Mel Carruthers, busy mum and founder of Dubai-based website More Organised, shares her expert advice for storing, saving and, gifting your little Pollack’s pieces The end of term beckons, and all around Dubai, art folders are being brought proudly home. But add these to the paintings, crafts and drawings created at home, and you […]
It started when Phoebe was around six months old, and if we were in ancient times when popping a baby out once a year made sense for practical purposes, I’d get it, but times have moved on… I know it’s the easy conversation piece ‘Thinking about another?’ ‘When are you having number two?’ ‘Getting broody […]
Why is it that whenever I go shopping I always end up buying three times as much for my toddler than I do myself? I have a few theories… a) I know what size she is. b) Children’s clothes are adorable. F&F‘s new summer range for little ones is full of super sweet […]
A funny thing happened to the Family Farmer a couple of weeks ago. We caught up for dinner with some friends who also have children. We had some initial “how are you’s?” and then it changed. Our successes or failures, accomplishments and challenges as individuals immediately faded into insignificance. All of the conversation […]
The holidays are booked, the excitement is increasing, but have you packed everything you need for the flight and beyond? I haven’t. In total honest, my anxiety levels are going through the roof at the thought of… Flying alone with a toddler who wants to walk all the time/make friends/not watch television/really can’t be depended […]
A brilliant initiative has been set up across Dubai to ensure the city’s labourers have access to food to break their fast this Ramadan. It started with one fridge stocked with water and snacks for Iftar, and has quickly grown to a facebook group with more than 8,000 members and around 40 fridges […]
UK-based readers, you might want to look away, as this is the very definition of a first world/Dubai problem being solved, thanks to new membership card Privilee. Please suspend your disbelief and pity, but we don’t have a pool at home. I know. Hearts bleeding everywhere. But it is a bit of a pain, especially […]
At this time of year there’s always a special occasion to enjoy, from celebrating Ramadan with family to birthday parties and weddings, and F&F’s Ramadan collection for children has some lovely outfits (and seriously cute shoes!) to make sure your little girl is the best dressed at every event. It’s in store now, and here are a few of […]
Hi husband, I was nervous to ask you to be in charge for 48 hours. Not because you’re incapable of looking after our daughter (far from it, when I had a tear-soaked four days away for my grandma’s funeral you smashed it), but because I felt like I was taking liberties. The mum […]
About a month ago Jen from Pynkbyrd got in touch with me, asking if she could ‘tell the story’ of my family in ‘everyday moments’. No lighting, no styling, no posing – just honest imagery. A photoshoot with a photojournalist. After looking at her portfolio I leapt at the chance. Jen’s photos are heartbreakingly real, capturing […]
I’m Helen Farmer, an editor and journalist, mum to 3-year-old Phoebe and one-year-old Tabitha, wife to Nick and a mummy blogger in Dubai (even though I don’t really identify as one, but I blog, and I’m a mum, so there you go). I’ve been living in the Middle East for the last 10 years, working in books, magazines and broadcasting, shedding some light on the good and bad of life, work and motherhood in the UAE.
The Mothership is for you if you’re a busy, active mum who can’t stand small talk, bad info and twee blogs that make out that mothering is all unicorns and rose petals, instead of admitting that you can love your child so much it terrifies you – while still wanting a night in alone watching The Great British Bake Off with a double G&T or a night out pretending you don’t have children.
