parenting – My thoughts on a page.

Confronting the past.

September 18, 2019

Tonight I put a full stop on the final story from a difficult time in my life. Tomorrow I will give it one more look over before sending it on its way to my agent, Faith O Grady. It’s been an interesting few weeks looking back and exploring memories I thought I’d left behind. Old … More Confronting the past.

How much of any day do we really live?

June 17, 2019

Yesterday was Father’s Day and for the first time in over thirty years I didn’t miss my dad, because this year he’d been joined by Mum. It felt different. Strange but definitely less lonely. Looking around old posts in a bid to recall thoughts and relive better times I found this one. How much of … More How much of any day do we really live?

Dyslexia… it’s not as bad as it sounds.

May 30, 2019

Do you have dyslexia? Do you worry your child might? Well this post contains the homework of one of my two children who have dyslexia. It is from a number of years ago when my little one was ten years old. It was a time of uncertainty in my world, when I wondered how they … More Dyslexia… it’s not as bad as it sounds.

There I am in the paper #83

March 4, 2019

My column from last weeks Irish Examiner. I’m not exactly Marie Kondo. Last week I pressed ‘send’ to an email, before immediately regretting it as I walked into my kitchen. I’d just arranged a meeting with someone who’d never been to my house and my messy kitchen didn’t strike me as visitor friendly. With twenty-four … More There I am in the paper #83

To you, my brown eyed girl.

February 26, 2019

Today we are celebrating the birthday of our youngest. A whirlwind of joy and happiness. The full stop in our family and in many ways the glue which keeps us all together. I could wax lyrical about all that she is, but what seventeen year old would thank you for that? Instead, I will remember … More To you, my brown eyed girl.

There I am in the paper #82

February 25, 2019

Here is my latest column in the Irish Examiner’s Feelgood where I share some incredible parenting insights… Not! Recently, something happened which stopped me in my tracks. It made me question my thinking as a mother and caused me to wonder what sort of mother had I become? Over twenty-five years ago I had my … More There I am in the paper #82

There I am in the paper #81

February 15, 2019

Here is my day after Valentine’s Day column from the Irish Examiner. How was it for you? Welcome to February 15th, a day where couples everywhere are either madly in love after a romantic Valentine’s Day yesterday, or in serious trouble after one or other got it very wrong. My sympathies if you are in the … More There I am in the paper #81

There I am in the paper #79

February 4, 2019

Here’s another of my pieces from the Irish Examiner. Me and Saint Anthony feature. I’ve spent a lifetime looking for things, my keys, my phone, my bank cards. In our early years yer man’s blood pressure soared when he’d hear me confessing to losing my Visa card and he’d immediately launch a frantic search, insisting … More There I am in the paper #79

There I am in the paper #77

December 3, 2018

If you’ve ever had an inspector of licences call to your door, this is for you. Here’s one of my pieces from my column in the Examiner. Recently, a certain college student I know was visited by one of those most lovely of people, the television licence inspector. This student lives in a large estate, … More There I am in the paper #77

When all you can do, is just be there.

November 28, 2018

November 29th. A day without significance in my life for over four decades, until five years ago when it became the day when the force that was young Daniel left this life, hopefully for adventures somewhere new. Since then time has continued to tick by. My own children have grown up, some have finished school … More When all you can do, is just be there.