Blog List

I was burrowing into one of my assorted pairs of tartan pyjamas (I say “pairs” only because there is a top and a bottom; these never match) the other evening when I remembered one of the few great things about the wintry days of darkest January: I don't have to look at my body. I go from multi-layered daywear to all-encompassing night attire with just a quick hot shower in between. No time...

I love my children. I want the very best for each of them. I want them to grow into confident, capable, happy, independent people - that’s why I insist on being a ‘bad’ mother! Here are some examples of my bad mothering: I don't put their coats on. I just provide them with coats (and hats and gloves and scarves) and I advise them that they should wear their these items when it is cold. I...

So yesterday I learned that my 14-year-old son is no longer a single man. He’s a grown-up in a committed relationship. Apparently. I say ‘apparently’ because I’m finding all this out second-hand. The day my son comes home and confides in me first will be the same day my husband discovers where the hoover is kept. No, I got this rather earth-shattering piece of news from my twelve-year-old...

For anyone who was offended by the internet’s latest hilarious offering, I urge you lighten up and acknowledge that there’s more than an element of truth in it. I’m talking of course about one father’s tongue-in-cheek description of his children’s buggy, which he posted on Ebay in a bid to rid himself of the snot-green monstrosity. And really, who could blame him? Now that Joel...

In recent times, we've seen more and more stories about children – usually young girls - writing letters to their father’s bosses, begging them to let Daddy off early so that he can spend time at home with them. There was the girl who wrote this sweet note to Google or m ore recently, the six-year-old girl who wrote to Southern Rail asking them to get her Daddy home on time to tuck her in...

We all have things that made our heart pound, our palms sweat and our knees weaken. For my 3-year-old son, it’s the appearance of a comb and the words ‘It will just take two minutes’. For me? Well, it used be the announcement that my regular hairdresser was on holidays and I’d be put in the not-so-capable hands of Jackie, the trainee, but now it’s the appearance of the letter that...

So, yesterday saw the latest development in playground politics. In case this story passed you by, let me quickly fill you in so we’re both on the same page. The parents of a five-year-old boy were issued with an invoice for the tidy sum of £15.95 because their son was a no-show at the latest birthday bash. (Honestly, the calendar of a high-profile socialite would pale in comparison to that of...

The grass is not always greener on the other side. If you know the joy of having a large family - and by large, I mean in quantity not weight - you may often wonder what it’s like on the other side; the side where you only have one child to care for. And while I certainly won't dispute that there are a number of positives (most notably when it comes to how much of your income goes on...

Whether catching up on news, replying to an email or mindlessly scrolling though our many social media accounts, we are all guilty of being on our phones when we probably shouldn’t be. And yes, I am guilty of it too. Most definitely. However, in my defence, I really do try to put the phone away, especially when I am watching my little girl playing sports or learning something new. This is mainly...

I still remember the first time I applied a full face of make-up. After working diligently for the guts of an hour, I slowly swivelled away from the mirror and turned to face my sister who let out a shriek. Yes, I had gotten it very badly wrong, but for years afterwards I considered her reaction over-the-top, unnecessarily dramatic and just so very…her. And then yesterday my 12-year-old daughter...