At Truly Madly HQ, we love our mums and we love celebrating the successes of mums we know, but sometimes, ok, often, I catch myself doing something that I know my mother would never have done and quite frankly, would definitely win me a disappointed face and pursed lips. Let’s not even talk about what my Nana would have thought.
To be fair, there are quite a few things I know my own mother did, that I wouldn’t do. The picture that sparked this post is a great example. Here is my mum in the hospital, holding newborn-me, and wearing an elegant bedjacket, immaculate hair and full eye-shadow. I mean, respect. Twenty-four hours after the birth of my first child, I was still crawling to the bathroom in a grubby maternity nightie, weeping.
The truth is that being a mum is hard and sometimes not very dignified. We wanted to celebrate Mothers’ Day this weekend by sharing the funny shortcuts, the messy compromises and the frankly essential little white lies that keep a family going.
Thanks to those brave readers who left a comment or shared a story. All names have been changed to protect reputations around the world.
- Sent my son to school with socks that had holes, then binned the socks that evening instead of “darning” them.
- Given my daughter a dummy… Let her eat tea in front of Cbeebies. We were never allowed TV at teatime, dinner was always eaten at the dinner table.
- Eat toast for tea, leave the house without breakfast, let them take dairy lea snack packs to school for lunch (not all on the same day, mind!)
- I threw away a cardigan last week instead of sewing the buttons on.I don’t iron their uniform… I don’t iron unless absolutely necessary!
- Fold it right when wet and bobs your uncle!
- Done the school run in my nightie!
- School run with no make up and not even a brush through my hair after a night of wine and sex.
- Macaroni cheese from a tin for dinner… mmmm nutritious.
- The girls went to school on Historical Figure day wearing pirate costumes which were merchandise giveaways by Captain Morgan rum that we had to beg from the pub the day before.
- I made Jake a captain sparrow outfit for a school disco from my lara croft wig from my sister’s 30th night out! And insisted he wore guyliner.
- Anyone count swimming as a bath night?
- I have passed mine my kids as younger than they actually are to get in on a free entry to a museum. Well…they’re petite children
- Got a teeny tiny bit tipsy. In a brothel. In Prague. When pregnant.
- Iced shop bought blank fairy cakes passing them off as my own creations for school bake sale …. Oops
- Let my son (16 years old) have his 16 year old girlfriend over to stay…in the same room. My mother never let me do that!!
- Only this week my 24mth old pooed all over herself (my fault – had not put a new nappy on). 20 mins before nursery. Gave her a good scrub with the baby wipes and only on putting her shoes on to go out the door did I realise she still whiffed. So I covered her in scented baby lotion, damped her hair down, made out like she’d just had a bath and dropped her off.
- I have let my children eat at, shhhhh, McDonald’s …
- I have given them chocolate croissants in the car on the way to school.
- I got a tattoo.
- Letting my daughter eat a sausage roll while walking the streets!!!!!
- I buy cheap white bread and hope she doesn’t see me in the co-op, mum always made us eat good wholewheat bread!:)
- Last Christmas I BOUGHT my son’s nativity shepherd outfit from Asda rather than sacrifice my “Keep Calm & Drink Champagne” tea towel.
- I drove an hour to get the last angel costume in Sussex rather than make it.
- I have dishes that fit M&S pies, quiches, etc so cook them and put them in said bowls and pretend I have made them!
- I have also been known to buy shop made mince pies and cakes and them bash them about a little before passing them off as my own for bake sales.
- I have squirted the sheets with Febreze between guests rather than change them…
- Spilt something on my skirt then blamed the kids when someone noticed.
- I have forgotten to collect my children from school.
- I’ve taken the shopping out of the car and left the child still in the trolley and started the car ready to leave and thought…something’s missing…
Truly Madly Mums, we salute you. And we leave you with this excellent printable poster you can print out and use to help you become more like your own Mum.
[stextbox id=”tmk-box”]DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE POSTER
Free for personal use.
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