Though you leave, there is no reprieve, From the ties that bind us. The craving waiting to wash over me. The relief your presence brings, But brief respite from a hunger I cannot suppress. The part of my story, That brings me sweet, sweet glory Even on the hazy days. Awaiting your return, I cannot…
My Response To Mayim Bialik on Divorce
As a divorced single mum, I make a bee-line for any blogs or vlogs out there that talk about single parenting and divorce from a mums perspective. Recently one of Mayim Bialik’s vlogs has been doing the rounds. It’s a piece about divorce, and how she co-parents with her ex. Now, I think it’s great…
My Divorce Is a Sign of Strength
If we don’t know personally, then we’ve surely all heard how marriage is hard work, especially once children enter the mix. There are so many posts about it; beautiful ones about the struggles and joys of married life,* and others which, quite frankly, border on the offensive – emphasising how nowadays people aren’t cut out for the hard work…
Depression: This Shit Just Got Real
I went to the doctor’s today. Told them I wasn’t coping. Suddenly everything feels very real. “Depression” was bandied around. I haven’t been coping for the last three years, so it’s not like it’s a new thing. But I’ve had to cope, had to carry on regardless. I haven’t been allowed to stop and breath…
My Message To The Mum of That Toddler
I was flicking through my notebook today and came across a half written post I’d done awhile back about parenting the shitty kid. Before I go any further with this story I should just point out that my son is NOT, never was (and hopefully never will be), a shitty kid (let’s be honest NO kid is actually a shitty kid).…
Why I Hate Mum Work Travel
I wrote a while back about my love-hate relationship with work travel as a mum. Only now I’ve decided I actually just hate mum work travel. Last night I returned so exhausted every bone in my body ached and I had that fuzzy, not quite there feeling – like my brain was looking through some translucent…
Shooting On Our Estate: A Street Of Two Tales
The other week I returned home to the news that there had been a shooting on our estate. No deaths thankfully, but the kids (and they were kids) in the neighbouring flats were involved. Suddenly the reality of London newspaper headlines were strewn across my street. Only this was a lot more real than any newspaper story…
Wanting Another Child
I’ve talked before about how it breaks me to think I won’t have another child, but what I haven’t talked about is why I feel that way. Like most things in life, it’s a complex set of emotions. Emotions that are trying to pull and push me towards a life that is currently very far from…
Mental Health Campaigns are Missing the Point
Mental health campaigns are all around us. In principle it seems like a great idea – raise awareness, lessen discrimination and increase support for those with mental health issues, right? But is that what’s happening? It might be controversial, but I don’t think so. There isn’t the equivalent campaign for ‘physical health’. Instead there are specific…
Why holidays with the family makes me so ungrateful
My son is probably the best travelled toddler I’ve ever met – in his two and a half years he’s got more air miles than should be legal and is already in double digits of countries visited! I’ve done most of these travels as a single mum so you’d think, by now, I’d be used to the whole…