Motherhood and Femininity
Becoming a mother is an empowering journey that often brings newfound strength and sensuality. However, striking a balance between the roles of mother, lover, and… Read More »Motherhood and Femininity
Find Your Balance in Life’s Ebbs and Flows
This article is about time management and how to find a balance in your daily schedule. In addition to splitting my time between a PhD and a job, I’m also a mom of two young kids. Using my time effectively is very important. During my time as coordinator of this blog (2018-2020), I came up with the idea for this blog post, which I’ve since been writing in my head. If it’s not obvious by my first point (since it’s 2023 and the post is finally being published), it’s safe to say that I still struggle with time management. I do not profess to be an expert, but I do think and talk a lot about this topic. I’ve learned the importance of viewing time management as a fluid concept that adjusts with the ebb and flow of daily activities.
Read More »Find Your Balance in Life’s Ebbs and FlowsHow to Identify Your Family’s Unhelpful Patterns
Children often have their own unique ways in making connections with others. A child may express a certain need through behaviour to their parents, and it can be a challenge to read between the lines. Perhaps you have a similar experience, which is why I would love to share my story with Delft MaMa. In my practice as a Parent Coach, I help parents and children identify unhelpful patterns and find workable alternatives. I would like to warmly invite you on a journey in the form of a case that one mom shared with me.
Read More »How to Identify Your Family’s Unhelpful PatternsTime for High School: Mom in the Land of Tulips has All the Answers!
During one of Delft Mama meetings, lots of moms showed interest in the topic of high school enrollment in the Netherlands. My first association was… Read More »Time for High School: Mom in the Land of Tulips has All the Answers!
Confidence for the Win!
Too often we focus on our mistakes or what could be done better. This is one of the reasons for low self-trust and confidence (especially amongst women). What we should be doing instead is seeing and celebrating the many many things we do well every single day!
Read More »Confidence for the Win!5 Ways to Feel at Home in Delft and The Netherlands
“I dislike feeling at home when I am abroad.” George Bernard Shaw wrote these words in his play, Widower’s Houses. I get it. The whole point… Read More »5 Ways to Feel at Home in Delft and The Netherlands
Pregnancy, birth and beyond: preparing yourself for birthing in the Netherlands
When, as an expat, you start to think about having a baby in the Netherlands, it is a good idea first to acquaint yourself with… Read More »Pregnancy, birth and beyond: preparing yourself for birthing in the Netherlands
How to prepare for a job interview
Nowadays more than ever job seekers need to be prepared to navigate the job market. They need to know all the players, what is requested… Read More »How to prepare for a job interview
How to revamp your CV
By Elena Mellara We need to adapt in every single aspect of our life in this constantly changing world. This includes the idea that we… Read More »How to revamp your CV
The Journey to Sustainable Eating
Our family recycles plastic, paper, bottles, and food waste. We don’t own a car. The house electricity is on 100% wind-power and we keep the temperature low enough that everyone needs to wear a sweater and put a blanket over their laps on the couch. Every year, I tackle another aspect of our family’s environmental footprint and this year is the time for food. Let’s talk about sustainable eating.
Swimming Lessons in Delft: A refresher post
A hot topic on any school yard. When, where, how…waiting lists…. A challenge for any parent, but for our international DelftMaMa parents it must be a nightmare I can imagine. I’m Marjolijn, voluntary swimming instructor at swimming club d’ELFT and mother of 2 boys. Because I know how challenging living abroad can be, I am a member of DelftMaMa. Since I joined DelftMaMa, questions on swimming lessons came by on a regular basis and I replied multiple times; hence time to write it down in a blog.
Getting used to Dutch customs
Ever find yourself confused about the seemingly unspoken Dutch customs surrounding birthdays and other social gatherings? You’re not alone! Delft MaMa Sandra Treviño, hailing from Mexico, shares with us some of her experiences navigating some of these Dutch customs alongside her two kids.
Legal Mom Column: TikTok and privacy do not go hand in hand
TikTok, one of the fastest-growing social networks among children under the age of 16, has recently come under fire for violating privacy laws. Read on as Legal Mom Marisa and Marcin shed some light on the legal issues surrounding the use of this app and what you as parents can do to prevent your children from being affected.
Read More »Legal Mom Column: TikTok and privacy do not go hand in hand
The not-so-merry-and-bright side of the holiday season: The holiday blues
As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to know that it’s alright if you’re not feeling the joy that you’re “supposed to”. Though the holidays are meant to be a time of joy, the pressures and emotions that come with trying to fulfill that expectation can sometimes have the opposite effect. Add to that the isolation of being an expat, parenting responsibilities, workplace demands, social obligations… This can quickly become a formula for the worst time of the year. Read on to see what you can do to help relieve those holiday blues.
Read More »The not-so-merry-and-bright side of the holiday season: The holiday blues
Delftian Entrepreneur: Gemma Rubio of Define The Fine
Next in our Delftian entrepreneur series, Delft MaMa Natalia Moreno sat down with Gemma Rubio, the energetic entrepreneur behind Define The Fine. Join us as Gemma talks about her business and how she strives for a healthy work-family balance, especially as a single mother.
Read More »Delftian Entrepreneur: Gemma Rubio of Define The Fine
Legal Mom Column: Child Safety Online
Let’s face it—whilst being a supermom, there are some things that are completely out of our control. Child safety online is a constant worry for many parents. The Internet is the one place where a multitude of things can be hidden (from you) or given away to strangers by other people (including children!) who do not know any better.
In association with DelftMaMa, we have undertaken to deliver some practical tips and insights on what parents can do to protect their children online.
Infant Communication via Baby Sign Language
Have you ever looked at your baby and thought, ‘I’m sure you can understand every word I’m saying’?
Tiny babies want to communicate with their parents. But for the first year they lack the means to speak with us, in their first months they physically aren’t ready to produce words yet. What happens when your baby wants to tell you something but cannot get their message across? They get frustrated, they cry and tantrum.
Read on to find out how to improve communication with your baby.
How to reduce, reuse and recycle in Delft
Afval. Rubbish. Garbage. Trash. Whatever you call it, it’s a dirty business and one that everyone is confronted with on a daily basis. But when you start a family, concerns you might have had about the volume of waste you generate may as well go out with the trash. The decision to go forth and multiply seems to correlate to a mushrooming of “stuff”–much of it necessary, some of it not. Over time, many of these new acquisitions need to be disposed of. Toys, nappies, baby clothes: out they go!
The question is: does it have to be this way? With this post, I want to get to the bottom of recycling in Delft but also gather ideas on how we might reduce the amount of waste we, as parents, generate in the first place; how we might reuse the things we have in our possession and recycle those that we really don’t need any more. Brain dump your waste-avoidance ideas in the comments section below!
by Julia Candy