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In honour of World Book Day, 5 th March 2015, I thought it only too fitting to share my dilemma with you. We are all aware of the benefits of reading and many would consider it to be one of the most important t hings we can introduce our kids to. For me, it’s definitely up there with teaching our youngsters to say no and introducing them to other ways of life. I’m totally that mother who...

One of the things I told myself before I became a mum was that I wouldn’t, under any circumstances, allow my own insecurities to become my daughter’s insecurities. I recently learned that I failed spectacularly on that point. Finding my 12-year-old twisting in front of the mirror, lamenting the size of her bum in a new school skirt reminded me just how much I failed. I’ll be frank here, my...

Dakota Johnson and her mother Melanie Griffith hit the headlines last week after they had starring roles in the classic Mother/ Daughter Public Spat Show. Watching two bonafide celebrities engage in a silent, and then not-so-silent, tug of war during what should have been a special moment, reminded me of a particular instance with my own mother. It was one I had attempted to bury, but which came...

So, I seem to have lost the ability to call my daughter by her first name. It's not a new problem though, in fact, it probably started about seven years ago. There is no reason for it; I absolutely love and adore her name - I personally spent nearly two weeks deciding on it, honestly! But her beautiful name just never seems to come out of my mouth – well, unless she is in trouble that is. My...

Amanda Holden recently found herself at the centre of a storm of controversy after posting that picture of her daughter dressed in a red off the shoulder frock, adorned with jewels and plastered in full make-up. Originally billed as attending a 90s theme day at school dressed up as Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman, that was hastily retracted due to an immediate online backlash. The...

Footage of a young boy telling his dad a big old lie has gone viral recently because the crafty dad played the kid at his own game and taught his son a serious lesson in the process. The footage made me uncomfortable for a number of reasons, not lest the fact that the father in question mentioned shooting the people who were supposedly getting all up in his son’s business. Really? Whatever...

With four children under one roof, it’s hardly surprising the phrase ‘sibling rivalry’ comes up every now and again. Much of it passes me by, if I’m honest. Home wouldn’t be home without the sound of children bickering over a computer game or taunting each after over who’s more accomplished in the latest neighbourhood craze. In a small way, I welcome the (mostly) good natured...

When I was a kid, I barely heard the word ‘obesity’. Back then, epidemics were for things like the flu. There was only one chubby kid in my school, and they had terrible asthma. Everything has changed since then. We’ve gone all sedentary and we’re surrounded by cheap calorie-rich foods. We’re having an obesity epidemic, and we’re warned that we might be the first generation to outlive...

I really love this time of year: there is a hint of spring in the air, a hope for warmer days ahead and it’s time for the Six Nations! Rugby has always been a big part of mine and my husband’s lives. He played and coached for many years with our local club and while I’ve never played myself (I can’t pass a ball to save my life!) I have always enjoyed watching the game. When we met it was...

In my last blog post, I mentioned my lovely book club. It’s a great gang. We comprise of mums from the two local schools, and as many of us have kids in both schools, there is a lot more than just books to discuss. I think the secret to our success has been the fact that we meet in the local, rather than in members’ houses. As a result, there’s no pressure on anyone from a catering point of...