MaryByrne's Blog

Every day we are bombarded with news reports about our country's ever-growing obesity battle, and we are constantly reminded just how bad sugar and junk food are for our body. My child is very rarely denied a biscuit or ice cream so I am certainly not one of those parents who passes comments on kids' eating habits, but like everyone else I am all too aware of how important it is for me to...

To cut a long story short, my daughter and I were driving along in the car listening to the radio when suddenly a clip that used the phrase ‘kick-ass’ came on. I admit it’s not one of the worst things she can say or ask about and, technically, 'kick' and 'ass' aren’t really bad words (well maybe 'ass' if used in a certain way...), but it’s not something I want to...

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...

Mums often put themselves under unnecessary stress when it comes to how to handle situations when their kid meets a person who is different from them. However, it’s time we gave our sons and daughters the credit that they deserve, and perhaps learn a thing or two from them in the process. Recently while out and about catching up on family-time with my seven-year-old, we came across an exhibition...

There is nothing quite like a beautiful, sunny day to make us all feel happy and relaxed. And as we enjoy our third ice-cream while basking in the yellow glow, our bodies are getting some much-needed vitamin D. Now I’m not the type of person you’ll find sunning themselves on the beach or in the garden - my pale, freckled skin just doesn’t bode well with it - I do love when summer comes...

When it comes to pregnancy, we have medical professionals saying one thing, friends saying another and family members dividing you right down the centre in terms of what you can and can’t do. And while it is important we listen to what our doctors and GPs advise, a bit of mothering common sense certainly goes a long way. Last weekend, while out for lunch with the girls, one of my friends happily...

Dare we open up a can of worms by talking about the sensitive topic of a mother’s age? Sure, why not! Nowadays, women are starting their families later and later in life, with mid- to late-thirties being the optimum age for so many. Career, financial security, not ready to settle or haven’t met the right person - they are all very valid reasons not to pop a sprog out right now. But while it is...

Being the mum of a girl is hard work. Seriously, I feel like I was lured into a false sense of security when I found out I was having a daughter and someone told me: "ah, girls are easy." I’m pretty sure whoever said it only had boys. Motherhood is a rollercoaster of emotions and there seem to be so many rights and wrongs that it gets confusing - even more so with daughters when you're their...

We all know Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if you're anything like me, you've been leaving enough hints around the house about gifts that nobody would dare forget! However, who these hints are directed at is very different for every mum. Older kids can pick you up something, while smaller ones obviously can’t, so in many cases, the hints are directed at our significant...

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...