Cathy Madavan

Bristol

Contributor at Liberti Magazine

Freelance Broadcaster at BBC Radio 2

Writer at Freelance

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Articles

We are raising confident women together

Nov 25, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

As I write this, my final ‘Mother of Daughters’ column, I confess I have loved reflecting back over the years as well as considering some of the issues girls and young women face today. I am the first to admit I am not a perfect mother (and my daughters would be quick to back that up!), but mums, aunties, youth leaders, grandparents, mentors and friends are precious and needed resources for young women today.
Is ethical parenting possible?

Oct 23, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan reminds us that our children are learning what godly living looks like by watching usFrom the moment I became a mother I was faced with numerous ethical decisions: which kind of nappies I should use, which milk or food brand is least corrupt and whether to buy only second-hand toys. Then I had to consider the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ of how to discipline my toddler and how to juggle work and parenting.
Nurturing independence

Aug 21, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan tackles this parenting paradox with helpful advice she’s learned through raising her two grown-up daughtersThere are upsides to empty nesting. Okay, so I may stalk my daughters on find-my-friends and will drop everything (literally) to answer a call no matter how inconvenient the moment, but we no longer have to pay for their dentistry or mobile phone bills, so that’s a win.
Nurturing faith within your family

Jul 24, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan reminds us that parents have a crucial role in encouraging faith and provides tips on how we can do this in our everyday, busy livesIf there’s one thing every parent knows, it is this: there are no guarantees with children. You can be the best mum in the universe (or not), but there are no cookie cutters available that create consistently well-adjusted, holy, high-achieving children.
Your history is not your legacy (AKA You are not your mother)

Jun 25, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan encourages us to remember that we won’t simply repeat what our mothers did – but nor should we expect our daughters to be just like usWhether you are a mother or not, as women we have something in common: we are daughters of our own mothers. Whether we have a biological mum, a step-mum or an adoptive mum, all of us can look back to the female role models in our lives and understand the extraordinary impact these relationships have had on us.
There are spiritual benefits from spending time in nature

May 28, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan on why the great outdoors should not be restricted to the playground of men and boysI think it’s fair to say I was not much of an adventurer growing up. Times were possibly different then, but where my teenage brother was bought a mountain bike, I was given piano lessons; where he was asked to join the cricket team, I was shuffled into the kitchen to make the tea for the players.
The curse of ‘perfect parenting’

Apr 22, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan urges us to stop comparing ourselves to other mums, and our daughters to theirs I have a theory: I propose to you that after giving birth to our first daughter, the midwife sneakily drugged me with some kind of maternal guilt hormone that meant that from that moment a constant flow of guilt would plague my consciousness. And it seems I am not alone. Other mothers also report chronic guilt and persistent worry about being good enough and doing enough for their children.
Making memories and celebrating milestones

Mar 19, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan believes reinforcing our own family’s values through our unique traditions and routines is vital This is the time of year where you will find me rummaging at the back of a wardrobe for a box containing a rather random selection of spring and Easter decorations. Our younger daughter has always had a bit of a thing for spring decorating, and over the years we have accumulated quite the array of chicks, fake-grass table runners, rabbits and baskets of eggs.
Real life parenting in a digital world

Feb 26, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan acknowledges the benefits but also the pitfalls of today’s tech-filled world, and offers advice on how to navigate it all with the younger generation Oh, how times have changed. Since we have now embraced doing shopping, dating, courses and booking online, it can be hard to remember depending on libraries, phone boxes and queues for the sales! This has impacted the way that our children are growing up too.
Lessons in love

Jan 25, 2024 | womanalive.co.uk | Cathy Madavan

Cathy Madavan shares ways in which we can navigate the emotional rollercoaster of supporting our daughters as they date I’m not sure quite when it happened: one minute my daughters were at infant school, holding hands with little Adam or Robbie, and telling me they were going to get married. It was so cute.