Office Mum stories: Naomi Lavelle

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"I think once you become a parent, guilt is inevitable"                              "I often feel like I am present physically but trying to work on something myself while doing homework/cooking dinner etc.  I feel like I may be around my children a lot of the ...

mummy-wars & shades of grey

image credit CNN.com

The perpetuation of so-called mummy-wars assumes that there is a distinct split between just two types of mothers: those who go out to work in paid employment and those who stay at home with their children. Black and White. Opposite ends of the spectrum. Apparently. And it has reared it's head again this week, with the term ...

Office Mum stories: Caitríona Redmond

Caitriona Redmond

This is the first in a series of interviews with mothers; chatting about home and work and family, and that elusive balance that we all seek. Topics range from childcare to career changes, working from home to stay-at-home mothers, setting up businesses, fitting in homework, the ever-present guilt, and mostly, not doing a lot of ironing. The ...

Online disasters & virtual friends

image credit help-desk-homor.blogspot.ie

On Monday I attempted to convert my blog to a new website. This involved googling to get code to copy somewhere deep inside the hidden vaults of the new website. Not an easy task but what's the worst that could happen? If it didn't work, I'd use that nice back arrow at the top of my ...

Maternity benefit cut: what message does this send?

breakingnews.ie

Maternity benefit has been cut in this week’s budget to €230 per week, down from €262*. This is getting some attention in the media, but understandably, it is overshadowed by more hard-hitting changes. There have been some comments from ISME, One Family, and from the Director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland Orla O’Connor ...

Hitting the glass ceiling (or staying under the radar)

Is there really a glass ceiling for women in the workplace? Or is it for the most part, something experienced by mothers in the workplace? I realise that this is a controversial question but I’m genuinely interested to know if there are people reading who have been held back in the workplace simply because of being female. In my own experience ...

A beginner’s guide to birthday parties

If you are good at throwing birthday parties, this probably isn't the post for you. In fact, if you're even mildly average, feel free to click back out (really do - you will just find this patronising). If like me, your stomach churns with just a little bit of anxiety every time you think about hosting ...