Our Blog

Ellen’s blog: New au pair: advice for first-timers

We have recently welcomed our third au pair in four years, and she and the children are getting used to each other and their new routine. My lovely new au pair is Italian and has a wonderful can-do a... Read More

• Families

Peace's blog: Sorry I can't make it!

Five little words but yet with such potent qualities that can make the difference between a healthy stress free day and a meltdown.  Some days I find myself spread so thin, having promised ... Read More

• Careers

Freddy's blog: The second coming

The second time definitely feels different. My wife and I are just under two months away from the birth of our second daughter. Our first is coming up for 3 and a half and is looking forward to welco... Read More

• Families

Caroline's blog: Depression - the fight nobody sees

I used to know someone. In twisted times I might have gone so far as to call him a friend, except he wouldn’t leave me and I couldn’t leave him.  He stayed with me, smothering me. He... Read More

• Wellbeing

Dolly's blog: A series of unfortunate events

I was on a roll.  Surfing the wave.  Living the good life.  Obviously that couldn’t last and lo and behold... I pulled my back and spent 5 weeks in fairly constant pain.... Read More

• Families

Addy's blog: Over planning ahead?

So this blog started last week whilst on holiday in the south of France but the story started two years ago when we started planning the trip. Three couples, three countries and six kids between us s... Read More

• Families

Marva's blog: New Girl

It can be a bit of a weird one, can’t it, making meaningful new friendships as an adult?  I mean, brand new friendships, with other adults with whom you genuinely have things in common and... Read More

• Families

Hayley's blog: Are they naughty?

"I attended a WorkLife Central seminar a few weeks ago, ran by mother and parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith. The topic was “Understanding Naughty.” My son is almost 2 and a half -... Read More

• Families

Lawrence's blog: The Roomba...

Like many, by the time our children are all in bed our house looks like a complete bombsite. From the barrage of toys that despite best efforts cannot be contained to one room and are spread througho... Read More

• Families

James's blog: Progression

We have just returned from an early summer holiday in the UK.  As seems to be the norm for our family holidays, my wife and I took the opportunity of some downtime to reassess our lifestyles and... Read More

• Families

Rosie's blog: Back to normailty

Its scarcely seems like almost three months since my youngest son was discharged from hospital. I felt at the time as if my world had been turned upside down; indeed, all of our worlds had been turne... Read More

• Families

Kim's blog: Reflections

It’s my second to last ever Primary school summer fair today which means its nearly the end of term and time for melancholy reflections on how much the children have grown up and changed since ... Read More

• Families

Freddy's blog: Plans

I don’t like to make plans. My wife and I spent a lot of time talking about it in our early years. When we were single, she used to divide Friday night to Sunday night into seven time slots to ... Read More

• Families

Peace's blog: What’s in a name? The art of customer service.

After placing my order that morning on my way in to work, the juice bar tender says with a smile, "your smoothie will be ready in 5 minutes; your name is Peace, right?" Let’s rew... Read More

• Families

Dolly's blog: Time.

It was a funny old week.  Mr D was working, but the kids and I had a half term staycation.  I enjoy these one parent holidays because I’ve realised how much more I interact with the c... Read More

• Families

Caroline's blog: Little words go a long way

I love bookshops. I can happily whittle away any chunk of time browsing books on any subject area going. Last week, on the way to a meeting, I had some time to kill at Waterloo station, and so indulg... Read More

• Families

Addy's blog: Never ever say sorry for crying

Did you know that suicide is the biggest killer in the UK in men under 45? That globally 320 million people are diagnosed with depression and that in the UK 1 in 4 people will be having mental health... Read More

• Wellbeing

Lawrence's blog: Living for the weekend - 3 years on

Back in 2015, I wrote my first blog for WorkLife Central. It centred on my ambitions for a random weekend which, like for most, had a focus on seeing more of my partner and my then 2 year old daughte... Read More

• Families

Hayleys blog: Thanks!

“The day before you turned two, we flew back from our holiday and you sat on my lap for most of the flight home. You were just short of having a ‘paid-for’ seat on the plane, so whi... Read More

• Families

Ellen's blog: Think before you buy a cute pet...

  Around this time last year, whilst on a country walk with the children, I spotted one of those farms where they sell fresh eggs at the farm gate, via the use of an honesty box... Read More

• Families

James's blog: That Friday feeling...

It’s 8:30am on a Friday morning and I’m on my way into work having just dropped my daughter at school. I work a half day on Fridays in order to collect her from schoo... Read More

• Families

Marva's blog: Me & You - Part 2

Can there ever be too much of a good thing? I ask myself.  I decide “yes”, as I stand at the window, staring down at the leafy cul-de-sac formed of tidy, well kept homes and manic... Read More

• Families

Rosie's blog: Unexpected Easter

In common with most parents, the Easter holidays was being looked forward to with huge anticipation this year. Easter as the time of new beginnings is always one of our favourite times of year. W... Read More

• Families

Peace's blog: Innovate with a smile

  "Oova…oova.., mummy...oova "   It was one of those busy weeks. I can't believe it's Friday already, and a few things still un... Read More

• Families

Freddy's blog: Chocolate

Chocolate is not a special treat. Why? Because special things and treats are what we really want. We all know we shouldn’t have too much chocolate, especiall... Read More

• Families

Caroline's blog: Fairies, unicorns and gender inequality

Along with the birds and the bees, the Middle East peace process and the economic arguments for and against Brexit, gender inequality was low on the list of topics I had expected to discuss with m... Read More

• Families

Dolly's blog: Royal Society For The Protection Of Au Pairs

You probably saw last summer’s attention-grabbing headlines about the dramatic drop in au pair numbers. They certainly grabbed my attention, because without an au pair we’d be toast. ... Read More

• Families

Addy's blog: The art of communication through the years

Following on from Ellen’s blog on the “Communication Code of Conduct” a couple of weeks ago, and having had a variety of testing experiences since then, it got me thinking about c... Read More

• Careers

Louise's blog: Snow laughing matter

As we emerge from one of the worst spells of weather the UK has witnessed in decades, I can finally reflect on one of the most stressful weeks of my working life. Usually, I ju... Read More

• Families

Marva's blog: Me & You - Part 1

I wake up groggy, the stark strip lighting above trying to burn me a couple of brand new irises.  It’s been three days? I’ve had too little real sleep and far too much of a morphi... Read More