PhD Mum

It would appear that my son is a firm “bed-xiteer”. And I (like most parents I imagine) am a “bed-mainer”. For the last couple of nights, we have had over 2 hours of continually putting our monster back in his bed. During this time, like all bed-xiteers I imagine, he shouts loud saying he doesn’t want to bed-main, he isn’t tired, that I am scaremongering him with my threats of what will happen if he doesn’t stay. Honestly, these bed-xiteers. Do they not know why we want them to bed-main? I’ve tried to show him the benefits of bed-maining – financial stability (he can have pennies for his jar or sweets), improved relationships (both his parents will talk to him, he can see his friends), employment opportunities (he can paint in the morning if he wants to) As you may have seen on my Instagram account, he won. He bed-xited. But he was made to sit in the corner and think about his actions. He soon returned to his room after he saw all the false promises he had believed (i.e. b...

I started this blog about 12 months in to my PhD. My monster was turning 2. My mental abilities were returning post-sleep deprivation. As a new mum, I would look at this blog/instagram/Facebook malarkey and wonder why someone would even bother taking the effort of doing this, given the demands of being a mum. As a PhD student, I would think the same. It is time consuming, especially when there is a thesis to write! Here are a few reasons I did: 1. Returning to the PhD after being mum, I felt a sudden lack of confidence. In my ability as an academic and generally as a writer. The process of writing the blog, however imperfect the spelling/grammar/style really helped me to get back onboard with the writing process. This reason alone has made blogging worthwhile. 2. I don't really write with the idea that loads of people will read it, or to provide lots of advice, but the process for me is very cathartic. A psychological break from the daily grind. I hope that somewhere, a mu...