Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting – Details, episodes & analysis

In the final episode of the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover, young people and adults come together to look ahead — exploring how families can navigate the digital world side by side with trust, understanding, and openness.

Hosted by Maria, this episode features honest reflections from Matylda, Theo, Ethan, and Darragh, alongside youth worker Paula, who has supported the group throughout the project. Together, they unpack the reality that parents and young people often live in very different digital worlds — and why closing that gap matters more than ever.

The conversation explores:

• Why parents and young people experience the online world so differently
• How parents can better understand the apps, games, and platforms young people use
• Why social media is about more than screens — it’s about belonging and connection
• How to encourage healthy breaks from screens without making it feel like punishment
• The importance of offline time, presence, and shared family moments
• What really helps when something goes wrong online
• Why calm, non-judgemental responses make it easier for young people to ask for help

The episode ends with a powerful reminder: there is no perfect rulebook for growing up online. Mistakes will happen — but when families listen, learn, and respond together, young people feel safer, supported, and more confident asking for help.

This final instalment brings the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover to a thoughtful close, reinforcing a simple but vital message for parents and carers: online safety works best when it’s built on conversation, trust, and learning together.

In Episode 2 of the Be Cyber Safe NI Takeover, the youth advisory group continues their honest conversation about what life online really looks like — this time focusing on something every family has to navigate: boundaries and trust.

Hosted again by Maria (15, Portadown), this episode features real discussions from Matylda, Theo, Ethan, Darragh, and youth worker Paula. Together, they explore what healthy online boundaries actually feel like from a young person’s perspective, and how parents can keep children safe without feeling overly strict or intrusive.

The group talks openly about:

• When children should start learning about being online
• Whether there should be age limits for phones, social media, and internet access
• The role of parental controls — what helps and what feels like “too much”
• How trust develops as young people grow
• Why privacy becomes so important for teens
• How parents and young people often see digital risks differently

The result is a thoughtful, down-to-earth conversation that highlights the delicate balance every family tries to find: keeping young people safe while giving them space to grow, learn, and build independence.

This episode is a practical, relatable listen for parents, carers, and professionals who want to better understand the realities of navigating online life together.

Breastfeeding counsellor Katy Lynn chats to Kerry about the emotive topic of breastfeeding.  They talk about some of the amazing qualities of breastmilk, the joys of breastfeeding and discuss awareness around the difficulties experienced when starting to breastfeed. They key message here is the  lack of support for mums who are starting to breastfeed, that can often lead them to stop sooner than planned. 

We've included some signposting information below. It is advised that the first port of call here in Northern Ireland would be a Community Midwife. Health Visitors should be able to supply information of local support groups, and all women can access the Infant Feeding Lead in each trust area too.
 

Helplines (most are open 365 days a year until midnight)

• NCT - 0300 330 0700
• Breastfeeding Network - 0300 100 0212
• La Leche League - 0345 120 2918

Social media

NCT Breastfeeding Support NI on Facebook & instagram
https://www.facebook.com/NCTBFNI
https://www.instagram.com/nctbreastfeedingsupportni/

Breastfeeding in Northern Ireland
https://www.facebook.com/BreastfeedinginNI

 Breastfeeding & Medication Facebook page ran by pharmacist Wendy Jones
https://www.facebook.com/breastfeedingandmedication

Boobcast podcast (NCT NI)
https://open.spotify.com/show/6NJVZRPgy64pnphnNjuek3

Kerry talks to Hannah Conroy, mum to Ben, age 9, who has vision impairment. Hannah describes how she navigated getting support in place for Ben, as well as talking about his resilience and positivity! She also describes how much she values the support she gets from RNIB and Angel Eyes, and talks about the challenges of having child with a disability. 

https://www.rnib.org.uk/

https://www.angeleyesni.org/

This episode Kerry talks to Sorina and Cosmin, parents of 8 year old Ezra. Ezra became ill at 14 months and is a below the knee double amputee. He also lost fingers on his right hand. Kerry discusses how Sorina and Cosmin coped, and are still coping, as well as Ezra's resilience and determination in progressing into a very active boy who loves school and lives a full life. 

Kerry McLean talks to Chris and Rebecca, who each have a son with a rare genetic condition, called PKU.

They courageously discuss how it affects their lives, and the wider family circle. They explain the experience of being told the diagnosis, and how they coped and moved forward from there. 

This episode focuses on the feelings and challenges around having a child with a lifelong condition, and how the support from those in similar situations can help make things more manageable. We greatly appreciate Chris and Rebecca taking part in the Parentline podcast. 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/phenylketonuria/

Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue. 
https://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline/

Teen Pregnancy - somemthing that is usually unplanned and unexpected, by both parents and their teenagers!

Katrina, a teen mum with a newborn, and Paula, a former teen mum whose daughter is now in her 20's, chat about their experiences with Kerry McLean. They share challenges and shifts in their lifestyle, as well as what they have gained and their outlook on life. 

This episode shares the experience of Michaela, who lost her mother just six weeks after the birth of her first baby, all during the peak of Covid 19. 

Kerry and Michaela discuss how she coped with this tragic loss, during such a significant and intense period of her life. They share some similar experiences, and the message that despite how difficult life can be, if we reach out, it can make us feel so much less alone. 

Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue. 

This episode is the second of our 'Parenting through...' series. Kerry talks to Casey and Becca, the recent founders of Melted Parents NI - their aim is to share the human stories behind the childcare crisis and it's impact on our society. 

They discuss the impact of childcare costs on whether parents (mainly women) are willing and/or able to return to work after having a baby. In addition, they talk about childcare being more than just someone looking after your child, and how nurturing a place nurseries can be.  Check out their Instagram after this episode to see the stories of many local parents. 

Resources related to this episode:

Parentline - https://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline
Melted Parents NI - linktr.ee/meltedparentsni

Remember Parentline NI are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any area of parenting.

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Thanks for listening!!

The thought of our children or our young people going through emotional pain and hurt is horrible.  As parents or carers, we want them to have a perfect, stress-free, pain-free life. But of course, that's not possible for anyone. And sometimes that pain and hurt can lead to them having thoughts of self-harm, or worse still, thoughts of suicide.
Kerry McLean talks to Connor McCafferty of Zest NI - Healing the Hurt, on how our own emotional literacy can help us provide the right kind of support to our children. 

http://www.zestni.org/

Remember Parentline are here on 0808 8020 400 to listen, offer support or guidance on any parenting issue. 
https://www.ci-ni.org.uk/parentline/