Opinion Archives - The Less-Refined Mind

The One Thing All Work at Home Parents MUST Do To Be Successful

July 17, 2018

I recently published a post about the fact that I struggle to find the time to fundraise, and mostly it’s because I’m also trying to maintain a business behind the scenes. One of the difficulties work at home parents face is that when you work from home, people tend to forget that sometimes, you have to work. This can apply to ...

Family and Parenting, Opinion

The Relentless and Intolerable Pressure to Fundraise at Preschool

July 6, 2018

How do you feel about fundraising? What about when it’s not really a choice, but an expectation? Based on some conversations I’ve had, I think there are some educational settings that use unethical tactics – akin to emotional blackmail – to extract funds from parents. And the preschool pressure to fundraise is ...

Breastfeeding, Opinion

The Day Dr Chris & the BBC Failed to Advocate Breastfeeding

June 7, 2018

What does the BBC mean to you? For me (scandal aside, obvs) it stands for good, proper, ethical, but most of all balanced news. It does not, or it should not – to my understanding at least – be associated with bias, agenda, or ulterior motive. That’s not the point of the BBC. We all pay towards it (my thoughts on that are for ...

Breastfeeding, Opinion

Breastfeed? Why That Makes You a Martyr

May 10, 2018

I wrote this post before I became pregnant with Elfin. Of course I’m currently breastfeeding again, and I’ve also been dairy-free for nearly a year – meaning this post is now more relevant than ever. Breastfeeding is a subject close to my heart. It’s something I’ve written about many times over the last couple of years ...

Opinion, Pregnancy and Newborns

KateGate: Does She Look Too Good After Pregnancy?

April 25, 2018

Back in May 2015 I wrote a post following the birth of Princess Charlotte. I’m really disappointed that it remains completely relevant following the arrival of the newest Prince (as yet unnamed). So I’m re-sharing and you’re welcome to wade in with your opinions about Kate’s post-pregnancy body and whether it’s ...

Opinion

Can Political Correctness and Common Sense Co-Exist?

April 19, 2018

Part of being a blogger is managing multiple social media accounts (my most hated part if I’m honest – this is my single greatest reason for hoping to become super successful: so I can afford to pay someone to do it for me). But I recently encountered an interesting impasse, and actually I’m surprised it’s not occurred ...

Family and Parenting, Opinion

Why I Hope Never to Be a Single Mother

April 16, 2018

A few weeks ago Elfin was being a pain in the butt refusing to sleep so I decided to take her for a stroll as I needed a couple of emergency bits from the shop anyway. I left Pixie at home with her dad and off we went. But when we got home (Elfin snoring – yaaaas!), I realised I’d not been wearing my rings when I went out. It surprised ...

Breastfeeding, Opinion

Fun Bags – First for Men, Then for Babies

March 27, 2018

Boobs, melons, jubblies, fun bags. Call them what you will, I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought to our female appendages – specifically why do women have breasts – and I have something to get off my, ahem, chest. If you’re a woman, especially one who currently breastfeeds or has ever nursed your baby, then you’re going to be ...

Opinion

I Have This Thing About Balloons…

February 28, 2018

We recently took Pixie (and her sister, but really it was for Pixie) to watch a super fun Peppa Pig production. Just in case the sarcasm isn’t clearly audible through your screen – it wasn’t really fun. It was tolerable as a treat for our daughter (who, in reality, didn’t really deserve it – but that’s ...

Family and Parenting, Opinion

Is It Ever Okay to Trust a Stranger With Your Baby?

February 19, 2018

How do you feel about leaving your babies in the care of someone else? A friend; a relative – a stranger? Some people, through circumstances (or even through desire – not my bag but who am I to judge) will leave their baby at nursery or with a childminder from a very young age. But that’s not what I’m referring to today. Here’s ...