This is how homework goes in our house: Me: Clara please can you come and start your homework Clara: (silence) Me: Please, come on, we need to get started Clara: In a minute mum Multiply this and various other responses by well, a lot, and fast forward to half an hour later, when we finally get to opening some worksheets. Me: ...
From sandals to boots overnight - summer is a goner. And we're all fine with that; as a nation we've agreed that we can't complain, because the summer was just so good this year (by nation I mean three real-life conversations plus the general consensus on Twitter)I'm thinking back on the highlights of my summer, and was ...
"I hate the playground" said the woman as she sat back down on the low wall. "Me too" I replied, shaking my head as I plucked a squirming toddler off the top of the slide. The very nice woman had just leaped up to grab Sam, who had decided that at twenty months it is perfectly ...
Two weeks ago, the toddler discovered television. And I am so happy. I know it's not good for him, I know at twenty months he is too young for TV, but my happiness outweighs any anxiety or guilt I might have about this. For the first time in six years, I can make dinner in the ...
My lovely nanny Silvia moved on to a new job in a new career as a writer last week, as mentioned here. The kids sobbed, I sobbed, Silvia cried too on her last day. But happily for us, we found a fantastic new nanny last week - she started on Monday, and I was beyond delighted at ...
Today is our childminder's last day, and the kids are upset. They are reacting in different ways.I asked Emmie, who is four, how she feels about it. "Sad" was her answer. I gave her another big hug and said that I'm sad too. I think she will be OK. She won't run into the arms ...
Don't be a martyr. Don't be a mammy-martyr or a worker-bee-martyr or any other kind. It didn't end well for Joan of Arc and it won't end well for you. I don't know if it's an Irish thing or a woman thing or a mother thing, or maybe a little bit of all of these, but ...
Tips for finding a childminder she said. Post your questions here she said. And the Gods of Taking Down Smug People thought "ha!" And even though I wasn't being horribly smug, take me down they did. Within one week of writing a blog post with tips for finding a childminder, I lost my own. Our lovely childminder handed her ...
It's been a tricky week - the type of week we all have from time to time, that makes you take stock of what's important - family, friends, health (and erm, sunshine, in case the weather gods are paying attention) My mood matched the thunder and rain that we've had all week, and the best thing ...
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There was a funny moment this morning when I was getting breakfast for the kids - well ironic more than funny. The two girls were busy at the table making necklaces by threading beads onto string, and deep in concentration, they were ignoring my requests for help. I was rushing as I was due to start work ...