The Real Life of an Insta-Mum
There’s been a furore lately over the Insta-Mum phenomenon. Most of us are on there, even if it’s only to stalk our children’s accounts. We laugh and nod at someone else’s crappy day, and get shopping envy over their new pink boots. The phony Insta-Mum claim Apparently some of us are letting the side down, making motherhood look way too easy and glamorous. We’re posting too many perfect lattes and sparkly manicures, and not enough eyebags and carrot splats. Our houses look too tidy, our children too angelic, and our beaches too pristine. It’s not the truth, some claim, and …
How I became a YouTube Fan Girl overnight
This was me this morning. Like all pictures, there’s a story to this one, and it starts with a 30 day photography challenge that I embarked on at the beginning of the month. I’ll tell you about that later though, because that’s not what you came here for. Basically, the reason I’m wearing this weird kind of ohmygodcanireallydothis? expression is because I’ve just realised what a big deal Louise Pentland is. First things first, I’m not that badly under a shell that I didn’t know that Louise is the rather very ultra-famous YouTuber behind Sprinkleofglitter. Unlike my husband who, when he saw …
Why I Couldn’t Care Less About the Blue Tick
The Blue Tick. I’ve given it a name, because it is an actual thing, with a mind of its own, and deep, mysterious power over those in its thrall. Like one of those eighties horror films, the blue tick has taken on a significance disproportionate to its actual merit, turning ballsy social media account holders into needy, insecure individuals, uncertain of their worth. I’m speaking for myself here. I’m referring, of course, to the official badge of recognition gifted by the main social media platform gods – Instagram Idol, Twitter Tycoon, and Mark Zuckerberg, to name the three biggest …
Family…
I wasn’t going to write a post today. I’m in the midst of packing for diabetes camp. I was up 5 times last night alternately adding insulin, then sugar to my daughter’s sleeping form. Bloody hormones are screwing with her big time. I lay awake last night thinking about teenage growth spurts, puberty, and what might lie in store for the next couple of years. Then I realised that the timing of said girl hormone patterns are going to clash perfectly with another hormonal phenomenon in this house. Menopause. Oh God. I can almost see the boys packing up a …
Being Brave: BritMums and Type 1 Diabetes
In June 2015 I attended the BritMums Live conference for parenting bloggers. I have been many times to the event, and have transitioned from nervous new blogger to being relaxed and excited to catch up with friends and discover new brands. I have spoken at the event in previous years, and gained valuable experience in public-speaking. I have even read a blogger keynote speech before – a funny one that gave me the satisfaction of a few audience laughs. This year though, I was brave. This year I spoke out about what it means to suffer a life-changing event in …
An Interview with the Loose Women
Now it’s no secret that I’ve had my virtual falling-outs with the team at Loose Women. They are not girls to hold back, nor do they profess to be experts in any of their discussion topics. What they are, is opionated, outspoken women, who don’t hold back on what they believe. A bit like me, and lots of other women – and that’s a good thing. They are not always right, as the link above illustrates, but they do get things talked about, and for that reason I was happy to take the opportunity to conduct an interview with Loose …
You know your partner is a social media addict when…
When I started blogging, my husband didn’t really know much about social media. He had an impressive LinkedIn profile, but didn’t really see the need for Twitter, and Facebook was just a place he went to virtually wave at old girlfriends occasionally. He is now a fully-fledged digital marketing expert, but in the beginning I was ahead of the game. A couple of months into my blogging career, I sent my first tweet. For a while, he lost me to a glass of wine in the kitchen every evening, as I chattered to my new friends. Then one day, he noticed …
My writing process blog tour – tips for creative copy
Sculpting confusion There is a thing going on with bloggers and writers at the moment. It’s called a blog tour and it works like this: Each blogger involved answers 4 questions about how and why they write They then pass the baton to another writer, who publishes answers to the same questions the following week, thanking the person who tagged them. It’s that simple. When Sophie, of Franglaise Mummy, asked me if I’d like to be her ‘tagee’ I hesitated. I’m not normally a partaker of memes and tours; I don’t enjoy writing to a prescribed structure; and I’m so …
I’m sorry… #BritMumsLive
I have wanted to write this post for a long time. I have tumbled thoughts around in my head for months, not sure how to articulate them without risking a nasty backlash. I have privately raged about the ‘voices’ that other writers have appropriated on the subject, but not had the confidence to add my own. It’s only now that I know the right words. Feminism. God what a frightening word that is. On Friday I had the pleasure of speaking on the opening panel of BritMumsLive. Alongside journalism icons Eleanor Mills and Bryony Gordon, as well as Stella Creasy, …
Expressions #12: Let it go for #BritMumsLive
My mother has done it again. Embarrassed me. I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s an almost daily occurrence, with her gaffs, and her love of oversharing. I have perfected my warning glare for use on the playground when faced with an imminent faux pas in front of my friends, and actually, much of the time it works. But she has out done herself today. Unbeknownst to me, she and Annie have been putting together a short video detailing their nerves over the forthcoming Brilliance in Blogging awards. Now I love Annie, but she has led my mother too far over the cliff …
Brilliance in Blogging: How did it come to this?
11.56 Wednesday 30 April. Just now, this happened: Post by Helen Wills. I have been lucky enough to win two great blogging awards in the three years since I first converted key taps to the stories of my children. I am stunned every time, and humbled by the communal thumbs up from the blogging community. But never more than today. Not one, but two categories. Best Writer: When I began to write, it was on this blog. I had never written before. I was no budding journalist, or wannabe romance scriber. From the minute I began, I dreamed I might one …
Britmums Live Inquisition!
Wot so Funee? will be taking a break for the Easter holidays, and will return on 22 April. In the meantime I’m excited to be heading for Britmums Live this summer! She hardly slept the night before. Would her dress be appropriate? Should she have tried to meet up with someone she knew at Starbucks beforehand? What would she do with all those business cards? Surely it was too “look at me!” to hand them out, but maybe too laughable to spread them over tables, hoping nobody would notice until she’d left. On the day, she marched straight in, then …
For my birthday I got a Cision Top Ten Mummy Blog!
We are 3 years old today at Actually Mummy. What does a blog do on its birthday? Does it throw a party for all the words typed, a kind of free-for-all carousing of all that has gone before? Does it invite all its readers to offer words of celebration, or bring gifts of new stories it can use going forward? Maybe it shares its sweets with other blogs it engages with, or offers visitors a cup of tea and some flowers from its garden? Three years ago today I typed my first post. You can read it here, and pick up …
Please vote in the MAD Blog Awards 2014
Two years ago we won an award. It was the first award won in this household since my mother took temporary custody of a silver-plated cup, aged 16, for being the best flute player in Cheadle. Or maybe it was in her street. Whatever – it had been a while. We squealed down the phone on the night we won the Best MAD Schooldays Blog award at the MAD’s. Mother held the phone up to the mic so the whole room could hear our momentary loss of composure. Luckily her best mate from blogging ‘day zero’ also scooped a trophy, …
Change the Story Mother!
My mum went somewhere really important this week. I could tell it was important because she disappeared into the back of the wardrobe and emerged in a smart shirt and crisply ironed trousers. She used to wear them when she worked near Westminster, before I was born. As it happens, she was back to her old stomping ground, but this time she was visiting the House of Lords, and this time it was reeeeeeally important. What is Change the Story? Considering we live in a sophisticated society, it might surprise you to know that last year 1 in 4 …
The MADs: my winning ladies
By The Bug… I don’t say much on this blog. It’s not because I don’t want to (although I am currently in veto discussions over next week’s Wot so Funee?); it’s because living with two vociferous females makes it hard to get a word in edgeways – goodness knows how Daddy feels! But after last Friday’s Mad Blog Awards, I need to have my say about the winning ladies. The Mad Blog Awards 2013 For the last 2 years we’ve been lucky enough to attend the Mad Blog Awards ceremony. I say lucky, and I know that the ladies of …
The MAD Blog Awards 2013 – Thanks, and Good Luck
I couldn’t not blog today, but if I’m honest, I’m feeling a bit under par. Annie, bring your tea tree oil and don’t stand too close 😉 Tonight I am fortunate enough to be attending the Mad Blog Awards for the second year running. Last year we were absolutely thrilled and gobsmacked to win our Schooldays category, sponsored by Startrite Shoes. The competition was stiff, and it is no less so this time round. Look: Thinly Spread: I mean seriously, the woman is a blogging legend, writing beautifully about life, food, gardens, and campaigning for a better world. What’s more, I’ve …
How to look good in photos – a MAD’s Award tutorial
As the Mad Blog Awards 2013 draw mega close, I’m going to show you how Mummy might look on the big night. You’ve had the task of selecting my outfit, but now it’s actually Mummy’s turn in the spotlight. And bearing in mind the red carpet moment (although I seem to recall last year it was orange), I’ve been doing some research on how to look good in photos. Trust me, Mummy needs this advice… This was her last year: Not bad, and the word most bandied around afterwards was “cleavage.” Apparently it is the wide-angled lens that made her …
What I’m wearing to the Mad Blog Awards
This Friday sees my second ever visit to the Mad Blog Awards. I am a lucky girl – once was fabulous, twice is just too exciting for words! Last year I had the most awesome outfit, I was beginning to worry that I would never be able to top it in 2014. But at the last minute, from out of the ashes of my woefully Marks and Spencerised wardrobe, my Fairy Godsister came up trumps. I’ve been waiting for the packages to arrive for a few days now, with excitement increasing daily as I enter the house. And today was the …