We took the kids for tapas last weekend - not because they're really into Spanish-style eating and not because we're trying to broaden their cultural horizons - it was more of an accident really. We went to see fireworks in Dun Laoghaire, and once they were over, we tried a few of the nearby restaurants, but ...
“I always wanted to work in Xtra Vision and watch movies all day. I still hanker after that some days!” This week I meet Maureen O’Rourke, a mammy of two, living in Shankill and working in Digital Banking. Maureen, thank you for taking part in the series! So, could you tell me how many children you have ...
I don't know if it's the change in weather, or the in-betweenness, or just the relentlessness of the school runs, but the inevitable low has hit and hit hard. A month ago, I celebrated six months as a freelancer - happy with my CV of published articles and thrilled with a blog award. Of course, I tempted fate ...
I can sense his dissatisfaction. He plucks the crown off again, mutters something, and goes back to filing it. I'm staring up at a light through oversized plastic glasses and my nails are digging into my palm. Is he muttering because it's not going well? Should I be worried? Maybe he's a perfectionist, and all the ...
Dusk. A mild November evening, with a huge purple sky above, and twinkly lights visible in the distance. They ran, one following the other, through the falling darkness. They'd just seen real reindeer, and now they wanted to take a peek into Santa's bedroom. Rushing, single-minded, single-file. We had arrived at the Airfield Estate Christmas Experience ...
One of the most confusing (and nerve-racking) areas of parenting for me has always been car seats. There's a huge choice, there's lots of information, but unlike picking a playmat or a highchair, the top consideration is of course safety, and there's no room for error. As a parent, I desperately want to get it ...
"This is probably not a popular answer but I really enjoy going out to work. I don’t think I’d like to be a stay at home mother." Ruth Chambers is a sports journalist and editorial designer, living in Kildare with husband Mike, and their two small children. She also writes a weekly “mammy column” for the ...
The poor third child. Two weeks ago, we were asked by his teacher to bring wellies in to preschool, so at home that afternoon, I picked them up to pack them in his bag. They looked a little small so I got him to try them on. He couldn't get his feet into them. I checked ...
The roar of football from one room, a kids' movie in the other. The smell of steak and onions. An as yet unopened bottle of red on the counter. It's on a promise. The doors are closed, the blinds are down, the pressure's off. There's a blanket of calm with a weave of excitement running through. There's an ...
I'm addicted to taking photos. I have been, ever since I got my first camera, back in the late 80s. It was a dark-blue-coloured Kodak, long and flat, and I loved it. I took it on every trip and on every night out, and captured a few very carefully chosen moments. Only a few, because ...