Babies and commuting and working and cooking and changing and feeding and trying – trying very hard to keep it all together. That’s how it was for me in the early days – like for so many others – as a new mother trying to maintain a career. I vividly
Over seven years as a mother working outside the home, I’ve learnt a thing or two: 1. The working mother clichés are true Soother in suit pocket? Check. Smushed banana on trousers? Check. Racing out of work to make it to creche on time? Yes, a thousand times over. Clichés exist because they
I’m writing this from my small boy’s bedroom floor, and when he finally goes to sleep, I’ll grab something to eat, probably standing at the counter, making a school lunch and checking e-mails at the same time. Then I’ll bake a cake for the school cake-sale. OK, there’s no cake-sale.
A good friend told me last week that she’s changing jobs – moving from a chilled-out project role back into the mayhem of daily operations. This is the reverse of what she wanted when going back to work after her second baby was born three years ago – in fact for
Childcare booked – check. Return to work date agreed – check. Sense of calm and wellbeing? Not quite there yet. Going back to work after maternity leave is a time of mixed emotions for many mothers – for some it’s a worry, for some, it’s exciting. And for most, it’s
Amid the strong support for the feelings expressed in Donna Hartnett’s open letter to Enda Kenny, there has also been some “tough luck, you can’t have it all” type responses (on Twitter, and some referenced here) I don’t think that’s the point at all – I don’t think anyone expects to
So Facebook and Apple are paying for female employees to freeze their eggs, to enable them to continue working for longer before having children, according to NBC news this week. It’s billed as the latest in a series of benefits provided by the corporate giants, as part of what’s termed a
Since starting Office Mum, I’ve been fortunate to get to know some really inspiring women who work in the area of helping mothers to balance careers with family. They’ve very kindly joined forces to contribute to this post, in order to give you some of their top tips for juggling
“Ireland is better than the US but not as good as Scandinavia,” I said to the public policy student who was sitting beside me, “I’d say we fall somewhere in the middle.” We were at “Families and Work: A Chance for Change“, a seminar organised by Start Strong, the National
My friend was not impressed. A 5pm conference call that was scheduled to last two hours. So instead of using his office phone, he dialled in on his mobile. At 6, he left work, still on the call. He walked to the train station, took the train home, got tea
Why is it that more women than men stay at home with children? In 98% of families with one parent at home, it’s a woman who takes that role. Assuming there isn’t a secret world where stay-at-home mothers get to loll about all day in spas sipping Pinot Grigio, there must be something behind
Can a working mother be as good at her job after maternity leave? That’s the question – a Telegraph article headline – that caught my eye yesterday. The writer, UK journalist Antonia Hoyle, goes on to say: “Post-children I am distracted, indecisive and less confident. I am more prone to mistakes and often
A room full of working mothers, hundreds of enthusiastic conversations, two inspirational coaches, sun streaming through the windows, and all the croissants we could eat – the Mumager workshop was starting out well. There’s something very uplifting about spending a day with like-minded people – with women who have similar
“As a coach I act as a mirror to reflect what you are saying to yourself. I am your ally but I am totally independent so I’m not going to tell you what to do the way a friend or family member would. I have no agenda” Sarah Courtney is
Working mother guilt is a myth, according to widely publicised survey findings from UK parenting website Mumsnet. 48% of the 900 mothers polled said that they were happier having a job than being at home, sparking a range of newspaper articles on the topic, including this one by Bryony Gordon who
Women CEOs are more likely to be fired, according to a report by Alison Smith in the Financial Times*. Consultancy firm Strategy& carried out a study of 2,500 businesses over ten years, and found that two in five female CEOs had been fired, whereas only three in ten (27%) male CEOs had been let
Ambition. Motherhood. Not always easy bedfellows. When women become mothers, they often see that career progression is hampered. Sometimes because they want flexibility and are therefore seen as less suitable for promotion. Sometimes even without seeking flexibility, they are put on the mommy-track, on the assumption that they’re less interested in work.
I’m not great at saying no. And I have some colleagues at work who are not great at saying no. And some good friends who don’t say no to their bosses easily. We have something in common – we are all parents – all working mothers. We all work, and are paid
Childcare booked: check. Back to work date set: check. New work clothes (essential!): check. Back to same job: check? Of course you expect to go back to the same job – and your employer knows that demoting you is illegal. Your salary cannot be decreased nor can your title be
Working mother guilt – does it ever ease? If we’re not feeling guilty about being apart from our children, we’re feeling guilty about an un-ironed uniform, unsigned homework or giving toast for dinner. And sometimes we feel guilty about work too. While I would argue vehemently that parents in the