Our instinct as parents is to provide and protect. This has become even more apparent as we navigate our way through the current COVID crisis. But our kids, especially our teens, are more resilient than we sometimes give them credit for.

Opening up and talking about the family finances (within reason) gives them an opportunity to ask questions, gain understanding and ultimately be better prepared for their future.

For most, they will face tough financial decisions and being equipped with the skills to navigate their way through those decisions is perhaps one of the best gifts you can give them.

Children pick up on and mimic the behaviour of their parents and their peers. From a young age they are forming their financial understanding, through the games you play together and from listening to and watching your attitude and behaviour to spending and saving.

Everyday events from shopping to paying bills, saving for bigger ticket items and bringing them along when you lodge money to your account are learning opportunities and can help start the discussion around money and goal setting.

As they get older, enlist their help to research things like insurance, household bills, holidays, etc. Could they help save the family money or find a better way to get away for a family break? Can you reward them by sharing a portion of the savings in return for their help? By doing this you are equipping them to want to research in the future when it is their money and they are looking for ways to save and spend wisely.

Most teens have a basic understanding of where money comes from. Talk to them about ways they can earn money. You may choose to pay your teen for chores or they may help neighbours with babysitting, car washing, grass cutting, etc. As they grow, encouraging them to apply for a summer job, where they may have to pay tax and learn to use a tax estimator, are all great ways to show them the time and effort required to get money.

It is also good to have the conversation around future plans. Jobs they think they may like and what they may need to do to get there. So chatting about interest areas, looking at college courses and drilling into what they offer, and even looking at recruitment websites to get an idea of what salary they can expect are all ways to help them plan their financial future better.

Once your teen reaches 18, the offers for credit cards, store cards and other tempting offers will come flooding in. Talk to them about their credit score and how easy it is to get into debt. Explain how a credit card works and what happens if you don’t clear the debt each month.

Investing in stocks and shares can be an exciting way to teach your teen about risk and reward.

“The stock market is just one big shop. Instead of buying a chocolate bar in that shop, you can buy a piece of the company that makes chocolate bars. If the company that makes the chocolate makes a profit, it’s worth more, and the price you bought it for may go up. Maybe that company will decide to give the profits directly to the people who own the shares and that’s called a dividend. If the company makes a loss, which can happen, the share price can go down, that’s called a risk,” explains Susan Hayes Culleton, CFA, “The Positive Economist” and author of Money Matters.

There are also other investment opportunities open to them, including crypto currency, starting their own business, and investing in other financial products or services.

Talking through the options with your teen and doing the research helps them make an informed choice, but they do need to understand the risks to their investment and only risk what they can afford to lose.

Money Matters is a financial literacy textbook with the support of CFA Ireland. It is written as menu of personal finance, investing and entrepreneurship life skills.

The book is tailored for young people in the following ways:

• It is story-focused whereby students can learn about pensions through characters like Sarah who starts her first job and is wondering what “tax relief” means for her.
• It is full of relevant modernity including ESG, fintech, online brokers, differentiating between trading and investing as well as using technology for active learning.
• It gives a real taste of the diversity of careers available today and tomorrow in finance. Each chapter contains a case study of a CFA Institute charterholder and highlights how the the theory learned in subjects like accounting, business, maths and economics connect with the practicality of everyday life and life-changing decisions.

Find out more and buy your copy here  so you can start talking to your teen about money and finances.

Building a fort in the house or the garden, if the weather is good enough, is a super way to get the kids imagination and engineering skills working!

Forts can be built indoors or outdoors using cardboard boxes, rugs or sheets, clothes driers, sofas, chairs, beds and tables and offer hours of fun.

For a temporary outdoor fort, use rugs, wall/fences, clothes lines etc. Or if you wanted a bigger project, get the children to design and build an outdoor fort using trees, wood or old pallets etc.

If this seems like too much and you have a tent, why not put that up and let the children decorate it to use as their Den HQ. Remember, tents can be pitched indoors too!

When my girls were young, they loved to write their own mini-plays and perform them for us. They spent hours perfecting the show, creating the costumes and props and getting the ‘stage’ set.

Encourage your kids to be creative and plan an entertaining show for you and other family members or friends to enjoy. They could write or adapt a favourite book or TV show into a play, sing, dance, play an instrument or recite a poem, the possibilities are endless.

No matter what age your children are, teaching them some basic cookery skills is something that will last a lifetime.

If they are old enough you could get them to plan a menu, create a shopping list and make a family meal during midterm break. There are so many different options for all ages. Here are some ideas to inspire you.

• Soup (chop the vegetables you want to use, fry in a small amount of oil and butter in a large saucepan, add stock, cover and boil until vegetables are soft and blend if needed.) We love this Carrot soup.
• Salad (use a packet of salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and create or buy a dressing)
• Pizza (use a pre-made base and a jar of passata. Spoon the passata onto the base and spread evenly to cover. Then add everyones favourite toppings for a quick, easy and tasty pizza that just needs to be oven cooked.) Check out these inspiring recipes from Pizza da Piero.
• Risotto (once you have the vegetables chopped and softened in oil on a large non-stick pan, add the rice and once coated in oil, spoon on a ladle of stock, let it absorb and continue to add stock, one ladle at a time, until the rice is cooked) This mushroom risotto.recipe is a firm favourite in our house.
• Stirfry (use pre-sliced meat and a packet of stirfry mixed vegetables. Heat oil on a wok and cook the meat, add the vegetables and once cooked serve with noodles or rice.) Check out this Chinese Beef Stir Fry.
• S’mores Dessert Pizza (for a real treat, use a pre-made pizza base and cover with chocolate spread and marshmallows, bake until the marshmallows melt…so tasty.)
• Muffins (for a post dinner treat, these blueberry muffins are easy to make)

Get creative and active by designing your very own obstacle course. Ideal for the garden but you can also create an indoor version for days when the weather is not co-operating!

We have some ideas here for an outdoor obstacle course. You could also include a scavenger hunt as part of the challenge.

For indoors, cushions can be used to create stepping stones, stairs can be used to hop up and down, a laundry basket and soft ball make a perfect throwing challenge and you could add an indoor scavenger hunt to make it more interesting.

Create your very own home cinema with posters, tickets and cinema treats!

Get the kids to pick some films they want to watch and use their choices to design ‘cinema posters’ and tickets.

Once they have the room set up, it’s onto the cinema treats, which could include making it a pizza and movie night with microwave popcorn, drinks from re-useable sports bottles (to avoid spills) and pick’n’mix. For this just buy several different packets of sweets and place them in bowls then give everyone a bag of their own to fill with their favourites.

Check out our top picks of family favourite movies for inspiration. Or you could choose by theme e.g. Halloween, 80’s Family movies etc.

One of the benefits of the internet is the ability to explore the world…from the comfort of home. So if you are not planning a trip away this mid-term how about getting the children to plan a virtual trip instead?

Possible virtual field trips include the Arctic, the great wall of China, a chocolate factory, a space center, or how about a day at the Zoo?

You could get your child to make a travel diary of their day out to the amazing place they pick to explore. What did they eat? Who did they meet? What did they see? How did they travel there?

When was the last time you all played a board game together? From Jenga to Snakes and Ladders and Monopoly to Pictionary we all have board games that we don’t play enough.

So, this midterm get out all your board games and have a family challenge or challenge the kids to have a board game marathon to see how many they can play in a certain amount of time!

Do you have a budding magician? We have some excellent easy magic tricks for them to perfect before trying them out on you.

For those who prefer cards, check out these traditional card games and card tricks to learn and enjoy.

This one could get a bit messy. My advice would be to cover the table where the kids will be getting creative with a disposable table cloth or give them each a tray to work on.

When it comes to homemade slime, there are hundreds of different options. We have rounded up our top homemade slime recipes which include rainbow unicorn slime, safe no borax slime and glow in the dark slime!

Playdough is also easy to make and can be moulded into many different shapes for hours of enjoyment. Get our simple Playdough recipe.

Gardening is a wonderful way to teach children about the plant life-cycle as well as the eco-system of birds, insects and plants. If you don’t have a garden, it is possible to grow herbs, flowers and vegetables in pots which can be kept indoors or on a patio or balcony.

Kids that actively engage in nurturing plants also learn responsibility and the pride of seeing a tiny seed grow into something that can be consumed or shared with others.

Growing your own is also a good way to get children interested in food and where it comes from. In my experience, my children loved growing potatoes, onions, carrots, raspberries and strawberries which we then used in cooking.

One project that is easy to achieve is to grow your own pizza garden!

I don’t know about your house, but in mine I always have a bagful of single socks with no matches!

This sock animal craft is a great way to repurpose those single socks that seem to multiply with every wash!

• Chopping Board
• Sharp knife & vegetable peeler
• Saucepans/Frying pan/wok
• Ovenproof dish/baking tray
• Cutlery
• Plates/bowls/cups/glasses
• Tin & bottle openers
• Spatula/cooking serving spoon/Fish slice
• Strainer/colander
• Scissors

Although not essential, it can also be nice to have toaster bags to rustle up a toasted sandwich easily, pizza mesh/tray for the oven & a pizza cutter.

• Salt & Pepper
• Cooking oil
• Herbs/spices
• Condiments (ketchup, soy sauce, honey, stock cubes etc.)
• Kitchen roll (better than cleaning cloths which tend to get smelly)
• Tea towels (3)
• Washing up liquid
• Washing up brush
• Kitchen cleaner
• Tinned food
• Dried food (pasta, noodles, rice etc.)
• Aluminium foil
• Microwaveable storage containers for leftovers
• Bin bags

Check out our handy list of store cupboard ingredients.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

• Duvet (check what size the bed in your room will be in advance)
• Pillows
• Bed linen
• Reading lamp (may be provided)
• Wastepaper bin + liners (may be provided)
• Small drying rack
• Laundry bag/basket
• Extension plug/socket
• Tissues
• Pin board (may be provided)
• Storage containers/baskets

Anything that will help you settle in things like photos of the family and family pet, fairy lights, scented candle, cushions etc.

• Toilet roll
• Toilet brush (may be provided)
• Bin liners
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Soap
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Shower gel
• Towels
• Bleach/toilet/bathroom cleaner
• Bath mat
• Period products (tampons/pads)

• Reusable shopping bag
• Water bottle
• Chargers
• Laptop + case for carrying
• Travel card/pass
• Any medication and a small first aid kit with plasters, paracetamol, ibuprofen, cough syrup, antiseptics wipes etc.

While it is an exciting time for students and their parents, it can also be a daunting time too. Setting them up with the basic essentials will help them settle in quickly.

I would recommend doing a grocery shop with them before they start so they have some store-cupboard ingredients for some basic meals. Remind them to store leftovers in the fridge or freezer for a quick meal on nights when they don’t have time to prepare one from scratch. And to sign up for any loyalty cards for local shops too!

I always add a packet of multi-vitamins into my teens bag before she heads off for the new term.

One final tip is not to go overboard on the shopping, as they won’t have space to store lots of extras!

While celebrations such as receiving exam results are meant to be enjoyed, it is important that young people maintain a balanced approach, have fun and act responsibly while cherishing the occasion. 

You, as a parent, play a crucial role in influencing young people (even when they are young adults) to celebrate safely, especially when there is a possibility of risk or harm.

Receiving exam results can bring heightened emotions. It is important to listen to and support your child with the many mixed emotions they may feel. These heightened emotions may lead young people to take risks, particularly when they want to celebrate these milestones.

For those who sat the Leaving Cert, it is also a time of huge change. Young people can experience a sense of sadness, as they may be leaving the old and familiar behind. Others will experience uncertainty about the possibility of moving away from home and into the unknown.

For some there will be anxiety and stress, especially if they feel they did not do well. Or they may experience joy and elation at the thoughts of entering the adult world.

It is important that you are informed about the risks associated with alcohol so that you can chat openly and honestly to your young person.

Drinkaware can help with their dedicated parent hub where they offer online supports, information and resources. In addition, they run regular webinars for parents.

Their next webinar – “Parents’ role in influencing young people to celebrate safely.” takes place from 1pm to 2pm on Tuesday August 22nd.  Register for this Drinkaware Webinar today!

This is your opportunity, as a parent, to engage with your young person in a wholesome way and enable them to celebrate achievements and enjoy success without the need for exposing themselves to the risks of alcohol or binge drinking.

Did you know for instance, that young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol-related problems later in life than those who wait until 21 years? (1)

Adolescents fear social rejection so the way they celebrate may reflect this as they may engage in behaviours that will increase their sense of belonging and connection with their peer group.

As a parent, it is important you are aware of how your child is planning to celebrate exam results night. Ask them how they plan to celebrate and get a conversation going, rather than telling them what to do.

This can help them share their concerns or fears with you and open up about difficulties they or their friends have experienced to date when socialising.

Trust is an important attribute to develop together as your child grows. Not only your trust in them and confidence that you have given them the skills to be resilient and make good decisions, but their trust in you.

When it comes to exam celebrations night, ensure your young person knows that you are there for them should they need you. That you are just a phone call away.

Some parents have told us that they have a ‘safe’ word or phrase agreed in advance with their child. If they call or message using the word or phrase, it is their way of letting  you know they need your help, without losing face in front of friends.

Exam results night is not the night for sleepovers. In a recent survey we carried out with parents, unsupervised parties were amongst the top concerns parents have when it comes to their young person and alcohol.

Insist on picking up your young person at an agreed time, so you can be reassured that they get home safely and come to no harm. 

Parents lead by example and modelling responsible behaviour is very important as young people emulate parental behaviour. It helps them develop responsible decision making and to understand there are consequences to behaviour – all valuable skills for living and working.

Showing them that alcohol isn’t an essential requirement for you to celebrate an achievement or to mark an occasion or to have fun can have a powerful impact on their future decision making.

Your attitudes and behaviour during this milestone can impact the young person’s attitudes, actions and behaviour.

Alcohol really should have no place in celebrations for those under 18 years old and should be treated with caution and respect by those over 18.

The brain is still developing up to the age of 24 and alcohol impacts memory and the decisions made while under the influence. Delaying a young person’s drinking age reduces the risk of harmful drinking later in life. (2)

Young people need to be aware of potential dangers linked to unsafe behaviours such as harmful alcohol consumption, reckless driving, or other risky activity.

They need to know of potential consequences, both personal and legal that may arise from such behaviours.

Having boundaries in place, that are agreed together in advance, can help keep them safe and well on nights out.

Parents and Family members have the single strongest influence of all external factors on young people’s attitudes towards drinking. (3) This was also identified by young people themselves (4) where they identified parents as being the main source of information on alcohol.

Having a good quality parent/child relationship is connected with delayed alcohol initiation and reduced later alcohol use. (5) Delaying alcohol consumption is important as research shows that 1 in 3 or 38% of young people aged 15 to 24 have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). (6)

By showing young people you are operating out of a place of love and respect you can really have an impact on the future they are creating for themselves.

Celebrating safely by staying sober reduces the risk of accidents and injuries to self or others and involves responsible decision-making.

This is the beginning of a new phase with new opportunities and new challenges for your young person.

They still need you – your presence, love and support in their lives. Do not underestimate that need or your influence.

Take care of yourself and mind your own health and wellbeing. You are their greatest resource!

For further support and information please register for Drinkaware Webinar – “Parents’ role in influencing young people to celebrate safely.”

It takes place from 1.00pm -2.00pm on Tuesday 22nd August. The webinar aims to:

• Highlight the important role of parents in supporting young people to celebrate safely
• Provide you with facts, knowledge and tips to help you have a conversation about celebrations and alcohol with your young person
• Offer tips and advice on how to stay safe, especially if choosing to drink
• Establish what other supports would benefit Parents.

Sources:
(1) Grant et al (1997) cited in Mongan et al (2007) Health Related Consequences of Problem Alcohol Use. Overview 6. Dublin. Health Research Board.
(2) Straight Talk – A Guide For Parents on Teenage Drinking, Health Promotion Unit, H.S.E.
(3) Behaviour & Attitudes (2016). Alcohol Education. Is it meeting the Needs of Junior Certificate Students? Dublin: Report Commissioned by Drinkaware.
(4) The Drinkaware Index (2019): Analysing Hazardous Drinking in Ireland. Dublin, Drinkaware
(5) S. M. Ryan, et al, Parents Factors Associated with Reduced Adolescent Alcohol Use, (Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 2010) p 779.
(6) Health Research Board (2022) HRB Overview Series 12 Alcohol and other drug use among children and young people in Ireland: prevalence, risk and protective factors, consequences, responses, and policies Anne Doyle, Salome Sunday, Brian Galvin, Deirdre Mongan

For a tiny baby, the beat of a rhyme or song and its associated actions, naturally and comfortingly take the place of the heartbeat of the mother’s womb and the movements of the mother’s body.

Singing along while stroking a crying baby’s back, peekaboo smiles with a tiny baby, little toe-tickling games, knee-bouncing a toddler faster and faster, swooping them high up in the air, touching fingers and toes one by one, soothing a little one to sleep ~ these are the kinds of interaction that can make babyhood and early childhood so precious ~ and for all of these interactions, there are little playsongs and rhymes to accompany them.

Your voice is the most important sound in your child’s world. They’ll love however your singing voice sounds. It’s the engagement that matters.

With our voice and our cradling arms we can croon a little one to sleep, or jog a toddler on our knee. But a song or a rhyme adds something ~ it engages us in the interaction for that little bit longer, which is so beneficial to us both.

Here are some favourites from the Playsongs resources. All of them work for any age or stage of early childhood.

From the very earliest days, when a baby’s focus is very limited still, they are learning your face and voice and those are the whole world to them.

Cradle baby close, and touch each part of baby’s face as you say this traditional play rhyme, while looking into baby’s eyes. A bigger baby or toddler will start to touch your face in turn as you say the rhyme.

Eye winker (touch cheek below one eye)
Tom tinker (touch cheek below the other eye)
Nose smeller (touch nose)
Mouth eater (touch mouth)
Chin chopper chin chopper chin (chuck baby’s chin)

Fundamental to communication, your voice, movements and expressions are all being absorbed by your little one. Songs and rhymes provide more of those long moments that bring you face to face and increase bonding time together.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Hide your face behind your hands and peek out to either side, opening your hands wide on BOO in this little peekaboo song.

Can you play at peekaboo? I can play at peekaboo,
Are you there? Yes I am!
Are you there? Yes I am!
Peeka-peek-peeka-peeka-BOO!

Peekaboo is one of the most universal games we play with babies. It helps them develop the reassurance that even if we are hidden, we are still here. As a baby grows they’ll start to mimic us with their own peekaboo hands playing the game.

Pat your baby’s front lightly as they lie on a soft surface; smooth your open hand around their chest; walk your fingers down to baby’s feet and tickle baby’s toes. That’s how this little traditional song works.

It has the same tune as Two Little Dicky Birds, which you may know, but you can always freestyle it and make up your own.

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, walk down the street,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, tickle your feet.
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, walk up the stair,
Teddy bear, teddy bear, tickle you under there.

You can see that the song has a very simple pattern of words, melody and actions, and the joy is in the anticipation which those build towards the little tickle at the end. Songs and rhymes for this age are full of pattern and repetition, which are such an important part of developmental learning.

They also help baby to find the parts of their own body and start to recognise the names for them as you name and touch each part during a song or rhyme.

Tickle alert for this next one. My little grand baby loved this play rhyme so much, that she’d wordlessly hold out her hand for more, over and over again. That said, tickling should always be done with your baby’s consent.

A song or rhyme can be brilliant for distracting them out of a grump or a grizzle. Try it. It has restored good humour for me so many times!

Let’s eat an apple (take one of baby’s hands and pretend to gobble it up)
Let’s eat a plum (take the other hand and pretend to gobble it up)
Let’s blow a raspberry on your tum! (blow a raspberry on baby’s clothed tummy)

Do you know the tune to Hot cross buns? (Hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one a penny two a penny, hot cross buns.) Well it’s the same as the tune to this traditional foot patter – but it works just as well as a rhyme.

An ideal time to play it – or use it as a distraction – is when baby is lying on a changing mat with the soles of their feet handily in your reach.

Pat the soles of baby’s feet in turn to the beat of the song.

Hob shoe hob,
Hob shoe hob,
Here a nail and there a nail,
And that’s well shod.

Leg walkers are a lovely way to play, while baby is sitting on your knee. This time, instead of facing baby inwards face to face with you, turn baby to face outwards.

Take an ankle in each hand, and cross one over the other in turn to the beat of the rhyme. On JUMP, raise baby’s feet high in the air, supporting their body on your chest, between your arms.

Leg over leg As the dog went to Dover,
When he came to a style ~JUMP he went over.

With a bigger baby you can jump them into the air in a high lift. Step along instead of crossing ankles ~ it’s a good one for encouraging a toddler to make progress on a walk.

Knee-bouncing is such a favourite – particularly when you throw in a bump down between your legs onto the floor on ‘One fell off’.

The tune is Two Little Dicky Birds again! But this time there are three little monkeys bouncing on your knee.

Play-acting and exploring expression in voice and action is an important part of socialising as we learn to become communicators and to express our individuality.

Three little monkeys bouncing on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mummy called the doctor and the doctor said,
‘No more monkey business bouncing on the bed!’

Here’s a traditional Irish knee bouncer ~ Achinaee. Bounce a little baby or toddler on your knee. On ‘floor’, quickly slide baby/toddler between your knees to the ground, lifting them back into your lap for more bouncing. And more and more and more…..

Achinaee, when I was wee,
I used to sit on my granny’s knee,
Her apron tore, and I fell on the floor,
Achinaee-a-ee.

A teeny tiny baby can’t tell us what’s wrong. Maybe it’s painful wind, or a fractious need for a nap. We’re probably all familiar with soothing a nearly new baby on our shoulder, gently patting or stroking their back, while swaying from one foot to the other. Not surprisingly there’s an age old type of song for that familiar stage – a croon.

A croon is a very simple, repetitive melody with very few words and with a slowly swaying rhythm, perfect for soothing and comforting a baby.

What may not be quite so well-recognised is the calming effect these songs have on ourselves and on our own distress. We’re tired out, we can’t remember the last full night’s sleep we had, we’re at our wits end, and the baby’s crying.

This one-word song can bring down the tension and soothe the distress of both adult and child. As you keep repeating it, it becomes restfully hypnotic, sung on, and on, and on.

Souallé souallé,
Souallé souallé,
Souallé souallé,
Souallé souallé,
Souallé souallé…

Well we could go on and on ~ I’ve only touched on that wealth of playsongs and rhymes, traditional and new, which make so many tricky moments of the day go more smoothly – nappy changes, washing and dressing, getting to places (specially with a toddler determined to walk – or not), teatimes, bath times, and bedtimes.

And that’s not to mention all their other many benefits ~ all the new language, imagination, co-ordination of both fine motor skills and whole body motor skills, emotions and empathy, and that most precious benefit of all ~ time spent together with undivided attention.

Sometimes I wonder if I ever grew up. I love the songs of early childhood so much. I’ve shared them with my own children, and with my grandchildren.

Through Playsongs Publications, I share them with everyone, and I hope you will have caught some of that pleasure and its benefits in the tasters I’ve given you here.

To access all the resources ~ books, audio, movies, blog ~ visit playsongs.co.uk

When asked about your influence on your children around alcohol you told us – “I completely believe as a parent I have a huge part to play in the perception of alcohol in my daughter’s life.”

“The influence we have as parents, I believe, is more to do with our own attitudes towards alcohol and how we model this in front of our children.”

This is backed up by research which shows that Parents and Family members have the single strongest influence of all external factors on young people’s attitudes towards drinking. (1) This was also identified by young people themselves , (2) where they identified parents as being the main source of information on alcohol.

It is important as a parent that you recognise the influence you have.

Parental self-efficacy is belief in your ability to make a difference in your child’s attitudes, beliefs, behaviour and overall well-being and healthy functioning.

If you don’t believe you have a strong influence this will come through in your actions and behaviour around your young person. By believing friends and others have more of an influence on your young person, you are handing your power away.

However, the strength of your influence depends on the type of relationship you have with your young person. The impact of your relationship with your child lasts a lifetime and influences a young person’s self-esteem, resilience and decisions.

By creating a supportive and nurturing relationship, you will enable young people to make healthy decisions in a world where alcohol is freely available. It will mean your child will turn to you for guidance and support when needed.

Parenting is never easy and there is no such thing as the perfect child or perfect parent.

Adolescence can be a particularly challenging stage of development for both you and your young person. It is a time of immense and confusing changes when fitting in becomes very important.

As young people try to find their place in the world, they look to friends for acceptance and want to be independent of you, their parents, while being under the control of or being led by their friends. A young person who does not feel a sense of belonging may succumb to friends’ requests to fit in, including experimenting with alcohol.

Maintaining a strong, loving, nurturing and open relationship with young people during adolescence will enable them to feel secure and stand on their own two feet without the need for alcohol.

As one parent commented: “You need to bring your children up to think for themselves and make their own decisions. They will of course make mistakes, but you need to be there for them.”

By your attitudes to, beliefs about and behaviour around alcohol, you can be an enabler of underage drinking or a protector from underage drinking.

You are a role model for your child around alcohol and have a unique opportunity to help them develop healthy attitudes towards alcohol use. The example you set around alcohol, the home rules you establish and behaviours you allow are important.

The research found that the majority of parents believe they are responsible in influencing their child’s attitude to and behaviour around alcohol. Comments included:

“Behaviour is learned- what they see parents doing is normalised. Children will copy their parents’ behaviour if not consciously, then unconsciously.”

“Yes, I think parents have a huge influence, as young children especially would observe their parents’ attitudes and use of alcohol and so most often would be a child’s example to form a child’s first opinions around alcohol use.”

Alcohol is often the first substance used by young people with the average age of consumption in Ireland being 15.5 years. (3)

• The earlier young people start to drink the greater the possibility of harm including damage to the brain and to mental, emotional and physical health.
• Young people who drink before or at 15 years old are four times more likely to develop alcohol-related problems later in life. (4)

It is important that you have conversations with young people about alcohol which can help protect your child from future alcohol harm.

• Without the conversations, young people may see no harm in starting to drink underage. As one parent commented; “I would really love kids to know that alcohol doesn’t make you cool.”
• By not talking about alcohol to young people, you may give the message that alcohol use is ok.
• Disapproval of underage drinking needs to be clearly and consistently conveyed to your teen and matched with positive role modelling.
• It is important that you monitor your teen’s behaviour and who they are with. “As parents, we have to keep a close eye on who they are with and where they are.”
• You shouldn’t assume that young people know all about alcohol or that they and their friends are all drinking or will drink or that they won’t listen to you.

Assumptions distort our perception of reality and impact the decisions we make. Assumptions can stop you having the conversation or underestimate the impact of having conversations with young people about alcohol.

In our findings, 80% of parents said they had a conversation with their child about alcohol. They talked about “How alcohol makes you feel when you drink it and how you feel after.” “Knowing the limits of your own body. Effects it has on behaviour.”  And “… why one should never drink and drive and the responsibilities that come with consuming alcohol.”

Parents thought the following should be discussed in conversations with young people:

• The effects of alcohol on the body
• The legal age to drink
• Healthy and unhealthy attitudes towards alcohol
• Peer pressure and alcohol
• Consent and alcohol
• Dispelling myths
• How it can affect others, not just the drinker
• How the body processes alcohol
• The law re drinking and driving
• Losing control/inhibitions

Parents were interested in finding out when and how to have the conversation with their children about alcohol. It is never too early or too late to start the conversation.

By talking to them at an early age you have a greater chance of influencing their decisions. You should tailor answers to their age and experience.

By having ongoing conversations with your child and role-modelling healthy behaviour, you are reducing the risks of harmful drinking now and later in life and giving your child the chance to develop resilience, cope with hurt and disappointment and celebrate achievements without the need for alcohol.

• Don’t make a big deal about the chat as it should be ongoing and happen when having a meal or when watching tv etc
• Don’t wait until your children are teens to have the conversation
• Encourage conversation with listening as well as talking
• Talk directly and answer questions honestly
• Find out what they know already
• Set clear expectations and explain clearly what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour around alcohol
• Explain the rules in place and negotiate consequences
• Chat about what their friends are doing and don’t criticise them but do criticise unacceptable behaviour
• Explain the risks and law regarding underage drinking
• Chat about healthy ways to deal with stress, coping, disappointment
• Practice refusal conversations with your child
• Respect your child’s growing independence
• Revisit the topic regularly

Alcohol should have no place in childhood and Drinkaware passionately believes that parents need to be supported with information, advice and tips for how to communicate and role model positive behaviours towards alcohol.

Drinkaware recently launched the ‘Talking Matters’ parent’s booklet which covers:

• How and when to talk to your child about alcohol,
• The risks of underage alcohol use,
• The importance of building resilience in young people,
• How you might respond to certain questions,
• The importance of prevention
• The law and alcohol in Ireland.

Order your copy 

To accompany the newly launched resource, Drinkaware will be facilitating workshops across the country for parents and webinars for online attendance, providing a safe and supportive space for parents to help the young people in their life remain alcohol-free.

For more information regarding workshops and webinars to support parents in having this conversation with the young person in their life email: martha@drinkaware.ie.

References: 

(1) Cairns, G., Purves, R., Bryce, S., McKell, J., Gordon, R. & Angus, K. (2011). Investigating the Effectiveness of Education in Relation to Alcohol: A Systematic Investigation of Critical Elements for Optimum Effectiveness of Promising Approaches and Delivery Methods in School and Family Linked Alcohol Education Alcohol Insight, 83.
(2) Behaviour & Attitudes (2016). Alcohol Education. Is it meeting the Needs of Junior Certificate Students? Dublin: Report Commissioned by Drinkaware.
(3) The Drinkaware Index (2019): Analysing Hazardous Drinking in Ireland. Dublin, Drinkaware
(4) Grant et al (1997) cited in Mongan et al (2007) Health Related Consequences of Problem Alcohol Use. Overview 6. Dublin. Health Research Board

Questions can be submitted in advance or live on the night. Just click the link below to ask your question in advance.

Our upcoming Lives

• Car Seat Safety Ireland Wednesday 15th March 7pm
• Mess Chef Wednesday 29th March 7pm

Sheena Mitchell, pharmacist, founder of WonderCare.ie and host of A WonderCare Podcast will join us to cover the different types of cough, cough treatments suitable for all ages, blocked and runny noses, and treating nasal congestion for all ages.

Where: Live on Instagram on Wednesday 1st March 7pm

Amanda Mc Guinness is an Autistic Advocate and an Autism & Visual Supports Specialist. She is a Training Officer in AsIAm and she is the creator of the “Auti” character online, which teaches and educates on Autistic lived experiences. She will join us to cover adult Autism assessment, Autistic masking, Autistic trauma, Autistic identification and living an authentic Autistic life.

Where: Live on Instagram on Wednesday 22nd February 7pm

Jess Mooney, a recruitment officer at Fostering First Ireland will be covering topics such as the fostering assessment process and supports available from Fostering First Ireland. She will also be sharing details on their fortnightly online information sessions.

Where: Live on Instagram on Wednesday 8th February 7pm

Sharon Baum, Clinical Director and Speech & Language Pathologist at Noala.co joined us to share her tips and strategies for parents to use at home to foster speech and language development.

When: Wednesday 25 January 2023, 7pm

There is a mix of outdoor and indoor activities on this list, so whatever the weather your teen is sure to find something to do this summer.

Encourage your teen to visit older family members and interview them, they could use their smartphone to video some of the conversations. Things to ask about:

• What was it like when you were a teenager?
• Were your parents strict?
• Who was your favourite family member?
• What did you eat?
• What did you do to amuse yourselves?

Irish Geneaology Toolkit has free templates for your family tree. Ancestry.com is also a good site to get started exploring your family’s ancestry and offers a 14 day free trial.

We all know many artists such as Lorde and Dua Lipa launched their careers on YouTube. Your turn to create and produce a new music video.

Now read How to Make Your Music Video go Viral.

As well as the standard cutting grass / washing cars / babysitting options to earn some extra cash, how about

• dog walking / pet sitting while the neighbours are away to save them kennel fees;
• digital photo sorting and printing;
• or offering to pick up and sort out all the lego for busy parents?

You can find lots of ideas for teen jobs here.

Have you had any inklings about starting your own business? The Student Enterprise Awards website has some useful information.

A Haiku should have seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five. This is not as easy as it sounds. Learn more about haikus here.

A teen writing a

haiku could be a challenge

but you can do it

Not only will you make your parents extremely happy but you will find all those lost cds/books/must have items that are buried under the heap.

You can now have a car boot sale/sale of work/garage sale to get rid of the non-essential non-teen stuff you no longer want and make yourself some cash at the same time.

See #6 now that you have cleared out your room.

Get our best content direct to your inbox! You’ll receive quick and easy recipes, fun ideas to entertain the kids, parenting tips, great competitions, as well as offers from brands we trust.

Try a new colour if parents will allow. If not, try a furniture rearrange and appropriate some small furnishings from elsewhere in the house.

Here are some other tips for quick and easy fixes.

You might like to try out a course in something you might be interested in doing in college as a taster.

There are lots of engineering / IT / animation / acting / language courses for teens.

If you’re in Ireland, check out our Summer Camps for Teens article.

Here’s the rules:

• Create 3 new menus and practice them
• They must include starter, main + dessert
• They must be tried out on your family
• They must be of a high standard i.e. empty plates at the end.

Check our Family Recipes for lots of ideas and How To Make Family Dinner.

Pick a night forecasted to be warm, clear and rain free and grab a sleeping bag, blanket and pillow and head out for a night outdoors.

Are you familiar with the constellations? See how many you can find in the night sky.

Make a Dream Destinations Board if you’re on Pinterest. Or hang out online on Lonelyplanet.com and create the best ever round the world itinerary.

• Where to go
• How to get there
• What to do
• Where to stay
• Where to eat

Rules:

• It must be tuneful
• It must be lyrical
• Witty is good

Either write your own or do a karaoke style number. Now record yourself singing it and file away for viewing in 10 years’ time.

This is a good one if you’re planning to do some babysitting, to be able to tell prospective parents that you know first aid.

St John’s Ambulance Brigade run first aid courses as well as Irish Red Cross and there are lots of private organisations running them locally as well.

Check out our list of 10 of the Coolest Classic Books for Teens. From old classics to new, all of them thought provoking and inspiring.

Now that you have read your way through a bunch of classics how about trying your hand at a short story? And if you thought writing a short story was hard, try a short story in 100 words.

Writer John Scalzi gives useful tips for writing.

Skating is fun and you get to exercise at the same time without realising. If you’ve never skated before, here’s some good advice:

If you have read a book and loved it, time to create a Booktok. Here are some popular YA booktoks.

If you’ve never tried skateboarding, you have plenty of time this summer to give it a go and keep practicing to get better. Baseball caps worn backwards and baggy pants are not compulsory.

Fill balloons with water and get on some swimming togs for a water fight in the backyard.

Try out some new topping combinations on homemade pizza. Making your own dough is easy to master. Here’s our own super easy dough recipe:

Ingredients:

• 450g strong white bread flour or Tipo 00 flour (the Italian pizza or pasta flour)
• 500 ml warm water
• 2x7g sachets of dried yeast
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• pinch of salt

Method:

1. Put flour in a large mixing bowl.  Stir yeast into warm water in a jug. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add salt, olive oil then stir in yeast mixture until a dough forms (add a little more water or flour depending on if your dough is too sticky or too dry). Knead for up to 10 minutes. Place back in the bowl and cover with tea towel and leave for at least 1 hour to rise.
2. Divide into 4 balls and knead them a little to make them smooth.
3. Roll out flat to about 1 cm thick and place on your oiled pizza sheet or tray.
4. Now go wild with the topping combinations.

Maybe you like animals. Or are happy helping homeless people. You can do this through a local volunteer centre or at a local event or for a local charity, they always need people to help. (PS good for the resume/CV too!)

Offer to help at a local gallery or museum. Many galleries offer teens the chance to curate or help put exhibitions together.

Get a hold of a fishing rod and head off to a local stream, river or lake for the day.

Get down and mucky on the farm or at the stables and have a bit of fun. You never know you might love driving tractors and feeding cows and horses. If nothing else, it will give you a good appreciation of what a tough life farming is.

If you’re not familiar with Geocaching, it is basically a modern-day treasure hunt that uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) to guide you to the treasure. People all over the world have hidden trinkets and objects at various locations, which you can go out and find.

There’s a good chance that there is a geocache hidden somewhere that you pass-by everyday !! When you find the treasure (cache), you trade items in it – swap an object of your own that has similar or higher value, before returning the cache to its original hiding place.

Check out nearby golf clubs. Many have good coaching deals for teens and some clubs let members collect stray golf balls as well.

Or head to nearest Mini Golf or Crazy Golf and see how many holes in one you can get.

Ever fancied yourself as a playwright? Summer holidays are the perfect time to get writing and create a cast of characters and have a bit of fun as well.

Organisations do it all the time so why not you, create super-summery cover images for your favourite social media page.

What would your dream house be like? What would it look like outside and in? Where would you situate it? Money’s no object in this exercise in dreaming so fire away with indoor cinemas and swimming pools and separate motorbike garages. Now file it away for when you have made your first million.

Get up in time for sunrise and record it on video or as a series of Time Lapse Photos (see #33).

Find a safe place to set up a bonfire (the beach is a good place away from driftwood and shrubbery) and have a simple cookout with sausages and smore’s.

Head on out to a nearby pavement and spend some time with chalks creating a mural.

We challenge you to skip 10 in a row on a river/lake/at the sea. And if you can manage 10 in a row, we challenge you to do 15 in a row and tell us (honestly) below on our comments if you managed this amazing feat.

Over the space of e.g. a week take photos of a plant growing or the same street scene.

If you’re not familiar with Pitch & Putt it’s like a mini version of golf, and considerably cheaper to play as you only need 2 clubs, an iron and a putter, and you can usually pay as you go.

Take your camera or smartphone out with you and take a series of photos on a theme. For example, try our Alphabet Photography Hunt or take photos by a colour theme. Then print and frame your creative pictures for your room.

Create a playlist of the best ever summer songs (then go and ask Mum or Dad what a compilation tape is).

Here’s how to create a stop motion film. Take inspiration from these 50 incredible Stop Motion Videos.

You always wanted to fly through the treetops on a zip wire or roll around in a giant ball, didn’t you?

Put together a memory book. Could be about a special time during your life or about primary/junior school if you’re heading to high school:

• friends made
• best memories
• favourite teachers (or not!)
• favourite subjects
• hopes/feelings about going to secondary etc. (It will all be forgotten so quickly!)

There are lots of free online tools for helping you to create cartoons or comic strips. Maybe you could develop your cartoons into a graphic novel?

Decide on your film genre, broad story and characters and make a storyboard. You could film your neighbourhood, a day in your life or get friends to be characters in a fictional film.

An excuse to research a long ago decade like the 70s or the 50s

• check out the rock-glam or hippy costumes worn in the 70s or the rockabilly outfits from the 1950s
• find the soundtracks to a cool film eg Mamma Mia / Grease and
• create some of the past food miracles such as cheese and pineapple hedgehogs

Have you ever been surfing, body boarding or kayaking? Even if you don’t live by the beach, if there’s a river or lake nearby you may find a company that does water sport training.

Ask Mum or Dad nicely to drop you off for a day’s mountain cycling, don’t forget to take plenty of water with you (and your helmet…).

Coillte Outdoors has lots of bike trails and maps for different counties.

Organise a rounders or tag/touch rugby tournament at nearby green space/field. Someone bring the ball/bat/food/drinks.  Get everyone to bring camping chairs or picnic blankets to crash on while waiting for their turn.

Unfamiliar with the rules of touch rugby? Check out the Tagrugby Ireland website.

Construct your own sailing vehicle from plastic bottles or containers and then sail it on the local river or lake. Rule for this task: must not sink.

Walk somewhere with a group of friends for a day (bring a picnic and drinks), see how far you get and nicely ask Mum or Dad to pick you up at the end.

Touch typing is a great skill to learn, not only will it stand you in good stead for your own computeration but you will get access to lots of temp jobs if you can type fast and with few mistakes. It also means you’ll get school projects done much quicker too.

Pick a new language, such as Arabic or Mandarin (current on-trend languages to learn), and master 10 phrases well.

Katie O’C from Clare aged 13 was the winner of our writing competition on the topic of A Teenagers’ Guide to Living with Parents.  Here’s her article: “A simple survival guide for teenagers on how to live and deal with parents“.

Get in touch if you’d like to write for us!

The first program available from Noala is the Communication Boost Program, aimed at your child’s speech and language skills including;

• Attention
• Listening
• Social skills
• Understanding
• Use of language.

The program offers six themed sessions, from Transport to Animals and more. With the support of the clinical team, you’ll have access to coaching videos recorded by Noala Clinical Director, Sarah Lyons, and various interactive activities for your child to play.

It also includes a weekly coaching call with a dedicated speech profession to review your child’s progress and ensure your targets are achievable.

Is your child talking already, but the pronunciation of certain sounds needs support? The Speech and Sound Success program offers tips and strategies across 6 sessions, for you to support your child’s communication.

Starting with sounds in isolation, vowels and more, the clinical team is there to support your family throughout.

Similar to the communication boost program, you’ll have access to online coaching videos, fun and engaging activities for your child to interact with. Also, weekly coaching calls with a dedicated speech professional to answer any questions you may have and provide feedback on your child’s progress.

All Noala programs are clinically backed, secure and offer in-app messaging, so that you can keep in contact with your speech professional in case you need support during the program.

To start your family’s communication journey to success, you can book a free 10 minute, no obligation, discovery call with a speech professional.

Book your call here today!

Each family is on their unique journey and at their own pace. Here are what some parents who have used the Noala programs have to say:

“I’m so glad you guys exist! I have scheduled a call next week and can’t wait to find out more. It hurts when you think you can’t help your child so thank you for being here.” Lara, mother of 2 based in the UK

“Teletherapy, both during the pandemic and beyond (hello tube strikes!), has allowed my son to regularly access speech therapy. I even find his attention is more focused during the online sessions. I’m able to watch therapy, learn new techniques and also ask questions. I leave the sessions feeling reassured and empowered to continue supporting my son at home.” Sarah, mom of 3 based in London

“As a parent I believe that speech therapy needs to be accessible to all families and that early identification and intervention is key. Making Speech Therapy accessible is at the core of the exciting new digital platform, Noala. Their in-house Speech Therapy team guides families to support their child’s speech, language & communication needs, practising at their own pace and accessing online activities as needed.” 

If you would like to have your child assessed, Noala offer online clinical assessments. Assessing speech and/or language, you can opt in to receive a clinical report and further guidance.

“For our online speech sounds assessment, both my daughter and I enjoyed it. Chloe, the speech therapist, was lovely. We have now moved onto the speech sound success program and my daughter is loving it. I appreciate the weekly calls and I’m enjoying it, just as much as my daughter. We both look forward to the next games in the upcoming weeks when it gets released!” Vicky, mom of 2

Noala are there to support you throughout every step of the way. Contact their team today and start encouraging your child’s communication.

To learn more visit Noala or book your free call here today!

No one knows your child better than you do. The first 3 years of your child’s development are the most important. Verbal and non-verbal engagement can highlight early signs of issues with speech and language skills. Speech and language signs that are most commonly seen through play and interaction are:

• Joint attention is your child’s ability to focus on and play with or use an object with you or another.
• Utilising eye contact and facial expressions in response to sounds and gestures that others make or say.
• Playing and engaging with their daily routine.
• Babbling and vocalising as they grow.

Explore more on communication milestones here.

So how do you define if a child has a communication delay?

For expressive language, a delay can be seen in the ability to use words and phrases. Or that your child finds it difficult to understand or follow words or phrases.

Whereas a receptive language delay can be recognised in using words well, but being unable to put two words together to form short sentences or phrases.

When a child presents a communication delay, many aspects of their development may be affected unless it is addressed. People with a developmental language disorder are 6 times more likely to suffer from anxiety and 3 times more likely to have clinical depression. They are also at significant risk of struggling with reading, spelling and mathematics.

If you are working towards building your child’s language skills, it is important to provide a high number of modelling opportunities – this means teaching them to understand words, before they can say them with their correct meanings.

It is important for your child to use language repetitively, but also in the right context. You can encourage them through the following talking tips.

Important people are those that your child is most familiar with during their early years. These can include names of family members, friends, teachers and your pets at home.

Encourage your child to learn and say their names by repeating them often and pointing to the person/pet as you say them so they become familiar with who each one is.

You should encourage your child to learn and use early social words, such as

• Thank you
• Wow
• Uh-oh
• No
• Ta
• Yes
• Bye-bye
• Night-night
• Sorry

When teaching them social words, it’s important to use clear facial expressions and body language to support the words meaning. For example, waving for “bye-bye”. This makes it more fun for the child, but also teaches them the meanings of these words too.

Food and drink words are a great way to encourage your child’s communication. They are short words that your child will be familiar with, such as “apple, banana, biscuit, water, milk, drink, food, bread, and yummy”.

Eventually over time, these single words, can be used to encourage sentence starters. For example, “I want… (wait for your child to see if they can express their choice), if not expressed, you can repeat the preferred food or drink word back to your child.

Day to day as you provide choices for food and drink, encourage your child to point to their preferred option. When they point or look at the preferred item, repeat their choice e.g.  ‘I want a banana’.

This repetition will help them learn to ask for what they want and in the creation of short sentences.

These early words can include “ears, eyes, teeth, nose, mouth, hair, hand, fingers, foot, toes and tummy”.

You can incorporate these words when playing with your child. Saying the names of different body parts and asking them to point them out is a great way to teach them these words early on.

During bath time, you could give them their doll/dinosaur, with a sponge, tell your child – “wash their tummy”. Praise and encourage your child when they are doing the actions.

Singing nursery rhymes such as ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’ is another fun way to encourage them to learn. Remember to point to each body part as you sing it. Pause on a few occasions to see if your child fills in the gap and labels the body part correctly.

Everyday words can include familiar words for clothing, animals and transport. These categories can include early words such as;

• Shoes, socks, pants, shirt, boots, hat and coat.
• Dog, cat, horse, sheep, cow, elephant, monkey, pig, tiger, snake, bee and bird.
• Bus, boat, bike, aeroplane, truck, car and train.

You can incorporate these words into everyday tasks such as sorting your laundry or getting dressed. Comment and talk about what you’re holding. For example, “is it a sock or a hat” or “Mummy is wearing a top, you are wearing a… vest” etc.

While out and about, talk about the animals you see or the vehicles that are going past on your walk. As your child becomes more familiar with these words, encourage them to say them when they see these things too.

Household objects offer the perfect learning opportunity. These single words can include;

• Door,
• Bed
• Chair
• TV
• Keys
• Light
• Phone
• Bottle
• Cup
• Spoon
• Fridge
• Cooker
• Toilet
• Clock

Start by pointing to different objects and repeating their names. Move on to saying the name of an object and asking your child to point it out. While talking to your child, if they don’t respond to your prompts, say the response you were expecting. For example, “oh no, you need a spoon… here is a spoon”.

Once they are using words, encourage them to ask for each item or repeat the name as you point to it.

Repeating action words before you do the action with your child encourages them to learn those words and as they begin to speak, it provides them the opportunity to tell you what is happening.

For example, you can say “go” before you kick or roll a ball to your child or “go” before you push your child on the swing.

Use words such as fall (down), in, on, go, gone, more, finish, look, open, close, push, turn (on/off), fly, fix, eat, drink, wash, brush, run, sit and cry, to get them understanding what each action is.

Noala is on a mission to make speech and language mainstream. Their platform offers your family instant access to a certified speech professional, guiding you through a tailored clinically backed, parent-led Speech and Language Therapy coaching program to help your child reach their set targets.

The first program is built for developmental language, motivating your child to say and understand their first words and sentences.

If you’re interested, you can sign up for free, accessing your first coaching video, all about food. You’ll be able to book a call to chat to your designated expert speech professional for guidance, feedback and support your child’s progress and questions you may have.