Alfie, Barry and Marmaduke Stories

Welcome to the chaos.

This is a blog for parents who thought they had a plan, and for children who immediately ignored it. Every day for 365 days, you’ll find my best efforts at a partially fictional story, inspired by real life, pulled directly from the frontline of modern parenting – where snack negotiations are high stakes, bedtime is a loosely enforced suggestion, and silence is always suspicious.

Here we celebrate the fine art of trying your best and still getting it wildly wrong. Because parenting today isn’t about perfection—it’s about surviving the supermarket meltdown with at least some dignity intact, and occasionally remembering where you left your coffee (spoiler: it’s cold).

At the heart of it all are boys being boys: muddy, loud, endlessly curious, and just creative enough to turn a cardboard box into both a spaceship and a weapon. Their logic is questionable, their timing is terrible, and their ability to ask “why?” is unmatched.

Expect stories filled with sarcastic humour, small disasters, accidental victories, and those rare, suspiciously wholesome moments that make you think, “maybe we’re not completely failing after all.”

This isn’t a guide. There are no expert tips. No perfect routines. Just honest, slightly exaggerated snapshots of family life as it actually happens—messy, ridiculous, and surprisingly funny.

If you’ve ever hidden in the bathroom for five minutes of peace, negotiated with a tiny human like a hostage mediator, or laughed at something you probably shouldn’t have… you’re in the right place.

Welcome. We saved you a seat.