A (VERY) HONEST TAKE ON
LIVING, WORKING AND PARENTING IN DUBAI
FREE – downloadable family wall planner for 2021

FREE – downloadable family wall planner for 2021

FREE downloadable family wall planner for 2020

FREE downloadable family wall planner for 2020

Your guide to getting a Will

Your guide to getting a Will

Why we need to get real about parenthood

Why we need to get real about parenthood

How should we parent in the digital age?

How should we parent in the digital age?

Nanny or nursery? Finding childcare in Dubai

Nanny or nursery? Finding childcare in Dubai

#InIt… For my family

#InIt… For my family

My little black book: 2018 edition

My little black book: 2018 edition

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  • sexist books

Daddy who? The sexist world of our children’s stories

  Father of two Andy Buchan is a bit fed up with the sexist gender stereotypes in his daughter’s books…   Lyla, our eldest at 2, loves books. Like, they’re literally her favourite thing – apart from Leo at nursery, but we don’t talk about that, mainly as I start imagining what sort of shotgun […]


  • mum wins

7 ‘little’ wins for mums of toddlers

    Of course, our adorable children are a constant source of smiles (ahem), but since becoming a mum there are little wins, tiny pockets of pleasure, that I never could have predicted. All aboard the happy bus…   Finding an episode of Peppa Pig that I haven’t seen Much like (pre-baby) stumbling over a […]


  • working mum

A letter from your busy working mum

  Dearest sprog, I’m sorry, kid. I’m sorry that since leaving “full-time” employment to have more time with you (remember, that was the plan?) I seem to be working more than ever – still part-time at my job, on big, exciting projects I felt I couldn’t turn down, and gabbing away on the radio (something that requires […]


THREE TO TRY: new children’s stores in Dubai you’ll love

  A trio of adorable independent stores in Dubai to get your heart aflutter, from feel-good clothes, to versatile furniture 1. Nos Nos I fell for this company before I even saw the products; their branding is gorgeous. And the clothes, toys and accessories don’t disappoint. Co-founded by Dubai-based mums Sandra, who has a MBA and […]


  • win party camel

WIN! 20 party bags from Party Camel

To celebrate the new look for The Mothership I’ve teamed up with the lovely, creative folks over at Party Camel to treat you guys to a prize to make life just that little bit easier. Want to win? Many of us mums (and dads) have to turn into Events & Entertainment Director when it comes […]


10 things I *think* my toddler is telling me

At 15 months, Phoebe is a pretty typical toddler – we have a few words (dad, dog, duck…) but most of the time we need a baby whisperer to translate the pointing, shrieks and faces into instructions. You know, so we don’t both go mental. Frowning in the general direction of a table covered in […]


In praise of The Kiddie Cage

We have two dogs. They were in our lives long before the kiddie came along, and we were aware that while there might need to be a few changes, they certainly shouldn’t feel like they were being punished just because we decided to expand the family. Luckily, Phoebe isn’t a very light sleeper when it […]


Is this the darkest fear that every mum has?

  I’ve agonised over writing this, but think other mums might feel this fear too. The whole point of this blog is to open up honest discussions, and make us mums realise that we’re in it together – no matter what our differences, the fact that we’re all mothers joins us at our very core. We’re […]


WIN! Get your wine on with Cheers

  It’s no secret that I enjoy a refreshing beverage (or three) at the end of a long week/day/tantrum, so this week I’m raising a glass to the clever bunch at The Entertainer. Their new product Cheers is packed with buy-one-get-one free deals on drinks – including cocktails, whole bottles of wine, and buckets of […]


Be a pal? Vote for me?

  I learnt a few weeks ago that I’d been shortlisted in the Stylist Arabia ‘social media awards’, which was more than a little mind-blowing because: a) I only set The Mothership up last year and b) I still don’t really know what I’m doing…. Truthfully, the last year has been a wild one, with […]

ABOUT ME

 

I’m Helen Farmer, an editor and journalist, mum to 4-year-old Phoebe and 2-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.

ABOUT THE BLOG

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.

 

Time Out Dubai Kids Awards 2016 - Winner - Parent Blog of 2016

 

TOP POSTS

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FREE – downloadable family wall planner for 2021

  It's the start of a brand new year. What does it hold? Nobody knows. Probably some Zoom meetings and home
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2020 WALLPLANNER MOTHERSHIP

FREE downloadable family wall planner for 2020

  I mock my husband A LOT for his planning. He’s the king of Excel, with our holidays, family meet-ups and
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expat wills dubai

Your guide to getting a Will

    So you have kids, and maybe some property or savings, and you feel like a grown-up. Is that enough? A
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Why we need to get real about parenthood

  I’ve just spent the last hour patting my daughter’s back so she’ll fall asleep. Her eyes will close, and I
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How should we parent in the digital age?

  A survey by Norton has revealed that children in the UAE are among the youngest in the world to receive
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Nanny or nursery? Finding childcare in Dubai

      With many Dubai households having two people that contribute financially, finding a childcare solution that works for the family is
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#InIt… For my family

  “The obligation for working mothers is a very precise one: the feeling that one ought to work as if one
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little black book mothership dubai

My little black book: 2018 edition

    I first wrote down my recommendations for everything from handymen to hairdressers more than two years ago. Times changes, people
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