Family News and Events

Family News and Events Boyzone
Getting in the zone

For Boyzone fanatics this will be a dream come true as the boyband celebrates 25 years as a group, and releases what they say will be their final album, ‘Thank You and Goodnight’.
The four remaining members – Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch – have come a long way since an uncouth television debut on The Late Late Show, encountering tremendous success, as well as the sad death of Stephen Gately along the way.

Prices aren’t for the faint of heart as tickets come in at €76, although they range from €44.05. Families be advised that children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Boyzone play in the SSE Arena in Belfast on January 23 and the 3Arena in Dublin on January 24.

When their tickets went on sale the band said: “Twenty-five years is a long time. We’re certainly not boys anymore, and we all feel that we should now call time on our lives together as Boyzone and go out on a real high.”

 

Guarding gadgets

Parents should avoid letting their children use mobile phones, tablets or computers an hour before bedtime and agree screen time limits, according to new official guidance.

Experts say that looking at screens such as phones, tablets or computers in the hour before bed can disrupt sleep and impact children’s health and wellbeing.

Meanwhile, spending long periods on the gadgets is associated with unhealthy eating and a lack of exercise.

Issuing the first official guidelines on screen time, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health recommended time limits and a curfew, but said parents need not worry that using the devices is harmful in itself.

Nevertheless, screen time should not replace healthy activities such as exercising, sleeping and spending time with family.

 

Light to make you feel right

January can be a difficult month for a lot of people. Natural light is at a minimum and it can be hard to feel energised and positive.

A SAD light might just help. This provides summer levels of bright light all year round and may lift your mood if the darkness of winter months generally brings you down.

The Lumie Brazil SAD light is a powerful lightbox and apparently users need only short light therapy sessions for these benefits and effective treatment for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). The Lumie Zest is a portable SAD light that purports to provide bright light therapy to boost mood and energy.

It includes a wake-up light option to start the day with a gradual sunrise. It is available on boots.ie