Today's sultry summer weather has reminded me of a similar day a few weeks ago. It was a day of demands. And, being the good British mum I am, I wanted to let my children experience the glories of summer in case the season decided not to greet us again until next year. Read: I got the paddling pool … [Read more...] about THE DAY OF DEMANDS (AND THE HALF-DEAD FLOWERS WHICH SPOKE MORE THAN ANY BOUQUET)
Parenting
Parenting is such a challenging role! And there are so many people telling us how we should do it.
I am not one of those people. But I hope that by sharing my own - often highly flawed - experiences, I can offer reassurance and empathy to others going through similar challenges.
WHY ADOPT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BIRTH CHILDREN?
It's one of those questions that many of us might have in our heads, but never actually verbalise. After all, it sounds rude, doesn't it? As if we're questioning someone's life choices - something we know never, ever to do in 21st-century Britain. Well, here's an answer. It's my answer, and it … [Read more...] about WHY ADOPT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BIRTH CHILDREN?
WHY MY SON TORE UP HIS MOTHERS’ DAY CARD (AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)
As an organised, sentimental yet time-starved Mum, my approach to archiving all those special bits and pieces that your kids produce (and which you want to keep because, my gosh, some of it is truly awful), consists of throwing them all into named box files. It works pretty well: each child has a … [Read more...] about WHY MY SON TORE UP HIS MOTHERS’ DAY CARD (AND IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK)
THE DIARY OF A (TRYING TO BE HOLY) MUM – BOOK REVIEW
When you write a blog, it's inevitable that people start telling you to write a book. All very well, you say, but it's a bit harder to come up with an idea that might actually sell. After all, a book has to be more than a group of disparate thoughts all fused together. (Unless you're a celebrity, in … [Read more...] about THE DIARY OF A (TRYING TO BE HOLY) MUM – BOOK REVIEW
DEAR SON, THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF ‘BROTHER’
Dear Son, The other day you asked me whether your younger brothers were your step-brothers. We'd just returned from school, and I was distracted, sorting through book bags, reading letters and signing permission slips, so I don't think I gave you a very good answer. (That's the problem with being a … [Read more...] about DEAR SON, THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF ‘BROTHER’
COULD I BE A SINGLE PARENT?
If I'm honest, this is the week I was dreading most this year. My husband, who usually works from home and hardly ever goes away, has been enrolled on a leadership course which involves a couple of residential weeks. This has been the first of them. I like to think of myself as fairly independent - … [Read more...] about COULD I BE A SINGLE PARENT?
SHOULD WE AVOID MOTHERS’ DAY JUST BECAUSE IT’S HARD?
Every year Mother's Day rolls around. And every year I see a barrage of comments on social media or blogs about how hard Mother's Day is for many people. And every year there's someone who's calling for the whole thing to be abolished. I do wonder whether Mother's Day - like many festivals, special … [Read more...] about SHOULD WE AVOID MOTHERS’ DAY JUST BECAUSE IT’S HARD?
5 FABULOUS THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS LENT
After the long Autumn term - which feels like it'll never end - this term, by comparison, goes in a flash. Linger in January for a moment too long, and suddenly it's Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and BANG! We're into Lent. I love using the seasons and festivals to make some family traditions and … [Read more...] about 5 FABULOUS THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS LENT
CAN I BE A FEMINIST AND A STAY-AT-HOME MUM?
I'll be honest: feminism didn't really play a major part in my life until recently. I've been pretty fortunate not to have known any gender-related obstacles at work or at home. I haven't suffered abuse or harassment at the hands of men, nor have I been prevented from doing anything I wanted to do … [Read more...] about CAN I BE A FEMINIST AND A STAY-AT-HOME MUM?