“The Best Your Child Can Be”
Enda O'Doherty's talk for parents on exam stress, motivation and study skills, built specifically for Irish parents' associations and school evenings.
Every parent watching a teenager head into the Leaving Cert or Junior Cycle asks some version of the same quiet question: what can I actually say and do that helps, rather than adds to a pressure that already feels enormous. In a system where a handful of CAO points can feel like they decide everything, that question is harder to answer than it looks, and most of the advice out there is either too vague to use or too generic to fit your child specifically. This evening gives parents real answers: the specific things you can say and do at home that build the kind of motivation, confidence and working habits that actually hold up under pressure, drawn directly from thirty five years spent watching what works in real Irish classrooms.
Parents consistently describe the evening as both entertaining and genuinely useful, delivered with energy rather than a lecture-style talk, and grounded in real experience rather than generic parenting advice.
Six reasons you should choose this talk.
Real, checkable expertise
Thirty five years in Irish classrooms, not a generic parenting talk adapted for Ireland. Every example is drawn from actual experience with Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert students.
Something to do, not just feel
Parents leave with specific ways to be actively involved in their child's exam years, not just a warm feeling about the evening.
Mental health, handled properly
A holistic view that treats a teenager's wellbeing and their academic results as connected, not competing, priorities.
An evening people actually enjoy
Delivered with energy and genuine enthusiasm. This is consistently the feedback committees pass on: entertaining as well as useful.
You get to talk to Enda directly
No booking agency, no call centre. You speak to the person actually delivering the talk before you commit to a date, and get a feel for the evening in advance.
Works for the whole family, not just parents
A joint version brings students into the room too, informative for parents and directly inspirational for the teenagers actually sitting the exams.
What parents actually leave able to do.
The evening opens with the connection between a teenager's mental health and their academic performance, since one drives the other far more than most families realise. From there it moves into nurturing a growth mindset and building resilience against setbacks, and effective communication, both between parent and child and between parent and school. It closes with the practical part: what a parent can actually do differently, starting that week.
Everything you need for your committee or event.
You're booking a full-time professional speaker with a lifetime's experience in Irish education, not a side project fitted around something else. Here's exactly what that looks like in practice.
Experience matters.
The best way to know if this is the right fit is a five minute conversation.
You'll get a feel for the energy, the enthusiasm and the knowledge that makes the evening work, the same thing your parents will experience in the room. No booking agency, no call centre, no waiting on a form response. Just ring, and talk it through.
From previous parents' evenings.
“It was a great night of entertainment and a wonderful success for the parents' association. Enda's dynamic presentation style kept us engaged and motivated.”
“I attended Enda O'Doherty's presentation and the strategies shared have positively impacted my child's learning journey.”
“As a parent, I found the Best Your Child Can Be presentation truly enlightening. It empowered me to support my child's education.”
“Enda's expertise was evident throughout the presentation. The valuable insights have already improved my child's study habits.”
“The insights provided by Study Skills Ireland have genuinely changed our approach to how we support our child's education at home.”
“The presentation was outstanding. The tools shared have significantly boosted my child's confidence going into their exams.”
Full names, school and county, once you have permission to publish them, would make these considerably stronger.
Prefer email? Send the details here.
Send your preferred date, roughly how many parents you expect, and whether you're thinking in person or webinar. Enda replies personally, usually within a day, with availability and a quote.
Please contact:
086 677 2154, or email info@endaodoherty.ie.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How do we book The Best Your Child Can Be for our parents' association?
Call 086 677 2154 for a direct conversation about your date and audience, or use the form on this page. Enda answers personally and is happy to talk it through before you commit to a date.
What does the talk cover?
How to support a teenager through exam pressure without adding to it, how to tell ordinary exam nerves apart from a deeper motivation problem, building intrinsic motivation rather than relying on fear of consequences, and effective communication strategies for the parent-child and parent-teacher relationship, drawn from Enda O'Doherty's thirty five years in Irish second level education.
Do parents receive anything at the talk?
Yes. Every parent attending receives free digital copies of both of Enda O'Doherty's books: “Supercharge Your Study Skills”, and “The Thriving Mind”, on positive mental health.
Can students attend as well as parents?
Yes. A version of this talk is available for parents and students to attend together, blending informative content for parents with an inspirational message aimed directly at the students in the room.
Is it suitable for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate parents?
Yes. It is regularly delivered to parents of Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Leaving Certificate students, with examples adjusted to the audience on the night.
How long is the talk and what format does it take?
About ninety minutes, in person or by webinar, including questions at the end. Timing can be adjusted to fit your parents' association schedule.
What does it cost to book?
Available from €950. Exact fees depend on format and date. Call for a straightforward quote, most committees find it easiest to just talk it through.