Jay #julie

50 Irish people on their top tip for happiness in 2023

#Julie Jay

Edian And Columnist Parenting

On Prehensive Articles This Series A Topic Of

<p>Julie Jay: "My sons are chalk and cheese, but they love each other all the same." Picture: iStock.</p>

parenting

Julie Jay: My sons are chalk and cheese, but they love each other all the same

"While Ted, my eldest, has the heart of an Irish poet, JJ is more of the fighting Irish variety"

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Julie Jay: My mother-in-law was never happier than when indulging her grandkids' every whim

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Julie Jay: As parents of toddlers, now is not our time to thrive, but survive

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Julie Jay: Spoiling our children from time to time isn’t a bad thing

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Julie Jay: One of the hardest aspects of parenting is the lack of alone time

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Julie Jay: I was never much of a hugger, but now hugs are a big thing in our house

Cute toddler boy watching cartoon movie in the cinema

Julie Jay: Baby-and-parent comedy gigs are a riot

Parent and baby events are fast becoming my dream events to do - mostly because the hecklers can’t speak

Tue, 05 Nov, 2024

Rear View Of Children In Halloween Costumes Going Trick Or Treat. Little Boy Ringing The Doorbell Of The House Decorated For Hal

Halloween is the one time we do the unthinkable - we knock on a neighbour’s door unannounced

Some people may turn off the lights and pretend not to be home, but most will greet the kids with a smile and a few sweets

Tue, 29 Oct, 2024

Young caucasian woman mother changing clothes and diapers to her small five months old baby boy or girl on the back seat of the

Julie Jay: We have all experienced our own '17 diapers' moment

After women started sharing their own moments of perceived parental failure to support a woman vilified for failing to dispose of soiled nappies in her home, I can't help but think it is these moments, not the moments of triumph, which connect us

Tue, 22 Oct, 2024

men and women sandals on the beach

Julie Jay: Partners to parents — like trying to climb a mountain in a pair of flip-flops

Former TV presenter and Supernanny recently expressed her belief that parents shouldn’t blame their kids for their problems, but the reality is parenting is the biggest test for any relationship

Tue, 15 Oct, 2024

Regrets

Julie Jay: Children should not be shielded from their mistakes or ours

Before having kids,I swore I wouldn’t be one of those parents who would automatically side with their child, no matter the circumstance, but when it comes to our children it’s hard to be Switzerland

Tue, 08 Oct, 2024

Teddy laying in bed with copy space

Julie Jay: We get 40 winks after hoodwinking son into sleeping in his room

After much convincing our four year old has finally been sold on the benefits of a room of one’s own, and my husband and I are positively giddy at the prospect of alone time at last

Tue, 24 Sep, 2024

Birthday cake with colorful candles

Children's parties can swiftly get out of control, much like an Irish wedding

When it comes to birthday party bags, it's like a mini version of Wall Street—everyone’s vying for the best deal and will step over their mothers (literally and figuratively) to get it.

Tue, 17 Sep, 2024

Multitask woman. Mother, businesswoman with child, working, coocking and calling. Flat vector.

Julie Jay: I’m back teaching — I’d forgotten how hard it is to work outside the home

So chaotic are mornings with kids that any parent who manages to get to work on time is nothing short of heroic

Wed, 11 Sep, 2024

kid baby in cozy cotton body sits back to the camera

Julie Jay: My youngest's first year has been the fastest in my life

This is a week where I was reminded that in life things can move fast, but a crawling baby can move faster

Tue, 03 Sep, 2024

Group of Children Hugging in Forest

Julie Jay: We may spend the rest of our lives trying to recreate a special weekend

As much as it kills the Irish cynic in me to admit it, the weekend we spent in Longford was fairly close to perfect, and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.

Tue, 27 Aug, 2024

Julie Jay: A child left ‘Home Alone’ seemed fun until I became a mom

Julie Jay: A child left ‘Home Alone’ seemed fun until I became a mom

There is no terror like the terror of not having eyes on your child, and it is a terror most of us experience at some point in our parenting journey.

Tue, 20 Aug, 2024

Baby boy playing with stuufed toy at home.

Julie Jay: It’s a drag watching my baby try to crawl, but he’ll get there eventually

As he shuffles from A to B at a glacial pace, it turns out our one year old isn’t the only one embracing their sloth era

Tue, 13 Aug, 2024

Festival Love

Julie Jay: I can't imagine anything worse than bringing my kids to a festival

People debate whether or not festivals are the right place for children, but the truth is anything is enjoyable for kids once they feel safe and heard on what is a unique and truly enriching adventure

Tue, 06 Aug, 2024

Woman watering flowers.

Julie Jay: Even reading about families with eight children has me googling vasectomy clinics in Kerry

A recent newspaper interview with well-known influencer Hannah Neeleman has many people questioning the trad wife phenomenon and just how aspirational it really is

Tue, 30 Jul, 2024

Cute little boy sitting on the beach in sunset

Julie Jay: After dinner is the perfect time to enjoy an Irish beach with your kids

... convincing the kids it’s time to go home is also never a problem, because the sun going down signals the jig is up and that tomorrow is another day

Tue, 23 Jul, 2024

Children's drawing workshop, happy children make handprints with paint.

Julie Jay: Is it necessary for parents to bring out their child’s inner Don Conroy?

"My ‘suggested feed’ is a litany of crafty mammies going above and beyond to make sure their child doesn’t have to suffer one nano-second of boredom."

Tue, 16 Jul, 2024

Dirty dishes in the sink

I can’t tame the mess monster no matter how much cleaning I do

A chaotic individual is endearing, chaotic mammy is risking a call to the relevant authorities

Tue, 02 Jul, 2024

Child with bag back to school. Faceless cute little boy back to school with blue schoolbag

Julie Jay: Oops, I dropped him off at school again — even though it was closed

When you forget a big thing like when your child is due to finish up for school holidays, you have to be prepared to pay the price

Tue, 25 Jun, 2024

mother exercising together with her baby,woman doing postnatal workout cute isolated vector illustration scene

Julie Jay: Why pay to attend a gym class when I have a baby-sized kettlebell at home?

In an effort to encourage crawling, we have built a baby boot camp for Number Two, and no bad cops are allowed

Tue, 18 Jun, 2024

Vote black board

Julie Jay: Politicians and toddlers will say almost anything to get what they want

"They’ve broken our trust before, and they rarely see things through, but still, we say over and over again, this time it will be different."

Tue, 04 Jun, 2024

Crepe in a pan above view isolated on a purple background.

Julie Jay: Kids are like pancakes — the first is always a trial run

Turning to the internet for comfort is never a good idea - especially when you happen upon the phenomenon called second-child syndrome

Tue, 28 May, 2024

Young father holds his newborn baby with care and love.

Julie Jay: It’s Daddy for craic and Mammy for survival in our house

"My husband can parent no problem, but when I’m in the vicinity, I automatically step in as our three-year-old comes straight to me with picklers like opening yoghurts and re-adjusting his sunhat."

Tue, 21 May, 2024

Breastfeeding concept. Woman feeding a baby with breast, sitting on armchair. World breastfeeding day. Vector illustration in fl

Listen: Julie Jay — The odds of me whipping on a crop top are ‘slim’ to none

"If you’re still fretting about not fitting into your pre-baby jeans, just remember how handy the extra bit of cushioning is when, if you’re like me, you walk into your car mirror on a daily basis."

Tue, 07 May, 2024

Teh back view

Julie Jay: Road trip trauma means we might stay for good

We had a bit of a trek this week as the four of us trotted off to the green fields of Mayo

Tue, 30 Apr, 2024

laundry room with a washing machine

Julie Jay: I’ve finally bought a clothes dryer after 817 consecutive days of rain

We have invested in a dryer and I might never leave the house again

Tue, 23 Apr, 2024

Girl suffers from insomnia and had difficulty falling asleep.Woman has headaches during sleep time. Sleepy female lying on bed a

Julie Jay: I often fantasise about a spell in the sick wing

When I fell ill I imagined the house was going to fall apart in the absence of my constant cleaning and organising efforts - but turns out I am pretty dispensible

Tue, 16 Apr, 2024

Group of mothers. Smiling people hug child, moms and kids. Happy beautiful women playing and reading with children. Motherhood o

Julie Jay: What if parents don’t have that village to help rear children?

The proverbial saying ‘it takes a village to rear a child’ is one I hear ad-nauseum when discussing childcare arrangements. But what if parents don’t have that village to assist when it comes to rearing children?

Tue, 09 Apr, 2024

Vaccination or drug concept image

Julie Jay: My baby son takes his vaccine shot like a champ but he is also in pain

When it comes to our kids and medical treatment, as somebody with an arts degree, all we can do is trust advice and hope we are doing the right thing

Tue, 02 Apr, 2024

Julie Jay: For all her faults, Peppa does a great job babysitting the kids for an hour

Julie Jay: For all her faults, Peppa does a great job babysitting the kids for an hour

Peppa is a lot less irritating as Ghaeilge, so cartoons on RTÉjr are a strong recommendation — in Peppa Muc we trust

Tue, 26 Mar, 2024

Walking new mothers

Julie Jay: The reviews are in — we parents are more sensitive than you think

Even the most well-intentioned of feedback can feel like a dagger to the heart when you are knee-deep in the trenches of new parenting

Tue, 19 Mar, 2024

Bright, blue eyed child covered in carrots

Julie Jay: We have started on the solids, and have the Jackson Pollock walls to prove it

Of course, watching our baby thrive is a privilege, but I can’t say I’m not having a heart-attack every time he swallows some baby-rice

Tue, 12 Mar, 2024

Mother and son

Julie Jay: I may be a mother of boys, but I’m most definitely not a boy-mom

TikTok has once again got me thinking about what it means to be a mother of boys, specifically in relation to the somewhat strange phenomenon of the #boymom viral video trend

Tue, 05 Mar, 2024

mother with her son playing in the back of the car

Julie Jay: On the road again with our travelling circus and things are getting crowded in our car

Travelling light is impossible when you have an adorable six-month-old in tow

Tue, 27 Feb, 2024

Julie Jay: When the fun parent becomes the favourite parent

Julie Jay: When the fun parent becomes the favourite parent

The unthinkable has happened - my husband is the new favourite and it’s hard not to feel the sting

Tue, 20 Feb, 2024

Hand holding white toilet paper roll over green background

Julie Jay: My refusal to replace the toilet roll at home is a gender equality issue

"Before the men who read this column get in touch to tell me I’ve got this all wrong, let me share what I feel is irrefutable anecdotal evidence to back up my mud-slinging."

Tue, 13 Feb, 2024

Busy mother doing a lot of work at home. Stressed mom with six hands keeping laptop, book, phone, hairdryer and feeding her chil

Julie Jay: Friendships come second when we become mammies

"Motherhood tests friendships because nothing changes a person like bringing a child into the world. Kids are the be-all and end-all, and they come before anyone or anything else."

Tue, 06 Feb, 2024

Mid adult woman in hospital.

Julie Jay: I often fantasise about a 'holiday' in hospital

It is a scientific fact that most mammies only rest when under medical instruction to do so

Tue, 30 Jan, 2024

The boy using a spoon for honey eats it from the jar.

This week it's a case of sticky fingers all round, and I am not just talking about the honey

We are all graduates of the School of Second Chances, and because of that we continue to try to make amends for the mistakes of our past.

Tue, 23 Jan, 2024

Customer Satisfaction Concepts on Chalkboard

Julie Jay: Everyone thinks their baby is the best — but mine really is

'If the Golden Globes gave out awards for best four-month-olds, my four-month-old would win it hands down. And that’s not parental bias'

Tue, 16 Jan, 2024

Why I'm going to do more of what makes me happy in 2024

Why I'm going to do more of what makes me happy in 2024

I know my mammy friends have the best of intentions, but it is all feeling a bit much too soon when it comes to the health kicks

Tue, 09 Jan, 2024

Celebrities At The Los Angeles Lakers Game

Julie Jay: Move over Kim, there’s a new boss in town and her name is North

In the latest series of Keeping Up With Kardashians, 10-year-old North West has been running rings around her mother, and we love her all the more for it

Tue, 02 Jan, 2024

Multicultural group of people is standing together. Team of colleagues, students, happy men and women. Multinational society. F

My husband is one of those rare breeds of humans who actually likes people

Fred and I may have different ideas of what constitutes a nice Christmas, but we are determined to make it a good one

Tue, 26 Dec, 2023

A rear view of small toddler boy with parents crossing a road outdoors in city.

Julie Jay: Why be honest with your kids when you could be happy?

As parents, we tell our kids to always tell the truth when the reality is we regularly are often guilty of telling a porkie or two to our beloved offspring

Tue, 19 Dec, 2023

Julie Jay: To Elf or Not to Elf, that is the question

Julie Jay: To Elf or Not to Elf, that is the question

As Christmas approaches, many parents are dreading the return of a tiny trespasser and his mischievous antics

Tue, 12 Dec, 2023