Over seven years as a mother working outside the home, I've learnt a thing or two: 1. The working mother clichés are true Soother in suit pocket? Check. Smushed banana on trousers? Check. Racing out of work to make it to creche on time? Yes, a thousand times over. Clichés exist because they are mostly true, and really, in this ...
“It can often be hard putting on my coat and heading out to work in the evening. Both from the point of view of missing story and bedtime and also after a long day it’s hard to ignore the sofa calling!” This week I meet Mary Holmes, a Dublin based mother, and owner of Ruby Seven, ...
I'm writing this from my small boy's bedroom floor, and when he finally goes to sleep, I'll grab something to eat, probably standing at the counter, making a school lunch and checking e-mails at the same time. Then I'll bake a cake for the school cake-sale. OK, there's no cake-sale. But you get the drift. ...
“We haven’t made it easy in this country for women or for young families. We say that we want everyone to be productive members of society, but then we haven’t put the supports in place for people with young children who want to go back to work. I think this should be top of the ...
I had my fortnightly spill-on-the-desk incident today, only instead of the usual full cup of water, it was a full cup of tea. And not just on the desk, but all over my chair too, and the floor, and my notebook, and my dress. In the middle of the day, soaking wet. I tried my ...
“Sometimes I think that the only way this would be properly addressed by society is if women announced they were not going to be involved in any further reproduction until the system was change to make life easier afterwards” This week’s interview is with Alison O'Connor, who is a columnist with The Irish Examiner. Her work ...
Back in 2003, I switched jobs at work, and took on something that was way out of my comfort zone. One of those "feel the fear and do it anyway" moments, where the outcome is supposed to be life-changing and wonderful and so, so worth it. I had imaginary conversations that went something like this: "Yes, ...
Some friends of mine are meeting for dinner on Friday, and I can't go. The pull to cancel my plans in order to join them is strong - hovering at the fringes of my mind ever since I saw the email. I'll resist, but I'll be wondering if it's a good night, if they'll be ...
I asked my three-year-old recently how he would do things if he ruled the world. Because he can't fully articulate this just yet, I observed him in everyday life and wrote it down for him - I think this is pretty much what he'd decree if he was in charge: Playtime at 5am is permitted seven days a week, and singing ...
I am literally (not literally) the last person in Ireland to discover running. For years now, it has been the go-to option for people all over the country who want to stay fit and healthy. And we all know that it has become particularly popular since the recession, when people ran out of money to pay for ...