Our Blog

Uchenna's blog: Diary of a burgeoning activist

When I first heard my daughter, Commander-in-Chief Senior, utter "maybe later?" in response to my emphatic “no” as she reached for the doughnut, I knew that statement was not fr... Read More

• Families

Sonya’s Blog: Returning to the office after a pandemic

When I returned to work after having my son in 2016, I found the process really stressful and upsetting.  I had just over a year off work, and I had an amazing time on maternity leave. ... Read More

• Families

Victoria's blog: Feeling valued

In my previous post, I looked forward to some nice routine surgery for a break from my work and my life. Unfortunately, my routine surgery became emergency surgery that knocked me out for six weeks. ... Read More

• Families

Ruth's blog: Last week of term

I am writing this on Monday evening, this being the last week that my daughter will spend in Reception.  We have been amazed that she has managed a whole school year and bar a few days of self i... Read More

• Families

Maggie's blog: Masks off, diary full, so why am I not rejoic...

As I write this Boris has just announced that from 19th July masks, and all of the other COVID regulations that we’ve lived with for the best part of 18 months, are finished. I thought that thi... Read More

• Families

Addy's blog: Leaving on a jet plane (don’t know when I’ll be...

I write this blog coming to you live from the sunny hot beaches of Alicante in Spain. After much heated debate in our household my husband and I decided we would be brave and make our annual trip to ... Read More

Marion's blog: One hour at a time

This pandemic has been raging on now for what feels like forever, but in reality, is a little short of a year and a half or so. During this time, we have followed the rules, stayed inside, stuck to w... Read More

• Families

Brendan's blog: Being a Dad at 18 months

It's been an eventful year and a bit since becoming a new dad, and the fun and new experiences that this brings for everyone involved. Each month has brought a new experience as my son's... Read More

• Families

Caroline M's blog: Failing

I suspect I won’t be alone in saying there were many days throughout the lockdowns where I felt I failed at everything- work, childcare, home schooling, nourishing and nurturing not just my fam... Read More

• Families

Ally's blog: Your back-to-the-office training programme

At one point the declaration was made that the office was dead - long live WFH!  But no sooner did we adjust to that than - hey-ho - the office has been resurrected.  Apparently even Google... Read More

• Families

Ruban's blog: A Hybrid World: Looking forward to going back ...

As the thought of being crushed to death in those tube-shaped sweatboxes loom large on the horizon for many of us as offices open their glass doors again, I started to reflect on what the latest vers... Read More

• Families

Barbara's blog: The persistence of memory

My Italian mother broke her femur on 23 June 2020, just as lockdown was easing in Italy. She spent a whole month in hospital recovering, because she lived alone and could not be discharged, as she ha... Read More

• Families

Dolly's blog: London baby

And it goes a little something like this…    After 15 months marooned in a scenic but achingly dull corner of rural Wiltshire (devoid of non-supermarket retail, decent coff... Read More

• Families

Linda's Blog: Let's talk about grief

Trigger warning: grief In a few weeks it will be the 5th anniversary of my mum’s death.  Writing that, even now, feels strange and wrong.  My mum died suddenly and unexpec... Read More

• Families

Jon's blog: Meh?

There's something about the word "meh" that just tickles me.  It's so comprehensively dismissive for such a short word, and the sound it makes captures the feeling behind it so... Read More

• Families

Uchenna's blog: Life lessons from the tooth fairy

When we run out of household items these days, the tooth fairy is our go-to banker. A lover of yoghurt, my five-year son, aka Commander-in-Chief Junior, was upset that none was provided for brea... Read More

• Families

Sonya’s Blog - Friends at two metres

My son started school in September 2020.  Whilst it was in the midst of global pandemic it felt completely natural and my son adapted extremely well.  There was the understandable anxiousne... Read More

• Families

Victoria's blog: Burning out

I like googling the symptoms of ‘burn out’ during my copious free time. It gives me the same sense of satisfaction as acing a quiz. Difficulty concentrating? Tick. Trouble sleeping? Tick.... Read More

• Families

Ruth's blog: How was your weekend?

[Monday morning. Two colleagues start a video call] Hello! Happy Monday! Hi! Yes, you too! How was your weekend? Get up to…anything? [They exchan... Read More

• Families

Maggie's blog: It’s a birthday but not as we know it

With the anniversary of going into lockdown 1.0, everyone in the UK has presumably experienced a COVID impacted birthday. In our family of 5 people, our birthdays are concentrated into 2 months. We h... Read More

• Families

Addy's blog: Be the challenge

Last year I had a rough year, which is a probably a massive understatement as we have all had a rough 2020! But on top of all the challenges that Covid threw at us, I lost part of my bowel, my job&nb... Read More

• Families

Marion's blog: Discovering the power of a helping hand

I met my husband in London but we are both originally from Australia, moving over to the UK in 2004 and 2005. Because all of our family is still in Australia we've never experienced the supp... Read More

• Families

Alison's blog: Normality hopes

The time we were all waiting for is finally here. Schools are re-opening and we will have some of the much awaited freedom and peace. This second lockdown has been so much harder than the first ... Read More

• Families

Caroline M's blog: Pet therapy

A year ago, our beautiful Poppy cat had to be put to sleep. She was my baby before I had babies. Everybody in my circle, from colleagues, to family and friends, was invested in her, having been treat... Read More

• Families

Ally's blog: How did we do that?

This week my employer sent out a fairly lengthy questionnaire to everyone in the firm to ask us about how we thought we might want to work once the pandemic restrictions are no longer in place. It&rs... Read More

• Families

Caroline P's blog: Lockdown 3

As we settle into Lockdown 3, we’re all feeling a bit blue in my house. My sleep is all over the place, and if something threatens to shift the delicate house of cards routine I’ve b... Read More

• Families

Barbara's blog: Puppy love...

There’s been a theme in recent blogs that it is important to find time for oneself. This seems counter-intuitive, because the world has shut down and turned into an introverts’ paradise a... Read More

• Families

Dolly's blog: I must go down to the seas again

It’s day 9865 in the lockdown household.  Positivity is dwindling.  Food is running low.  The Wi-Fi has forsaken us.  All is lost.  Thirty years and several kilograms s... Read More

• Families

Linda's blog: Me time (what’s that?!)

When did you last do something for you?  I mean really for you.  Not something that was with or for the family or someone else that you were looking forward to.  Something that was ind... Read More

• Families

Jon's blog: So this is Christmas...

As John Lennon famously remarked: "So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over, and new one just begun". These words have resonated with me more this year than... Read More

• Families