Cad Faoi na Tuismitheoirí? begins on RTÉ One on Monday 29th of November at 7.30pm and will be available to watch online on the RTÉ Player.
From fussy eaters to light sleepers, from screen addiction to tackling childhood anxiety, do you need practical and truly achievable advice on how to parent in 2021?
This enlightening, informative and fun four-part bilingual lifestyle series will look at the most common issues and challenges that parents face on a daily basis in a bid to understand exactly how Ireland is parenting.
Every week, journalist and mother of two pre-teen boys Evelyn O’Rourke and broadcaster, teacher, and father of two under two Ronan Mac Niallais tackle the biggest parenting issues families face from birth to 18. From the food we battle to get them to eat, to the sleep problem that has all zombified, to the ever-increasing problem of childhood anxiety and the over reliance on screens of every type, they will meet with the families experiencing it all and the experts who they hope can lend us- themselves included – some much-needed guidance. Utilising a guaranteed non -judgemental approach the team will discuss all aspects of parenting and offer advice to parents of children of all ages. This is parenting for 2021 to get the families of Ireland back on track following two years like no other.
Each episode will focus on four narrative points – a family case study, two reports on burning parenting topics and a fun public discourse which looks at the lighter side of parenting. The topics explored in each episode will cover all ages and the worlds of early infant life, childhood and teenage years.
An Teaghlach: Each week Evelyn will meet with a family who are facing a particular issue – whether it is handling a child who is having tantrums, dealing with a teen who is addicted to screen usage or navigating the world of sibling rivalry with an unruly toddler. The family and their issue will form the spine of the episode and will be guided by the expertise of top child psychologist Stella O’Malley who will set the family on a month long parenting revamp and give useful and practical feedback that they can implement. This case study style piece will be non-judgemental with an overall aim of providing genuine take home for the viewer and family. Ultimately we’ll learn how the families fare when implementing a brave new approach!
An Tuairisc: This element of the series will see Rónán exploring a topic which will apply to many Irish parents. He will visit a school which is navigating the tricky process of anxiety management and a town with the most advanced autism policy in the country. Covering everything from green parenting to healthy eating, GAA inclusion for children with additional needs and breast-feedin Ronan will leave no stone unturned to answer the burning questions of every Irish parent.
I mbéal an Phobail: The final element of the series will see us hit the streets of Ireland to get the opinions of the public on their own parenting experiences. This segment is humorous, light hearted but always rooted in reality.
An Tallann
Evelyn O’Rourke –is a mother of two pre-teen sons – and popular RTÉ presenter and broadcaster who knows only too well how much craic and chaos there can be in daily family life. She’ll be there with a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on for both parents and children alike… while also taking notes herself to use at home!
Rónán Mac Niallais has featured on a number of Irish language productions to include TG4’s ‘The Underdogs’ and ‘Mo Ghrá Gael’. He is the father of a toddler and a newborn and is also a primary school teacher. Rónán is passionate about the role of fathers in parenting. He is innately curious and although he works in the world of early childhood education, he feels like he himself has so much to learn and is eager to start asking questions.
Stella O’Malley is one of Irelands top child psychotherapists, best-selling author, public speaker and a parent with many years’ experience working in counselling and psychotherapy. She frequently appears on national and local media and is a regular contributor to newspapers writing on a broad range of topics including mental well-being, mindfulness, conflict resolution, communication skills, parenting and childhood issues in Ireland today.
Episode Breakdown
Episode 1
We meet the Slattery family in Nenagh Co. Tipperary. Mum Bríd, Dad, John and Ciarán (17) Cathal (14) and Diarmuid (11). The kids are very musical and love sport but spend too much time on the play station. The family are looking forward to a digital detox and parenting expert Stella O Malley is on hand to help the family navigate through the screen overload that has taken hold of the household. Also in the programme we look at eco-parenting, how can parents maintain a green lifestyle and raise their children to be mindful of the environment. We meet Amy Ní Cholgáin a young mother based in Letterkenny who feeds her baby a plant-based diet and uses cloth nappies. Inclusion and diversity in sport is also discussed with a report from Kilmacud Crokes GAA club. And finally we ask the parents of Ireland for their parenting advice, this week they share their knowledge to new parents starting out.