Why not take this overly-simplified, horribly stereotyped test to tell you what you already know?
I know, I’m selling it HARD.
When you open the curtains to find the weather is grey and drizzly with that fine rain that apparently gets you really wet, you know, wetter than other water falling from the sky, do you:
(a) Fist pump the air, skip into the kitchen and gleefully set up a craft activity? Wet weather is to be celebrated with paint, glitter and glue!
(b) Cry into your coffee, scan the weather forecast on your phone for any glimmer of hope, and then set up “camp” on the sofa with the kids duvets, some popcorn and stick on Frozen for the eleven-thousandth time?
2. When you arrange to hold playdate at a friend’s house do you:
(a) Worry because there might be access to toys/ food/ tv that you don’t approve of?
(b) Fist pump the air because 1. You don’t have to cook 2. You don’t have to tidy up 3. you don’t have to cook 4. You don’t have to tidy up?
3. When your kid begs to bake some cakes do you:
(a) Break out the food processor, pastel hued Joseph&Joseph mixing bowls – one per child – and matching silicone baking tins?
(b) Buy a Peppa Pig packet mix from the Co-op and precariously balance the paper cases in a roasting tin. Referee between children who ALL want to stir the cake mix AT THE SAME TIME IT’SMYTURNMUMMEEEEEMYTURNMINE!
4. On a trip to the playground, do you:
(a) Lead a game of hunt the Gruffalo/ bear/ witch in amongst the trees with your kids and any others who want to join in?
(b) Send them to hide, count loudly to ten, and then pretend to look for them while you sit on a bench and shout, “Are you behind the swings? Are you under this leaf? Nooooooo… I wonder where you could be…”?
5. When you’re at soft-play do you:
(a) Throw yourself with wild abandon up and around the curiously sticky plastic surfaces, without wondering why they are quite so tacky?
(b) Send them into the melee alone – they’ll be fine, the REALLY big kids are at school?
6. Do you cook up elaborate plans for day-trips because:
(a) It’s important to show them the world outside their little bubble?
(b) The more time spent out of the house, the less mess there is for you to tidy up?
7. Do you look at friends without children and:
(a) Pity them the fun and laughter they’re missing out on?
(b) Envy the lack of contact with bodily fluids that they make on a daily basis, and the adult conversations that they get to finish without requests to be accompanied to the toilet for a poo?
8. When negotiating with a two-year-old about whether its reasonable to use kitchen scissors do you:
(a) Get on their level, look them in the eye and explain calmly that scissors are dangerous, are not toys, and offer a hug in exchange?
(b) Swap them for a KitKat?
9. When you want to shower/ wash hair/ defuzz do you:
(a)bribe the kids with snacks and sit them on your bed with Paw Patrol?
(b) Get up early and do it before they wake up?
10. When off on a childfree overnight jaunt do you post on social media:
(a) How much you are going to miss the kids (
b) How much you are going to miss the kids but also now much you’re looking forward to guilt-free drinking/ bacon you don’t have to share/ reading newspapers/ maybe a bonk?
Now, in true 1990s Smash Hits fashion, count up the number of As and Bs that you chose:
If you answered mostly A: congratulations! You are a mum and you love your children unconditionally. You are doing your best to keep them alive and happy, while hoping they don’t turn out absolute arseholes, and that really is all that matters!
If you answered a mixture of As and Bs: congratulations! You are a mum and you love your children unconditionally. You are doing your best to keep them alive and happy, while hoping they don’t turn out absolute arseholes, and that really is all that matters!
If you answered mostly B: congratulations! You are a mum and you love your children unconditionally. You are doing your best to keep them alive and happy, while hoping they don’t turn out absolute arseholes, and that really is all that matters!
