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

My husband and I home schooled our children.They've never been in a nursery either, they are now 11 and 8yrs old.This is the first year my daughter will be going to 'big school'
It's definitely been a labour of love.Never having time to myself, always doing the housework around the kids and cutting back on spending to buy books etc for the children.It's been worth it !

I regularly spend many laborious hours peeling grapes & picking the pith of satsumas for my very picky toddler.. yes I know I am caving in to his every whim.. but for me, a bit of fruit prep beats a toddler tantrum any day of the week!

Rushed around several shops to find a George Pig soft toy after realising DS had left his at nursery and would be heart broken if he didn't have him to cuddle in bed that night - 5 shops, 1 hour, £5.99, and lots of sweat later my mission was accomplished!!

I hate football. Every Sunday for the last 6 years (in fairness we do break for Summer so not EVERY Sunday but sure feels like it) I have stood at the side of a football pitch cheering on my DS who adores football. Some matches are played in pouring rain, sometimes the frost is just melting, usually the wind is blowing right across the pitch, some days the match is 45 mins drive away at 9am on Sunday morning, but DS has not missed one match.

Two and a half hours spent finishing papier-mâché Dinosaur egg which DS wanted because I'd made one with DD. We set it up to do together over a few mornings but he instantly decided he didn't like the 'yucky wet paper'.

I'm not sure if its going the extra mile, but my ds thought I was the most amazing mum ever when I booked him a ski lesson at a snowdome. DH and I have never skied, have no intention of ever skiing, but ds was desperate to do it. The hour drive each way, and hanging around for 3 hours was worth it for his dance of delight when we pulled up, and I could see his grin for every minute.

Everytime I set up an imaginative or messy play for my older son whilst my newborn was sleeping. It helped us both transition and it was nice to reconnect.

I had a wonderful life in Madeira, where it was sunny and beautiful and all my friends and some of my family were. I loved it there and lived very simply on hardly any money, but had the best lifestyle anyway. When my daughter started growing older though, I realised that I wanted her to have a British education to give her the best chance in life, and more money so that I could support her in her life choices when she got older. So we moved back to the UK, and I've joined the rat race again :( However, it'll be worth it. She loves her school here and I can already see her progressing and changing and coming on in leaps and bounds! She doesn't mind the weather - it's only me who does!

I unscrewed his xbox not having a clue what I was doing. It hadn't been working for days and I could tell he was genuinely distressed about it. I couldn't afford a repair but I thought if we pretended to fix it, he would feel better. We trawled through youtube tutorials trying a little DIY together. It turned out to be huge amusement. Best fun we had together for ages. It took the whole weekend but we got it working to my surprise, not to his of course. Happy times.

I have endured a bikini wax as my daughter wanted to go swimming, I think most women would agree that is going the extra mile!

We had all our families and friends going the extra mile (literally) to buy my twins the Teletubby toys when they first came out. We had people checking shops daily in London, Yorkshire, Belfast, the North East and the Midlands. They were like gold-dust. Between us all, we managed to hunt down all four toys and the look on my boys' faces on Christmas morning told me it was worth all the effort!

When DS3 loved Lazy Town so much, he used to run home from nursery every day to see it (kept me fit as well!), we set about getting him a Sportacus outfit for Christmas. Unfortunately, they hadn't started selling them over here, so I hunted for one on the internet for him. I tracked one down in the USA and paid 3 times more than if I'd waited until they were released over here the following summer. Again the look on his face when he was wearing it on Christmas Day, told me I'd definitely done the right thing!

Leaving DD's teddy in the airport was not our finest hour.
Thankfully it ended up in lost property and I was able to arrange a courier to bring it back (this was not easy as most couriers will not let you arrange a pick up unless they are picking up from your address). Anyway for the bargain price of £90, teddy flew to Italy, then made his way overland to France and then back to the UK.

Ds LOVES doors and will not stop playing with them. DH made DS a little door for all to himself. It has extra locks on it and signs. Still doesn't stop ds playing with all the other doors though!

I've spent ages tracking down a much wanted Christmas gift. Once it's in my possession, I then let all my friends know where I got it in case they 'need' it too (share the love).
I used to really struggle with DD's tooth brushing. It was a real battle every morning. Then someone on MN suggested making it fun - I used to dress up, do it in the garden, sing funny songs with a mouthful of toothpaste bubbles etc. It worked, but boy was it tough pinning a 'this is fun and I'm not in a hurry, oh no' smile on my face twice every day.

My little one has the same taste as me in food, all my favourite snacks and food is her favourite as well, so everytime I would go without just so my little one can have more.

Took part in a muddy assault course with him on a recent family holiday to france.

We once left Miaw Miaw...my daughters most favourite stuffed toy in the whole wide world in a caravan in Somerset, 4 hours away. She sobbed and sobbed and her little heart was breaking. She HAD slept with that cat for over two years. I couldn't take it anymore...the sight of her tear stained cheeks, snot covered face and sobs of "But I WUV him mummy!" Was too much. So I sent my husband back. 4 hours in the car to retrieve Miaw Miaw.

Giving her the last slice of chocolate ice cream cake, sigh.

Propping my eyelids open on xmas eve/day because ds was determined to stay awake for santa. I think I managed to sneak his presents in at 4.30 am!!!

Have spent the last two months planning a mad hatter's tea party, buying assorted cups and saucers and little bottles with drink me tags on... Her birthday's not until September. I may be a little too organised

Spent our holiday at Peppa Pig World....

I've been on funfair rides and water slides, one makes me sick, the other terrifies me, but I would do ANYTHING for my 6 year old daughter

Every weekend I spend at least an hour, usually more, printing photos, cutting and taping them and sticking them into my children's nursery diaries along with an explanation of what we have done that week.

Eating cucumber sandwiches made by the grubby little hands of my 4 year old on an indoor picnic we had (I'd promised a picnic day out but the good old weather didn't hear my promise) - I hate cucumber with a passion! Yum, yum, these are so nice, dearest child...

I have modelled characters from clay for birthday cakes year on year....Totoro, Kiki, Eeyore, and so on. also so done the most elaborate treasure hunts, stayed up half the night to finish these all off.