In almost every room in my house there is now a piece of paper hung or taped on the wall somewhere, documenting somebody's failure. Daddy's failure to make a decent Reward Chart. Mummy's failure to remember to stick the relevant stickers onto the chart. My daughter's failure to grasp that the purpose of the chart …
Continue reading Reward charts – who wins?
Here I am - airing my dirty laundry in public again. Rifling through the wardrobe I'm struggling to find anything for my daughter - and indeed myself - to wear that is not soiled. They've been through the wash - we're not going to smell - but every dress, every T-shirt, bears a blotch or …
Before I even fell pregnant I always said I didn't want a girl. "Because what if she's prettier than me?!" I would exclaim. What a life - doomed to be the wicked mother who gazes into her magic mirror at her wizened face, seething with jealousy at the enchanting young creature that gambles about behind …
My daughter has introduced me to a lot of new friends and for them all I am most grateful. But, just as I found at school or in the dating game, there are always a few elusive figures who I find myself admiring from afar. Mothers who I look up to or am quite simply …
“Go away!”, the writhing banshee screeches in my face. I back off and continue to watch the futile struggle to push her head through a sleeve. I reach forward once again, open my mouth to say something and then think better of it. Walk away. Just as I am ensconced in my chair with the …
It’s just before 3pm in the afternoon. I am sitting at my desk when my mobile goes off. It’s the childminder. My heart immediately starts beating a thousand times a minute and my mind can’t even focus in on imaginable disasters. Within two rings I have flicked the answer button and breathlessly, hesitantly, utter, “Hello?” …
A loud squeal drags me from the story in which I am deeply engrossed. I look over at my child but to my relief it is a squeal of laughter and not an altercation which I am required to referee. My gaze lingers for a moment as I pause briefly to consider if I should …
The heatwave is melting my mind and I can barely function, let alone write coherent sentences. But there have been a few times I’ve actually been grateful to be a parent to a two-and-a-half-year-old as we’ve watched the mercury soar over the last few weeks. Here are a few things about parenting that have been …
Once upon a time there was a little girl who had just gone to bed. She had had a bath and brushed her teeth. She had been read two stories, said her prayers and kissed all her favourite toys goodnight. Her mother had sat on the chair beside her bed and snuggled her on her …
Continue reading The Girl Who Cried Wee – A True Story of Bedtime
Uncomfortable, time restricting, irrespective of personal space - parents have to tolerate a lot. Pity then the poor commuting parent, who must spend hours crushed into hot and sweaty commuter trains, which are frequently and inexplicably delayed rendering them late for their childcare pick-up. The torture only doubles when they must take back responsibility for …
Continue reading Commuting Vs Parenting – Which is more gruelling?
