Once you become a parent life changes dramatically:
You're every waking moment is suddenly accounted for. The hours between 7 am and 9 am become the single most intense and stressful time of your entire day. You own dry shampoo. If you get something on your outfit, where before you might've changed, now cleaning clothes with baby wipes and continuing on to a meeting is totally normal.
10 things only parents will know that get us through to lunchtime
1. Getting ready in the morning is like a sweaty, sticky, chaotic relay race but the moment that the usually uncooperative toddler offers a hand – my one helpfully jams the keys in the letterbox so I never leave home without them – is priceless.
2. Getting to the minder's house/creche and finding that you haven't forgotten any of the baby's essentials. YES. It's a rare and beautiful thing. Bask in it because shortly you will realise that you forgot your phone. Doh.
3. Getting to the takeaway coffee place and realising you've filled your loyalty card. That's right, the coffee is free – it's akin to winning the lottery I imagine.
4. Bringing the kids to the supermarket and everything goes smoothly. This one's rare, like white whale rare, but when it happens it's truly amazing. You will, however, likely step in dog poo on the way home, this is the universe's way of redressing the karmic imbalance caused by no tantrums in the shops, I'm afraid.
5. Reaching into your bag and finding a tiny sock or her favourite toy car after being away from the offspring for a few hours. It's squee-inducing.
6. Browsing snaps on the phone when you're supposed to be looking for a contact number for a colleague, they don't mind waiting, right? Show them a couple to keep them from getting impatient. "Awwwwhhh look at du liddle face..."
7. When the ASOS parcel arrives. Tell no one just sneak it into the back of the wardrobe and claim it's five years old if anyone asks later when you wear it out. Do NOT wear it when parenting they have a sixth sense for irreplaceable items that were on sale.
8. Those incredible and few and far between moments when they're... wait for it... PLAYING QUIETLY AMONGST THEMSELVES. Do NOT disturb them, don't acknowledge that it's happening or it will immediately stop, just back away slowly and read the Sunday papers (it's Wednesday, you haven't read them yet because you are a parent).
9. That day that the nap went totally to plan. They went to sleep at the appropriate time, you did some of the list (we all know 'the list, right?) and even got a solitary shower in before they woke up. It's the little things...
10. Kitchen dance parties. If the morning's lagging and their nerves (and ours) are getting a little frayed, an impromptu disco in the kitchen helps us 'shake it off' and sees us through to lunch.
To celebrate all of the simple things that bring us joy, we've teamed up with our friends at Nestlé SHREDDIES® to give away a night's stay at Staycity Serviced Apartments with a three-course dinner, two cocktails and a cocktail masterclass at Koh Restaurant. To enter click here.
With 4 tasty layers that really pack a punch, Nestlé SHREDDIES® are packed with whole grain and fibre to help see you through til lunch.
