Today more than others, i think i really need to get that off my chest. Before i became a mum, i was stylish, i was always well groomed and had my hair cut every six weeks. My nails were always manicured (although fake because i had a terrible nail biting obsession) and i never ever left the house without make-up, but i did so because i wanted to, not because it was expected of me. It was part of my life.
These days, i feel more of a pressure than ever to look good. With the invention of the "yummy mummy" mums are made to feel as if they have to always look better than before because they have to prove they can be a yummy mummy. Its an expectation that is so difficult to live up to!
I mean, what mum in their right mind looks like a model each and every day of thier life when they have a child.
Example follows - and please be aware, that without exageration, this is a typical day in my life!
My day starts at 7am everyday.
Now, i dont jump out of bed at 7am i have to admit. I am not that good & i never professed to be a "supermum!".
My other halfs alarm goes off at 7am everyday, which in turn wakes up my gorgeous girl. Down the monitor i can hear the "dada" noises which rouse the man from his trance with a smile on his face.
I simply lay there, unable to move, unable to process that the day has begun already. My man will rise and go through to the baby, the same as every morning, giving me a half hour to slowly wake up and get ready to start the baby day.
Now, by half past seven i am finally on my feet and feeling my way towards the stairs to get my mm's (my man's) lunch ready for the day. In a haze i butter the bread and make the sandwich, still trying to figure out what day of the week it is.
I am NOT one of these mums that wakes up and jumps straight in the shower, followed my humming to the radio while i dry my hair at some ungodly hour. No, i need caffeine before i can even begin to think of getting wet.
We will say goodbye to daddy at the door then i will drag my still slightly disorientated arse into the kitchen to tentatively make that gorgeous cup of golden liquid dreams.
I will finally finish my tea just in time to give baby her breakfast and then looking at the clock, its 9.30 already and im STILL in my PJ's. (and yes i agree, this is no way to attempt the yummy mummy look!)
Realising the day is quickly slipping away, and that at any point a visitor could just turn up at the door without notice for a "coffee and catch up" - i will get straight on to my chores! The kitchen will need cleaning first (with last nights dishes still out on the side) then onto the living room and sorting the washing and ironing into piles. Lets face it, piles will stay piles for days because there are simply not enough hours in the day to actually finish the ironing.
Before i know it, its mid-day and baby is ready for her nap; and i am STILL in my PJ's.
God almighty!
So, baby goes to bed, and i finally get that long hot shower to blast away the cobwebs.
Ill look at the clock and realise i have an hour left of my own "relax" time before baby rises and sweep my hair up into a wet braid. (Yes i know, still not yummy mummy).
Its 2pm already and i have not yet mastered the rest of the cleaning and am certainly NOT rocking the yummy mummy image.
THEN - to top off my day, i sit down with a sandwich, one ear still waiting to pick up on babys coos down the monitor, i watch TV only to see umpteen celebrity mums looking preened and perfect rocking down the streets into lovely high street stores, perfectly manicured, perfectly styled with their perfectly cloned child attached to the hip. HOW THE HELL DO YOU FIND THE TIME!
Oh yes, that's right, you have the nanny, the cleaner, the cook, the stylist - that's how you do it! So please, stop pushing it in our faces that we are simply inadequate because we cant do everything and look perfect at the same time. Its simply impossible to be perfect ALL the time.
I once used to believe that looking good and preened was important... infact it was the most important part of my day. Now the most important part of my day is looking at the smiling face of my little girl and realign that i don't need make-up or a Gucci bag to get that smile! i can look a mess and STILL be a good mum!
So - here is my definition of a yummy mummy -
a yummy mummy is a mummy who can still do all the cooking, cleaning and playing and still get up the next morning with a big smile on her face, not worrying about looking good because its simply not important!
However, i vow, that on monday morning i will attempt it! I will attempt to wake up and jump straight in the shower. I will humm and sing BEFORE my cup of tea and i will LOOK like a yummy mummy WHILE doing my chores... just to see if this will make a difference to HOW i bring up my child....
I will of course report how i get on!
Im not the only one who believe the "yummy mummy" is on the way out... have a look at this blog... http://www.timesonline.typepad.com/alphamummy/2009/01/the-death-of-th.html - Praise be the this woman, a much needed realistic view at what motherhood is all about!
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