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Helping the ‘forgotten families’ of ill children with non-medical expenses

After their daughter’s death, couple founded charity to help financially support families

Yavanna and Lar Keogh with their son, Oscar

‘To look at your own child and know they are going to die is utterly indescribable’

Oscar’s Kids was launched after boy who ‘filled everyone with joy’ lost his life to cancer

Mika Williams and Selina Wuttig in the garden at Hugh’s House, Belvedere Place, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

The 14-bed Dublin house whose ever-changing group of residents have one thing in common

‘We can all make a difference,’ says founder of home for parents of children in hospitals

Mika Williams and Selina Wuttig in the garden at Hugh’s House, Belvedere Place, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Battle lines have been drawn across the dinner plates, fruit bowl and the fridge

Food is all about balance, but even I can’t pretend that three bars of chocolate a day is a good balance

Children

Focusing on the shyness can inadvertently make a child think something might be wrong with them. Photograph: iStockphoto

How to encourage your child’s potential . . . from toddler to teen

Saying ‘don’t be shy’ or ‘has the cat got your tongue?’ can increase his anxiety

Teenagers

For teenagers, bereavement can be particularly difficult to come to terms with. Photograph: iStockphoto

Ask the expert: Our daughter is struggling since the death of a classmate

She is struggling to get a proper night’s sleep and is very anxious before going to bed

Toddlers

Sleep training requires a lot of patience and does not yield immediate results. Photograph: Thinkstock

Ask the expert: How do we get a toddler to sleep all night?

If you have a parenting query, send your question to health@irishtimes.com

Babies

Pixie McKenna: ‘In an ideal world, if you can cook something, great. It’s cheaper, it’s more convenient, you can batch-cook and, ultimately, as you go through the stages, you can all eat the same thing, which is really important.’

Pixie McKenna on weaning: ‘I hadn’t a clue’

‘Dr Pixie’s First Foods’ examines weaning and babies’ first food recipes . . . sugar included

Relationships

As one of my boys is 12 and prepubescent, I’m concerned about telling him about his dad before he has established his own sexual identity. Photograph: Thinkstock

Ask the Expert: How do I tell my sons their father is bisexual?

John Sharry helps solve your parenting problems. Send your queries to health@irishtimes.com

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