2019 Archive
Paula's blog: Does she still believe?
And the Christmas clock is ticking. This year, I find myself feeling incredibly disorganised. The in- and out-of-school commitments seem to multiply as the kids get older – Christmas production... Read More
Barbara's blog: Have yourself a merry little Christmas…
Is anybody else buckling under the pressure of Christmas expectations? A flurry of demands that start to simmer around October, when the days get shorter and colder and the shops are poised on the st... Read More
Caroline's blog: Seasonal countdowns
Hey ho, hey ho, it’s into Advent we go! The Christmas countdown is certainly apace. We’ve started scanning Amazon for present ideas and refining our story ahead of the annual inquisition ... Read More
Ana's blog: The menopause.... please keep reading!
I know it’s an uncomfortable topic which is not often talked about – that’s why I want to write about it. I attended an event hosted by Aviva last week (thank you) and realised how ... Read More
Lucy's blog: Clown Day
I check my phone and see an email from school. The sort of email every working parent dreads. “Sorry for the short notice..” it begins, and things don’t get better from there. It is... Read More
Angel's blog: Back to work – Stop the worry.
I recently returned to the city after a wonderful one year of maternity leave. This was my second maternity leave but for some reason, this time around the nervous feeling before the retu... Read More
Dolly's blog: Power
August hadn’t gone well. In fact life in general seemed to have taken a distinct turn for the worse. The work/life scales were heavily overloaded on both sides and frankly it was taking its tol... Read More
Linda's blog: Back to school
Like many of us with school age children, we have started the autumn term and come back to earth with a bit of a bump. Although we didn't go away this summer we went out on various day trips, saw... Read More
Kemi's blog: Flexible working
Since becoming a parent, I was very thankful when my younger son stopped breastfeeding at 11 months and moved into his own room, I was thankful when my older son got accepted into his first school ch... Read More
Addy's blog: The "C" word
Most people hate hearing the “C” word, and get very angry and upset when it’s said. But I'm going to say it, here on this blog. I have Cancer. There I said it; I used the &ldquo... Read More
Katie’s blog: Anyone else with children starting Reception t...
I have been chuckling at the assumption that life gets ‘easier’ when children start school and that juggling home and work becomes simpler. My juggling skills seem to have reached another... Read More
Peace's blog: Summer of gluttony
"Mummy, there's nothing in the house!"
As some parents may be able to relate to, sometimes it feels as though children's appetites grow exponentially at certain times of the ye... Read More
Dolly's blog: It’s another kids’ party and I’ll cry if I wan...
I am so over kids’ parties.
Even when I was a kid they caused me trauma. Not being invited confirmed my gnawing fear that I didn’t fit in, but being invited was e... Read More
Caroline's blog: Learning the hard way
They say that if you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning. Sadly, it was into this second category that our recent au-pair experience fell. Whilst we ca... Read More
Addy's blog: The little things in life....
I recently went to a Cityparents lunchtime seminar on Stress and Burnout and realised that I was very stressed and running dangerously close to burning out. One thing that really resonated with me wa... Read More
Hayley's blog: Holidays: Social media v reality
With summer holiday season almost upon us, I have found an unpublished blog I wrote last summer after returning from holidays (I hope you don’t mind the recycling!)
I had just finish... Read More
Rosie's blog: Demob happy?
The youngest son breaks up for school at the beginning of July for a full 8 weeks of kicking back and doing nothing (at least in his opinion). Think of the fortnights of Fortnite and other incredible... Read More
Marva's blog: Only the Brave (or Stupid!)
Three months ago, I decided to take the semi-calculated risk of leaving my current employer, without having a job-offer in place for another position.
For a single parent, with ever-increa... Read More
Peace's blog: Have you been pwned?
At a recent parent teacher information session, the Headteacher discussed the importance of online safety and safe guarding procedures that have been put in place for the pupils. I found that the ses... Read More
Freddy's blog: Making new friends
Our big drive at the moment is to make new friends. It’s a strange mission to have in your mid-30s (37 is still ‘mid’ isn’t it?) but we moved back to my wife’s home town... Read More
Ellen's blog: You, me and anxiety
I had an amazing experience last week at the CityParents event “Living with Anxiety” with Nick Elston. When I walked into the room, I felt (as I do again now) an overwhelming urge to cry;... Read More
Dolly's blog: Home alone
It’s been 12 years. Can I leave my kids on their own yet?!
After a decade of live-in childcare we are now fending for ourselves and I’m enjoying the freedom of walking naked ar... Read More
Caroline's blog: Connections
With Mental Health Awareness Week looming, I’ve been thinking about one small concept I believe has a massive impact on our mental wellbeing. Conveniently, it’s one we can easily track in... Read More
Addy's blog: Schrodinger’s Cat
I have decided I am Schrödinger’s cat.
For those of you who are not up on your quantum mechanics or fans of “The Big Bang Theory” here’s a layman’s guide to wh... Read More
Hayley's blog: Three
I realised as I was about to start writing this that, other than writing on here, I have written a lot less over the last 12 months than I did in the 12 months before that. I used to write regular bl... Read More
Rosie's blog: The rite of spring
The change of season is upon us and the warm sun and longer evenings are welcome as leaving for work in the dark and getting home in the dark seem like distant memories. It’s a time of year for... Read More
Sarah's blog: The guilt trap
I read an article once which I think summed it up perfectly – life as a working mum can seem like one long exercise of never measuring up!
I think the guilt factor is ever present for all ... Read More
Maria's blog: Light at the end of the tunnel
Only about 3 weeks ago all parents of year 6 found out which secondary school their kid/s will be going to in September.
It’s a big step for anyone but in my case it felt huge, let me expl... Read More
Peace's blog: To board or not to board?
'I don't really care about going to this one, I just want to go to the one up the road where most of my friends will be going', says my nine-almost-ten year old, currently in Year 5. ... Read More
Catherine's blog: The holy grail
Flexible working conditions while maintaining career trajectory – we talk about it all time and it can often seem like the Holy Grail – a tricky quest that I for one have often wondered d... Read More