Blog List

Most of us remember the first pet we had when we were kids, and just how utterly devastating it was when they died. Even now, nearly 30 years later, I can vividly remember how I felt when my first my terrapin and then my rabbit died. Both happened years apart but they definitely introduced me to the unpredictability of life at an early age. Sadly, my daughter experienced that awful feeling last...

Last Saturday morning, I had a neighbour lean conspiratorially across the low wall which divides our front gardens and gesture I come closer for a chat. Inwardly I sighed, replaced my shopping bags in the boot and reluctantly mooched forward with a vague smile. Well, I think it was vague, but it was probably more strained than anything. There is nothing wrong with this woman per se, but she’s...

So, what exactly has Kim Kardashian done wrong here? Ever since the mum-of-one announced she was expecting her second child mere days ago, she’s been exposed to extensive media ridicule, much of which has little grounding in reality. Jokes and suggestions that childbirth is the only hard labour she’s ever experienced fell flat as I took a moment to consider the intense criticism levelled at...

I brought my children to the zoo on Saturday and instead of marvelling at the array of wild animals almost within touching distance, I found myself mesmorised by fellow families. While obviously I encounter other families on a daily basis, these interactions are generally fleeting and ones to which I don’t offer much thought. However, last weekend saw me wander for two hours in the company of...

At one point or another most of us have jokingly told our children that as soon as they are old enough they’ll be packing their bags and moving out. I have definitely said this to my little girl on more than one occasion, but deep down I know that the minute she decides to leave the nest my heart will break. I'm not sure why I started contemplating on her eventually leaving the family home...

I have a friend who pretty much refuses to chat about her children. While she worships the ground they walk on, she just doesn’t feel their achievements or progress are appropriate topics of conversation when chatting with another adult, unless of course, it's her partner. “Parents only ask you about your own kids, so they can start boasting about theirs,” she told me over a glass of...

Like most mums, I go through ups and downs when it comes to my child. While the love is unconditional, the enthusiasm for family life is not always consistent. Some weeks I’m on top of things and manage to juggle work responsibilities, family commitments and mother/daughter time with next to no trouble, but then there are the other times. While I wish I could say that work takes a back seat or...

Myself and my husband decided to treat ourselves this past weekend. We reserved a table in our favourite (pre-kids) restaurant, we got dressed up and we organised a babysitter. Delighted with ourselves, we swung out of the house, hopped into a taxi and held hands as we anticipated out first proper date night in eight months. And then we spent three and a half hours talking about our children. We...

My daughter is a very lucky little girl and I don’t think she realises it. When I say lucky, I don’t mean in terms of getting clothes or all the toys that her heart desires (not even close), but rather that she is lucky in the incredible relationship she has with her grandparents. Growing up I myself had the pleasure of knowing my grandmother and grandfather on my dad’s side, and I vividly...

I never thought reality TV family, the Kardashians, would ever play a significant role in the relationship I share with my children, but you can’t really predict these things. When you become a mum, you realise some of the most important lessons can be born of the most innocuous or mundane events. Similarly, some of the most significant moments in you and your child’s relationship can be born...