I have a question

women in the workplace

If you're reading this, and you have children, do you work fewer hours per day or days per week than your partner? And if so, do you do that because you want to, or because you feel you've been forced to? I'm reading an article in the Independent this morning, which refers to Glassdoor survey results ...

Working To Pay For Childcare

HerFamily Irish mothers

Would you consider working just to cover the cost of childcare? According to a recently released EU-wide study, that's exactly what huge numbers of Irish women are doing. The researchers used a “Participation Tax Rate” (PTR) to see what percentage of earnings are lost through tax, loss of social welfare benefits, and childcare costs. The study was based on ...

Hello again and on to phase 2

home alone selfie

So after four months of night-time working and day-time mammying, last week everything changed. For the first time, all three kids are in school and preschool, and I can work in the mornings. It's surreal to be at home when they're not here, and it's a little bit lonely to think they're not babies anymore, but it's exciting ...

Office Mum stories – Alma Jordan

Alma Jordan - Office Mum

“I do suffer with working mother’s guilt, but I wonder if this ‘guilt’ is something I am feeling based on what I believe others are thinking” The interview series returns after a summer break, featuring Kildare native Alma Jordan. After years in sales and marketing, the mother of one recently set up her own business, AgriKids, ...

Office Mum stories – Sinéad Fox

Sinead Fox Profile Pic

“One of the key drivers for my moving job was that my previous role had very little flexibility and only allowed working from home in very special circumstances and on a temporary basis.” This week’s interview is with solicitor, blogger, and mother of three Sinéad Fox. She talks guilt and glass ceilings, presenteeism and batch cooking, and ...

Office Mum stories – Eimear Hutchinson

Eimear Hutchinson - Office Mum

“It may however be the case that even the most ambitious of women change their priorities when they have children and therefore they are happy to reside under the glass ceiling as it gives them the freedom to be home at 5.30pm.” This week I speak to Eimear Hutchinson, a mum of two girls, Aoife and ...

Office Mum stories – Fionnuala Zinnecker

Fionnuala Z

“Anyone reading this will hate me when they hear that childminder costs are highly subsidised and kindergarten is free. We only have to pay for the dinners. The level of care is very good too.” This week’s interview comes from further afield than usual. Fionnuala Zinnecker is a mother of three, with a German husband, an ...

Office Mum stories – Deirdre Spillane

Deirdre Spillane - Office Mum interview

“We need to stop congratulating fathers whenever they pitch in. This perpetuates the belief that child rearing and housework are ‘women’s work’ and men are only helping out.” Thank you Deirdre for taking part in this interview series for Office Mum - could you tell me how many children you have and their ages?  I have a boy, ...