After having my dc and being thrust into the world of domestic, erm, bliss at 26 I found it really difficult to keep the house clean, do the washing for everyone, tidy up after everyone, cook dinner, look after the baby, make myself look presentable and all the while cooking muffins. My life previous to having dc included working, going to the pub to see my friends, nightclubs every other weekend and I didn't have to do much to make myself look good so I found it a massive struggle to deal with all of the above 'duties' (which I thought were all my responsibility, not anymore).
I went to the baby groups and every woman I met seemed to have a perfectly kept house, immaculate hair and cooked an Annabel Karmel meal for their children every night so it put me off. I met one mum through a dh's work colleague who professed to me that she never let her husband see one of her dc's toys on the floor and everything was always perfect by the time he got home, she was also very 'stepford wives'.
I felt really inadequate for whole of my dc's infancy and only questioned whether what these women told me was true when my dh went to his work colleague's house and told me it was an utter tip with clothes and dirty plates and toys everywhere (apparently it's like this most of the time according to colleague). I have no problem with the mess at all I just don't understand the need to make people think you are perfect?