“Books, websites, organisations, products and other stuff that makes working motherhood, sweeter or smoother.”

Books

Cool Careers Stuff for Working Mums

Looking for work? Women Like Us is a job website matching professional women into part-time jobs in and around London. I know several women who’ve found interesting and well-paid work through here. Ten to Two is another sound organisation helping professional women return to high calibre jobs that fit around school hours in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, London and Scotland. LifeWorkLife and Working Mums are similar organisations.

Mums in Business

Everywoman - advice, tools and networking for business success. Mums Club offers inspiration and support to mums in business and networking groups where your kids are welcome too. Brilliant! Mums the Boss celebrates the twin achievements of motherhood and business and provides low cost, informal and child-friendly networking. Motivating Mum is the brainchild of Alli Price and provides online networking and events to help women with children get going, and keep going with their business ventures. The Women in Business Network has it’s own TV channel - I used to chair their founding group in St Albans. Mums Got Talent designed my website and can throughly recommend for design services for your new venture.

Great Books for Working Mums

The Idle Parent by Tom Hodgkinson

What Mothers Do by Naomi Stadlen

Toddler Taming and Beyond Toddlerdom by Christopher Green

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & E. Mazlish

Time Management for Manic Mums and The Manic Mums Guide to Magificent Parenting by Allison Mitchell

Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph

Detoxing Childhood by Sue Palmer

Parenting Organisations & Campaigns

The NCT, Mumsnet and Netmums are great for parenting news, ideas for things to do with your little ones and advice (caution: sometimes reading lots of other people’s advice on the forums can make you less sure of what to do as a parent - if in doubt, go with what feels right to you). Homestart helps famillies who are struggling to cope through a network of parenting volunteers. I support the Children’s Food Campaign and love the ethos behind the Pink Stinks campaign to get real role models for our daughters. Jamie Oliver is a legend for his work to get families eating better food and our kids being better fed at school. Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals cookbook is great for mums who want to serve quality meals, fast.

Mums with Babies & Preschoolers

Walking and talking is surely a sanity saver for every mother (better with a friend than talking to yourself). Wouldn’t have been without my lime green Phil & Ted buggy. Getting home to a slow-cooked meal you made that morning is even better - Mumsnet has a good guide. Love everything Jamie Oliver has done for school meals and making cooking easier for busy people - see Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals book.

Mums with School Children

School guru helps parents get into the school they want.