mummy-wars & shades of grey

image credit CNN.com

The perpetuation of so-called mummy-wars assumes that there is a distinct split between just two types of mothers: those who go out to work in paid employment and those who stay at home with their children. Black and White. Opposite ends of the spectrum. Apparently. And it has reared it's head again this week, with the term ...

Office Mum stories: Caitríona Redmond

Caitriona Redmond

This is the first in a series of interviews with mothers; chatting about home and work and family, and that elusive balance that we all seek. Topics range from childcare to career changes, working from home to stay-at-home mothers, setting up businesses, fitting in homework, the ever-present guilt, and mostly, not doing a lot of ironing. The ...

Good day, good parent?

I worry a lot that I'm not very good at being a parent.  I work outside the home because financially I have to, as many mothers do. I also enjoy my job, and wonder sometimes if it's easy to hide behind the financial obligation - how would I really feel if suddenly it was possible to ...

The mammy-war myth

Mommy-wars. Or since we're in Ireland, let's say Mammy-wars. I can't stand the term, but it's the widely-used name for the phenomenon of mothers judging mothers on every element of parenting, originally coined to refer to mothers working outside the home versus stay-at-home mothers. Newspapers love the SAHM/ mothers working outside the home debate, as do radio shows, ...