DaisyWilson's Blog

I have to admit that I was eagerly anticipating Budget Day. Oh I knew that sensible economists were muttering about fiscal responsibility and boom and bust policies, but I’d heard whispers that the government was going to tackle the childcare crisis, and when it comes to childcare I’d have taken a good ol’ pre-election giveaway over responsible economics any day. What would it be I wondered...

While listening to the radio at work the other day I heard a woman called Bea Marshall promoting her new parenting style: YES Parenting. It’s about saying yes to your children so they’ll become independent decision makers, because you know, children have never grown up to become independent decision makers before, ever. This will probably change the world. Yes, I rolled my eyes throughout as...

I’ve had two colds, back to back, stretching over three weeks: throat vigorously grated on the inside, nose running like an unmetered tap, jackhammer behind the eyes. All you want is to collapse into bed surrounded by a jumbo box of tissues, Lemsip and a constant supply of Halls Soothers. But you can’t. While there are sick days for work, there aren’t any for family – regular taxi, laundry...

I remember hearing the argument that the summer holidays are too long for children because they forget half of what they’ve learned and then struggle to return to the routine of school life. Well, what about the parents? What about my struggles? During that sweet two-month period of no school I forgot everything I’d ever learnt about how to survive the education of my children and so, here...

Time flies so they say. The flying of time is not something I dwell on too regularly, but there are points in your life when the speed of life is marked out in frightening relief. Right now, for me, is one of those times. It’s back-to-school time and I’m feeling nostalgic and a bit sad. Summer has gone too quickly (and without any sun, but let’s not mention that, it’s too painful) and in a...

I have discovered that sometimes the key to having a happy family life is to briefly leave the family. I’m not talking anything drastic here, just a short foray into the wider world without children hanging on your legs, partner’s wondering why we’re looking in this shop again, and nappy bags clanging off your shoulder. I’m guessing there are a lot of other parents out there like me; when...

Last week a survey came out with a figure for how much having a child is going to cost you: a six figure sum - €105,000 on average. Ouch. I never thought having a child was going to be a money saving exercise, what with all these labour laws that frown upon young ones cleaning chimneys and picking fruit, but still, a hundred grand? That’s a painful thought. Painful, but it shouldn’t come as...

We’ve just had a kid’s party at our house. The two-year-old turned three during the week and on Sunday, family and friends with kids were invited to celebrate the blowing out of candles. All week I was on weather watch, compulsively page-hopping from Met Eireann to Accuweather, my mood rising and falling with the isobars. On Sunday morning I checked once more, trying to ignore the very real...

Pester power, according to the Collins Dictionary, is the ability possessed by a child to nag a parent relentlessly until the parent succumbs and agrees to the child’s request. Relentlessly. Until you succumb. I am certain that I would be a much better parent if it weren’t for pester power. My children would never eat sweets, drink fizzy drinks or watch the same movie twice in one day. My...

The trouble with sleep starts with trying to get the two-year-old to go to sleep. The long evenings have confused her. She remains unconvinced that bedtime is in fact bedtime since it’s now still bright outside. I tell her that in the summer the days are longer and when she asks why, I attempt to explain about the earth’s axis having a tilt and us all living on a giant globe spinning around a...