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Ten years ago today I made a choice.
Ten years ago today I made a choice. No big deal, right? Everyone makes hundreds of decisions every day. And what makes one choice more important, or more memorable than another, anyway? Are they the...
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Our first 'holiday' (aka boot camp) with two children
Our first 'holiday' (aka boot camp) with two childrenWarning: this post contains sarcasm.Holiday. That word conjures up all sorts of connotations: sun, sea, sand, rest.... the list goes on. And then...
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Well, you chose to have kids, didn't you?! Why parents are the only people...
When I was my youthful, carefree, childless self I would look at stressed-out mothers and wonder why they had even bothered if they found parenting so hard. I reserved some sympathy for parents of one...
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What can you expect of your children?
Photography: stock up, lettering by www.lisamaltby.comWhen you had a baby, what did you expect of him? That sounds a weird thing to ask, doesn't it? Like, what can you possibly expect from a helpless...
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Since when did parenting become about what society wants?
It was my son's graduation last week. You must think I was incredibly proud of his academic achievements, other than the fact that he graduated, not with a degree, but a hand made certificate with a...
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Why I have a favourite child
When you have one child you cannot imagine loving another child the same. You have journeyed with him from day one, cared for him in the most intimate ways, and studied every line and curve on his...
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Are parents expected to be 'morning people'?
I've never been a morning person. I used to spend the first hour of my morning avoiding all contact with humanity and sipping a strong cup of tea. Now I have to get up at least an hour earlier than I...
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Why mums just want to have fun
When I got asked on a girly holiday abroad by one of my close friends I smiled and said I'd think about it, knowing full well that of course I wouldn't actually go. Of course I couldn't go on holiday...
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When will I stop writing about my children?
When I started writing my diary it was just for me; I needed to write it. And I still need to write like I need to eat - not only because I enjoy it but because it's like therapy for the all the...
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Is it realistic to tell mothers that they can 'have it all'?
Can mothers really have it all? Photo: Ian Walton/Getty ImagesSo I hope I am an inspiration for other mums that you can do it and go out and do both (work and motherhood) really well.”Jess...
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YOU'RE tired?? 6 steps to responding to exhausted mothers
I planned to write a post about my son starting school last week. In fact, I had a number of ideas of topics to write about. But I was just too exhausted. I had bitten off more than I could chew.I hit...
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6 things you face once your kid starts school
My beautiful boy on his first day of school (and probably the last photo I will post of him on my blog, I promise!).Ever since I gave birth I've had people giving me milestones to work towards - "don't...
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Were you labelled a 'sponger' for taking maternity leave?
I got a taxi last week. Now I'm sure you couldn't give a damn how I get from one place to another, but bear with me. It seems that whenever I get into a taxi I partake in the usual 'polite'...
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"My dog ate my son's reply slip"– Why parents shouldn't need to make excuses.
It is my son's school harvest festival today. I know that because it said it on the pink sheet of 'dates to remember' that I found in my child's book bag. In fact, it said it on several letters in the...
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Why there's no such thing as an easy baby, but there is such a thing as a...
People told me that there was no such thing as an easy baby – they told me that all babies are difficult, and, having had two, I know this to be true. But this comment did not appease me when my...
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Would you like any help with your packing?
"Would you like any help with your packing?" The supermarket lady asks. "I should be fine, thanks," I say, hurriedly placing a loaf of bread into the carrier bag as the other items ricochet down...
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The need to stop writing and the need to start again.
I haven't written for a while, four months to be precise. I wrote a few rough drafts and deleted them. I went from writing every week to nothing at all - nothing about motherhood at least. I've had a...
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You're a mother: it's all your fault
I remember clearly the second emotion I felt after I met my firstborn for the very first time and it felt nearly as overwhelming as the first. Contrary to popular belief the first emotion I felt was...
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So... just how long does it take to lose the baby weight?
It's taken me a long time to write this post. It's not just because I've been busy or because I couldn't think of the right words, it's simply because showing photographs of your bare belly can make...
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How do we respond if our kids choose a different path to us?
I have been very lucky to grow up in a really loving family; a family that loves deeply and cares selflessly. They are good people. My dad can't sit still in my house without finding something to fix...
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"I should never have had children"
"I should never have had children," she said to me with anguish in her face. I was shocked that a lady in her nineties could be so filled with regret, not least about the two lives she had created."I...
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Working: a luxury mothers cannot afford.
I’ve struggled with being honest lately. I’ve chosen not to write. I can’t seem to write without being honest, see, it’s just not me. Over the past year I’ve felt the need to develop some sort of weird...
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The unseen things.
This week:I will be taking my youngest to nursery without a fancy dress costume.I won't get into work until 11am.I will turn up to meet an acquaintance, wearing no make-up.I won't make any cakes for my...
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Boys don't cry
I knew from very early on that I had a sensitive child – he would cry at the sound of a bus driving past or the mere sound of someone coughing. He was difficult to appease. I felt like I was failing...
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Gloriously curious - why good education starts with fun
I remember sitting in my classroom, aged six, trying to remember words for my vocabulary test. It was difficult to become passionate about words that had little connection or relevance to me. I did,...
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