Archive for November, 2009

Is that good or bad for kids? No.

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

There’s a common error about parenting (well, most things in life really) which states that each action is either Good or Bad, and we should stick to good ones and avoid badness like the plague. The problem with this dichotomy is, it fails to take into account what happens if you do nothing in the [...]

when are we going to get wise to stalker violence?

Friday, November 13th, 2009

The perpetrator of a particularly shocking and horrific crime has been jailed in Britain. Where are the obvious positive suggestions and changes that need to be made? You don’t have to read the article- here are the lessons I want to see being learned and used:
1. Women need to know when men are showing signs [...]

thoughts from my daughter on the value of Twitter

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

She doesn’t use Twitter herself as yet, but often hears me saying, “I must tweet that!” or, “Can I tweet that?” or my latest tales of miraculous instant help appearing in response to random question tweets- she also chats elsewhere with friends online:
The thing about Twitter is, when people talk about it they always [...]

books I want to write #1 “Postcard Parenting”

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

update: Notes Left Behind is another (very sad) parent/child story of love against the odds, with a written message theme. Not sure I’ll be able to read that one myself, though.
Or, how to be influential and beneficial in your child’s life and have a great relationship with him/her despite not having access to the [...]

the 2 minutes’ silence

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

I was waiting by my plane gate when the two minutes’ silence was announced this Remembrance Sunday. Everyone froze on the spot, and they played the bongs of Big Ben and the Last Post over the tannoy at the end, and everything. It was very powerful and moving, really. I read in the Times lately [...]

Gordon Brown: sincere, pompous ass, or sincere pompous ass?

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Talked a bit on facebook about the latest Gordon Brown PR fiasco; personal, handwritten letters to bereaved families which happen to be illegible and badly spelled (but not on purpose of course, so that’s OK then: I have at all times acted in good faith seeking to do the right thing. I do not think [...]

what am I doing in Berlin…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Berlin is definitely my favourite place in Europe, in the sense of being the place where I would most truly love to live, but I always feel a bit crazy for coming here. It’s such a great holiday destination! I hear myself telling the kids, then realising that most people would probably rather go on [...]







header2501.jpg day-job blog