We had no family holiday this year. Here’s what we did insteadI can’t believe the holidays are drawing to a close. I dread the return to normalityMon Aug 19 2019 - 06:01
‘That’s not fair’: With my large family, mum-guilt is the biggest chore of allI’ve been a parent for 18 years and my battle with mum-guilt is raging as fiercely as everMon Aug 05 2019 - 06:00
Why does Ireland have the lowest breastfeeding rate in Europe?‘Breastfeeding is the biological norm for our species. Breastmilk is ... a dynamic substance’Wed Jul 31 2019 - 07:01
When children grow up: the hardest change of allI found myself kept awake, not by a baby in her bed, but by an adult daughter who wasn’tMon Jul 22 2019 - 06:01
Parental leave: Why is the uptake so low?Lack of understanding of employee rights, loss of income and the stigma around men taking time out are reasons many parents fail to avail of what is a statutory entitlementTue Jul 16 2019 - 06:01
Cost of school iPads makes them tough tablet to swallowDespite reports highlighting cost of free education - nothing changesMon Jul 08 2019 - 06:01
‘My boys aren’t a consolation prize – they’re equally as precious as their sister’‘Girls wreck your head, boys wreck your home,’ I was assuredMon Jun 24 2019 - 07:01
Mum’s the word: meeting up to give mothers their sayMum Talks is a monthly gathering for mothers to discuss everything from fashion and beauty to wellness and workMon Jun 17 2019 - 07:01
I wholeheartedly applaud the no medals, non-competitive school sports dayIt is imperative that children are active and the best way to do that is to make it funMon Jun 10 2019 - 11:41
Lessons learned from 14 years on the school runFrom WhatsApp groups to gate cliques, here’s what I learned as a parent on the frontlineMon May 27 2019 - 06:01
Summer with the children: ‘You’re either in or you’re out’Parents seemed to view the holidays differently years ago: I don’t remember anyone stressing about keeping the children occupiedSat May 18 2019 - 06:01
The kids are all howling for another dogSo far I’ve resisted because no dog could replace my beloved Rodney . . . but then againMon May 13 2019 - 06:01
The complexities of working from home while being a parentIf money wasn’t an issue, would you choose to work outside the home or be a stay-at-home parent?Mon Apr 29 2019 - 07:01
How does your child’s school handle bullying?Some schools turn a blind eye to reports of bullying, until something serious happensTue Apr 23 2019 - 07:01
Why are kindness lessons not on the school curriculum?The Leaving Cert looms for my eldest but the entire school journey was an education for us allMon Apr 15 2019 - 06:01
In a house with so many children, my parenting style often changesHow I parent each of them reflects the different personalities of my apparent clonesMon Apr 01 2019 - 07:01
Unrealistic expectations give parents a tough timeGive parents a break by sharing the spectacular tantrums and parenting wobblesMon Mar 18 2019 - 06:01
Time is precious – don’t use it all on after-school activitiesI signed my daughter up to everything and I’ve learned that sometimes less is moreMon Mar 04 2019 - 06:01
I’m told I’m lucky because my husband pulls his weight – but why wouldn’t he?I’m married to a ‘rare diamond’, but despite his equal capability, expectations are lowerMon Feb 18 2019 - 07:01
Parent-teacher meetings: the good, the bad and the novelEven as a parent, there’s a vulnerability as you wait to hear what teacher has to sayWed Feb 06 2019 - 07:01
As parents, we need to teach our teenagers about social media safetyYou can only teach when you understand the perils yourself – so I’ve joined SnapchatMon Jan 21 2019 - 07:01
‘I have never felt as alone as I did in the early days of parenthood’Jen Hogan: My friends had travel, nightclubs and parties on their minds, rather than dirty nappies and sleepless nightsMon Jan 07 2019 - 06:01
Magic of nativity shows: trepidation, tears, comedy and embarrassmentJen Hogan: I spend most of December away in a mangerMon Dec 17 2018 - 06:01
‘A perfect Christmas: The stress is up there with divorce, death and moving house’Managing present expectations and arguing about traditions awaits me this yearWed Dec 05 2018 - 07:01
Hanging on to the ‘stuff’ of childhoodI’ve no problem discarding my husband’s horrendous football shirts, but when it comes to my children’s outgrown things . . .Mon Nov 19 2018 - 07:01
The world is my daughter’s oyster. It’s different for her brothersJen Hogan: The world of equality appears biased if boys want to take ballet classesMon Nov 05 2018 - 09:30
The complexities of being ‘just a mum’Meeting family’s needs while trying to pay a mortgage is anything but easyMon Oct 22 2018 - 06:01
Postnatal depression: ‘It wasn’t easy to accept that I needed help’‘It felt like admitting I was weak and that I was failing at motherhood’Mon Oct 08 2018 - 06:01
‘I didn’t like homework as a child, but I hate it even more as a parent’Novelty of back to school has well and truly worn offMon Sept 24 2018 - 07:01
Work-life balance: ‘I love you mum . . . please don’t go’Guilt has had a field day with me since the day I first became a mammyMon Sept 10 2018 - 06:01
My sixth child is starting school. Here’s what I’ve learnedFive tips to help make the first day a little less fraught with emotionMon Aug 27 2018 - 10:30
Nine ways to save money on back-to-school costsSecond-hand books, discount outlets and online parent networks can all helpSat Aug 18 2018 - 06:00
Playdates: because parents don’t have enough on their plate alreadyDespite its US origins, one part stays truly Irish: our casual approach to invitesMon Aug 13 2018 - 07:01
‘For the four children I never held in my arms but hold always in my heart’As birthday season approaches for four of my seven children, joy is tinged with sadnessMon Jul 02 2018 - 07:01
Mother of seven: People assume we are ‘extreme Catholics’Our 1950s-sized family invites much well-meaning but misguided commentaryMon Apr 23 2018 - 08:01
