can work well, but it takes a lot of sensitivity and patienceTue Feb 07 2023 - 05:31
‘Our five-year-old son lashes out at us, screaming and trying to hit us, almost every day’Ask the Expert: We have started trying to restrain him to stop him hitting us, and sending him to his room, but he just plays happily there on his ownMon Jan 23 2023 - 06:01
‘My 16-year-old daughter is finding it hard to make friends in secondary school’Ask the Expert: Being quieter can have drawbacks, especially when you are trying to make friends as a teenager in school, and can lead to social anxiety and stressMon Jan 09 2023 - 05:01
‘My 11-year-old son says he has ‘bad thoughts’ in his head that he can’t control’Ask the Expert: ‘He has never been in trouble in school and is the last child you would think would hit out or get into a fight’Tue Dec 27 2022 - 06:01
‘My 12-year-old son is struggling in secondary school’Ask the Expert: Should I let him miss the odd day of school when he is stressed?Mon Dec 12 2022 - 06:01
‘My three-year-old son is constantly hitting his younger brother’Ask the Expert: ‘I give out to him and that does not work, he just starts screaming too. What can I do?’Mon Nov 28 2022 - 05:31
‘How can I help my teenage daughter accept that having a chronic illness is part of her life?’Ask the Expert: Moving to a position of serenity about the things you can’t change is not an easy feat and takes timeMon Nov 14 2022 - 06:01
‘How can I respond maturely to my seven-year-old daughter’s fussiness and controlling nature?’Ask the Expert: It is normal to have battles of wills with a child. What matters is how you respond to these clashesMon Oct 31 2022 - 05:31
‘My son rarely speaks and never cries at creche’Ask the Expert: Chatty at home, he seems not to be able to show his feelings in childcareMon Oct 17 2022 - 06:01
‘My three-year-old’s tantrums are wild. What is the best way to handle him when he gets so angry?’Ask the Expert: ‘I know tantrums are normal at that age but the intensity of his feelings worries me’Mon Oct 03 2022 - 05:01
‘Our son says we argue a lot and it upsets him. This came as a complete shock’Ask the Expert: ‘We argue very little, just on small things like what to cook, and we have a loving relationship’Mon Sept 19 2022 - 06:01
‘I think my 13-year-old daughter is too young to have a boyfriend — I’d prefer if she was hanging out with friends’Ask the Expert: Communication is key to navigating the complex challenges a child’s first romantic relationship can bringMon Sept 05 2022 - 05:31
Heatwaves and climate change: Don’t shoot the messenger, they’re only telling the truthDenial of serious and scary reality is understandable but it is ultimately an unhelpful coping mechanismMon Aug 29 2022 - 05:01
‘Neighbours’ kids are constantly knocking on our door to play with my young kids. They won’t stop’Ask the Expert: ‘I have told mine they can only play at weekends with the other kids ... this has led to meltdowns’Mon Aug 22 2022 - 06:01
‘My 12-year-old gets stressed and worried at bedtime and can’t sleep’Ask the Expert: ‘It is very upsetting to see him like this, it almost feels like he has returned to being a toddler’Mon Aug 08 2022 - 05:31
‘My 13-year-old son is constantly inside on his phone this summer’Ask the Expert: ‘He is reluctant to meet up with his friends and gets depressed and very moody’Mon Jul 25 2022 - 05:01
‘My teenage sons refuse to engage with each other with any civility’Ask the Expert: The boys used to get along but that stopped years agoMon Jul 11 2022 - 06:01
‘Our son has severe social anxiety, but my husband and I don’t seem to be on the same page’Ask the Expert: ‘I’m worn out looking out for my son and dealing with my husband’s frustration over missing school’Mon Jun 27 2022 - 06:00
‘My eight-year-old daughter has a friendship that can be quite intense’Ask the Expert:Mon Jun 13 2022 - 06:01
‘My sister is an alcoholic and she’s refusing treatment’John Sharry: Strike a balance between being supportive and not colluding with her addictionMon May 30 2022 - 06:01
‘Our son does not have the proper respect for adults that we would like him to have’Ask the Expert: ‘We are horribly aware that we are the probable cause of this’Mon May 16 2022 - 06:01
‘I foresaw Covid and war in Europe, but doctors said I was paranoid and having a breakdown’John Sharry: Professional support can give you space to talk through your questionsMon May 02 2022 - 06:01
‘I’m worried my daughter is developing an eating disorder’Ask the Expert: ‘She often skips meals and can head off to school without breakfast‘Mon Apr 18 2022 - 06:01
‘Our teenage daughter often lashes out at us with bad language’Ask the Expert: ‘How can we help her control her anxiety and the outbursts?’Tue Apr 05 2022 - 06:01
Yes, the questions are real! How our advice columnists answer your queriesRoe McDermott, John Sharry and Trish Murphy explain how they respond to your sex, relationship and parenting problemsSat Apr 02 2022 - 01:56
‘My 14-year-old son is really worried that world war three will break out’Ask the Expert: ‘I am worried too, so I imagine this is not helping either’Mon Mar 21 2022 - 06:01
‘My six-year-old son often says he hates himself’Ask the Expert: ‘How can I help him build self-esteem?’Mon Mar 07 2022 - 06:01
‘My wife and I are separating. What can we do to help our young children cope?’Ask the Expert: We are working hard to co-parent well for their sakeMon Feb 21 2022 - 06:00
‘My 13-year-old daughter’s phone has taken over her life’‘I wish she was going out more to meet friends and do real stuff instead of just social media’Mon Feb 07 2022 - 06:01
Ashling Murphy killing: How to talk to your children about itShielding those under seven from news may be wise but older children could have questionsTue Jan 18 2022 - 06:01
‘My 15-year-old daughter is constantly snacking and eating mindlessly’Nothing I say has an impact so do I just leave her to figure it out herself?Mon Jan 10 2022 - 06:01
‘I have a friend whose parenting is hard to watch’I know he is under a lot of stress, but that’s not an excuse to hurt a childMon Dec 27 2021 - 06:01
‘Our daughter was toilet trained but she has been having accidents’She may have developed habit of holding on too long which weakens control of bladderMon Dec 13 2021 - 06:01
‘My (almost) five-year-old frequently finishes the day with a smear of poo in his pants’Smearing or soiling is usually caused by faeces leaking out as they don’t have full controlSun Dec 12 2021 - 06:01
‘My seven-year-old is very negative and this can be very difficult to tackle’Negative self-thinking and low self-esteem go hand in hand. Build your child’s self-esteemMon Nov 29 2021 - 23:47
‘My daughter has a phobia of being sick, and it’s consuming her and our lives’For most phobias, cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the best treatmentsTue Nov 16 2021 - 06:00
‘How do I get a psychiatric assessment of a parent of three young children?’Narcissistic personality disorder and a family separationSun Nov 14 2021 - 06:01
‘My teenage son has fallen in with a bad group of friends’With a young teenager you frequently have to work hard to keep communication openWed Oct 20 2021 - 06:00
‘My ex is not spending time with our 11-year-old son’Since mother started divorce proceedings, father has refused to see sonMon Oct 04 2021 - 06:01
‘Homophobic, xenophobic, sexist banter: I don’t know if this is normal practice on building sites’Ask the Expert: ‘He likes the job and has talent for it but I worry for his mental health’Mon Sept 20 2021 - 06:00
‘My daughter is hysterical at creche drop-off and collection. What can I do?’Ask the Expert: ‘I have to leave her outside the building due to Covid restrictions’Sun Sept 19 2021 - 06:01
‘My marriage has broken down, and I don’t know how to talk to my young son about it’Ask the Expert: ‘I left his father because the relationship had become abusive’Mon Sept 06 2021 - 06:01
‘Should I advise my teenager about making friends?’Ask the Expert: Here are ways to positively support her in developing social skillsMon Aug 23 2021 - 06:01
‘My five-year-old daughter is still not dry at night’Ask the Expert: Bedwetting is usually caused by a physical problem such as constipationSun Aug 22 2021 - 06:01
‘My teenage sons have fallen out and are now ignoring each other’Ask the Expert: The 13-year-old punched the 15-year-old and both were shocked by thisMon Aug 09 2021 - 06:00
‘My son’s creche want him assessed but I’m not sure if he has a disorder’Ask the Expert: The creche is understaffed and want an SNA employedSun Aug 08 2021 - 01:01
‘My nine-year-old girl is moody and I don’t like her at times’John Sharry: See feelings of dislike as a ‘wake-up call’ that something needs to changeMon Jul 26 2021 - 06:01
‘My alcoholic mother-in-law moved in with us and has caused enormous stress’John Sharry: It is abusive for her to drink chaotically and to be drunk in front of your childrenMon Jul 12 2021 - 06:01
‘My seven-year-old is afraid to go upstairs on his own’John Sharry: The good news is there are simple steps you can follow to help him manageSun Jul 11 2021 - 06:01
