Saturday, 2 July 2011
8:55 pm | 
Posted by
Amy
Bound to irritate a lot of people but its been on my mind. I think I missed out on some Mummy genes. Time and time again, my real life Mummy friends and online Mummy friends all do things that just don't register on my radar and I find myself wondering how I missed that page in the Mummy manual...
- I just don't get the mania over the toy sales. I don't even look at the catalogues and I couldn't think of anything worse than piling into the shops with millions of other parents to rummage around plastic fantastic toys. I dont get shopping for Christmas when its not all nice and Christmassy and how am I meant to know what my kids would like 6 months out? I don't know what I want 6 months out, let alone the changeable fickle beasts that are kids! I also have never laybuyed a thing in my life... no not quite true, I laybuyed a saddle once as a 16yr old and convinced my mum to pay it off within two weeks so I could ride in it. But cue this time of year and all I see on facebook is Mums posting excitedly that it is toy sale time!? Yep definitely missed out on the Mummy gene for that one!
- I don't get parents that make their little kids hug and kiss everyone goodbye. I like your kid but I don't want to get his snotty nose rubbed on my cheek, thanks. As an infectious disease scientist I am not a fan of unnecessary close contact, particularly in Winter! (sound like a ball of fun don't I!) I also feel for the little kids that are reluctantly pushed over to all these almost strangers and conjoled into giving them kisses. But this is probably more my issue - I don't tend to give my babies/kids to others to hold etc unless they ask so maybe I am just more standoffish than most?
- I don't get making facebook status updates about every inane detail of your kids toilet training etc - but thankfully I am not the only one there - STFU Parents is one of my fave blogs as it makes me feel less alone!
- I don't get spending ridiculous amounts of money on your kids clothes or the time and effort some Mums put into dressing their kids. Sure I love spending ridiculous amounts of money on my clothes hehe but I don't tend to smear food on them, roll in dirt or finger paint as much as the average toddler. I don't do brand names for kids, in fact half their clothes are hand me downs from my best friend. Maybe its living on a farm, maybe its the fact I have better things to do than sit on the internet looking at kids clothing websites (boooring) but meh I do a trip to Target every couple of months, buy some staples, grab some shoes and Mum makes them some cute party dresses... done. Elka invariably picks her own clothes which are guaranteed to be the oldest most hideous items in her wardrobe. Every time I have bought her something a bit fancier she has flat out refused to wear it to the chosen event, demanding her $10 fairy skirt or a pair of satin boxer shorts that somehow made it into her drawer and I keep forgetting to sneak out again instead...
and last but not least - I completely missed out on the pram gene. I have owned one pram, zero strollers and have no desire for anything else. I did my research, found a pram that would accomodate two kids because I knew we would be having two in close age and that could negotiate paddocks and our gravel driveway and bought it, it cost more than what I thought a pram really should but was still way less than most of the fancy pants ones. Job done. I am constantly amazed at how many prams other parents go through and the money that they cost. And most of those people just want it to push it on flat concreted ground at the shops! Am sure everyone has their reasonings but I always wonder why as someone that loves shopping and fashion I am so uninterested in what my pram looks like...
That is my list - what Mummy things do you find that you are immune to?
- I just don't get the mania over the toy sales. I don't even look at the catalogues and I couldn't think of anything worse than piling into the shops with millions of other parents to rummage around plastic fantastic toys. I dont get shopping for Christmas when its not all nice and Christmassy and how am I meant to know what my kids would like 6 months out? I don't know what I want 6 months out, let alone the changeable fickle beasts that are kids! I also have never laybuyed a thing in my life... no not quite true, I laybuyed a saddle once as a 16yr old and convinced my mum to pay it off within two weeks so I could ride in it. But cue this time of year and all I see on facebook is Mums posting excitedly that it is toy sale time!? Yep definitely missed out on the Mummy gene for that one!
- I don't get parents that make their little kids hug and kiss everyone goodbye. I like your kid but I don't want to get his snotty nose rubbed on my cheek, thanks. As an infectious disease scientist I am not a fan of unnecessary close contact, particularly in Winter! (sound like a ball of fun don't I!) I also feel for the little kids that are reluctantly pushed over to all these almost strangers and conjoled into giving them kisses. But this is probably more my issue - I don't tend to give my babies/kids to others to hold etc unless they ask so maybe I am just more standoffish than most?
- I don't get making facebook status updates about every inane detail of your kids toilet training etc - but thankfully I am not the only one there - STFU Parents is one of my fave blogs as it makes me feel less alone!
- I don't get spending ridiculous amounts of money on your kids clothes or the time and effort some Mums put into dressing their kids. Sure I love spending ridiculous amounts of money on my clothes hehe but I don't tend to smear food on them, roll in dirt or finger paint as much as the average toddler. I don't do brand names for kids, in fact half their clothes are hand me downs from my best friend. Maybe its living on a farm, maybe its the fact I have better things to do than sit on the internet looking at kids clothing websites (boooring) but meh I do a trip to Target every couple of months, buy some staples, grab some shoes and Mum makes them some cute party dresses... done. Elka invariably picks her own clothes which are guaranteed to be the oldest most hideous items in her wardrobe. Every time I have bought her something a bit fancier she has flat out refused to wear it to the chosen event, demanding her $10 fairy skirt or a pair of satin boxer shorts that somehow made it into her drawer and I keep forgetting to sneak out again instead...
and last but not least - I completely missed out on the pram gene. I have owned one pram, zero strollers and have no desire for anything else. I did my research, found a pram that would accomodate two kids because I knew we would be having two in close age and that could negotiate paddocks and our gravel driveway and bought it, it cost more than what I thought a pram really should but was still way less than most of the fancy pants ones. Job done. I am constantly amazed at how many prams other parents go through and the money that they cost. And most of those people just want it to push it on flat concreted ground at the shops! Am sure everyone has their reasonings but I always wonder why as someone that loves shopping and fashion I am so uninterested in what my pram looks like...
That is my list - what Mummy things do you find that you are immune to?
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About Me
- Amy
- I am 30 years old, am a microbiologist with a PhD and love looking after my little farm. I compete in dressage and showjumping with my horses. I have a passion for shopping and a weakness for pretty clothes, shoes and handbags. My husband and I have a gorgeous toddler called Elka and a little bub named Bronte. I am a mother who works and has a career - just don't call me a "working mother". I don't do inside hobbies and craft and have only successfully sewn two things in my life that weren't ripped horserugs. The scientist in me makes me a little cynical and I am more likely to tell you about my life and events then give you a pretty polaroid style picture and an inspiring quote. Not for everyone but I have a bad memory and blogging is my way of recording life :)
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Spech and I
14 comments:
hehe I think we have some of the same genes ;)
not into the toy sales either. everything is licensed/plastic/rubbish. i don't get why people feel the need to stockpile like there will never be another sale ever again!
not into the hugging/kissing either - i don't want to hug and kiss everyone, let alone force my children into it!
agree with the kids clothing too - i buy most of ours from op shops/kmart/target/big w. they grow out it, no point spending $50 on a tshirt.
yep, got one pram too and it has done fine for the past 3+ years!
:)
I must admit that I really splurged on a stroller :) I try to justify this by saying it will be our main form of transport living in car-free in a big city.
And we did just hit the sales and buy a bunch of onsies for the little guy.
I guess we're just so excited that he'll be here in around a months time, I want to have everything ready and waiting for him.
Helen, love that you get me!
Lydia, preparing for your first baby is SO different! And having no car definitely means getting the best pram you can to me too!
Agree with some of the parts here, but the pram one - that one completely gob smacks me! 3 - 4 prams? Really!?
Hate the toy sales too. I'm constantly culling toys and in not in a hurry to replace them!! Especially with bright plastic toys that require 40 DD batteries!
My boys are dressed in 98% tar-jay with a few nicer pieces thrown in for parties or similar.
Pram wise, I was sensible before my first born and bought a decent pram for $250 odd. 2nd time around I fell under the spell of P&T and it really wasn't that much better to be honest (apart from the 2 seat capability). Both are sold now and in hind-sight I'd never have bought the P&T. Was quite wanky of me lol.
I think I have some of your non-mummy genes too....
I don't get the toy sales, buying things six months out is just silly. I fell prey to it last year and it bit me so never again.
Cate is a big kisser and hugger of her own volition - my one 'thing' is that she has to say hello and goodbye, I find it rude when she doesn't.
I have stuck with buying prams on e-bay and we're on to our second which is a P & T and works well with the two kids. I don't get spending $800 + on a pram or going through five or six of them!!
I don't mind mummy updates on fb because I fall prey to that one too ;) Excessive mummy updates get old but a quick read of SFUP makes it all better!! Thanks for getting me on to the blog, I looooove it ;)
With you on all of those things, except for the pram thing, after dealing with three 'hand me down' prams I swore I would pay whatever it cost to get my dream pram (it arrives in a few days time!!!!).
With toddlers kissing, I believe in allowing my son to have physical boundaries. How can I tell him that his body is his own, and he has the right to say 'NO' when strangers do things he doesn't like, but then force him to kiss his grandmother? He's in an affectionate stage at the moment and will run to hug and kiss people without our prompting, but I've always been adamant that if he's not in the mood, or denies someone a hug or kiss, that's completely his right to do so- even if 'poor' Great Aunty Bev doesn't get anything.
hahaha I'm not even a Mother yet & I agree with you!
ha ha ha.
I'm with you on most of those items Amy. ;)
I have been excited about the toy sale, but mainly because I want stuff for Ashleigh's birthday which is in about 6 weeks. We've just paid out a small fortune on solar panels and a new garage, so any savings are good for us at the moment! I did cave and layby some bikes for the kids. First time I have ever laybyed in my life, and I'm hating it! Thinking I'll just go pay it off and be done with it.
As for the kissing - totally with you! If my kids don't want to kiss their grandparents, I don't force them. I get them to say bye-bye and wave to people when they leave, but no kisses or hugs if they don't want to.
Facebook - totally with you as well! I will post updates on a few things, but not every single thing my kids do! Also, I hate people who use short hand (like text speak) in Facebook status'!
Kids clothes - OMG no way do I spend more than $15 on any item of clothing for my kids. I shop at Target and Best N Less when they have sales on and my kids don't get a choice. My sisters tend to buy the 'nicer' items like a Cars T-shirt for Liam, or similar. I don't.
Prams - well, yes I'm actually guilty of that one! I have 3 - the Beema single jogger pram, the Quicksmart Easy Fold stroller, and the Baby Jogger City Elite Double. In our defence, we never thought we'd have only 14mths between our two - Liam was too young for the toddler seat on the Beema (which I did have). While I was pregnant with Ashleigh, the Beema was too heavy for me to lift, so we got the QuickSmart so I could lift it and still go out. Has been fantastic for travelling as well! And the double, well, its probably our most used pram! Still use it now, so we've gotten almost 2 years of use out of it already, and I continue to keep using it for at least another 6-12mths for the long walks that we go on. Liam now walks for the start and then sits in when he gets tired.
I have to say, one Mummy thing that I don't get is the whole Cloth versus Disposable nappies. I see so many women bragging about using cloth nappies, and I think "why?" - its more work, just as expensive when you take washing and the environmental impacts into consideration - and thats time and effort that I spend with my kids or for myself rather than dealing with stinky pooey nappies - no thanks!
I agree with you on several points.
I've never been to toy sale and don't read toy catalogues. I'd rather pull my own teeth than battle the crowds.
I've always been baffled by mum's that buy upwards of four different pram/strollers for one child. I did my research and bought well. It has been well used and has served me and my daugher very well.
The only thing I'm in disagreement with is the clothes/dressing up. Amelie humours me with my desire to dress her up at any occasion.
There are a lot of things about parenthood that leave me baffled :)
Love it! I too hate toy sales, spending more that $10 on kids clothes and have bought a pram that will negotiate horse paddocks! I don't think it is a missing mummy gene, I just think it is practical mummying!
Ha! I was nodding in agreement with your entire list. What you have said makes a lot of sense to me. I don't actually think it has anything to do with you missing a particular "Mummy- gene", I think it just makes you very sensible! ;-)
Ha! I nodded in agreement with your list, it makes a lot of sense to me. I don't think it has anything to do with you missing any particular "Mummy-gene" I think it just means your are sensible ;-)
:) I agree with some things here too.... ESPECIALLY the kissing thing.
As for the clothes - well I don't get shopping full stop and my idea of hell would be browsing clothes shops with the boys. Whilst I like to look nice (and will most days just go for 'clean') don't *get* fashion/shoes/handbags/labels etc either. So maybe I missed out on a female gene!!
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