parenting – My thoughts on a page.

There I am in the paper #74

October 15, 2018

Here you go, another ‘It’s My Life’ story from my weekly column in the Irish Examiner’s Feelgood. My rather personal take on homework. The other day, in a moment of madness, I sat down to help my daughter with her ‘homework.’ This wasn’t what you’d imagine as she is not a pupil of any school, … More There I am in the paper #74

There I am in the paper #73

October 4, 2018

Here you go another of my It’s My Life, columns in the Irish Examiner. It’s been a few weeks but yer man is featured once more. Where would I find my content without him? Isn’t it strange how we get used to the quirks of our home, the lock that sticks or the window that … More There I am in the paper #73

There I am in the paper #72.

October 1, 2018

Here you go, one of my Irish Examiner columns. Hope at least one of you manage a smile. My apologies if you were disturbed last Wednesday around lunchtime, by a loud hissing noise, not unlike the air leaking out of a giant balloon. Don’t worry it was just me letting out my breath as my … More There I am in the paper #72.

photo credit: Petra Senders via photopin cc

Remembering Elma.

September 6, 2018

Last Sunday I went to mass. Not because I’m a good Catholic, but to stand beside a family who are hurting. One year ago, Elma, a kind, gentle, lady of tremendous strength died suddenly. She was a wife, a daughter and a wonderful mother. While a young mother’s loss is always enormous, this family were … More Remembering Elma.

There I am in the paper #69

August 30, 2018

Time to share another of my Irish Examiner, ‘It’s my life,’ columns. Hope it makes you smile. Growing up, I was guilty of believing Dublin was the centre of the universe. For myself, and my childhood friends, where you came from was simple, either you were from Dublin, or the country. Of course, now that I’ve been living … More There I am in the paper #69

Words without actions are no use to anyone.

August 25, 2018

With the Pope’s visit all over the news this week, there has been a lot of air time given to those who have survived clerical abuse in Ireland. The many women who were in Magdalene laundries, the children who were illegally adopted, those who were beaten and mistreated within schools and institutions and those who … More Words without actions are no use to anyone.

There I am in the paper #68

August 19, 2018

Here’s another of my, ‘It’s my life columns’ in the Examiner’s feelgood. This one stars yer man. As a family, I think we’ve been resilient to date, surviving decades of arguments and evolution. The older children survived the arrival of siblings, who changed yer man and myself from parents who gush, “I love you sweetheart,” into ones who shout, … More There I am in the paper #68

There I am in the paper #67

August 9, 2018

It’s been quite some time since I’ve shared one of my columns from the Irish Examiner’s Feelgood, so sit back, remember the heat wave and hopefully enjoy. “How about going to the beach tomorrow?” my friend said. Memories of beaching with ten children between us flooded back. So, despite my severe intolerance to heat, and … More There I am in the paper #67

There I am in the paper #64

June 24, 2018

I’m melting here in Ireland. We are now on our second burst of glorious weather and my poor blog is suffering from neglect, although I am still writing. So, a little late, here’s one of my columns from the Feelgood in the Irish Examiner from a couple of weeks ago. Last week, in the honeymoon … More There I am in the paper #64

Remembering the only gift my dad ever gave my children.

June 17, 2018

Today, I remember my Dad. But then again I remember him every day. He was there for my wonderful childhood and stroppy, difficult teenage years, but gone before I got the chance to show him who I’d become. Dad was stolen from our lives by neurone disease over thirty years ago. Not only did my … More Remembering the only gift my dad ever gave my children.