Our Blog

Dolly's blog: Facing 50

I went to a friend’s very glamorous 50th birthday party last weekend and thought, “God I’m old”.  “Tell me you’re not going to wear your Bush Dress&... Read More

• Inclusion

Ruth's blog: How Things Poo

Like fellow contributor Jill , we often struggle to get through the regular homework set by the school.  My daughter claims that homework is not for weekend days at all, which is a good an... Read More

• Families

Ruban's blog: Divided Attention

"It's not fair". The soundtrack of our (parenting) lives, the title of my memoirs, the last line on the end credits scene at my funeral.   When you have siblings, life is... Read More

• Families

Caroline M's blog: Tempus Fugit

There is a bit of a pinch to turning 40. It’s the age that you think of in your 20s as people having their life organised, and settled, and having disposable income! Now that I am looking down ... Read More

• Families

Barbara's blog: Choices and Sacrifices

The first thing I noticed, when I walked back into mum’s apartment in Savona, after she passed away last November, was the familiar smell of a home I had not been in for a while. I closed my ey... Read More

• Families

Linda’s blog: Roses are red

As with most things in life, Valentine’s Day has meant something different to me during different periods in my life. I remember the fear as a teenager that I might not receive any cards, along... Read More

• Families

Fiona's Blog: When We See Our Parents Die…

I could never have imagined life without my dad and my mother-in-law. My parents lived quite a distance away, and visits were not as frequent as I would have liked. But my dad had been a strong figur... Read More

• Families
• Wellbeing

Anushka's blog: Tattoos and Thinking for Oneself

My schoolfriends and I have a tradition on every 10-year anniversary since we left school, the last one being in 2017, we make predictions as to ‘who is most likely to’ for the next decad... Read More

• Wellbeing

Jill's Blog: Don't Let Homework Define Your Parenting Skills

Now that I am doing my best to actually talk to other grownups at school pickup, I’m hearing much of the same frustration across the playground. One of the most common themes is Homework. ... Read More

Jill's blog: Stop the Presses I’ve Made a Friend!!

Why is this such a big deal in grown up age? I’m not going to lie, my social life took a hit during Covid. Everything changed. My community, my routine, my job, my personality… all of it... Read More

• Families

Katie's blog: New Year's Resolutions

What will yours be? Give up alcohol, get fit, eat less sugar, get a new job, quit smoking, run faster or longer? I think mine needs to be a bit different this year… Over the festive perio... Read More

• Wellbeing

Louise’s blog: Back to Work and Back to Maternity Leave

My son Logan was born in September 2019 and six months into my maternity leave the UK went into its first ‘Lockdown’. Initially I felt that my ‘special time’ had unfairly been... Read More

• Families

Dolly's blog: Dear Me

Ten years ago, I saw an email from Citymothers seeking applications for a blog they were about to launch. I had three children under the age of eight, childcare we couldn’t afford, a husband ab... Read More

• Families

Ruban's blog: Finding Your Lost Self

I find myself writing this as I sit on the Elizabeth Line on the way to Heathrow Terminal 5, to board a flight to Qatar where I'll see England take on the might of current world champions France ... Read More

• Families

Caroline M's blog: Hugging The Silence

When the first lockdown finished and restaurants finally reopened, myself and my husband booked lunch. When we got there, my husband stopped me at the door and said – “they will ask your ... Read More

• Families

Barbara's blog: On Love and Food

Dear Mum, I made lasagne today, just the way you taught me, with lean beef and handfuls of fresh herbs. We ate them for dinner and talked about you. Son and daughter reminisced about visiting you in ... Read More

• Families

Linda's blog: It's Just a Phase

"It's just a phase" I said last week, hoping to reassure my friend with a newborn baby who was worried about not managing to get dressed before 2pm.  It was my wise mum who first s... Read More

• Families

Angel's Blog: Matching Christmas PJ’s

Hey, how are you all? Today I am writing from the ‘Half Term Trenches’. I am still alive, amazingly still smiling and my kids haven’t killed each other. How I hear you ask? I c... Read More

• Families

Jo's blog: It's All About Timing

This year I turned 50 and decided to return to work after a long career break. Thank God for HRT! My peri menopause symptoms probably started subtly over the last few years, but the roller ... Read More

• Families

Anushka's blog: Stuffocation

So, I’m approaching a happy age in my kids’ lives when ‘the time has come to put away childish things’.  This is ages 10 and 11 in my case. Thank goodness. Happy is ... Read More

• Families

Jon's blog: Up and Down on the Cancercoaster

How was your summer and return to reality last month?  Autumn has well and truly arrived now, and we’re back on the treadmill of school and work. In my last blog I was continuing the ... Read More

• Families

Uchenna's blog: Legacy Reflections

When my seven-year-old son asked me why the news kept on talking about the Queen, I was taken aback. The "why" questions are always a stark reminder that what is present and pertinent in my... Read More

Dolly's blog: Back to The Start

As a teenager in the 1980s, I was addicted to Capital Radio, desperate for enough money to buy a pair of Converse, and had a crush on the boy over the road. I dreamt of working with dolphins and ador... Read More

• Families

Ruth's blog: My Turn to Choose

School starts next week: into Year 2 for our eldest and our youngest starts in Reception. Everyone is very excited. The older one to see all of her friends, go back to the school routine an... Read More

• Families

Julia's blog: New Parents All Over Again

This summer, we have been exposed to the beginnings of what it feels like to be the parents of a teenager, and it’s left both of us feeling exactly that: utterly exposed, totally lost and rathe... Read More

• Families

Caroline M's blog: Thank You for the Days

My mom was an avid reader. She had a stunning command of language, and many of my memories in my twenties revolve around book swaps, and book club like conversation between us. For six weeks I h... Read More

• Families

Barbara's blog: The Accidental Regulator

This year we went on holiday separately as Son and Daughter, who are 15 and 16 years old respectively, have such polar opposite preferences that compromising would have meant ‘half-way happy&rs... Read More

• Families

Daisy’s blog: Success - What Does It Mean To You?

I will never forget the morning that I resigned from my previous job. In truth, I had been planning my resignation meeting in my head for months. But when the time finally came, I was woefully unprep... Read More

• Careers

Linda's blog: Please Can We Stop This Madness?

When the new term starts my daughter will enter her final year at primary school. The years have flown by and I can hardly believe the small, shy and still cute 4-year-old has become the tall, opinio... Read More

• Families

Angel's blog: Family Staycation

I must admit, before my youngest was born (4 years ago) hubby and I were pretty spoiled when it came to holidays. We went everywhere, Cuba, Thailand, you name it. When the eldest was born we took him... Read More

• Families