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Driving home after a weekend in Granddad’s house in Galway, I found myself in the middle of a totally unplanned explanation of my dad’s memory problems. Princess Firstborn had asked me what a cigarette was and I explained that they were dirty things that grown up people put in their mouths and smoked. “You know the way Granddad forgets his words and people’s names all the time?” I said...

When I got married I always thought I would have two children. I got married the week I turned 25, which was quite young by today’s standards when so many women get married in their thirties. I naively thought I would have two children close in age, but to be honest, I wasn’t too fussy once I had happy healthy children. Fast forward several years later and the expression “If you want to make...

It's May – although I'm writing this wrapped in a fleece – and that means the start of the children's outdoor party season. With communions and summer birthdays to celebrate, expect the air to be filled with the sound of inflating bouncy castles as crowds of sugar-happy kids take to the great outdoors. I think the post-exam party my Leaving Certer has planned will be fuelled by...

Remember when you gave birth to your second child and were made stand in front of the world’s media, smile graciously and attempt to ignore the discomfort you undoubtedly felt following the childbirth you experienced mere hours before? Yeah, me neither. And that’s not just because I’m not a member of the Royal family, but it’s also because I didn’t give myself a chance to conceive again...

My son learned something about himself over the weekend and believe me, it did not sit easy with him. When I mentioned it in passing a few days ago, I genuinely thought he was aware that the little ritual used take place, but from his puce cheeks and gritted teeth, I quickly realised I was mistaken. Sitting around the dinner table on Friday evening, myself and the kids found ourselves reminiscing...

Before you say anything, I know I totally brought this problem on myself and I already know I should never had said anything in the first place, but it’s too late now! I should probably explain something to you before I begin: my wonderful daughter is animal mad (which is surprising considering a cat can’t so much as look at me without me feeling a little uneasy!) She loves all kinds of pets...

The older my children become, the more I find myself morphing into my own mother. I obviously have no recollection of my mum when I was an infant so I couldn’t possibly comment on her parenting skills back then, but I do remember her clearly from the age of four onwards and I can safely say, the transition has occurred. That four year old girl has now become the woman who used crouch in front of...

I have to admit, when I saw a mum from Maryland express disgust at her son's actions this week, I, like most people, cheered her on and applauded her parenting skills. But for anyone who saw the footage of the Baltimore mother publicly chastising her son for his participation in city's riots and thought her reaction went some way towards explaining her son’s involvement in antisocial...

So, I’ve found myself in somewhat of a predicament. Given the amount of things I have to worry about on a daily basis, I’m almost impressed I’ve found enough room in my already addled brain to squish this new concern in, but when you put your mind to something… Anyway, here’s the big issue. I cannot stand my daughter’s new pal and while I surely shouldn’t let the little upstart...

She took the news of Zayn Malik’s departure from One Direction very well. She was indifferent really, which surprised me. I brought her to see One Direction (1D) in the O2 arena – her first ‘gig’ – a few short years ago. It was an unforgettable night; she and I in a vast sea of girls and their mums and aunties and grannies, as the fever pitch and scream decibels grew. My girl drank it...