I have learnt so much since becoming a mum. SO many skills that I never needed in my previous life as a person with only myself to think about.
I’m now some weird kind of patient , educator , negotiator , chef , chief medical organiser and supernanny hybrid! Most of the time anyway. Sometimes I eat three twirls one after another , hidden in the laundry room where the noise of the tumble dryer will cancel out wrapper rattling. Sometimes I lock the bathroom door and have a weep.Sometimes I pour a glass of wine an hour before bedtime as an incentive to get through the witching hours (6-8pm).
Mostly though I’ve learnt. I’ve learnt to make costumes , I’ve learnt to bake and cook. I’ve learnt how to loom band and the ins and outs of formula 1.Picked up things I never would have had I never had children.
It does work the other way too though. For every Gingerbread man costume I have lovingly crafted , there’s a skill I’ve lost. I kind of hope it’s not just me…so I thought I’d share.
Things I can no longer do :
Cross the road.
There I stand in the middle of Manchester , kids are at school and I’m stood waiting to cross the road. People look at me funny as they edge me out of the way to dash by me. I’m a bit confused , why are people looking at me like I’m nuts??I have a look at the road , sure there is no traffic…but I’m waiting for the bloody green man!! You people are dicing with death running across the road in such a manner. You should ALWAYS wait for the green man!!.The day I realised that I , as a 39 year old woman, was unable to cross a road without a lollypop lady I did vow to relearn this essential skill. I will one day!
Serve a normal dinner
I made bolognaise last week . It’s a favourite and usually can be found on our table once a week. I’ve been cooking and serving this dish since the kids were toddlers…last week there in the kitchen though , I had a sudden realisation. I was taking the kitchen scissors to the kids spaghetti and chopping it into easy spoonable sizes the way I did when they were 3,2 and one. They are 15 , 16 and 18.What the hell is wrong with me???…..actually what is wrong with them for not picking me up on it before now?? My friend came over for dinner one time and I served pie with their initial on cut out in pastry , only when they commented that it was ‘cute’ did I realise I’d done it. I make all food kid-friendly.I’m going to have a dinner party just to prove I can. No chocolate sauce smiley faces with dessert , no chopping vegetables into novelty shapes. I can do it.I’m sure of it.
Make a journey without a running commentary
You know when you’re out and a plane flies overhead so you turn to the toddler and say “oooo look at the aeroplane ” then remember you don’t have the child with you??You have done that haven’t you? Oh my , I hope that’s not just me. It comes from years and years of walks with the little ones (often motivated by a need to get out of the bloody house and check that people over the age of 3 do still exist). Chatting non-stop along the way because the baby books say you must stimulate or else they’ll not learn to talk until they are 27!!! Every journey becomes like an open top bus tour for fools “oo a doggy! What noise does a doggy make? Look ? we’re at the shop what colour is this? (There is a possibility Sainsburys is still referred to as the ‘orange shop’ in our house!)
Listen effectively
A skill I have acquired as a mum of four is the ability to (half) listen to four conversations at once. It’s the half that is the key.That zoning out out thing only to be alerted back to the conversation by the line “so can I then mum? “. Shit! I was meant to have been listening. Now what do I do? Confess I wasn’t listening properly or take a gamble on a no. Obviously a yes in this scenario would be idiotic.
Thing is, I’ve started to do it with other people too. I can have a full conversation on the phone and then put the phone down to realise I’ve daydreamed through the while conversation.
So you see, being a mum is great, the hugest learning curve ever.Some life skills have just gotten lost along the way.
Not just the drink gallons of wine, dance all night then get up for work bright as a button on 2 hours sleep life skills…. Ah the halcyon days….
Follow @daydreamer_mum
I love the secret twirl eating. As I was explaining to the big one last night, one of the many skills we get as parents is super sonic listening. So we know when she’s earwigging outside a door or outside our bedroom door in the morning! #chucklemums
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Ha Ha that’s so true. A parents ears are finely tuned!!
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yes YES YEEEEEEESSSSSS
all of this! perfection.
#chucklemums
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The spaghetti cutting made me laugh – how come they never said anything?!
I get quite excited now when I see an aeroplane too, as well as a train, a cat or a dog. I get an uncontrollable urge to tell someone about it because I’m so used to pointing things out to my little girl. I manage to rein it in though (most of the time!). #chucklemums
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Just shows how lazy they are.. Xx
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I laughed at the green man thing! Also, I defy any new-ish mum to stand, alone, and NOT sway in a gentle baby rocking motion despite not holding the baby….! Thanks for linking to #chucklemums 🙂
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Yes!!! I still ‘rock’ shopping trolleys this far down the line. There’s no hope!
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I have also lost the ability to take notice of what I’m listening to on the car radio! The number of times I get to work (no kids in the car) and realise that I’ve been merrily singing along to the nursery rhymes CD the whole way…!
Thanks for joining #chucklemums
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Haha! Love these. I have lost the ability to listen definitely! Poor husband. #fortheloveofBLOG
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Brilliant, these are great, cutting up the spaghetti made me laugh. It’s like standing rocking a baby, when you are not holding one, you just do it instinctively. xx #fortheloveofBLOG
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Ha Ha yes!! Brainwashed!!
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This is very funny. I live the spaghetti story. But I can really relate to this. Narrating journeys is my worst. Walking along saying, ‘Ooh, look at that cat!’, and then remembering I am on my own… #fortheloveofBLOG
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They’re teenagers!! Why are they still letting me scissor spaghetti?!!
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I live that you cut the spaghetti even though they’re no longer little. I was cracking up because my friend just cut my spaghetti before giving me my plate! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Ha Ha Ha least it’s not just me x
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I’m not going to lie, I truly enjoyed eating her spaghetti when she cut it up for me. It was like my mom was there taking care of me for a meal.
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Maybe I’m more nurturing than crazy then x
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I definitely think more nurturing than crazy!
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This is so funny and totally true. I’ve always been a bit timid about crossing the road, but I definitely now have a completely useless running commentary on everything. And I CANNOT focus on conversations. I daydream through too many. I’m really working on being a better listener. So you are definitely not alone. #fortheloveofBLOG
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If I came round for tea and you’d made me own pie with my initial on it and I got smiley face chocolate sauce too I would be in heaven. Screw dinner parties. Just feed me child friendly food. #fortheloveofBLOG
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Then you are welcome for dinner anytime x
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This is so funny and I love it. Once upon a time I used to be a huge football fan. I would go to games, be up to date with all the latest happenings for all the teams, not just my own. Now, I barely know what football is let alone when my team play. Secretly though, I don’t miss it. Maybe I’ve grown up. I don’t know.. Just like you I stand at an empty road waiting for the little green man to come on. Haha. #fortheloveofBLOG
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It’s strange isn’t it how things that are a huge deal become less so. Opposite way with football here, never bothered with it but the boys have swept me up in their enthusiasm!!
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This made me smile, I’ve been known to stand and wait for the green man too! #fortheloveofBLOG
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We’re brainwashed!!
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Haha, I do the green man thing too!!! #fortheloveofBLOG
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I’m a bad daydreamer. I can honestly zone out important conversations whilst mentally running through my grocery list and then when asked my opinion I just smile like an idiot and bounce back with some other inane question to cover up the fact that ‘you are really boring’. lol
#fortheloveofblog
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Ha Ha Ha me too, I’m awful!
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I actually blame the boring person trying to engage with me. Really, they should be more interesting! lol
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Yes!!! Then we’d listen!!
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I love this, so funny but true! I feel you on the food ones! x #fortheloveofblog
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Yes to every single one!!!! I’m the master of “mm-hmm….. uh-huh…. sure, sure…………………………. sorry, what did you just say??” hahahaha #fortheloveofBLOG
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Ha Ha Ha aaargh what are they doing….
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Hell yeah! All of these and more! My husband says my table manners have gone down hill! And I can’t hold a coherent conversation with a grown up anymore! #forthelovofBLOG
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Ha ha, this is all so true!
#fortheloveofBLOG
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Learning to eat secretively – yup, running commentaries – yup, pouring a glass of wine as an incentive – yup 🙂 x
#fortheloveofblog
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I loved reading this, and all your points are exactly what I do now with my 22 month old. Although I have never cut the spaghetti up with scissors, that’s a great tip. I think it’s natural for us to get stuck into the old habits, and it’s very easy for us to keep doing them. Thanks for being a fab guest co-host at #forthelovofBLOG. Claire x
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You’re welcome, I’ve had a fab time!!
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Ive been noticing things I do are things I do with Ben, not the pre-mum way… like standing. i cant stand up without rocking from side to side – standard get baby to sleep move hahaha! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Motherhood really does brainwash us!!!
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I laughed all the way through this. The green man one is so me! Parenthood does amazing things to us – haha
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Ha I know , I should be able to cross the road alone!!!!
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This post made me hoot with laughter! I can’t cross the road without the green man either; I get a proper sweat-on over it. Which would be fine if the kids were with me, but they’re at school. Perhaps I shouldn’t be let out of the house without them?
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Maybe that’s it , we just need supervision from the kids!!!
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Funny & sad, but true.
#thatfridaylinky
Katelynn, hampersandhiccups.com
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Yep having 5 children I have definitely learnt to listen to them all at the same time, Thank you for linking to #Thatfridaylinky please come back next week
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Totally relatable – you are clearly not alone!! Thank you for sharing with #TriumphantTales
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Oh my gosh I can identify with every single bit of this Kelly! Especially only half listening to conversations – I am an expert at this one now. I hadn’t really thought about it until you pointed it out that we learn so much by becoming parents but also forget how to do things. I am like you, there are probably skills now that I will need to re-learn. If I can ever get the time! Plus I love that you sometimes fill the glass of wine and have it ready as an incentive to get you through the bath and bedtime hours. Genius!! #dreamteam
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The not listening thing is awful !!! No idea how to stop doing it now though!!!
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I ABSOLUTELY love this post! 😂 This is sooo me with the green man. Infact follow my socials as this is going to feature as my fave blog of the week next Wednesday. Insta + twitter – @ambitioust2428 FB – Life of an Ambitious Turtle
#dreamteam
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Aaawww thank you !!! I absolutely thought I was the only green man girl!!!😂
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My kids have long since left home and I still don’t have the ability to push a shopping cart without gently rocking it #triumphanttales
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Think I will still be cutting spaghetti up until they reach adulthood hehe! I also struggle to cross roads without being super safe #dreamteam
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You’re definitely not alone! I also do this. I also ask everyone if they need the toilet before going in the car and when we arrive, even if the children aren’t there, my sister always laughs at me!
My husband gets grapes cut in half! It’s like I can’t stop lol #TriumphantTales
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Ha ha it’s uncontrollable!!
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Love it! You made me laugh on a really crappy parenting day so thank you. I do so many of these things. Great to have you on the #DreamTeam
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