Category Archives: Parenting

The ultimate goal of parenting: How to raise a happy child

Posted on

Published: Irish Independent
Author: Deirdre Rooney
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

“Happiness is a state and not something which can be maintained indefinitely. No matter what age we are, life presents us with a colourful rainbow of emotions. The more accepting parents and children are of this range and the less we try to pursue the ‘ideal’ of happiness, the more we can appreciate each moment,”

“All parenting begins with you. To be a calm, loving and empathic parent, you need to take good care of yourself. Parental self-care is about achieving balance and filling your cup so you have something to give to the many roles you play in your life, be it mother, father, partner, friend, carer or worker. If you take a pro-active approach to nurturing your self-care, you are far more likely to have the physical and emotional reserves to take on the unpredictability of what each parenting day brings.”

How to talk to your child about losing weight – TodayFM

Posted on

Listen to my interview with Matt Cooper on The Last Word -TodayFM.

Talking to children about weight can be a difficult thing to do.

With one in four children in Ireland either overweight or obese, what's the best way for parents to approach the subject if they have concerns?

While it's normal for children to gain some weight around puberty, and genetics can also play a part, dietitian Sarah Keogh from EatWell.ie says eating habits and physical activity should be looked at.

Weight Watchers App for Kids – Newstalk

Posted on

WW (formally known as Weight Watchers) recently launched their new brand Kurbo, a weight-loss app designed for children between the ages of 8 and 17. But the app quickly came under fire from parents and experts who say a weight-loss app aimed at kids sends the wrong message.

Listen to my discussion on Newstalk Breakfast.

Is there a right way to talk to children about their weight?

Posted on

Published: Irish Independent
Author: Suzanne Harrington
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

“The most important thing is to talk about health, not weight,”

“If children are young enough, it may not be necessary to say anything at all, but instead to make lifestyle changes. Model good eating and sleeping habits, more exercise and reduced screen time. A lot of weight issues are not just about food, but about not enough sleep and too much screen time.”

Child anxiety – Elaine Show

Posted on

Regardless of age, children can experience anxiety about school. As a parent, your own experience of school can impact on how you respond to your child, whether that be a tendency towards over-protection or glossing over feelings.

But how does a parent find a middle ground between empathizing with a child's worries AND encouraging them to face their fears?

I was delighted to share a taster of my compassionate approach to child anxiety on the Elaine show including plenty of practical advice from my upcoming book due out next April 2020.

Posted by Dr. Malie Coyne on Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Glossing over anxiety will not make it go away

Posted on

Published: Irish Independent
Author: Malie Coyne

Worrying and parenting go hand in hand like rhythm and blues. This is especially true during times of transition, such as children’s return to school after the summer, which can reignite a melting pot of anxieties for children and parents alike.

During this time, parents may question their child’s ability to manage issues which may have come up before, with concerns ranging from: “Is my child strong enough? Clever enough? Popular enough? Resilient enough?” Throw a good dab of guilt and self-blame into the mix and you’ll also find parents asking themselves: “Am I a good enough support to them? What if I can’t help them?”

Read article

Is extended breastfeeding really best?

Posted on

Published: Irish Independent
Author: Danielle Baron
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

“The release of oxytocin in both mother and baby is one of the main psychological benefits of breastfeeding”

“Close skin-to-skin body contact, post-natally and beyond, significantly improves the physical and mental health and wellbeing for both mother and baby. Oxytocin acts like a fertiliser for their growing brain, helping them to be happier and more confident as they grow older.”

“It also naturally helps to build the attachment bond and ensures plenty of mother and baby time”

Read article

Sibling rivalry – RTE Today Show

Posted on

"I wish my sibling had never been born" can be a common sentiment among siblings who have a natural desire for the exclusive love of their parents and compete for their attention. Here I talk about the the impact of sibling rivalry, why it exists and how parents can best manage the inevitable squabbles. After all, the unconditional love of a sibling with a shared upbringing can really serve children throughout their lives.

RTE Today Show - Sibling Rivalry

Posted by Dr. Malie Coyne on Thursday, May 2, 2019

Screen time – Newstalk – Pat Kenny Show

Posted on

I loved chatting to Pat Kenny about the new World Health Organisation Guidelines on limiting screen use in under 5 year old's. It was a really relaxed interview where I got to mention my passion for the importance of early attachment and free play for young children's developing minds.

A Cúl way for kids to exercise this summer

Posted on

Published: Irish Examiner
Author: Helen O’Callaghan
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

Cúl camps enhances children’s self-confidence and self-esteem. It fosters strong relationships with peers where they join together in working for a common goal. They make new friends and feel a sense of belonging.

Physical activity reduces stress, says Coyne, adding that children who participate in sport are less likely to struggle with emotional and behavioural issues. “Sport gives an opportunity to channel their energy into something positive.”

Read article

A third of parents too busy to take children to sports training

Posted on

Published: The Irish Times
Author: Conor Pope
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

Almost a third (31 per cent) of Irish parents say they are too busy to take their children to sports training sessions or games, a new survey suggests.

It also finds one in five parents say the cost of getting their children involved in sports is too high.

It also suggests the vast majority of parents believe an excessive interest in technology is responsible for their children’s lack of sportiness although almost two-thirds admitted to not knowing what the recommended amount of exercise children should get a day was.

The survey of 1000 parents of children aged six to 13 was published on Tuesday on behalf of Kellogg’s to promote its involvement with GAA summer Cúl camps.

Read article

 

Keeping kids active

Posted on

Published: Irish Mirror
Author: Saoirse McGarrigle
Expert Opinion: Dr. Malie Coyne

Clinical child psychologist, Dr Malie Coyne, has called on families to look for cheap and free activities. “I know there are parents out there who really struggle financially, there’s a lot of disadvantage.”

She was speaking at the launch in Croke Park of the Kellogg’s Gaelic and hurling summer Cul camps.

“The reason I got behind this campaign, I have two kids of my own, I would try to encourage parents to get their kids involved in any type of activity.

“Even going out on to the green and kicking a football. Sport is available to people regardless of money. It is quite a sad statistic.”

Read article

Infant Mental Health – RTE Today Show

Posted on

Babies are hardwired to develop a social connection with their primary caregiver, usually their mum or their dad. Without this relationship they would not survive. It is within the sacred crucible of the most important first relationship, the parent-infant bond, that our sense of self and the world develops.

Positive infant mental health is synonymous with a child’s ability to form secure relationships, to regulate their emotions, to explore their environment and to learn and develop cognitive capacities across the lifespan.

The quality of the child-parent attachment bond is the foundation for a child’s emotional regulation, which will provide them with a "psychological immune system" for dealing with stressful situations in the future and promote emotional wellbeing and future resilience.

Research points to a critical window of opportunity that exists in the first three years of life, where the brain develops as much as 90% of its wiring, which is impacted significantly by the baby's experience of everyday interactions with their caregiver.

Originally derived from Unicef and the W.H.O. Baby Friendly Initiative, Galway Parent Network alongside the Galway City Early Years Committee, created 4 posters containing simple evidence-based messages positively framed to emphasise human's innate abilities to look after their babies, to promote the child-parent attachment and to dispel common parenting myths. Our aim was to show how everyday parenting moments provide us with precious opportunities to build connection and strengthen our children's resilience.

For copies of the posters see:
https://www.cypsc.ie/…/Galway/GPN-Building-Baby-A4Crops-011…

For my RTE Brainstorm piece on "How to Build a Happy Baby" see:
https://www.rte.ie/…/03…/945352-how-to-build-a-happy-baby/--

RTE Today Show - Infant mental health

Posted by Dr. Malie Coyne on Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Walk in my shoes radio, Bressie, Malie Coyne, Colman Noctor

Children’s Mental Health – Walk In My Shoes Radio 2018

Posted on

Colman Noctor, myself and Bressie talking about children's mental health and sharing top tips for managing worries.

Podcast was part of World Mental Health Day School Special Programme broadcast on 'Walk In My Shoes' Radio to all primary schools around Ireland on 10th October 2018

Podcast 1:  50.30 mins - 59.30 mins.
Podcast 2: 0 - 3.53 mins & 25.16 mins - 36.51

 

How to Mind Yourself, with Dr Malie Coyne

Posted on

Published: alustforlife.com
Author: Dr. Malie Coyne

In the third part of our series on how to mind yourself, we ask clinical psychologist and friend of A Lust For Life Dr Malie Coyne about how she takes care of herself and her mental health.

If you’d like to read more about self-care, here’s the first and second part of our series.

Malie, what does self-care mean to you?

Self-care is all about nurturing yourself so that you are able to give of yourself to the many areas of your life. It is often said that “you can’t pour from an empty cup” which is 100% true. Unfortunately self-care is the one aspect that I see many people not prioritising which is often because they may not have a template for self soothing developed as they were growing up.

Read article

Are we stressing our children out?

Posted on

Published: RTE Brainstorm
Author: Dr. Malie Coyne

Opinion: parents mean the best for their children and would never consciously intend to cause them stress, but do they do so inadvertently?

The Stressed documentary followed the trajectory of five adult volunteers who felt overwhelmed by their busy lifestyles and wanted to “be in the moment” more rather “doing” all the time. As therapist to one of the volunteers, I found that using the link between daily living patterns and the three emotional regulation systems (i.e. drive, threat and soothing) from Paul Gilbert’s Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) was a really powerful way of conceptualising and working with stress.

RTE ‘Stressed’ documentary

Posted on

'The insatiable need to succeed may come from a painful place in our childhoods, which can result in us having real difficulty in nurturing ourselves, as we may not have experienced a consistent model of soothing from a parent as we were growing up.

If a person hasn't been soothed adequately as a child, then it’s very difficult to know how to instinctively self-soothe in adulthood. This can lead to them ignoring stress alerts and not seeking much needed help and social support'.

I was delighted to feature in this two part 'Stressed' documentary from Firebrand Productions and also to be the Psychology Consultant for this production.

Here is a clip from Part 1 of the documentary which aired on RTE1 in May 2018.