Everyone has memories of childhood Christmases don't they? The fun, the food, the chocolate, the presents - no school, it's magical. My immediate family was your typical family set up, mum, dad and two kids but at Christmas we always celebrated with my extended family. My Dad's brother's and their families. This peaked at 17 … Continue reading Don’t let Christmas stress you out
Why diversity in children’s books really matters
When I was growing up in the 1980s I don't remember ever seeing girls like me reflected back in the books I was reading. In fact, according to research carried out by the charity Booktrust, over the past 11 years, fewer than 2% of all authors and/or illustrators of children’s books published in the UK were British people … Continue reading Why diversity in children’s books really matters
Where the lost things go
A poem, written by me and inspired by my husband who can never find anything!
Promoting change after the blackout
Promoting change after the blackout. What happened when I contacted my four year old son's primary school to see what they are doing to promote diversity and positive black history.
Why I’m talking to my toddler about the colour of my skin
I didn't expect my son, who is 2 years and 10 months old to notice things like skin colour and different types of hair from such an early age. I guess, since his parents look different, I'm of Indian descent and Dad's English but of Irish descent, he might have been a bit more aware … Continue reading Why I’m talking to my toddler about the colour of my skin
Expect the unexpected.
What advice would I give to Harry & Meghan or any other new parents-to-be? Well, read all the books, do the ante-natel classes and then expect the unexpected. It's true that nothing can prepare you for parenthood, even if you read lots of books and get lots of advice from other parents, it's very much … Continue reading Expect the unexpected.
How I found a job and some work life balance.
I heard it talked about quite a lot when I was pregnant. The working mum's holy grail - working three days a week. That flexibility was something I had wanted but wouldn't have been possible in the job I had whilst pregnant, since I'd heard the perennial excuse of 'if we let you work part-time … Continue reading How I found a job and some work life balance.
How I’ve finally learnt to love exercise in my 30’s.
I signed up to the gym near my office when I started a new job when I was 30 but it was accepting the invitation of trying a personal training session that really got me on the road to enjoying exercise. I hadn't been very sporty at school and for some reason in my 20's … Continue reading How I’ve finally learnt to love exercise in my 30’s.
Motherland a review – the pitfalls of parenthood laid bare
I remember watching the pilot of Motherland whilst pregnant and then asking my mum friends on Facebook, 'Oh my God, is it really like that?!' A few replied with, 'Yes it's all true.' It was a chilling insight into what lay ahead for me as a mother. Being only four months pregnant when I watched … Continue reading Motherland a review – the pitfalls of parenthood laid bare
Being apart from my twin gave me separation anxiety.
Watching my 18 month old son cry as I leave him with his childminder, is one of the hardest things I've experienced as a mum. He is usually fine after I've left and his lovely childminder distracts him with toys or other activities. She has told me this is the only time during the day … Continue reading Being apart from my twin gave me separation anxiety.