Tots To Teens: Ring in the new year with style

• This scarf costs €40 and is available from www.aranwoollenmills.com.

Time to bake

Any child who likes baking cakes (or eating them) would be delighted to receive this limited-edition greeting card and sticker sheet for their birthday. 

Produced by Rachel Corcoran, a Dublin illustrator known for her uniquely nostalgic vintage style, it features charming images of a patisserie chef bearing all sorts of delicious cakes. 

• The card costs €6.50 and can be purchased from www.rachelcorcoran.net.

Time to reflect

There’s nothing like a new diary to excite you about the adventures that might lie in store in the year ahead. 

This Get Up and Go Young Person’s Diary 2025 is designed as a companion for young people as they make this year one of self-discovery.

The diary is aimed at four to 12-year-olds, and its user-friendly format prompts them to write about their feelings, set goals, and track their progress as they move through the year. 

There are colourful illustrations, inspirational quotes and motivational messages scattered throughout, all chosen to encourage young people to dream big as they explore who they are and what the world and 2025 offer them.

• The diary costs €12.95 and can be ordered from the Irish company www.getupandgodiary.com.

Help for parents

Parenting a neurodivergent child has its challenges. Parents can worry about how best to respond to their child’s behaviour, how to meet their additional needs and how to ensure that their child reaches their full potential. 

Such ongoing worry is stressful and can result in parents feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and on the brink of burnout.

To support them, the Cottage Autism Network is organising a special workshop for these parents in the Talbot Hotel in Wexford on Monday, January 20.

Parents can choose between attending a morning session from 10am to 11.30am or an evening one from 7pm to 8.30pm. Both sessions are free of charge and will cover a range of topics chosen to equip parents with the practical tools they need to support their wellbeing.

These topics will include advice on recognising overwhelm and burnout, guidance on identifying and maintaining personal boundaries, strategies to reduce parental guilt, and tips on minimising stress in daily life.

• See: www.eventbrite.ie

Healthy eating

Would you like your family to eat a healthier and more balanced diet in the year ahead?

You’ll find lots of helpful advice and inspiration to help them do so if you follow the @kids.eat.in.color Instagram account. 

Run by registered dietitian Jennifer Anderson, it has amassed more than two million followers thanks to its simple tips on how to help picky kids eat more foods and develop good dietary habits.

New year for families

What are your plans for marking the passing of the old year and the arrival of the new this evening? If you’re in Kerry, you have two family-friendly options.

One option is to go to Tralee, where a street party will kick off on Denny Street at 6pm, with live music and a fireworks display at 7pm.

Another option is to head west to Dingle. Since the turn of the millennium, the town has hosted a fireworks display on its marina, followed by a countdown by the Small Bridge at midnight. 

This year’s fireworks display starts at 8pm, and all are welcome.