About Me

Hi, I’m Clare! I’m a blogger, language lecturer, teacher trainer, and budding parent coach. Originally from London, I’m now based in Welschbillig, Germany (I know, it’s a bit of a change!). I’m raising my Little Bean, born in 2023, in a dual-language home.

I blog professional insights and personal stories from my dual-language parenting journey to help older mums, working parents, and bilingual families navigate the parenting jungle with confidence, mindfulness, and humour.

Why I do what I do

I’m deeply passionate about lifelong learning. Watching others grow and achieve their goals, whether it’s my students, friends, or family, brings me a lot of energy! We all have something new to discover, and I love supporting people on their journeys and celebrating their achievements.

When it comes to parenting, I’m a firm believer that we’re better mums when parenting isn’t the only thing we do. It’s so important to keep space in our lives for the other parts of who we are—our hobbies, relationships, and careers. I reject the outdated idea that new mums should give up everything else and put their baby before any other aspect of their life or identity. Let’s face it: no one expects dads to do this. The double standard makes me furious! And really, don’t we owe it to our kids to show them a role model who values herself as much as she values them?

Oh, and don’t get me started on the “Secret Mums Club.” (I wrote all about it in my eBook, What Mummy Didn’t Know – Newborn Edition. Spoiler: it’s not as exclusive as you think.)

What My Motto Means to me

“Let’s laugh and learn together”—it’s a motto that applies to almost everything I do: seminar teaching, mentoring, and now parenting. I’ve always been chatty and quick-thinking, with a knack for finding the humour in situations. Learning through trial and error has always been my approach, but it wasn’t until I became a mum that I really put this into words as a kind of affirmation.

Suddenly, I was in a world where mistakes weren’t just inevitable—they were constant—and often led to funny situations (even if I could only laugh about them later!). Humour became my number one way of navigating the difficult times.

For me, learning is about progress, not perfection. I love sharing my knowledge and experiences in a way that’s amusing and entertaining. My goal is never to dish out strict advice, but to share my anecdotes, make people smile, and let other parents take away whatever resonates with them.

My Expertise

I’ve always believed in blending knowledge with practical experience, and my journey reflects just that.

🎓 Qualifications:

  • University degrees in Psychology, German Studies, and Translation
  • Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
  • Specialist Qualification in Learner Support
  • Recently certified as a Parent Coach

📚 Professional Experience:

  • Nearly 20 years of teaching English, including:
    • 15+ years in training future EFL teachers
    • Mentoring newly qualified teachers
  • Produced English Language Teaching materials with publishers Schroedel, Hueber, and a Munich-based English learning magazine
  • Authored research articles on teaching methodology, published in renowned journals like ELTJ
  • Delivered invited webinars and presentations at international conferences, including IATEFL
  • 2017: Won a teaching excellence award at my university

🤱 Parenting and Blogging:

  • Mum since 2023, raising Little Bean in a completely bilingual home (one-parent-one-language approach)
  • There are no qualifications or prizes in parenting, but:
    • My mum-blog has resonated with readers internationally, receiving positive reviews and comments from readers and subscribers
    • Seeing Little Bean chatter away in “Germenglisch” is evidence I’m doing something right, at least on the bilingual parenting front!

My Conversation Starters

I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of a perfectionist. It’s both a blessing and a challenge, especially as a parent!

I always wanted to be a teacher. My poor teddies had to sit up straight and listen while I taught them with my first little chalkboard!

I have a phobia of animals, which I learned from my mum—one of the less beneficial things she passed on! The only cats, dogs, or hamsters in our home are of the cuddly toy variety.

Despite my best efforts, I still can’t whistle. No one has been able to show me how, so I guess it’s just a fact of life. (Is this genetic too? Can I blame mum again?)

I love good stationery, but am not very good at sharing it—especially with Little Bean, who prefers stabbing at paper rather than enjoying the luxurious smooth flow of gel ink rollerballs!

During my pregnancy, I had to visit the gynae/obs every two weeks—it felt like they’d put me on a loyalty programme! Thankfully, I narrowly escaped having to wear a COVID-19 face mask while giving birth—by just about a month!

That’s me in a nutshell—a blend of expertise, humour, and a whole lot of learning along the way. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope we can laugh and learn together as you explore my blog!

Thank you for being here!

Clare 🌸