Positive Parenting week in dlr LexIcon!

A panel discussion for parents about children’s health, reading, activities and screen time with experts in the field, including Stella O’Malley, psychotherapist, writer and public speaker, Sarah Webb, dlr Writer in Residence, Vita Coleman, dlr LexIcon library staff and Cliona Curley, Programme Director of CyberSafeIreland. Chaired by Jennifer O’Connell, journalist and weekly columnist with The Irish Times.

Author and psychotherapist, Stella O’Malley, has ten years experience working as a mental health professional and is a regular contributor to national media on mental well being. Stella’s first book ‘Cotton Wool Kids’ was a bestseller and

received critical acclaim. Stella’s second book about bullying and complicated relationships, is due out in 2017. 

Sarah Webb is the dlr Writer in Residence for 2016/2017 and her residency has a particular focus on children and young people. Sarah is an award winning writer for both children and adults and greatly enjoys interacting with her readers. Her Ask Amy Green series has been shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Award in the UK and the Irish Book Awards and her latest series for age 8+ is The Songbird Café Girls.

Vita Coleman has been a library assistant for almost a decade and is currently studying Library and Information Science with Aberystwyth University. She has a particular interest in children’s services and literacy, regularly reviewing children’s books and occasionally writing features for Inis magazine and blog.

Cliona Curley, Programme Director of CybersafeIreland is a former cyber crime investigator. Cliona is passionate about protecting children online and believes that education is crucial. Since 2014, she has delivered online safety sessions in many Irish primary schools.

The chair of the panel is Jennifer O’Connell, a Saturday Magazine columnist and features writer with The Irish Times, and a regular contributor to Irish radio and TV. Jennifer is a communications consultant who recently spent two years living and working in Silicon Valley. She has written about social media usage, screen time and the way technology is shaping our society.

 

We worry about our kids’ consumption of junk food and also fret about how to pave the way for a healthy body image. It can all be a minefield. It’s never too early, as a parent, to influence how your child interacts with food. Encouraging better food habits needs to start in childhood and at the home table. Come along to hear Bernadette’s approach to fostering healthy eating and dealing with fussy eaters, over eaters and everything in between. With time for Q & A.

 

 

Child Watch is an IT Security company which has focused on protecting young people online since 2008. Childwatch regularly bring their knowledge to schools students and staff, parents, child welfare professionals, and others. In this informative session you will see demonstrations of techniques that reinforce the vulnerabilities in the digital space, in particular the area of personal & social media image misuse. The material is incisive and demonstrations make for compelling viewing.

 

In all aspects of parenting open lines of communication with our children are vital,

from preschool children through to our teenagers making the transition to adulthood.

In this session Dr Mary O’Kane considers the importance of how we communicate with our children, and offers practical advice for parents on how to communicate in a positive and proactive manner. Dr Mary O’Kane is a Lecturer in Psychology and Early Childhood Education teaching in Maynooth University and the Open University.Watch is an IT Security company which has focused on protecting young people online since 2008. Childwatch regularly bring their knowledge to schools students and staff, parents, child welfare professionals, and others. In this informative session you will see demonstrations of techniques that reinforce the vulnerabilities in the digital space, in particular the area of personal & social media image misuse. The material is incisive and demonstrations make for compelling viewing.