Donegal Woman Author - Maria Rushe

I’ve written before about my love of a good “to-do” list.

I love them. I make them constantly and nothing pleases me more than drawing an aggressive and satisfied line …
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HOW do you work with teenagers?

I get asked this quite a bit.

My answer?

Very easily actually.

Because ‘teenagers’ are wicked.

They have …
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Don’t.  Just Don’t.

I’ve written about this before but it seems that it’s like non-parents parking in mother and baby spots, or people feeling the need to comment on how …
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What makes you smile Mammy?

“My children’s arms around my neck… spending time with my family… seeing my children’s faces when… hearing my children’s voices…cuddles with my babies…”

Yadda yadda …
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So it’s time to get back in our groove and return normality and reality with everyone back to School, Childcare, activities and work.

I don’t know how you other Mammies …
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“Your Mammy doesn’t work.” or “Your Mammy doesn’t have a real job”

I remember hearing this a few times as a child and as a teenager. I remember not thinking …
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Although it is many moons ago, Mammy remembers getting her Leaving Cert Results.

Mammy was certain that the contents of the little brown envelope were going to change her life. …
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A few summers ago, we went to Redcastle for a day out.

Reminiscing enroute about the famous “big yellow slide” of our childhoods, we knew it was no longer there. …
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Yesterday, we were exploring our beautiful county, as we love to do.

We were on beaches, we found the Boardwalk, we drove off the main roads and over mountains. …
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“We won’t get much longer dressing them in matching outfits” says Me to He as we walked along the promenade in Salou. We were on the last night of our …
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What is Legacy?

It’s a word we usually retain for after someone has departed for the Big City in the Sky, (or wherever you believe we go after this life.)

…
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My journey through the jungle of Mammyhood so far has many things. I am always learning and yet it feels like I never learn!

Regardless of how you become a …
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Exam season is upon us again.

It seems to come around faster and faster each year, doesn’t it?

If your little darlings are about to do their Junior or Leaving …
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Summer!

It’s finally here and in fairness, apart from the odd dodgy day, it’s already shaping up to be a cracker.

And now that Mammy and Daddy are done with …
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Once upon a time, in a damp and draughty classroom, Mammy here remembers putting a question to the loveliful and unfortunate lady charged with the torture of teaching her Mathematicalisms.

…
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Last night, we attended The Ball of Balls in the beautiful Harvey’s Point in Donegal Town.

This innovative and brave event was created by a group of friends, born from …
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“Did you have a nice day at school?” yeah “Any news for me?” No “What did you learn today?” Nuthin “Did you learn anything new today?” Nope. “How are your …
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Where do you find the time?”

“How can you be bothered?”

“It can’t be worth that much work?”

Musicals.

I’ve been on stage my whole life, first as an Irish …
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You are now approaching Baby Brain Station

Imagine a train network. (Yeah I know that this is an alien concept to us up here in Donegal, but hey!)

Your brain …
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Have you ever felt like you’ve let your kids down or made a mess of things?

Have you ever felt like a failure because you didn’t reach your own expectations …
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Read the extract from 1950 Home Economics Book below.

Here is what it should say:

Have Dinner Ready

Plan ahead, even the night before, to have some sort of …
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Mammy loves the Babywipes.

Every parent loves the Babywipes, don’t they?

We really should thank the inventor of the Babywipes.

Apparently, the first Babywipe was invented in the 1950s and …
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“I don’t doooooo Facebook.” 

“I don’t doooooooooo Instagram.”

“I don’t doooooooo social media.” 

Do I have a problem with any of these statements?

Of …
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“I’m not your best fwend Mammy.  I’m Emily’s best fwend”…

And there it was. In one simple sentence, I’d been categorically dumped by my one of my daughters… AGAIN.  I’ve …
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Homework…

As a teacher, I can never discredit the importance of homework.  It compliments learning and encourages independent study and learning.

I do however have a strange attitude to homework, …
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I’ve written about this before but it seems that it’s like non parents parking in mother and baby spots or people feeling the need to comment on how your baby …
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Being a Mum generally means that “you will never be lonely again”, but in reality, it is often the loneliest place in the world.

I’ve spoken before about how social …
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Happy New Year Lovely People.

I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions. If you follow me, you’ll know that I hate the ‘New Year, New You’ rhetoric.  I hate the …
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Before the onslaught of New Year, New You Bullshit starts, let me remind you of a few things…

Yes, January 1st is an obviously good starting point for new beginnings …
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‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land,

The magic was starting and all was in hand.

The trees were lit up and the turkeys were prepped,

The …
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Mammy is offended…

Given that everyone is now allowed and encouraged to be offended by absolutely everything, I’ve decided to crack down on the lyrics of other Christmas songs which, …
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Christmas.

I LOVE it! I love everything about it.  I love the sparkle, the sounds, the smells, the smiles.  I love the kindness. I love how it brings out the …
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Mammy spends much time planning the weekly eating.

Not because Mammy is a super organised Mammy. More because Mammy loves food so much that Mammy likes to know what is …
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“Hello my two minions. How are we at 5.30pm on this Friday evening after a full week of school and routine and mayhem?

“Shall we go to town and watch …
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Listen up Mamma Bears.

Can we introduce a new law?

Let us call it the Potty Parent law…

And let us apply it to all public toilets from this moment …
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The recent pregnancy announcement of one of the pretty Princess People in London has caused quite a stir, not only because everyone loves a royal Baby as much as a …
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Most days we all see something silly or shocking on our roads.

Maybe it’s a close call.  Maybe it’s a near miss.  Maybe it’s someone speeding…

And usually, we tut, …
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Keira Knightley this week broke the interweb with her announcement that she has banned her three-year-old daughter Edie from watching The Little Mermaid and Cinderella.

She feels that they teach her …
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It’s been a bit of a whirlwind for Mammy this week.

Friday was amazing and I am over the moon that my wee blog won the Boots Maternity & Infant …
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Why are we so determined to make sure our little darlings never know what it’s like to fail?

Why do we expect everyone to be a high flying “success” at …
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Mammy was chancing her arm last night and going with the flow…or maybe making a HUGE mistake?

Mammy has been aware recently of some tuts and raised eyebrows recently about …
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Rejoice! Rejoice!

It is the first weekend after a FULL week of school and work and routine. And we have all survived. (albeit just about, but survive we have.)

We …
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When a 6 year old asks a question, sometimes, it makes us think. We begin by explaining it to her in the simplest terms possible, and in doing so, sometimes …
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Next week, our Princess, like so many other Wobblers, will be taking her first steps into the big bad world without Mammy or Daddy.

Now starting Pre-school is not quite …
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Mammy is super-organised…

Mammy has started her Christmas Shopping.

Mammy has started thinking about next year’s summer holidays.

Mammy has started making plans for 2 or 3 significant birthdays in …
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It’s August; which if you believe the Interweb and the Instafluencers, means it’s practically January already.

So apparently it’s time for Happy New Year already?

Eh. No.

Ok, I will …
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“She had a good nappy.”

My childhood was spent listening to my Beloved Granny saying this line to my Mum or aunties when they came to collect babies or toddlers from her care.

I …
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Sanctimammy

Noun – A Mammy who believes that her way of parenting is the correct and proper way; judging and dismissing other Mums who do not parent as she parents.

…
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Packing for holidays is something I’ve always been good at; enjoyed even.  I am the Queen of packing light, usually packing for both of us in one case.  I’ve been …
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This column was harder to write than I had anticipated. Why? Because no matter what angle I approached it from, I found myself anticipating the negative comments from other people.

…
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