Nursery Decipher

Butter wouldn't melt...

My son has been going to nursery since he was 4 months old, it has done him the world of good and the staff are amazing with him.

However, they are barely ever negative about him. If I took what they said at face value it seems he is all sweetness and light for them, which I am not sure I believe. (As he is not that at home).

I think they may be sugar coating things. So I have created my "nursery decipher" - taking what they say and putting into "real" feedback.

What they say: He is very independent!
What they really mean: He wouldn't do a damn thing he was told to do and I am so glad he is going home.

What they say: He has really interacted with the other babies today.
What they really mean: He hit several other children with a toy/brick/book and we had to put him in baby prison (aka baby walker) to save the other kids.

What they say: He really enjoyed the sensory area today.
What they really mean: He destroyed the sensory area!

What they say: He loved reading time.
What they really mean: He wouldn't sit still, he tried to steal/eat the book before hitting another baby with it.

What they say: He has made you a biscuit/cake today.
What they really mean: He made you a biscuit today... dont eat it, all the babies made it together and it contains enough dribble and snot to sink a battle ship!

What they say: He has been so active today.
What they really mean: I have chased him around all day while he rampages and destroys the entire nursery, he could make Attila the Hun look like a fairy!

What they say: He really is active, even during a nappy change.
What they really mean: We have to get three staff to hold him down while we change his nappy/clothes because he wriggles so much. We are investing in a nappy changing unit with straps!

What they say: He loved playing in the ball pit.
What they really mean: He refused to get out at the end of the play session and had a tantrum when we had to remove him. He head butted the nursery manager in his tantrum rage and she has a black eye.

If they do ever say...

"He has been a handful today, was grumpy or difficult..." well... send the staff flowers because I dread to think how bad it really was.

(He hasn't really head butted the nursery manager of course... yet...)

Hello again...

It has been a very loooong time since I posted, for anyone who likes to read my blog regularly I am sorry... I hope there is someone who does... :)

I could go through the long list of reasons I haven't posted in a while: sinus infections, flu, baby not sleeping, baby teething, working lots, a house move and a new job... the list can go on. But the basic reason is just being so busy and not feeling very inspired lately.

However, I am hoping I will now have a new lease of life into my blogging.

I feel like I should share something of my December and Christmas... Because that is where I last left this blog, and despite all that businsess I didnt managed to do half the things I had hoped. I had the typical visions of being a domestic goddess, earth Mother type with a Christmas that had Santa envious. Where I would be blissfully baking organic, refined sugarfree mince pies with a festive apron on and a lovely cooing baby sitting watching patiently in his highchair.

Typically I set myself up for a massive fail. Not foreseeing a house move mid December and the active nature of a 7 month old beginning to crawl. Seriously, how did he go from a snail pace shuffle to racing car fast in the space of a week? Any why oh why does he think the other side of the room is amazing mid nappy change?

Nothing gets you moving like chasing down a crawling baby with a dirty nappy half hanging off their cheeky bum!

I got no baking done, despite promising family lots of goodies. I feel bad about this! I have promised to make the festive treats next year instead... am I setting myself up for failure yet again? Probably.

Christmas Eve and Day was not quite what I imagined either. I bought my baby the "Santa is coming to Sheffield" book, which is really lovely. I had imagined reading it to him on Christmas Eve, naturally he would be all serene. Maybe looking at me lovingly while I began a Christmas Eve tradition. Did it go like that? Hell no! He wiggled and wormed around on my lap, desperate to get away. It was a battle of wills, at one point my husband told me to give it up. But I was determined to finish the darn book... I finished the lovely story about Santa coming to Sheffield, but I wouldnt class it as a magical moment or parental "win".

Naturally my son barely slept the 2 nights leading up to Christmas and after being up until midnight putting up a trike on Christmas Eve I was exhausted. I was less earth mother, and mother of all zombies! I ended up cooking the worst roast I have ever done and forgot to have even one glass of festive tipple!

I just want to share my Christmas catastrophe, I feel like I need to warn other parents. It isnt all fairy lights and magical moments. The (parental) struggle is real, even over the festive season!

Government for Parents!

As usual the news is all about politics. It got me thinking, if I ran for government what would I change?

I know, if I became Prime Minister it would probably signal the beginning of the end for humanity, but indulge me.

Anyway, I think I would stand for parents, Mums especially, if I ran for government.

What would I change I hear you ask? (Well you probably aren't asking that, but bare with me...)

Well I made up my Mama Lucy Legislation for my Mum-overnment! (Bare in mind this is a bit tongue in cheek)...

Fines and prison sentences for people that give funny looks or tut over breastfeeding Mums in public.
I may not have been lucky enough to successfully breastfed but if I had then I think the threat of funny looks over breastfeeding in public would have made me anxious. Even though breast is best is so heavily pushed by the Government it isn't backed up with normalising breastfeeding in public! So I think anyone who tuts or discourages public breastfeeding in anyway should get a fine and one night in prison. Yes breastfeeding jail would happen under my rule... and all they would get given for food would be bread.... and milk! ;)

Free coffee for new parents.
Government funded coffee from Starbucks for all new parents. We are nurturing tomorrow's leaders, doctors and teachers... We deserve coffee to make it through the sleepless nights.

Midnight feed hotline.
We parents need support through those sleepless nights. We need a service that connects us to other parents during the wee hours of the morning. We could do with someone to moan to who understands the utter exhaustion and can be sympathetic. I needed someone to say "dont kill your snoring Husband as he blissfully sleeps through another night time feed, because one day you will like him again... maybe not now, but one day, when your baby sleeps through the night..."

1 day of free nursery care, per month, for the first 3 months.
The first 3 months of parenting I only got one thing done well: keeping my baby alive and well. And that is pretty great, but the washing, cleaning and my hair barely got done. I would give all parents one free day of nursery each month for the first 3 months. So that parents can get the essentials done. Hell, use the day to sleep because we all know you won't be getting much of that.

Free washing powder for parents with weaning babies.
By the time weaning comes along you probably don't have one item of clothing without a baby related, permanent, stain on it. But when you wean, nothing stays unstained/clean. Between weaning nappies (just don't ask if you aren't there yet) and baby food stains then you won't have one thing in your whole house without a stain on it. I would give all parents free washing powder for the first month of weaning... And just generally wish you luck.

Free back massage 3 months after giving birth.
By the time you have hit three months post partum you have a healthy sized baby, not a teeny tiny new born as light as air. Nope, if you are like me, you have a heavy baby boy that wiggles constantly. Picking him up is like lifting weights all day. It is killing my back! I am sure I am not the only one, so under Mama Lucy legislation all Mums get a free 1 hour massage three months after giving birth. Preferably by a sexy hunk called Sven...

Special on call doctor helpline for neurotic new mums.
I cant count the number of times I could have done with a hotline about one silly concern or another during the first 3 months... I think having a medical hotline specifically for new Mums may actually free up a lot more Doctor appointments.

Source: fowllanguagecomics.com

Free cooked meals delivered to your door for a week after giving birth... oh and maid service.
I think that anyone that goes through labour and then has to get used to looking after a new baby deserve some help. So under my rule all new parents get a weeks worth of maid service and prepared food for free! I might even get Jamie Oliver preparing the meals.

Fines for people who ring doorbells on sleeping babies.
Finally got that baby to sleep and some family member comes over wanting a hug... they ring the doorbell and the baby is awake again. Screaming. Well I say report them and they get fined for such evil acts against parents!

The genius behind my plans are that the costs of these services are paid for by the fines I introduce and I plan to tax cakes... Yes, this may sound crazy. Why would I tax cakes?
Well as a Mum I eat a lot of cake. Like. A. Lot... So I would be happy to pay a bit more on cake in order to get all the perks above...
Anyone with me? Should I run for government?

A true tale of parenting...

Today was a day that started off well, just like every other day... September sun created a lovely feel to what promised to be a lazy mummy/baby day. Little did I know that my charming little bundle of love may reduce me to tears of laughter in the baby changing room at my Doctors!

I have been dealing with teething nappies lately. Generally gross and a bit explosive! But today I was subjected to the mother of all uncontrollable, explosive nappies! Just as I was about to be called in by the Health Visitor for Archie's monthly weigh in.

I heard what can only be described as a worryingly massive fart come from Archie's nappy while sitting in the waiting room and it put the fear of God in me. I knew... Just knew, that this was not gonna be pretty!

So I explained to the Reception, who promptly gave me a dirty look before going into the baby changing room... to discover my fate.

Yes, my son had created a poonarmy for me. Everywhere doesn't even begin to cover it. I promptly had to strip him out of his soiled clothes (and quickly as I could hear the Health Visitor calling me in)...

But in my haste Archie managed to pull the nappy bag (containing the dirty nappy) onto his head... Ekkk! You know it is a bad mummy day when your baby gets poo in his hair! I promptly cleaned it off while a naked baby wriggled around the changing mat like it was a game...

After I cleaned up one mess he had managed to roll onto his stomach before promptly peeing on the changing mat.

He managed to create a little pee puddle that he was splashing around in... Oh the shame! Not my proudest parenting moment!

I was reduced to tears of laughter because you just can't make up this stuff (and frankly it is better to laugh than cry over the situation)! I had to attempt to wash him in the hand sink in the end. Naturally I couldn't use the hot tap in case it scolded him, so Archie screamed away as I tried to wash him in cold water... I think the people in the waiting room thought I was torturing him.

I just had to share this... Because this is the reality of parenting!

7 little white lies I tell (as a parent)...

I don't know about other parents but I sometimes feel that I am keeping things together by a very thin thread.

Those day to day activities that I did without even thinking before I had my baby have now turned into massive tasks, that I feel require planning on an military level in order to achieve them to a decent level.

In addition to this I was never great, before having a baby, at keeping on top of day to day things (like the washing pile) but I have now become pretty useless.

Cleaning and washing has been happening on a "need" basis:

Has everyone got clean pants for tomorrow? Nope... Well best do some washing before I go to bed...

Have I got a clean cup for a cuppa? Nope... best clean a cup then...

With this in mind there are a few white lies I tell people, to make myself feel better about this...

1. Sorry the house is a mess, I haven't had a chance to clean this morning.
Hahaha... clean today? I wont clean today! My teething baby wont let me put him down and I have no intention of using the small amount of time he naps to clean. I am going to have a cuppa and mindlessly watch daytime TV! This mess has accumulated over 3 days and will probably be here another 3... but for the purposes of this white lie I clean regularly, and this mess is merely the product of this morning.

2. The washing pile isn't usually that big, our wash day is tomorrow.
Wash day? Yeah right. I will clean what I need when I need it. If you are lucky! The pile trying to give Mount Everest a run for its money will be there next week.

3. Oh you caught me at a bad time I was just about to do my hair.
I had no intention of doing my hair at all today. Up in a pony tail it goes, and that is just to avoid scaring the baby with my frizzy mop trying to do a Medusa impression.

4. Sorry I don't have any biscuits to offer you with your tea, I haven't had a chance do a food shop this week.
Lies, all lies!!! I did the food shop yesterday but ate all the cookies in 1 day as it was the only thing that got me through the day with a teething baby. I NEEDED the sugar for energy!

5. He is teething...
I don't know if anyone else has similar days, when your baby is just fussy. It could be teething, but you don't really know... It probably isn't, it is just a blue moon and your baby is grumpy (hey even adults have bad days)... but to make myself feel less like a failure I just blame teething. 

6. The body suit couldn't be saved.
Yes, one of THOSE explosive nappies has happened. It is everywhere. You don't even know how it got into some places on your child... It is covering his onesie/bodysuit/clothes... Well there have been times when I just say I cant save the clothing and (carefully) just cut the clothing off him. Rather than wash it and try and get the poo covered clothing over his head... Now if I am honest I probably could carefully remove the clothing and wash it. But, sod it, I can not be bothered to have that level of commitment to a piece of clothing he will grow out of in a week.

7. I put Frozen on for the baby... He likes the bright colours and music.
Again, just lies. I love Disney films and put them on for me. Now I am a Mum I just have a good excuse to put them on. For instance, Archie is currently asleep and Frozen is playing while I type this... but it is on for him of course. :)

Expectation Verses Reality of Parenting...

Being a Mum hasn't really been what I expected. I don't mean that in a bad way. But my expectations before I had my son compared to the reality are very different.

Here are my top 8 expectations verses reality parenting thoughts...

Expectation: My pregnancy belly will go down really quickly.
Reality: Hahahahaha (that is my now self laughing at my pre-birth self). Enough said.

Expectation: I am going to take my baby to so many things: baby massage, baby sensory, swim classes...
Reality: At £120 a course for each of those, how about you pick one?! How do Mums, on maternity pay, manage to pay for all these classes and courses?! Not to mention, getting ready and out the house for a 10am class can sometimes seem like they are expecting miracles!

Expectation: Babies only cry when they want something. I will always pick up my son when he cries, and immediately.
Reality: My son has already learnt the art of manipulation. He cries just because he hasn't been played with in the past 5 minutes and wants more attention, he stops the moment he is picked up.
The reality is that Mummy needs a shower, she smells after you pee'd and puked on her. So Mummy is gonna have to let you cry for just 2 minutes while she has the quickest shower of her life!

Expectation: I will be really chilled about everything...
Reality: Me now... Is he breathing? Is he eating enough? Is he breathing? Is he eating too much? Is he breathing? His feet are too cold, lets put on some socks? Is he breathing? His feet feel too hot now, lets take the socks off? Is he breathing? 

Expectation: I will sterilise the dummy every time it falls out his mouth!
Reality: Oh bugger... he dropped the dummy onto his play mat again, for the 20th time this afternoon! Sod it, I will just suck on it and then give it back to him...

Expectation: I will sleep when the baby sleeps.
Reality: Slap (that is current me slapping my pre-birth self, for being so delusional!) You barely ever get to sleep when the baby sleeps. You use that time to do the mountain of housework or just basics... like eating!

Expectation: I am going to be really together with everything. I will be out and about everyday, looking my best and being an all around great Mum.
Reality: It is 4pm. We haven't left the house all day, both me and the baby are still in our PJs. The curtains are closed  and we are watching Disney films. I had a chocolate bar for lunch. We had to have a shared bath after my baby attempted to do a surrealist painting with his poo, on his changing mat.

Expectation: I will be realistic about my baby. I will never utter the words "he is so advance for his age"... It is unlikely he will be a baby genius.
Reality: "OMG... He is so advance... Look at his head control. So advance. He rolls over already. I am teaching him to count in 4 different languages. I swear he almost said Hello. He is so handsome. I think he will look like Brad Pitt when he is older..." (admittedly I only do this in front of my Hubby as I know I sound ridiculous, but I just cant help it).

My "skincare routine"...

Before I gave birth, during the first month of my maternity leave, I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos. I really like following "vlogging celebrities", especially ones focused on families (such as The Michalaks, Mrs Meldrum and the SacconeJolys).

In fact, I attribute much of my education on parenting to these vlogs. They were a lot of fun to watch during the boring days of waiting for my baby to arrive. My favourite has to be The Michalaks, they have an adorable little boy and watching them raise their son gave me some confidence that I would manage when my own son came along.

In addition to vlogging about parenting a lot of the Mums in these vlogs look gorgeous all the time and sometimes put up videos about their make up and skincare routines! I am not sure how they manage it. I am still at that stage where getting a 5 minute shower during the day is a miracle... How does my baby know the exact minute I enter the shower and decide to wake up and start crying?! (I think he has a sixth sense about these things).

So when I am rushing just to have a shower other time consuming "luxuries" such as make up and skincare routines have gone out the window. In fact, the words "moisturising routine" seem like some sort of cruel taunt when said out loud... and my make up bag remains unused and unloved since I bought it back from the hospital. (I didn't bother putting make up on after I gave birth, in the hospital, either... there was not enough make up in the world to make me feel/look good after 35 hours of labour and a C section).

After I gave birth my skin became very dry especially on my face and neck... Yep, that pregnancy glow went a lot quicker than my pregnancy belly! Combine that with a general lack of time and my skin did not look good. However, I can happily report it is looking loads better now... A lot less "The Mummy Returns".

So like many of these lovely Mums online I wanted to share my current moisturising regime.

Here it is:

Yep, all I do is lather on a dollop of Johnson's Baby Lotion. :)

I am being ironic of course, but at the same time deadly serious. This has really worked for me!

I am unlucky enough to have combination skin, patches of dry skin mixed with oily skin. I have found that Johnson's Baby Lotion gets rid of the dry patches on my face but also doesn't over moisturise the "oily" T section on my face.

So for now, this is my moisturising/skin care routine. I am hoping that someday soon I can return to my proper routine, which I use The Body Shop's Vitamin E range for. But from what I have heard that day may coincide with my son leaving for University?!

My 7 Shameful Secrets as a New Mummy!

I have only had 2 months as a Mummy but I have still had enough time to accumulate a few "shameful secrets" about motherhood!

One: The Hat Trick
I noticed when walking in the park that his sun hat falls down over his eyes causing him to fall asleep. I may have once put it on him inside so that he fell asleep and I could have a nap too. I know this probably makes me a bad Mummy but I really needed a nap.

Two: The Little White Lie
I pretended he was 3 months (when he was only 10 weeks) so that I could take him along to a baby class. Shhh...

Three: Baby Its Cold Outside
I bought my baby another coat for winter (he has 2 already) and hid the bag behind the sofa so my husband wouldn't find it until I could tell him later (when he was in a good mood). It was on sale though, I swear!

Four: Good as New
If my baby is sick on his outfit, (usually one that I just put on him) and the outfit is white I just dab it off/rub it in and pretend it never happened. When it comes to baby sick I have also been covered in it myself and just put on a coat to go out instead of changing... He will only be sick on me again so not point in washing more clothes right?! :/

Five: Oh Isn't He Advance!
Yes, I have uttered this sentence. The most cliched parenting sentence ever, so cliched I feel embarrassed I use it. Don't worry I would never say it out loud to another parent (and definitely not in a bragging way)... But in the comfort of my own home I show my husband our babies latest achievements and utter "isn't he advance!"...  I even showed my husband his weight chart to show how "perfect" his weight trajectory is! (I am ashamed of myself, but also secretly a proud mummy).

Six: Poor Kitty
I have developed serious Mummy Brain... I find myself doing the stupidest of things. I went to feed the cat the other day, got distracted and accidentally put the cat food in the bin instead of the cat's bowl. I only realised when I found the unopened sachet of cat food in the bin... and quickly fed the very pissed off cat.

Seven: Hands Free
After a full day of my baby being fussy, where he wanted to be held constantly, I put him in his baby carrier just so I could enjoy a glass of Prosecco and a bag of Wotsits. I then sat on the sofa with him strapped to me so I could have 5 minutes peace... yes, I am sure this isn't in any good parenting manual but believe me I deserved that glass of Prosecco!

It has been a loooooong afternoon...

This evening I really wanted to post one of the posts I have been working on over the past week. I have some posts I am really excited about: parenting books (with lots of opinions from other mummies), all about C section recovery, summer holiday ideas and more... All these are in the pipeline.

But I have to be honest I am exhausted today and am struggling to get the motivation and inspiration to complete these posts (to the level I would be happy with). While my son was a little angel this morning, sleeping away while I visited relatives and enjoyed yet another afternoon tea (I may have an addiction) things swiftly changed this afternoon once we got home.

Thinking I could take advantage of a sleeping, contented baby I decided to start planning my packing for my holiday. I needed to find out what clothes actually fitted me, if I needed anything more. So I began getting out my long forgotten, pre-pregnancy clothes and trying them all on. Naturally the bed and floor got covered in clothes.

Anyway, mid fashion show my little one woke and has been screaming ever since, which has led to me getting very little done. My poor little man just isn't happy this afternoon unless he is being held, so I ended up sat on my bed in some ill fitting, odd collection of clothes with clothes all over my spare bedroom.
This is the reality of parenting (and to make it worse, nothing fits me! Oh well...)

DUI (Driving Under the Influence... of Milk!)

I know I am still new to motherhood so there are a lot of things I am still learning. One thing I have still not quite got a handle on is our pram. In particular driving it.

In fact, my really bad "pram driving" has become a joke amongst my family. Sadly, their joking has some fact behind it. I can hardly claim to be good at controlling the pram when in 24 hours I managed to run over a stranger's foot in the street, crash into a bin, bashed into a pavement several times and almost took out a shop display. I am worried I will accidentally drag out a shop display soon and get arrested for unintentionally stealing.

Yes, I am no good at steering my pram. I am so bad that I apologise to people in the street and explain I am new to motherhood and controlling the pram.

It doesn't help that the pavements where I live have so many potholes, pavement works and uneven surfaces that it is like a rally car/off road experience for my baby.

Yet another obstacle!

In addition to this, you also have other people to swerve around and other prams to negotiate. Which pram has right of way on a pavement? Someone really needs to create a "Pramway Code"... and I definitely need driving lessons.

I just hope I get better soon, if only for the sake of the feet in my local neighbourhood.

Does anyone else have this problem? It would be reassuring to know other parents struggle too.

Afternoon (Tea) Delight: Fancie in Sheffield

Through the fog of long and sleepless nights, endless nappies and constant worry there can be real perks to being a Mummy.

One such perk is "Mummy dates" (meeting up with other Mums): leisurely strolls in the park, coffee and cake and watching your babies play together.

And one place I love having my Mummy dates is Fancie on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield. Firstly I was enticed by there pancakes and full English breakfasts and now I have recently discovered their new Afternoon Tea.

I have on one previous occasion tried their afternoon tea and it was good but I went back recently and was very impressed with the changes they have made.

My friend and I got a deal on LivingSocial for afternoon tea with prosecco for two, so we strapped the babies in their buggies on a sunny day and went off to Fancie.

The afternoon tea came with mini brownies, delicious berry and white chocolate style compotes, macaroons, scones (with cream and jam), profiteroles and sandwiches in delicious thick cut bread. As well as a mini milkshake, glass of prosecco and tea or coffee for each of us.

All this for just £15.95 on the Living Social deal! I felt like that was a real bargain for all this, and it was such a nice outing. Sitting in the seating outside, soaking up the sun in a July heatwave while we cuddled our babies.

Anyway... I love sharing a bargain and the afternoon tea at Fancie definitely is, especially if you can get a deal on Living Social (which they regularly have on there).

Links to Living Social and Fancie Website:
https://www.livingsocial.com/gb
http://fancie.co.uk/

This blog isn't sponsored. 

Top 5 What I Love About Being a New Mum

Being a Mum can sometimes be hard work, there is no denying that.

But there are also things that I adore and make it amazing. I wanted to share my top 5 things about being a Mummy!

1. The attention your baby gets! I love it when I am walking down the street and other people stop and comment on how cute my baby is. I can't help but be a proud and smug Mummy... Damn right I make cute babies.

2. Cake, cake, cake... I have found that with all the mummy and baby groups and meeting up with other mummy friends that I eat a lot of cake and biscuits. My waist line might never forgive me but taste buds have never been happier.

3. A good ol' mummy moan.... I have always loved to rant and rave about things but now I have a whole other subject. Night time feeds, husband not helping enough, useless health visitors... All brand new subjects you can moan about with your new found mummy friends.

4. My very own battle story. I secretly love telling people about my son's birth. I was in labour for 35 hours and it ended in an emergency C Section so it was quite an intense experience. I know it must be very boring for other people but to us Mums it seems like we love to talk about it. It seems like our version of a soldier's war story.

5. And lastly, but the best thing, is holding your baby. I just can't describe the utter love you feel when you hold your little bundle. I can practically feel the hormones releasing from my ovaries as I cuddle him close and smell his beautiful baby smell. He could be a holy terror all day but the moment you hold him in your arms you just don't care about all the hard stuff that comes with being a parent.

Let me know what you love about being a mummy in the comments.

Job Title: Mum

I used to work in recruitment and one of the most memorable CVs I ever received was from a full time Mum trying to get back into work.

Having been doing that a while this lady understandably didn't have much on her CV for recent employment.

However she had decided to put down motherhood as her current full time job, and even described in detail all that this role entailed.

As an example, it went something like this:

Current Employment:
Full Time Parent
2009 - Present
Job Role Includes: Childminder, Chauffeur, Conflict Resolution and Peace Negotiator, Chef, Cleaner, Financial Administrator, Entertainer, Head of Purchasing, PA (intensive diary management) and Waste Management.

I thought this was in ingenious way of selling yourself, while also being amusing. If you can make nappy changing (aka waste management) sound good then you are very inventive.

I think this person could have really embellished more though, including the skills she had developed in the role of Mummy, such as:

Works well under pressure: because if you can stay calm when you have to arrive somewhere in 5 minutes but your baby needs a nappy change (during which he poos and wees on you) then you can handle most pressure situations!

Experienced in dealing with difficult customers: is there any client more demanding than a baby?!

Skilled at sales and negotiation: you really have to sell that £5 toy to your child when he is clutching onto the £80 toy he spotted in the shop (and you can see a tantrum brewing). Not to mention trying to sell broccoli mush as a delicious meal to a weaning baby!

Able to think outside the box: all parents have to have an inventive and active imagination to help keep their babies entertained. This isnt a box, it is a time machine!

Diary management: no one truly understands efficient time management until you have to fit 5 children's birthday parties into one weekend! Keeping your child's thriving social life active can take up your whole calendar!

And when asked in an interview why you are leaving your current job you can honestly reply that you are looking for a new challenge, ideally one where you aren't going to be puked on as much!