Do Parents have a certain 'look' about them?

[Mumcentreplus]

I have noticed when I tell people or they find out I have children they are quite surprised and often say 'You dont look like you have children'...so do Parents have a certain 'look' about them then????..AIBU to think maybe they do..and if so what is this 'look'

Frazzled? Knackered? Dribble on the shoulder? Talk quickly so they have an outside chance of finishing a sentence before being interrupted?

I woudl find that offensive, but I don't really know why. Are we supposed to don sacks as soon as we pop them out? I dress like anyone my age would I suppose, I don't think being a parent comes into it. However, if you mean generally covered in muck and bogey on the shoulder, you're more often than not spot on

I look down more than my friends who don't have kids. Even when I don't have mine with me I am more likely to spot stuff dropped/happening below hip height.

I also attempt to hold hands with people when crossing roads.

As a mum, I seldom wear white clothes any more or things that have to be dry cleaned unless I'm at work.

And I imagine most new mums look a bit more tired and a bit more curvey in places.

Dangly earrings are less prevalent as they are a good toy to grab hold of and yank.

Plus kids are generally time consuming so parents have less time to themselves to spend on gloss, unless they have a nanny and endless wads of cash.

Some people do manage to glide through parenthood looking totally unperterbed but not many that I know.

Morloth "I also attempt to hold hands with people when crossing roads." LOL

MIL recalls how when DH was a small boy she went on a bus journey without him. At some point in the journey she forgot and nudged the man sitting next to her and said excitedly "Look there's a fire engine!"

OMG - I was in a Chinese buffet place. A woman was struggling to separate two of those duck pancakes with the tongs. Now I normally help my son to do that, so I leaned over to the total stranger, and used my fingers to separate the two pancakes and put them on her plate. I was mortified.

Hahahah! @ you two. although I do chat to the car seat on my way to work...at least that's in the privacy of my own car

5foot - yes - did this once with my DH, when we were out on a "date". I pointed out an aeroplane.

I have also attempted to put a baby vest over DHs head.

And at work, someone told me they knew I was a mother, because when I poured out 2 glasses of water for colleagues, I held them up at eye-level to check they were exactly equal

You are kidding! there's like a whole visual code for me. I have actually gone into work with my top inside out (twice that i know of ) just spotted and managed to dash to toilet before actually entering office. Hair needs redying - pedicure manicure pah !
dribble on clothes a constant .... once the child minder actually took a wet wipe to me after dropping off DD cos i was such a mess.

Having said all that was no great shakes before baby either

Rockbird - yes, it took me ages to get out of the habit of keeping up a running commentary in the supermarket

OP, are you very glamourous???

Who on earth says 'you don't look like you have children'? Sounds like one of those terrible adverts.

Are you thin and young looking?

I picture OP wearing scarves and long earrings with flowing locks and 5 inch heels. Maybe carrying a tray of champagne in cut-glasses. That wouldn't look like a parent.

Not particularly..?!??...I wear the usual smart casual stuff to work my self inflicted uniform of black/white/grey ..pencil skirts/tops/cardis,..casual outside mostly jeans, converse, vests..most glamourous thing about me is probably my lip gloss!

I imagine the OP must have phenomenal abs

I don't think people think I am a mum...

I have a nose stud, short pink hair and wear baseball boots (along with other clothing, obviously)

But true to 'mum' form, when out in a trendy coffeeshop with a friend, I asked him nice and loudly if he was sure he didn't need a wee before we left... He assured me that he was in fact 34 years old and could probably manage.

I have been out with friends and done the 'oh look, some sheep! Baa! Baa!' and then realised dd is at home and therfore unable to appreciate my sheep impression. Made my friends laugh hysterically though.

nope definately not thin!

@ bbw..dont think I've worn 5 inchers since before my DDs were born 8yrs ago!...

lol at phenomenal abs

I see your phenomenal abs and raise you some braless but very perky breasts

My sister-in-law gave away her mum status when she was asked to spell her name and did it phonetically. guh... ruh....eh... eh.... nuh.

Worse than 'you don't look like a mum' in my book is being told 'you don't look like his mum'... me being rather swarthy with dark brown eyes and my son being very blond, blue-eyed and rosy-cheeked. I usually make some joke about bringing the wrong one home from the hospital but still....

Mumcentreplus - I've got it! It's those pencil skirts you said you wear! How can you run after your DC???

Before I had children and I told people my age, they'd say "You don't look that old!"

Now they just nod....

My DH has hayfever and is suffering at the moment. The other day I absent mindedly heard him sniffing and caught myself about to put him in a toddler headlock to wipe his nose.

Think yerself lucky they just nod Cretaceous. When I say my age they go

Oh dear god yes

I watched a woman who was alone at the supermarket check out pushing the shopping trolley rhymically back and forth.

I whispered to her "You haven't brought the baby with you"

She went bright red and said "Christ you're right - I forgot I left him at granny's!"

pmsl ll