Maria O’Dwyer describes herself as an “early childhood sociologist, researcher and logophile (nothing to do with trees)”. Maria – who’s from Limerick and worked with the PAUL Partnership for eight years before starting a consultancy – tweets under the handle @MiaBeetle and is well worth a follow.
As well as tweeting regularly about community development and social inclusion concerns, Maria frequently lets her humorous side out. As a logophile – a lover of words – she despairs when people misuse words, as her father did recently:
When your Luddite father announces – in front of your mother – that he is ‘going to master this Tinder yoke by the weekend’ #hemeanstwitter #withoutasmartphone
— Maria O'Dwyer 🇵🇸🍉 (@MiaBeetle) May 30, 2019
Aside from the occasional bursts of comedy, she tweets mostly on social issues connected with her work. Her views on early childhood learning (she has a PhD on the subject) are worth hearing and can challenge prevailing practice and wisdom.
In the past, Maria has carried out research within the emergency accommodation system, meeting many families with young children along the way.
This May, she posted a thread of tweets about a simple act of generosity involving a hotelier and long-stay guests.
A teeny thread to celebrate just how bloody brilliant some people are; people who knit little pieces of kindness into the lives of others, when they are at their lowest point. The man involved doesn’t want himself or his hotel named.They’re both an example of Limerick at its best
— Maria O’Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) May 21, 2019
2 years ago I did some research with young children living in emergency accommodation (hotels). One little girl (5) spoke repeatedly about missing the smell of home. Her mom later explained that it was a particular fabric softener that she always used on bedclothes
— Maria O’Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) May 21, 2019
During a feedback session with the hotel staff (with the permission of the children & parents I interviewed) I mentioned this as an example of how home has so many different meanings, especially to children
— Maria O’Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) May 21, 2019
Last weekend I met the mom of that little girl (now living in their ‘forever home’) who told me that the hotel manager asked her what fabric she used …. and for the 17 weeks they were in the hotel after the consultation with the children, their bedclothes ‘smelt just like home’
— Maria O’Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) May 21, 2019
This morning I called the hotel manager to tell him just how much that meant to the family. He told me that he was honoured to do ‘something so small for young children in the middle of something so big & cruel’ ❤️#listentochildren
— Maria O’Dwyer (@MiaBeetle) May 21, 2019
