What would you definitely not have done today if you didn't have young children?

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

Just reflecting on how different life is to a few years back!

I leapt up from lunch to make a birthday cake and then went straight out to accompany a child's bike ride. Now sitting on bench in chill wind watching child play.

A few years back I would've considered sitting in the park at sunset in winter a hardship! Now just getting to sit down is a treat, even if it is 5 degrees!

There is a big theme about standing in the park in the cold!

@Simonjt oh yeah on the bum wiping. I have an 8yo and 5yo so the last eight years have pretty much been a stream of poo. I am soooo looking forward to when DTs stop calling for me to wipe their bottoms.

Spent almost an hour in Primark!

Sat in a car park next to a dual carriageway for an hour while my kid did gymnastics.

Got up at ten past six 🫠

I have also said "don't TOUCH that" approximately 1639018 times.

And been to Smiggle fml.

And actually just shrugged when someone blew their noise on my jacket.

This thread is making me feel much better about my life. Solidarity folks.

But for DS I would not have watched Fireman Sam, Postman Pat, spilled Calpol on the floor or wiped someone else's bottom.

I wouldn't have had to fish one child's jumper out of the loo because the other child threw it there in a fit of sibling war.

Otherwise we spent ages at the garden centre, ate at the cafe and then went to wilko for more plant stuff. Honestly that would have happened with no kids too.

I wouldn't be having an hour long bedtime battle on a Saturday night; that's for sure!

I wouldn't have got up at 5am or gone to a dance competition. I also wouldn't have done a million loads of washing a full house clean or sat and had ice cream in an ice cream parlour.

Pre children it would have been a lie in, a quick bit of housework, food shopping and a day in the pub. Now many years later, it would be totally different if I didn't have children - but then if I didn't have children it might not be as they have shaped who I am today.

Watched Nativity 3 for the 100th time since Christmas. DD loves Christmas films and that’s my ‘pick your battles’ weakspot.

Dipped a toddler in the Atlantic to wash dog shit off her waterproofs

They're nearly old enough that you could be one of those parents who parks outside the playground and sits in the car while the kids play

I wouldn’t have been scrubbing make up out of the carpet, or disentangled a hair brush from a synthetic blue wig. I also wouldn’t be cuddled up on the sofa watching a movie with ice cream.

Learned a new Ms Rachel song.

😂

Also, is your username Motherland-inspired?

Played hide and seek.

Got up. At all, probably. I’m massively pregnant and everything aches, at this stage with DD I’d have laid in all day reading between naps.

As it was, I got up, played cake shops in the bath while trying to wash my hair. I wiped her runny nose with an old face mask I found in my pocket while at the park as I’d run out of tissues. I also sang happy birthday loudly to myself as we play birthdays every single day at the moment, while wrangling puff pastry.

Endured a kids birthday party. My head is still pounding. It was the worst I've ever been to too. All I can remember is snotty faces.
Why do parents not tell them to blow and wipe?! School aged kids!
Felt so sorry for the face painting person...

Built a pirate den and rescued 10 stuffed toys from a desert island (beanbag) in the ocean (living room rug). Did a damn good impression of Ubercorn from the Go Jetters.

Ahhh I feel for you all.

My DC is 18... but I promise you, its not getting better when it comes to being out in cold, rainy & windy weather!

Went to an uni open day and had a 2.5 hour drive (one way), campus was cold and windswept... and the accommodation we looked at was small hot & stuffy. Not sure what's better!

Hope all is okay @TheBirdintheCave

Love those books.

🏅🤣
My whole family are laughing at this one, @Happysalley

😁🤢

Got up at 7:30 to go to martial arts class
bought a 99p Wooden mouse without a tail
sat in a draughty, crowded hall with loud music and even louder inflatables

Pinned someone down to wrestle drops into their eyes to treat conjunctivitis whilst they screamed like they were being attacked by a mountain lion. 🙄