Sisters are doing it for themselves

I am the mean-mom who doesn't let my kids have new toys when it's not Christmas or birthdays, despite the fact that every single child in the school goes to Smyths EVERY SUNDAY to buy new toys - these are the same children who apparently all have their own YouTube channels, own iPhones, are allowed ...

Removing Guilt and Adding Presence

Lemon and poppyseed cake - Office Mum

Once upon a time, when I worked a lot more hours than I do now, I felt like I never had quality time with my kids. Each night when they went to bed, I thought about how another day had slipped by without me noticing. I would try to think back to conversations and interactions ...

How to make the best chocolate cake in the world without selling your kids on eBay

baking - office mum

This really, really is the best chocolate cake in the world. So much so, it's worth going through the drama of baking with kids, just to eat it. Announce that today’s activity is baking, then bask in the shrieks of joy and pronouncements that you’re the best mum ever. Tell them nobody is baking unless they’re fully ...

Halloween themed midterm for the uninspired parent

2015-10-26 11.58.19

Midterm break crept up on me this year, and I realised this morning that we have no plans at all - other than not getting dressed until as late as humanly possible every morning. The kids are here all week, so day-time working is suspended, but I forgot to come up with actual things to do. So I ...

And off he goes

M Readybrek

His favourite pastimes are chasing pigeons, raiding cupboards and eating bagels. At lunch-time, he ignores what everyone else is having and goes his own way, even if that’s Ready Brek with fives spoons. At dinner-time, he gets up from the table and walks off to play with toys. I bring him back and he looks up at ...

Toddler-proof baking & a Flora baking set giveaway

Coffee cup Office Mum

We've waited for today for weeks now. A whole day off. I'm not at work, and they're not at school. It was going to be the best one-day mid-term EVER. We made no plans - we were going to take it easy - see where the day might take us. And that worked out just ...

Valentine’s Day Mammy-style

Valentine

Ooh Valentine's Day - maybe we'll book a romantic night away in a hotel. Scrap that - no babysitter, no money. But I'll buy him a card and a present. Well, a card anyway. Those are nice cards! I'll get one each for the kids as well. Oh wait, there's €3.99 each. Maybe I'll just make cards for the ...

A dip into real life

Office Mum: coffee

I get to be a stay-at-home mum once a week, so I know exactly what it's like. No, not really. In fact not at all. My one day per week of SAHM-dom is Friday, so it's not quite a representative example of true stay-at-home parenting. On Friday, the traffic is lighter, the moods are lighter, ...