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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask what you see other Mum's doing that puts you to shame

140 replies

Totality22 · 30/03/2015 15:39

I just saw a mum jogging with her double pram.

Made me feel like shit so I've grabbed another slice of cake

Seriously though, is it normal to look at other Mum's and think "I wish I could do that"

OP posts:
TwinkieTwinkle · 30/03/2015 15:44

The ones who pull out beautiful tubs of food when on a picnic. No matter how hard I try, we end up with squashed sandwiches, burst juice cartons and fries/squashed fruit.

TwinkieTwinkle · 30/03/2015 15:45

Autocorrect fail! dried not fries.

LokiBear · 30/03/2015 15:46

Nothing really. You could go jogging with your pram if you wanted too. Why should you feel shame that you aren't? Eat your cake and enjoy it. Go out jogging with your pram tomorrow -treat the jogging lady as an inspiration rather than compare yourself negatively.

Meloria · 30/03/2015 15:47

I'd think you were the best mum if you brought fries to a picnic. I can't tell you how often I've sat there outwardly saying "Mmmmm, lovely, olives" when what I mean is "Uuuuhhh, I miss the 80s when it was all crisps and sweets and fizzy drinks".

FrillyBloomers · 30/03/2015 15:53

I had a mum friend who used to feed her toddlers steamed broccoli from little tupperware pots as a snack. I was in awe of how anyone could get very small children to think cold steamed veg was delicious (and they did...it was all 'Yum yum muma, bwoccoleeee").

I used to smile apologetically as I brought out the digestive biscuits for my kiddos Grin

Toofat2BtheFly · 30/03/2015 15:55

Soft play this morning , a lady shows up with 3 under 3's ( one a newborn ) looking immaculate , perfect hair , perfect make up , perfectly turned out children ... I on the other hand did not !!

museumum · 30/03/2015 15:57

I have a friend with an 18mo old (same as me) who runs in the morning before her child wakes Shock

I on the other hand, am still at the stage of grabbing every single scrap of sleep i can get, even though my child does technically mostly sleep through.

sliceofsoup · 30/03/2015 15:58

I have a few relatives who have under 1s. They are all out exercising, going for coffees, doing sponsored runs, and every time they post pics they have immaculate DCs and immaculate houses.

If I am dressed in reasonably clean clothes in the morning I feel like its a good day.

hazeyjane · 30/03/2015 15:58

9 times out of 10, mums like these are swans, looking calm, cool and collected on the surface, but paddling like buggery to get through the day.

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 30/03/2015 15:59

Soft play this morning , a lady shows up with 3 under 3's ( one a newborn ) looking immaculate , perfect hair , perfect make up , perfectly turned out children ... I on the other hand did not !!
i feel supior to these mums, declare them shallow and wasting hours of life on boring stuff, stiffling their kids creativity with the requirement to look smart.

I remember once taking a small child (not mine) somewhere, their mother had dressed them in best as it was a day out, the poor kid couldn't climb on anything as they would ruin their clothes.

Heels99 · 30/03/2015 15:59

Jogging with double buggy resulted in me ending up with months of spinal rehab. You have made the right decision op.

GlitzAndGigglesx · 30/03/2015 15:59

The mums who have neatly cut up cucumber and carrots and what not in different coloured Tupperware and feed it to the happy child whilst I'm sat there giving dd haribo

NancyRaygun · 30/03/2015 16:00

I can't do my daughters' hair :( other mums do like twisty Elsa plaits and all sorts. I am just so clumsy with hair.

Knottyknitter · 30/03/2015 16:01

Going by my day today (dd is 11 weeks)

  1. Mums with evidence they still know where their hairbrush is
  2. Mums who are able to predict and intercept vomit on the way from baby to jeans.
  3. Mums who can bf in public without flashing the whole library/park (we had a lot of fun today!)
  4. Mums who can negotiate ASDA with some trolley/baby combination at doesn't end in bruised ankles from poor steering of multiple vehicles simultaneously, destroyed displays from poor steering as unable to see over car seat on top of trolley or destroyed eardrums from carrying disgruntled baby in sling. Seriously, how???
  5. Mums of babies who take their morning nap before 2:30pm
  6. Mums whose lunch isn't a bag of minstrels on the run.

Did jog a bit, but only because it started raining on the way back to the car. I'm calling that a win Grin

WindYourBobbinUp · 30/03/2015 16:01

Everything. They all seem to have immaculate hair, nails, houses and make cup cakes. Or else they just lie on Facebook. I keep telling myself it's the latter Grin

ahbollocks · 30/03/2015 16:04

People whos children have ironed, matchy, stain free clothes clothes and brushed hair.
I really try but...uffff

Toofat2BtheFly · 30/03/2015 16:07

The lady also had little Tupperware pots of food prepared for her dc's ... However the manager gave her a telling off as only food brought from the restaurant was allowed ... Made me feel better as I was obeying the rules dd was eating Pom bears purchased from the cafe !

Knottyknitter · 30/03/2015 16:08

And most of all the mum I met in a cafe at the end of my manic morning today who was there with twins the same sort of age as dd. Yes they were noisy, but they had you totally outnumbered, yet you were calm cool collected and totally on it! (and if you'd seen dd a minute beforehand you really wouldn't have apologised to me for the noise, given she had finally zonked out I was enjoying pulling faces at one of the twins over your shoulder!)

rednsparkley · 30/03/2015 16:08

Mothers who do craft with their children - I really wanted to be that kind of mother but OMG I cannot stand doing craft. I hate glue, I hate cutting out, I hate paint, I hate play-do and I really REALLY hate glitter. I am a massive failure in the eyes of my 8yr old DD who would happily craft all day long

Agirlworthfightingfor · 30/03/2015 16:09

Totally agree re the perfect clothes. Mine always look scruffy but then I think what a bore to have clothes i minded about them ruining.

LadyGregory · 30/03/2015 16:09

Nothing. I am an unspeakably brilliant mother.

Seriously, these threads, even if they're intended light-heartedly, make me saddened at how easily women allow themselves to feel bad by elevating other women onto pedestals because they have 'perfect make up'!

Binkybix · 30/03/2015 16:09

People who offer me a home cooked brownie when I visit their newborn. We both also have toddlers. I did not have a newborn. Annoyingly she is also lovely.

sparechange · 30/03/2015 16:09

Those baby wardrobes where all the baby's clothes are hung up on hangers, usually in colour order, and all cleaned and ironed.
I don't even do that with my own clothes
What's wrong with shoving everything in a drawer?

LastUnicorn · 30/03/2015 16:10

I agree with the hair thing, so many pretty girls with pretty Elsa priya or perfect bunches and my little scamp won't sit still for two seconds to let me put a clip in never mind a plait. I can get a tangle teaser through it and that's about it.
Now that DD is 4.9 I generally have myself out together but she is an active, mud slinging little thing who always looks like she has been in the wars.

Tizwailor · 30/03/2015 16:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.