THE coronavirus pandemic that has had the world in its fierce grip these last few months has created several types of people – those who care, those who don't, the terrified and the conspiracy theorists, among many others.

Q: How do I trust my teenage children and give them a healthy but safe amount of freedom? A: Lorraine Thomas, chief executive of The Parent Coaching Academy, says: “As parents, we need to look at how we talk about ‘trust’ – sometimes our teenagers get the message that we don’t trust them, when we’re trying to say that we want them to stay safe and we trust them, but we’re not sure about everyone else.

WHEN your child is a baby or toddler you know you have to look after them, and when they’re a teenager you know they’ll want their independence and need careful handling.

I WATCHED the news from London over the weekend with utter despair.

You just never know the moment.

Q: MY 12-YEAR-old daughter slouches a lot and sometimes says her back hurts, and my friend says I should get her checked for scoliosis.

ONE of the benefits of lockdown is that families have been able to spend much more time together – but that doesn't mean it's always been quality time.

SUMMER seems to shine a very big spotlight on what is still so very wrong here in Northern Irish society.

Ok, so I've tried it and it's not for me.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said the Republic's government will "do the right thing" over calls to extend maternity leave for mothers whose babies were born during the pandemic.

LOOKING after a baby can be exhausting and even nerve-racking at times – but it doesn't have to be complicated.

Q: MY ONE-year-old son will soon start nursery for the first time and I'm nervous about it, both because of the coronavirus risk and also because it's the first time I'll have left him.

LOCKDOWN has been difficult for us adults.

I sometimes wish time would slow down.

George Floyd's death in police custody and the subsequent protests across the world for the Black Lives Matter movement have catapulted racism to the forefront of social consciousness.

Q: What's the best way to teach my eight-year-old about the value of money? She gets pocket money but doesn't usually save any of it.

I don't think any of us could fail to be moved by the tragic story of young Noah Donohoe, the 14-year-old boy who went missing a week ago and whose body was later found in north Belfast.

So, it would seem some form of the new normal has finally arrived.

Q: I'VE got coeliac disease and worry that my children will develop it too.

Most people know breastfeeding is one of the best ways to help a baby thrive.