“Be kind to yourself. It’s ok to feel upset about leaving your baby. It’s ok to be glad to have a whole day without a small person attached. You will find an equilibrium.” This week I meet Anna Boch – project manager, Doula, and mum of three. She talks about
“At the start when I worked full-time and my oldest started to get upset going into crèche, massive guilt set in. Myself and my husband wondered if we were ‘choosing’ to send him to crèche or could we afford for one of us to give up work.” This week I
“In my view the world is seriously missing out because employers are failing to be more creative in the types of working arrangements they offer to women.” Leisha McGrath is an Occupational Psychologist and mum of two. Here she talks about how redundancy prompted her to start working for herself,
“You create your own glass ceiling. Break through it just like in Willy Wonka. People told me my book idea was silly, my shows wouldn’t work… Nothing has fallen in my lap I have had to fight for every bit of what I have.” Alison Canavan is an international model,
“Parent Guilt is a much documented issue and is often described as “A Silent Epidemic”. It’s hard to avoid these days in the online world we live in.” Regina Graham is a Dublin mum of three and owner of Childcarefinder.ie – here she talks about the guilt epidemic that goes
“They think when you are on your laptop that you are not really ‘working’.” The interview series returns with Sarah Slattery – the mother of two and former Sales and Marketing director of Skytours travel agency started her own business in 2014, setting up thetravelexpert.ie, a blog that offers travel
“When you are home, the children come first, simply because they need you most” Louise Phillips is an author, mother and grandmother, and over the years has worked in a huge variety of jobs, using every type of childcare. Here, she shares her story of working parenthood, passes on tips
“I always wanted to work in Xtra Vision and watch movies all day. I still hanker after that some days!” This week I meet Maureen O’Rourke, a mammy of two, living in Shankill and working in Digital Banking. Maureen, thank you for taking part in the series! So, could you
“This is probably not a popular answer but I really enjoy going out to work. I don’t think I’d like to be a stay at home mother.” Ruth Chambers is a sports journalist and editorial designer, living in Kildare with husband Mike, and their two small children. She also writes
“I think it’s a good example to set to your kids that mums work too, so on balance I’m pretty guilt-free, but nothing is ever quite perfect especially when you hear the words ‘Mama, STOP LOOKING AT YOUR LAPTOP AND PLAY WITH ME’!” This week’s interview is with Clare Holman
“I do often find it hard when they are going to bed and I can’t be there to read them their story or tuck them in. I work with a lot of parents who feel this guilt and stress of a long working day.” After an extended summer break,
“I do suffer with working mother’s guilt, but I wonder if this ‘guilt’ is something I am feeling based on what I believe others are thinking” The interview series returns after a summer break, featuring Kildare native Alma Jordan. After years in sales and marketing, the mother of one recently
“One of the key drivers for my moving job was that my previous role had very little flexibility and only allowed working from home in very special circumstances and on a temporary basis.” This week’s interview is with solicitor, blogger, and mother of three Sinéad Fox. She talks guilt and glass
“It may however be the case that even the most ambitious of women change their priorities when they have children and therefore they are happy to reside under the glass ceiling as it gives them the freedom to be home at 5.30pm.” This week I speak to Eimear Hutchinson, a
“Anyone reading this will hate me when they hear that childminder costs are highly subsidised and kindergarten is free. We only have to pay for the dinners. The level of care is very good too.” This week’s interview comes from further afield than usual. Fionnuala Zinnecker is a mother of
“We need to stop congratulating fathers whenever they pitch in. This perpetuates the belief that child rearing and housework are ‘women’s work’ and men are only helping out.” Thank you Deirdre for taking part in this interview series for Office Mum – could you tell me how many children you have
“I remember the first day Caitlin put her arms out to go to one of her crèche minders while still in my arms and I swear my heart broke a little.” This week I meet Martina Perry. She’s married to rugby obsessed New Zealander Grant, and mother to two small girls, Caitlin
“It can often be hard putting on my coat and heading out to work in the evening. Both from the point of view of missing story and bedtime and also after a long day it’s hard to ignore the sofa calling!” This week I meet Mary Holmes, a Dublin based
“We haven’t made it easy in this country for women or for young families. We say that we want everyone to be productive members of society, but then we haven’t put the supports in place for people with young children who want to go back to work. I think this
“Sometimes I think that the only way this would be properly addressed by society is if women announced they were not going to be involved in any further reproduction until the system was change to make life easier afterwards” This week’s interview is with Alison O’Connor, who is a columnist