Domestic Noir: The extraordinary in the ordinary

Meeting The Emotional Demands of Becoming a Mum

You’ve painted the nursery and bought the pram – but can you prepare mentally for the trials to come?   Parenting is a tough gig. Even if you’ve never felt symptoms of depression or anxiety before, pregnancy and childbirth can increase the risk of these feelings.  Becoming a parent is an emotional time, shrouded by high, often unrealistic expectations on how your new role will fit into your old life. It is a period of adjustment in your relationship, your work and social life as you adapt to meet your…

Christmas with Kids: Keeping it Real.

Before becoming a parent, Christmas with children seemed like a dreamscape; think angelic children with a twinkle in their eye, frolicking around a colour-coordinated hand-picked tree, opening presents with sheer delight. Yet, Christmas, as with life, doesn’t always play out like a greeting card and can easily decline into a rushed day of family arguments, overtired children and broken dreams. To avoid Christmas feeling like an event you need to survive rather than something you look forward to, here’s some tips on how you can best manage your children’s expectations…