Category: parenting

A four year old boy and a “lipstick” could have caused a major incident.

April 7, 2014

I live in Ireland and have a very strong sense of my own identity. I love this country, and am proud to be Irish. I was a child during the seventies and eighties. A time of tremendous unrest in the North of Ireland, when a lot of wrong was done on both sides, by the … More A four year old boy and a “lipstick” could have caused a major incident.

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Gone.

April 2, 2014

“Oh my God, he’s gone! He died. He actually died!” These are the thoughts that arrest me, out of the blue regularly. I might be driving, or out buying groceries, perhaps out having fun with friends, or teaching at the pool, when without any warning I remember. Dan died. When this moment hits it quite … More Gone.

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She has dyslexia, is there any point in her learning spellings?

March 31, 2014

I have been waiting for today with eager anticipation. Today was results day. Results for what? Let me explain. Two of my children have dyslexia.  They are intelligent, bright individuals, who happen to somehow be wired to read what is written in a totally different way to the rest of us. It is not a … More She has dyslexia, is there any point in her learning spellings?

Aoibheanns Pink Tie. One fathers positive response to the loss of his child.

March 27, 2014

“You have cancer”.  Can you imagine sitting in a surgery and hearing that? Now imagine sitting there with your husband or partner and hearing “Your son/daughter has cancer”. Imagine the next scene, if your child is old enough, you must sit there and support your son or daughter, as they hear for the very first … More Aoibheanns Pink Tie. One fathers positive response to the loss of his child.

Home sweet home.

March 26, 2014

I’m spending  a night away from my busy life.  It’s like suspending reality. I get to  forget that there are children to be collected, or meals to be cooked.  Tonight I am just me, not a wife or a mother, just tric. I am visiting home, my childhood home. Today I got to spend the … More Home sweet home.

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What lies beneath?

March 24, 2014

At what age do girls become unattractive? When we look at newborns we marvel at how perfect they are. As toddlers and young children we remark on how cute they look, and use words such as “handsome” and “pretty”. When they are ten and eleven, we appreciate their fresh faced childish faces, faces we believe … More What lies beneath?