In this episode, Catherine is joined by Chris Eisenstadt from BookTrust NI to discuss reading! The pair chat about the benefits of reading with your child & have lots of helpful tips for parents to help foster a genuine enjoyment of reading in their children. There are so many simple ways to help encourage your child to get into reading - listen now for some tips!

Catherine catches up with the fabulous Shirley Millar, Education Manager for Parenting NI. The pair discuss the impact the pandemic is having on parental mental health. They share lots of strategies & tips for parents to practice to improve their mental health & discuss how doing this can positively impact the children in your life. 

You can check out our Facebook page for helpful tips, support & much more as the pandemic continues and brings with it an array of problems for parents to manage.

For more support contact Parenting NI for free on 0808 8010 722 or visit www.parentingni.org. 

Our new host Catherine catches up with Parenting NI Parental Participation Officer, Elaine & Business Development Officer, Rosie. In this episode, they discuss their experiences of Parenting in the Pandemic & reflect on the challenges this situation has brought for parents in 2020.

You can check out our Facebook page for helpful tips, support & lots of Christmas related content now we're into December! For more support contact Parenting NI for free on 0808 8010 722 or visit www.parentingni.org. 

Emma catches up with Parenting NI Education and Participation Officer, Lauren. In this episode, the girls consider whether the slow paced lifestyle of lockdown is actually having a positive impact on us, discuss self-care, why it's important and how we can make ourselves a priority when we feel overwhelmed. 

You can also check out our Facebook page for daily tips on self-care. For more support contact Parenting NI for free on 0808 8010 722 or visit www.parentingni.org. 

We're back! We had a brief break last month but we're glad to be chatting with you again. 

For Father's Day 2020 - Emma chats with Cahir Murray, Coordinator of the Dads Project, about the impact Covid-19 has had on fathers and particularly on separated dads who may be struggling to see their children. Dads from the project's Steering Group also share their messages of hope for Father's Day. 

Support for dads is available for free - call 0808 8010 722 or visit https://www.parentingni.org/parents/dads-project/

Over a month into lockdown in the UK due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Emma chats to Dr John Coleman about why we need to cut teenagers some slack at this time. Dr Coleman gives insights into teenage brain development and offers some advice on how we can support our young people at this time both in terms of emotional wellbeing and when it comes to keeping them safe online.

Parenting NI are continuing to offer support to parents in the current circumstances. You can visit our website to take a look at resources we have shared so far. If you would like to support Parenting NI at this difficult time we would really appreciate it, you can make a donation via our Localgiving page.

We are living in a world were children and young people have more information about what's going on in the world than ever before. With fears over climate change, terror attacks and the current pandemic of Coronavirus, the constant stream of news we now have access to can cause anxiety for both children and adults. In this episode we discuss some tips for easing anxiety and building resilience in our children and young people. 

Some links you might want to also check out on Fake News and talking to your children about Coronavirus. You can follow Parenting NI on social media for the latest news and information to support parents and families during the current COVID-19 outbreak - find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

This month Emma chats with Parenting NI Policy and Research Officer Chris, as they take a deep dive into the latest findings from the charity's annual Big Parenting Survey. Exploring the realities of parenting in today's society, what parents are struggling with and what support they would like. This year the survey also focused on the impact technology is having on children and parents. 

You can read the full report online at https://www.parentingni.org/news/big-parenting-survey-2019-findings/

This month many children will have got the results of their transfer tests. This is can often be a challenging change for young people as they make the transition from Primary to 'Big School'. In this episode we discuss the concerns some parents and children might have around settling in and looking at the positive opportunities a moving onto secondary school can bring. 

You can read our research paper on School Transitions here: www.parentingni.org/blog/parents-guide-school-transitions 

If you would like some further help or reassurance you can contact Parenting NI for free on 0808 8010 722.