After struggling with Endnote I thought I would try Mendeley after reading about it on here. Aaaaaargh! It makes Word crash and I can't even insert citations as most of the time the button for doing that is not even visible! Does anyone else have this problem?

How rude! I would explain that you need him to contact you in advance if he can't make a meeting. I think this is just common courtesy. I would never just not turn up and I wouldn't expect my supervisor to do this either.

congratulations! And thanks for sharing your interesting story. I'd love to know what your thesis was about if you want to reveal more (or PM me!)

Thanks - I think they would help contextualise the interviews I have as my main data so I suppose I could justify them....I think I'll run it past my supervisor.

My goal hasn't changed as I only managed the printing out part! Editing still to do (maybe tomorrow as today is a bit busy).

I am currently writing a background chapter and wondered if I could include some photos. I don't "need" them but I think it might make the chapter a bit more interesting - or maybe it's just me that's got a short attention span. :$ I'll ask my supervisor but thought I would get a few opinions first - can you use photos to illustrate a descriptive chapter?

My goals today are:
- print out and edit second half of lit review
- remember to pick son up from school early!

Hi Hiccup - thanks for the wine! :-) Unfortunately we live in a really small flat (and I think this is probably as much of a problem as the babies!) When they are awake they are in the lounge/kitchen and I move into their room with the laptop to work. Then they nap and I move into the kitchen to work - I am always moving! Sometimes I take my stuff into the library to work but when I am writing up notes I like to have all my books with me and I can't carry them all.

My husband is a bit similar - he supposedly helps out at the weekend but I must admit I don't get much done when he is looking after the kids as he isn't that great at entertaining them! Good luck with the nursery! Mine will possibly going to nursery in Sept - depends on whether they get a place or not...fingers crossed!

Thanks both of you! It's good to know there are people who understand. I think I am just a bit overwhelmed - this week started off so well and I thought I would get loads done. I have a babysitter in the mornings so I can work but Wednesday I had to take son number one to the dentist, then his teacher said she had to speak to me urgently and couldn't tell me why over the phone. I went into school to talk to her and she wanted to tell me that he had been "cheeky" (he's 6).Another morning wasted! :-s Then this morning the babysitter rang 5 mins before she was due to arrive to tell me she was off sick - not her fault but I could have done without it. So my very productive week ended on Tuesday!! My husband works very long hours so I end up doing all the school/dentist stuff and it can't really be delegated. I think what has really been getting to me is that both my parents and in-laws have always worked 9 - 5 (him) and stayed at home to look after the children (her) and can be a bit critical that I am not doing this - which is a bit hard to take when you feel like you are making quite a crap job out of everything. :-( Anyway, enough grumbling...onwards and upwards! ;-)

That's what I feel like saying to all the posters asking about having children while doing a PhD.....:-( I love my children to bits but trying to work on the kitchen table while one is screaming and another is trying to get me to help with homework is tough.

I wouldn't say don't have children at all but maybe don't have children unless you have a place to study....and a supportive husband/wife or babysitter...:-(:-( Really don't know how I am ever going to get this done....

Sorry, don't want to be so negative but really don't feel like I am up to this at the moment. To cap it all, I seem to have come out all over in eczema .... never had it before but I imagine it's stress-related.

Hi - I know exactly what you mean! Mine are 15 months now too and I am struggling tbh. I also can't do anything productive in nap times as sometimes one wakes up and I have to go and get him/her before the other kicks off! I have a childminder each morning (actually 2 different ones) and find that I work a lot better when the "better" one is looking after them - I think subconsciously with the other one I am always thinking about them! Anyway...that is my tale of how I am not coping...but my plan (which I am about to implement) is to go to bed early and get up really early (5am?) and try and work then - I think I will have to just bite the bullet and do this for a while so I can get on top of things.

Anyway, good luck! It is tough but I know lots of people get through it so I am sure we will too. ;-)

Well done on submitting - I have no tips I'm afraid but hope to get some from you if I ever get to that stage! ;-)

Pineapple - sounds like you are doing all the right things but I just wanted to say one thing. At 30 I was single and living in crappy shared accommodation. At 31 I was married with a baby and living in a much nicer area. ;-) Things can and do change very quickly. Hope everything works out well for you!

Pineapple - sounds like you are doing all the right things but I just wanted to say one thing. At 30 I was single and living in crappy shared accommodation. At 31 I was married with a baby and living in a much nicer area. ;-) Things can and do change very quickly. Hope everything works out well for you!