I try to put a positive spin on my relationship by convincing myself that it is actually a positive thing that The Man drives me absolutely insane. On some level, surely it’s a good sign that I still feel passionately enough about him to hate him… right? Even more maddening than his many misdemeanours is […]

12 years ago

So, what’s the consensus, is this okay? If I ever spot questionable parenting of a whimsical nature, I can’t help but feel somewhat vindicated. If NYC parents are pitting their babies against each other in a style of sporting event usually reserved for pigeons and rabbits and dogs than surely I’m not as bad at […]

12 years ago

The Man and I aways end up fighting over the books on holidays. It usually starts when I speed-read my selection and then turn to the novel he is averaging about two pages a day on. Invariably, I’ll start to “co-read” it, much to his annoyance and naturally in a day or so I will […]

12 years ago

The owner of a diner in Portland, Maine has made national news after screaming at a toddler for crying in her restaurant during a busy service last weekend. The story has understandably captured the attention of thousands with, incredibly many coming out in support of the restauranteur’s behaviour. Restaurant owner, Darla Neugebauer and parents, Tara and […]

12 years ago

For the first two months of being pregnant, I would go into the bathroom to cry. The Man would come to the door and ask “Is it a sad wee?” It was a sad wee, but sad in a strangely unfocused way that was impossible to articulate even to myself. When you are pregnant and […]

12 years ago

The pregnant woman is a mercurial animal to be treated with care and given a wide berth (though not too wide a berth or we might irrationally infer that you are suggesting that we are fatter than we are). Basically imagine the pregnant woman as a cranky, permanently PMSing velociraptor that lives in your home […]

12 years ago

Aisling is mum to Patrick (3 1/2) and Louis (1 1/2), she lives with her partner, Nick. If I’ve learned one thing about myself since becoming a mother it’s… that I’m very happy and thrilled to be a mother, despite all its shortcomings. I always felt sorry for parents and thought that children enslaved you and […]

12 years ago

According to Chinese news site, en.people.cn, a 26-year-old man has grown boobs as a result of his penchant for fried chicken and drumsticks. When Mr. Li, a college graduate, began to notice changes in his body he sought medical advice and was told to avoid his go-to snacks as doctors believe that the chicken contains hormones which […]

12 years ago

Actor-director and all-round slick bastard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a sexy message of love for the mothers of the world in his new spoof song Sexy Motha. The video follows Gordon-Levitt and his pal as they cruise mums in a playground before crashing a PTA meeting to score some sweet mum-ass. Finally! Our mum qualities are […]

12 years ago

Sabine lives in Dublin with her Italian husband, Nico, and their ten-month-old son, Aidan. Together the couple founded Leaves a natural food company producing the non-wheat pasta, Pasta with Benefits. A former health researcher, Sabine also holds two Master degrees and competed in field hockey at an elite level. The Dutch native grew up in the United States, the Netherlands and also lived in Scotland and […]

12 years ago

Julie Bhosale has inspired new mums everywhere by simply lifting her tee-shirt and giving the world a glimpse of her postpartum tummy. The mother-of-two blogger has posted a blog post titled, My Real Postpartum Body, to speak to mothers everywhere. She writes: “I am a mother. I am tired, broken and sore. I have lumps, […]

12 years ago

A pizza base made of bacon and topped with melted cheese and even more meat seemed too good to be true…. until now. Behold the bacon crust pizza, perfect for the voracious carnivores in your life. This bad boy can also be adapted to suit Paleo lifestyle, mainly though we just like the fact that […]

12 years ago

Refe and Susan Tuma, Kansas City, USA are topping our list of inspirational parents at the moment. For the last few years they have instated a tradition called Dinovember during the month of November to ignite their kids’ imaginations and to help them retain that sense of wonder so quickly lost in the frenetic pace […]

12 years ago

The Hube is the kind of mum I aspire to be. The woman is one of the country’s most impressive hyphenates. She’s a writer-actress-designer-hopscotch enthusiast and prolific and generous purveyor of Twitter and Instagram amusement. I recognise that I lack the skillz and general grooming to actually be Amy Huberman, so I would settle for […]

12 years ago

My Child is one and a half. He loves books. Eating them mostly. Or carefully placing chunks of banana between the pages and closing the books to create beautiful pressed banana keepsakes to surprise me with later. I’ll find it after I’ve shoved the book in my handbag to bring somewhere – thoughtfully intending to […]

12 years ago

International betting providors, Betfair are possibly the people most excited excited about the announcement of 23-year-old Louis Tomlinson (of One Direction) and, stylist and incubator of the first 1D baby, Briana Jungwirth’s forthcoming arrival. The Novelties and Politics Trader for Betfair, Cormac Dowling has made his feelings on the news abundantly clear with this (slightly […]

12 years ago

Growing Up in Ireland is an ongoing exploration of the experiences of 20,000 children across Ireland which seeks to collect information about the quality of life of our nation’s young. The study aims to uncover the experiences of the Irish child, “beyond academic achievement to a more profound understanding of the role of education and […]

12 years ago

So when two people become a couple, certain compromises have to be made. When The Man and I became legally bound there were certain things that had to go, and one thing was his abiding love of the Chipper, more specifically The Snackbox. None of my things had to go as I was in charge […]

12 years ago

Bananas have become a bizarrely integral part of my life since having The Child. They are a highly portable snack food that fits perfectly in my son’s (and my) mouth, a saviour for when a hangry tantrum is escalating. They’re also kind of the bane of my life as I find them smushed into every […]

12 years ago

According to a recent study conducted by Jean-Denis Rouillon – a sports medicine specialist from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Besancon, France – bras are useless in the fight against gravity. Jean-Denis Rouillon set himself the arduous task of investigating the effects of bra-wearing by studying the breasts of 330 volunteers from the ages 18 to […]

12 years ago

Photographer Erin White has created a new photographic series depicting mothers nursing their babies in the wild. Placing these women in slightly fairytale-style settings gives the mothers an otherworldly beauty and is a lovely celebration of both the art of mothering and the power of real woman. Erin writes: “I’m glad there are so many […]

12 years ago

The release of Harper Lee’s second novel, Go Set A Watchman has sparked a Twitter and Instagram reaction greater than the news that a Ghostbusters remake was in the works. Here’s the commercial breakdown of the publishing phenomenon of the decade (Amazon preorders exceed that of the final Harry Potter instalment). 2 million – The […]

12 years ago

Loyal fans of the iconic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird took to Instagram this morning and proudly displayed Harper Lee’s second published work, Go Set a Watchman, beside their flaxseed muffins and chai lattes. Early reviews of the book suggest that they are about to get a big shock. *Spoiler Alert* Go Set a Watchman […]

12 years ago

Our alternative A-Z guide to first-time parenthood continues with ‘H’. H is for Hysteria, Hell aka Hating Life, Hypocrites, Hugs, Happy and Hormones. H is for… Hysteria There are certainly people out there for whom new parenthood does NOT induce near-debilitating hysteria. These are the same people who are unfazed by transferring to a new […]

12 years ago

I haven’t been to the cinema with The Child since he was at that wonderfully portable age and could be smuggled into almost every scenario and social gathering without causing chaos and major upset. Sometimes I miss those days. The good news is that the IFI are turning the Dublin mecca for cinema-lovers over to […]

12 years ago

Small & Me was conceived (we will try to limit the puns, we promise) by former magazine editor turned jewellery designer, Natasha Sherling and former industrial designer turned mum and teacher, Kate Flynn. The two have been friends since school and despite following divergent career paths the dynamic pair have always remained close with a […]

12 years ago

When I was in the “egg with legs” phase (5-10 months pregnant) I would often butt the bump right up in front of some awkward teenager who was resolutely refusing to give me his seat on the bus. Never mind that I also wanted his crisps and the chocolate bar he had in his pocket. […]

12 years ago

Currently The Child is in the cot stage. Or as we refer to it, the cage stage. Often at night we lie there listening to him sing-shouting and rattling his bottle on the cage bars and ponder what will happen when he can get out? Obviously this day is coming and I sense a return […]

12 years ago

A UK mum was in tears after insensitive staff at a photography studio took the liberty of photoshopping her daughter’s face. Lauren Holsten took her daughter, Lexi to have professional family portraits made at The Domingo Portrait company in Kent. She was furious to discover when she returned to collect the finished pictures that the […]

12 years ago

Aoife Beary, a student from Blackrock, Co. Dublin was one of the Berkeley balcony survivors who remained in critical condition following the freak incident last month. The 21-year-old student had been celebrating her birthday in San Francisco when the balcony she was standing on gave way and killed six of her friends and injured six […]

12 years ago

The newest addition to the royal family was christened today at 4.30pm in the church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, with fewer than 30 people present. Guests will retire to Sandringham, where the Queen will host afternoon tea and fashion photographer, Mario Testino will capture the event. Several thousand members of the public gathered in a paddock […]

12 years ago

When photographer, Kathy Rosario heard that her friend and fellow photographer was planning a home water birth, she knew that she wanted to capture this special moment. Kathy writes: “To me, there is nothing more amazing than watching a woman give birth, and when it’s in the comfort of her own home it feels even […]

12 years ago

Alex Shirley-Smith (a former architect and treehouse designer) and product designer, Kirk Kirchev created the first suspended tents in 2012. Last year their company, Tentsile, unveiled the Tentsile Tree Tent a camping solution that allows campers to literally sleep in the trees. They have created a product that is as innovative as it is beautiful. […]

12 years ago

After enjoying one of our best stretches of “weather” in living memory (two days counts right?) I’ve come to accept that, as a heavily pregnant and very bovine individual, perhaps I am not entirely suited to hot weather. Neither, unfortunately, is The Child who has been in a state of sticky, crankiness since the sun came out […]

12 years ago

This video by Em Ford went viral this week for all the right reasons. The vlogger decided to make the video in response to online bullying she suffered because of her acne. Since she posted the video to her YouTube make up tutorial channel, My Pale Skin, it has been viewed over 4 million times […]

12 years ago

Well this is awkward… Prince Harry didn’t make the cut AGAIN. This would be reasonable enough if it weren’t for the fact that Prince George has SEVEN godparents, and Princess Charlotte is predicted to have SIX. The newest addition to the royal family will be christened tomorrow at 4.30pm in the church of St Mary […]

12 years ago

The Tánaiste Joan Burton has come out in defence of new legislation brought into effect this week. The legislation states that single parents who are in receipt of social welfare will be required to look for work or training once their child turns seven. According to the Department of Social Protection, parents who increase their […]

12 years ago

It’s that time of the week when we lose all will to be healthy. It’s not Friday; it’s “Eat my face off Food-day”. The only thing that can possibly save me from an all-out weekend eat-a-thon is if I come up with something that’s as tasty as a takeaway without the calorie overkill. Enter the […]

12 years ago

A panda daycare centre is pretty much where I want to be for the rest of my life.  China’s Chengdu Research Base is a centre for breeding giant pandas and carrying out vital research and conservation work to protect the panda species. Nobody loves their job 100 per cent of the time but surely the […]

12 years ago

The Ferrero Rocher was a symbol of decadence during our childhood. Visitors coming round would always (joyfully) prompt the mother to produce the Ferrero Rocher. There was however a bit of an unspoken understanding that family members were only permitted one – ONE goddammit. Even if no one else was taking them and the beautiful […]

12 years ago

Yesterday’s bubble snakes where such a hit, so today we’re bringing you another easy and fun backyard activity to share with your littlies on a glorious Summer afternoon. Make the garden into a mini water park in just three simple steps. This DIY sprinkler is perfect if you can’t face the paddling pool fill-up. In just three steps, […]

12 years ago

I try to be reasonable, I really do. But sometimes being on the receiving end of such unbridled loathing, such bald faced vitriol can really start to wear you down. I know he’s only a year old but sometimes the intensity of emotion is hard to take. If a grown adult directed such rage at […]

12 years ago

Last week, Victoria’s Secret “Angel” and supermodel, Anne V gave birth to a baby girl, Alaska.  The 29-year-old and boyfriend Adam Cahan held off for a couple of days before making their announcement with this adorable post to Instagram. “Welcome to the world baby Alaska! Your little feet absolutely rocked my world, I’ve never been so in […]

12 years ago

Just one scoop of ice cream always leaves me wanting more, but now with these adorable edible bowls we can enjoy the ice cream and eat the bowls too!  Edible ice cream bowls Ingredients: A bowl full of colourful sprinkles (aka hundreds and thousands) Balloons White chocolate Heat-proof bowl Saucepan of boiling water Baking paper Directions: […]

12 years ago

A while back, the CEO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg revealed her top tip for keeping a working relationship healthy. It was simple enough, she recommends honesty and being open about any issues that arise between you as they come up. She described asking her boss, Mark Zuckerberg to give her weekly feedback so that anything […]

12 years ago

Co-founder of Chilly Moo frozen yoghurt, our fave healthy treat, Joanna Lovegrove lives with her husband, David, and their three children; Gemma (6), Millie (4) and Ted (12 months).  What time do you wake up every morning? Ted has an unfortunate habit of waking me up at about 6.30 – except for when I forget […]

12 years ago

In a speech given at the graduation ceremony of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management this week, COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg revealed the secret to maintaining her healthy working relationship with boss, Mark Zuckerberg. Sandberg told graduates that when she joined Facebook eight years ago, she asked Mark for one single commitment: “That […]

12 years ago

Denise O’Grady is a mother-of-three and the founder and CEO of Way2Pay, an income collection App for schools that makes life easier for both schools and parents. The Dublin-native completed a degree in Commerce from UCD and worked as a teacher before setting up her own companies, Schoolspace, in 2005 and later Way2Pay. What is Way2Pay? It’s the first App […]

12 years ago

Good news! After the feared Prosecco drought, Prosecco flavoured crisps (yes, crisps) are on the menu at M&S The countdown to Christmas is underway… well technically – the days are getting shorter after all. Every year, we look to food giants and purveyors of the Percy Pig among other delicacies, Marks and Spencer, to tell […]

12 years ago

Parents often complain that how once you have a child to contend with the most basic things become immeasurably difficult. With that in mind, early on, I decided to adopt that DrinkAware campaign slogan “know the one that’s one too many”. Though pertaining not to alcohol consumption but rather the number of errands I am […]

12 years ago