8.10 am according to clock on the oven, so 8.08 am real-time; I raise my voice slightly. Twelve minutes until 8.20, when we need to be driving out the drive-way. Although really, 8.25 will do it. But aiming for 8.25 would mean being late for sure. We need to aim for the unachievable departure in order ...
Amid the strong support for the feelings expressed in Donna Hartnett's open letter to Enda Kenny, there has also been some "tough luck, you can't have it all" type responses (on Twitter, and some referenced here) I don't think that's the point at all - I don't think anyone expects to "have it all" - certainly not ...
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 ...
"Well what if we leave a bit earlier tomorrow?" I said to my daughter on the way into school last week, in answer to her complaint that she wouldn't have enough playtime before class started. "Yeah, we said that this morning too, and here we are, running at the last minute," I heard behind me - ...
Babysitting. Something about which I have vivid memories; a teenage part-time-job. And now it's come full circle, as what seems like five minutes later, I'm all grown-up and paying a teenager to mind my kids. Having had three childminders (counting the runaway one) and about forty different creche minders (high turnover), I didn't expect that leaving the kids ...
Driving along the coast road, the September sun is filtering through the white sky. Mixed weather is what the forecasters call it. Silence from the back; a Saturday football roundup on the radio. Tired after running all day, three small faces are watching but not watching. The sea stretches out beside us and the red and ...
6.30am. The pitter patter of little feet. I can guess which feet. My early bird four-year-old. She climbs into bed to snuggle, and asks me what we're doing today. "Well, daddy is bringing your little brother swimming because he never gets to go normally, when you girls have classes. And in the afternoon, we've to bring ...
When my first child started school two years ago, everyone said it would be a big change. I didn’t exactly disbelieve them, but really, I thought, how big could it possibly be? Unsurprisingly, I got it completely wrong. 1. School is just the next step after crèche, right? What I thought: She’s been in crèche for a couple of ...
Tiny grown-up girl, wrapped up in swathes of burgundy, you smile out, from deep inside. Oblivious to the over-size, just happy to finally be there. It's a hand-me-down from your big sister, but you don't mind. You've waited two long years to follow in her foot-steps; to follow in her uniform. Your smile - your face, your excitement ...
We're getting braver. This summer we took five day-trips. Not too adventurous and not too far from home, but a step-up from last year. Baby-steps - or toddler-steps as the case may be. So here's a quick review of five destinations - all within an hour of Dublin: 1. Clara Lara This was possibly our favourite day ...