Question: My daughter has surprised us all in recent weeks by deciding she wants to delay going into Leaving Cert by a year as she doesn’t feel prepared.

She is my third and youngest child, and has never expressed any desire to continue on with education after secondary school. My husband and I presumed she would look for a job when she finished.

She has now announced that she would like to go to college, but has no idea what she would like to study. The problem is my husband is worried about the cost of sending her to college, as we live in a very rural area and she’d have no option but to live away from home.

My two eldest lads did apprenticeships so supported themselves once they finished school, even though they still live at home. But I don’t want money to be a reason my daughter doesn’t pursue her dreams.

She doesn’t know the reasons, but she is aware that her father isn’t exactly on board with her decision to repeat fifth year. How can I encourage her to apply herself to the books, and at the same time calm him of the worries he has around paying for a college education?

– A mithered Donegal mother

Dear reader,

The financial pressure of supporting a child through third-level education is a very real concern for countless families. Many parents simply aren’t in a position to help, and your daughter may well have to factor in the need for her to work alongside any college course to support herself.

Your daughter has already made a pretty big decision, in repeating a school year. She may not have thought about the practicalities of what’s involved in studying away from home, but that isn’t her job right now.

Nor is it yours. All you need to do for now is support her through the next two school years and see where that takes her. I would gently reassure your husband that worrying about future finances won’t do anyone any good and you can cross that bridge when you come to it.

Dear Miriam,

I’m writing in response to the lady who was nervous about doing her driving test as she had started driving later on in life.

I am a farmer’s wife, 63 years of age and have just taken up driving in the past two years. I have recently passed my driving test at the first time of asking and it has opened up a whole new world for me. I have become so much more confident in every aspect of my life and I can’t believe how much my life has changed for the better.

I completely understand how that lady feels as I too felt extremely nervous and anxious in the run up to my test. Truthfully, I found the experience nerve-wracking, but I had a good instructor who helped me through it all. I took countless lessons which were worth every single cent.

My advice to this lady is to go ahead and book a test. Get plenty of practice in and you’ll be fine. This is coming from someone who two years ago had no confidence or self-belief and is now enjoying a whole new world.

– Wishing you the very best of luck. A Leinster lady (who passed first time)

Do you have a problem you would like to share? If so, write in confidence to: Dear Miriam, Agony Aunt, Irish Country Living, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12, or email miriam@farmersjournal.ie