Share your tales of going the extra mile for your DC with Mini Milk - you could win a £300 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

At Mini Milk HQ they have been busy reformulating Mini Milk - meaning Mini Milk is a fun treat parents can say yes to! They say "small but perfectly formed, the Mini Milk is a firm favourite within the Wall's range of ice creams. With a choice of three delicious flavours -Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate - it's a perfect tasty treat you can feel confident giving to your kids this summer"

They'd love to now hear what you have done to go the extra mile for your kids out of sheer love, to put a smile on their face or - let's face it, to demonstrate your Mother-Superior (or Father-Superior) - parenting skills to the teacher/ other parents . Or even what you let slide so that your DC are happy.

For example: Have you ever found yourself working on a World Book Day costume in the wee small hours of the morning? Or spent days tracking down a toy or piece of clothing you know your child will really, really love? Maybe you've gone slightly OTT on your child's most recent project, or found yourself booking days out just so the class bear can give a good account of his time spent with your family. Have you allowed 'treats' just to make them happy?

If you've gone the extra mile, dug especially deep to pull something amazing out of the bag to be show your self as a great parent, or let your normal standards slip just to make them happy, we want your stories here!

Add your comment to this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where on MNer will win a £300 John Lewis voucher.

Please note Mini Milk / Mumsnet may use your comments - anon of course - on their pages on MN, on social media or possibly elsewhere - please only post if you're happy with this. Standard Insight T&Cs apply.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

[Catsgowoof]

Spent a small fortune on ebay buying a replacement for a much loved lost bear

[FeelingSmurfy]

*Typing this while eating a mini milk quickly before they get back and catch me! They make perfect treats for adults too

I think Christmas in July was probably the best example of this, hard to source some of the Xmas stuff and lots of energy putting the decorations up. We were all having a really tough year and I thought it would cheer us all up, more than a party or something as its so unusual. We exchanged gifts (we went to a pound shop and split up, we bought each person 1 present so we ended up with quite a few to open but very cheap and the kids loved getting to choose a gift for each person that was just off them) had Xmas dinner with crackers and Christmas music on, then we watched Xmas DVDs. We did xmassy crafts for a few days beforehand to really get in the mood and prolong the fun

We have had requests for it to be repeated but we said if we do it every year it won't be special and that one year we will just decide randomly and repeat

[Dolallytats]

Currently looking after my 8 week old grandson for the 3rd day running so she can visit her partner in hospital and have made a meal for her when she gets back tonight so she doesn't have to cook. Not sure this really counts as 'going the extra mile' though, it's what parents do-and my grandson is just beautiful!!

DS told me at 7.30pm one evening that school needed cakes for their Summer Fayre, just as he was going to bed. They were all ready and packed for him to take by morning

[VikingLady]

I once sucked the snot out of my baby DD's nose so she could feed better. Even though my nipples were cracked, and even though I've never owned a special snot sucker device..... I used my own mouth.

For me, I'm not sure there is anything more gross!

[missorinoco]

Gluing the arm onto a gingerbread man with raspberry jam because DC didn't like it broken. (Embarrassingly PFB of me.)

Racing home and back to school with a double buggy because I had left the empty cardboard box DC wanted for school at home.

[BarbaraManatee]

We raised some caterpillars & I spent ages documenting all our activities & putting them into a little folder so DS1 could take it into nursery to show his friends. It was partly so he had something to be proud of & show people but mostly to prove to people that I was going to be awesome at home ed.

I also spend a lot of time on their birthday cakes. I'll start planning them months in advance, start prepping anything I can at least 3 weeks before & then stay up half the night getting it perfect. I get just a little over-invested & then I'm too exhausted to actually enjoy their birthdays!

[ouryve]

It could be argued that I go many extra miles with DS1 as I spend most Saturdays riding around the Northeast on buses with him. He's rather obsessed by them. My phone keeps me sane and at least the boys aren't together to spend the day arguing.

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Giving her my dinner in restaurants because she'd rather have mine.

I am always wary when she orders something that I am not keen on in case I have to swap! I'd do anything for her not to be a fussy eater- even if it means giving up my dinner!

[purplepandas]

Hand sewing the bloomin stitching on a Katie Morag jumper for World Book Day. I have no sewing machine and I am not a craft queen. I am crap!

[daisydalrymple]

Ds1 was obsessed with ice cream trucks, aged 2, after watching an episode of Dora the explorer. I used to drive for miles to find them for him to look at, until he excitedly pointed out a caravan one day and said ice cream truck! From that point on we had pleasant low key drives around the local caravan parks

[kierie]

Spending all morning cooking cakes for sports day, even though I had a six day old baby, only to find out that all the other donated cakes were store bought. Grumble!

[JustSeven]

My DS has a life-limiting illness. I try to go the extra mile every day to make happy memories and enjoy the moment. We've just celebrated Christmas in July because he won't have as many Christmases as most people, so we thought he deserves it twice a year.

I give up my time doing street collections and organising quiz nights for funding into research, between me, my husband and best friend we've raised £28,000 for charity.

We're currently really struggling to get the adaptations our home needs for him to make our home accessible from the local authority who are obliged to provide them. We're also concerned about equipment being funded by the NHS in the future, so we've set up a trust to raise the £50,000 we will need for the adaptations and equipment ourselves.

[TheyGotTheMustardOut]

Another lost comforter story here... Blue Teddy got left behind on an adventure to the seaside and when we went back later in the day he was nowhere to be found.

I told my son that Blue Teddy was just off a fishing adventure and that he'd come back in a few days.

I searched on eBay and found an exact replacement for £20 and had him delivered express. Unfortunately Replacement Teddy was much, much cleaner than Blue Teddy and my son knew the difference.

We received a call two days later, Blue Teddy had been handed in to the beach restaurant and all was well with the world.

We know have Blue Teddy and Replacement Teddy; they're good friends.

[flamingtoaster]

DS has been obsessed with space since he was very small. Having taken him out on several nights to see a comet he asked could he have a duvet cover with a comet on it. Obviously such a thing did not exist so I worked out how to cross-stitch the shape of the comet on a plain duvet cover. We also used fabric pen to write the name and date of the comet underneath. He was very, very pleased - which is why I never minded having to hand wash it because of the cross stitching and it is still going strong.

[AnyoneForTennis]

Texting a ' yes he can come to SAMs party, thanks for the invite, see you next Saturday'.......at mile 9 of the London marathon! Running it!

I'd completely forgotten, caught up in marathon training, but randomly remembered as I ran through the mile 9 marker! Got my phone out ( still running) and text my reply

[Mummyofonesofar]

My DS found Pokemon on Netflix and quickly became obsessed. He begged me for Pokemon toys in eBay but I explained that they no longer make them. Then writing his Christmas letter to santa, all he asked for was Pokemon toys and he popped the letter up the chimney with the most excited smile on his face. Me and DP then spent weeks searching the Internet for all his favourite Pokemon plush toys and found them - imported from Japan - very expensive!! We found a school bag, badges, a phone case on eBay and lots of bits and bobs. And even a duvet set.

On Christmas Eve once he was asleep (waited til about 1am Christmas Day to be extra sure) I snuck into his bedroom and changed his duvet cover and pillowcase into the Pokemon ones, popped a badge on his pjs and his phone case on next to his bed.

In the morning he was so excited to see all the magic that had happened and the huge sack full of Pokemon only toys. He is 6, some of his friends are wondering if Santa is real. He will believe a few years longer I believe because he knows that those toys are no longer produced in the UK so it must be magic. All that hard work and the credit goes to Santa!

[CopperPan]

DD used to love chess but we don't have any chess clubs locally. I found one run as an after school club at a primary school 80 mins away by train - bit of a trek once a week and we got home late but she did really well and they had brilliant tutors there.

[Tidypidy]

I breastfed my older son when he was in PICU in Bristol children's hospital with severe diabetic ketoacidosis. The consultant said it contributed to saving his life. My boobs rock!

[LowCarbHeaven]

Stayed up until 6am on the morning of his third birthday baking his replacement cake.

I made him a Mr tumble cake the day before. He loves Mr tumble! I am no baker so I spent ages making it and on eBay buying extra baking stuff to do fondant etc.

Anyway the day before his birthday he went to the local science museum and came back talking about his rocket birthday cake that mummy had made for his birthday as he loves rockets.

He went on about having a rocket cake so much and I couldn't bare the thought of him feeling disappointed on his birthday so I stayed up nearly all night baking one. It turned out quite good as well!! So in the end he had two cakes and he was over the moon with them! My husband thought I was mad though!

[Mummyofonesofar]

Or is it getting up at 6.30 on a Saturday because on the first day of the holidays DS wants pancakes for breakfast!!!

[Pixi2]

I make skull shaped pirate sandwiches for Halloween/pirate days. The DC love that they can see the 'blood' (jam) through the holes for the eyes, nose and mouth.

I once stayed up until 3am finishing off a homemade butterfly costume for dd for world book day, she wanted to be a pink punk butterfly. A reasonable request from an older child, but this was for nursery and she was 3!

[TinyTear]

Walked backwards with her napping in the hiking backpack in a beach in the isle of Wight so the rain and wind wouldn't hit her straight on the face...

[LovelyFriend]

I don't really go the extra mile with material items - there is no need. The DC love their toys but aren't overly attached to any in particular thank goodness.

I am SP and the DC are with their dad every 2nd weekend. I spend my entire weekend with the DC - we will always do something really lovely together, from visiting friends or going swimming or to the park for picnics, to more expensive (and occasional) trips to zoo or finding a castle to visit or some other treat.

I do my best to ensure household chores etc are mostly taken care of during the week. I do get them to help me sort the flat out sometimes on a Saturday morning (I want them to be involved in caring for themselves and our home), but mostly our weekends about doing things together that we all enjoy. We have great fun.

[SouthWestmom]

This is a bit sad now but I'm glad it happened and things are better now and I have a replacement (I didn't like it ever) and the dc are not grabby -

Selling my engagement ring just before xmas because the dc had wanted and wanted a wii and when I explained we couldn't afford it they had so much faith FC would deliver I just wanted to make it happen.

[JakeBallardswife]

Having my eyelids prised open every morning to see if I was awakeby DD aged from about 3 until she was 7.

Thankfully, now she's 8 she has stopped doing this. Now she just stands there in front of me until I answer / get up or both. All this before 6 am for years!!