Until recently, apart from lighter traffic on the way to work, the October mid-term break meant nothing to me at all. But since the kids started school, and once I realised that taking the mid-term week off work was the thing to do, this time of year has taken on a whole new meaning. It's ...
One day last week, Clara looked a little sad coming out of school. The kind of sad face most of us see from time to time - the one that makes you think "Please let this be because she didn't like her sandwiches and not that she's decided she hates school." I gave her a big ...
When a Fisher Price Smart Stages chair arrived in the post two weeks ago, I suddenly realised I needed a reason to give it to my toddler. New toys arrive at Christmas and on birthdays, but not so much during the rest of the year. Perhaps it's my 1980s upbringing, or not wanting to set ...
Lots of people are worrying about the clocks going back tonight and babies waking early tomorrow morning; here's my take on it: My toddler wakes around 6.30am - he will wake at 6.30am tomorrow morning, though it will be considered to be 5.30am due to Daylight Savings. So I'm not going to change my clock back tonight. When ...
If you're looking for a weekend break in a city with easy to follow street signs, smooth, well-kept pavements, graffiti-free buildings, a simple subway ticketing system, and taxi drivers that stay well within the speed limit, then I'd suggest that you give Lisbon a miss. But if you don't mind things on the rustic side, ...
Today, just today, if I wanted to write about a topic that really interests me, the truth is, that would be on writing. Not parenting, not women in the workplace, just writing. I'm not sure it's all that interesting for anyone else, but if you'll indulge me for just one day, that's what I'd like to do. Writing is like ...
“It’s a privilege to have a front row seat for these years of her childhood and I’m very grateful for it” This week I meet Suzy, who is the proud owner of one husband, one daughter, and one very demanding dog. She blogs at The Airing Cupboard, which is a heavily edited and much glamourised version ...
Hello from the fugue. Or the fog. I don't know which it is, and I'm too tired to work it out. I'd forgotten what this feels like. I've had six months of sleep now - not non-stop of course, but six months where most nights, most children slept through. And before you hate me, I ...
So Facebook and Apple are paying for female employees to freeze their eggs, to enable them to continue working for longer before having children, according to NBC news this week. It’s billed as the latest in a series of benefits provided by the corporate giants, as part of what’s termed a “perks arms race”. But what message ...
This time ten years ago, Facebook was just a baby, Twitter didn't exist, and a new show called X-Factor was appearing on our TV screens for the first time. In Ireland, we were sucking up the smoking ban, we were queuing overnight to buy houses from plans, and Niall Horan was just eleven years old. Undoubtedly, a lot has changed ...