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Dreading the return to 'normal'?' Here's how to emerge from lockdown with your wellbeing intact

Sheena McGinley shares her thoughts and fears about returning to the ‘new normal’ after Covid-19 shutdown.

17.4k

Jul 1st 2020, 3:17 PM

# Question Time

'Is the virus coming to our house?': 5 weighty questions from my kids - and how I've answered them

From the coronavirus to mortality, my kids cover all the bases, writes Sheena McGinley.

2.0k

Mar 10th 2020, 5:24 PM

# you're no fun

Repeating yourself? 9 effective ways to say 'no' to your kids - without the word 'no'

Sheena McGinley shares some of the alternative phrases she’s employed in her own home.

3.0k

Feb 25th 2020, 5:04 PM

Sponsored

Worried about your child being bullied online? Here’s some helpful advice

Cyberbullying can happen to anyone. It’s always wrong and it should never be overlooked or ignored.

# get thrifty

How to keep costs down as your kids grow up - from creative packed lunches to DIY drama classes

Sheena McGinley shares some practical advice for handling the basics on a budget.

1.2k

Feb 18th 2020, 5:46 PM

# childcare conundrum

'There’s a different in-law here every week': 7 working parents share what they do for childcare

Sheena McGinley asks families around Ireland how they balance all those spinning plates.

10.4k

Jan 7th 2020, 4:50 PM

# christmas past

'Mum didn't deny the magic of Christmas, she was just so exhausted dealing with Dad'

Sheena McGinley on making Christmas magic – and making up for lost time.

2.7k

Dec 10th 2019, 2:38 PM

# how to help

5 ‘reassuring’ phrases I didn't want to hear after my miscarriage - and 5 that actually helped

Sheena McGinley offers some dos and don’ts.

13.8k

Nov 5th 2019, 5:20 PM

# milestone moments

10 milestones I worried about with baby #1 - and threw out the window for baby #2

One look at the official list of developmental landmarks would put any new parent on edge, writes Sheena McGinley.

3.3k

Oct 15th 2019, 5:30 PM

# hello baby

'She stopped crying when she heard me': Mums and dads on the moment they first felt like a parent

Here’s when reality started to hit home.

5.8k

Aug 27th 2019, 5:26 PM

# what to expect

'Nothing can actually prepare you': 8 mums share how they dealt with their fears about giving birth

From pre-natal yoga to positive thinking, there are lots of different approaches. Here, some veterans share what worked for them.

9.4k

Aug 6th 2019, 4:05 PM

# aside from the obvious

'My straight hair turned curly': 8 mums reveal the unexpected ways their bodies changed post-baby

‘I grew a new mole with each pregnancy. So that’s three new moles…’

8.9k

Jul 23rd 2019, 5:30 PM

# talking it out

7 things a mum with postnatal depression doesn’t want to hear - and 4 helpful things to say instead

Sheena McGinley recalls the sentences that made a dark time easier, and the ones that definitely didn’t.

25.6k

Jul 16th 2019, 4:58 PM

# About last night

The difference between hangovers pre and post-kids - starting with the 6am toddler wake-up call

The headache and dry mouth is bad enough without two restless kids to wrangle, writes Sheena McGinley.

2.2k

Jul 9th 2019, 5:38 PM

# family magazine

'She wasn't ready to share us': How we prepared our toddler for the arrival of a new baby

“When her dad mentioned that she’d soon be meeting her baby sister, she declared, ‘I must fight her with a sword!’”

1.7k

Jun 4th 2019, 5:20 PM

# A to Z

26 parenting hacks to make travelling with young kids a whole lot easier

You might think holidays are for relaxing, but under 5s don’t agree, writes Sheena McGinley.

9.5k

May 28th 2019, 5:26 PM

# Cry me a river

'Put him in the sling and start walking': 7 practical tips for surviving the dreaded colic, from real parents

Sheena McGinley scouts out some advice for dealing with a newborn who Just Won’t Stop Crying.

6.5k

May 7th 2019, 4:44 PM

# family magazine

Bellybutton, ankles and pelvic floor: 10 body parts that take on new significance when you're pregnant

I was suddenly hyper-aware of the shape of my feet, writes Sheena McGinley.

6.0k

Apr 30th 2019, 4:33 PM

# party animal

How I threw a birthday party with 15 kids on a shoestring budget - from the invites to the goody bags

When Sheena McGinley realised how much the local play zone would cost, she took matters into her own thrifty hands.

8.3k

Apr 9th 2019, 5:05 PM

# baby on board

7 'joys' of pregnancy that most definitely weren't joyful for me

Sure, eating for two was enjoyable… when I wasn’t battling all-consuming heartburn.

8.0k

Feb 12th 2019, 4:08 PM

# Miscarriages

'No detectable heartbeat': Miscarriage is devastating - here's the advice I wish I was given after mine

The mumbled “sorry for your loss” from hospital staff just wasn’t enough, writes Sheena McGinley.

12.8k

Feb 5th 2019, 4:54 PM

# checkin' it twice

'How does he get down the chimney?': Kids' trickiest questions about Santa, answered by experts

If you don’t know the answer, science probably does, writes Sheena McGinley.

6.3k

Dec 10th 2018, 5:44 PM

# perils of playtime

7 truly awkward parenting moments you'll experience at every playdate

Step one, attempting to use the word “playdate” without smirking, writes Sheena McGinley.

4.4k

Nov 20th 2018, 5:01 PM

# Mind Your Ps and Qs

Mind your manners: I'm teaching my kids to say 'please' and 'thank you' - but nobody says it back

The exchanging of pleasantries is an important social buffer, says Sheena McGinley.

1.2k

Nov 6th 2018, 5:10 PM

# feeding time

I know breast is best, but here's why I stopped feeling ashamed about bottle feeding

Let’s support mums whatever their situation is, writes Sheena McGinley.

2.3k

Oct 2nd 2018, 3:52 PM

# truth aint pretty

9 truths about childbirth I wish I'd known before going into the labour ward

Prepare for sweating, grunting and lots of bodily fluids, writes Sheena McGinley.

16.6k

Sep 25th 2018, 4:47 PM

# oh mama

10 things nobody tells you about your first few weeks* as a new mum

*Or months. Or years, let’s face it.

9.1k

Aug 21st 2018, 5:17 PM

# playground politics

9 annoying types of adult you're guaranteed to meet at the local playground

#4: The competitive parent, most often heard roaring “who wants to go higher?” at the swings.

4.1k

Aug 7th 2018, 5:20 PM

# ideal birth

C-section guilt and not being "there": Why do mums feel such pressure to have a natural birth?

An emergency C-section kept my daughter safe, but it certainly wasn’t on my birthing plan, writes Sheena McGinley.

2.0k

Jul 31st 2018, 4:32 PM

# PND

When the baby blues don't go away: How I recognised the signs of post-natal depression

Sheena McGinley on the overwhelming experience of new parenthood – and the moment she realised that she needed help.

3.5k

Jul 17th 2018, 5:35 PM

# hug it out

12 genius phrases to stop the kids squabbling in two seconds flat

‘That’s it, I’M TURNING OFF THE WI-FI.’

8.0k

Jul 10th 2018, 4:57 PM

# nine to five

Naptime deadlines and ignoring the dishes: 9 realistic tips for working from home with kids

I’ve learnt to put my blinkers up and ignore the crumb-encrusted floor, writes Sheena McGinley.

2.4k

Jul 3rd 2018, 5:02 PM

# close confines

6 survival tactics I've employed for staying sane around my in-laws

If I can endure an 18-day holiday with my MIL, you can get through one Sunday lunch, writes Sheena McGinley.

8.3k

Jun 26th 2018, 5:16 PM

# Event Guide

7 outdoor family events to enjoy this weekend - from pirate parks to trail runs

Lather the kids up in sunscreen and head outside.

542

Jun 26th 2018, 5:14 PM