Leaving School before the Leaving Cert
What would happen if your teenager told you they want to leave school before they complete leaving cert? I know that I would have said to my sons "No way! You have to sit the Leaving Cert and you have to go to college". Nowadays, I am a lot more thoughtful and would...
How can I get my younger teenager to study?
I get asked this question quite regularly and it actually makes me quite sad! The parent is usually asking me through frustration and a touch of panic. They're wondering why they cannot get their younger teenager to study. To understand what the parent means by...
Why this student wants to drop out of university
I am currently working with a client who has just finished her first year in university but wants to drop out of her course. She is very intelligent and doesn’t have to work that hard to get good marks. She was encouraged to choose a course that had high points to...
Common mistakes in CAO applications and how to avoid them
When my son filled in his CAO he put Science in Sligo as his first choice. And that's what he got offered. Really? Red flags popped up all over the place! He was not a sciency person and Sligo? He barely heard of it before! We said, No! We weren't funding a bid...
Are Tertiary Degrees the right choice for your teenager?
When I was a teenager leaving school, we had few options to get qualifications but this is changing with the recent introduction of Tertiary Degrees. Back then, we could go to university to study for a degree or an RTC (Regional Technical College) to do a ‘Cert’ or a...
College Drop out Rate in Ireland
Recently, I came across a report regarding the college drop out rate. It’s a scary topic that parents may not want to think about it but it is worth giving it some consideration. First of all let’s try to prevent it and secondly in the future, if it comes to your...
Modern Careers or traditional for your teenager?
A client recently told me that she only gets shown traditional careers by her career guidance teacher, but she would love to take a look at more modern courses on offer. She is excited about what can happen these days with modern technology, particularly when it come...
Leaving Cert Results Day
And so, here we are at Leaving Cert results day! After all the work your teenager has put in to get to this point, parents should take a step back and not only be proud of their teenager but also of yourselves. You have spent the last 18 or so years guiding your...
Help younger teenagers choose their career
As summer comes, your teenagers are out of school for a long-needed rest. Thoughts of career choice may also be stuffed into the wardrobes along with the empty school bags. But the summer months are the perfect time for teenagers to think of their futures. Here are 7...
Discovering Careers For Teenagers With Learning Challenges
Discovering careers for teenagers with learning challenges can be very difficult. Their school grades do not reflect the learning and understanding of subjects they may actually have. One of my core values when working with teenagers and their parents is to go the...