Eithne Shortall | Business Post

Eithne Shortall

Column writer - Business Post Magazine

Eithne Shortall: The reason quitting gets such a bad name is because starting over is the actual worst

If you decide to speak Irish to your children at home, definitely keep going, because resuming after a break will not go well

Eithne Shortall: In praise of the wisdom of older women

The best life advice comes from women who have done some living

Eithne Shortall: Pathetic plots and daft dialogue – what’s not to love about crap TV?

Mediocre telly has its merits: it’s mentally undemanding, safe and predictable, like wrapping yourself in a familiar old blanket

Eithne Shortall: Bikes help kids learn to navigate the twists in the long road to independence

Your offspring gaining the ability to cycle is a big moment for both parent and child – the start of the bumpy journey towards adulthood

Eithne Shortall: why next week is the real new year, and what you need to do to embrace it

Never mind a lawless New Year’s Day in January, the first Monday in September is when life truly restarts

Eithne Shortall: Time to change the story on kids’ bestsellers being dominated by non-Irish authors

Irish authors are high up the list of bestsellers for adults in Ireland, but the top ten children’s books mostly feature non-homegrown writers despite there being plenty of quality choices available here

Business Post Magazine

Eithne Shortall: How to quit your day job – or the years of hard graft that go into ‘overnight’ success as a writer

Becoming a novelist doesn’t just happen – and it certainly doesn’t just happen when you’re also juggling a job and children. Be prepared to take the journey step by slow, difficult step

Eithne Shortall: The HSE needs to get serious about helping mothers to breastfeed

It’s time to put some proper resources into breastfeeding support

Eithne Shortall: A ‘holiday’ abroad with young kids is more threat than treat

There’s a lot to be said for the glorious boredom of a family holiday at home

Eithne Shortall: Want to take your grandkids to lunch? Better start saving now

While anyone would sympathise with strapped café and restaurant owners dealing with inflation, high prices for bad value and shoddy service would make you stay home

Eithne Shortall: sometimes all it takes is a look to violate your peace of mind

Being stared at is low on the scale of indignities to suffer at the hands of men, but some random creep on the Dart managed to ruin my day all the same

Eithne Shortall: Why I’ve joined the running battle to keep ageing at bay

If you want to keep fit and healthy as you get older, you’ve got to move with the times – literally

Eithne Shortall: Let’s make a call on young kids and the dangers of devices

With potential harm to our youngsters just a text away, primary schools having a no-smartphone agreement in place sounds like an idea worth exploring

Eithne Shortall: Did you know you own the paintings in the National Gallery? We all do

A conversation about money with one’s kid is not complete without talking about shared public space – and about the things money can’t buy

Eithne Shortall: ‘It’s a privilege to have children and a privilege to spend time away from them’

The great parenting paradox sees us trying to spend as much time as possible with our children while always scavenging for any morsels of alone time

Eithne Shortall: Dublin City Council’s top job demands unconditional love for the capital

Whoever fills the post must truly love Dublin and have its residents’, workers’ and tourists’ needs to the fore if the city is to retain its appeal as a great place to live, work and visit

Eithne Shortall: Cutting my own hair taught me an important life lesson

Alright, it was just the fringe, but it saved me some cash and a trip to the hairdressers and made me think about what else might we be splashing cash needlessly on

Eithne Shortall: Why I’m on a drive to bring the simple ‘thank you’ back to Dublin buses

Time was, thanking a driver was an Irish obligation but now the middle door exit is threatening to make it extinct. It’s time to bring it back, before it’s too late

Eithne Shortall: Women normally carry the dull and exhausting but vital ‘mental load’ of parenting

Even if parents theoretically participate equally in parenthood, the woman is almost always the one doing the bulk of logistical and forward planning

Eithne Shortall: The write stuff – my top tips for aspiring authors

Even after producing five novels, there’s always more to learn – and teaching a course in creative writing can be beneficial for instructor as well as student