10 Things I'm Too Tired For As A Tired, Tired Mum!
When You Are Too Tired To Be A Good Mother
Things Mums Complain About And Will Always Complain About
The headlines scream that we are grumpy old hags - never stop moaning and bitching about our annoying kids.
And the media is responding to this.
And it isn't true.
Of course we are exhausted when babies have us up at night and of course, sometimes we feel like we have gone ten rounds in the gym after simply trying to strap a toddler into a car seat while staying sane but does it really have to define us?
Is that all we are?
It is lovely to feel like you can relate to other mums who may feel isolated and that 'join us in the bunkers' mentality but when it starts to filter through to advertisers who ONLY focus on our feelings of underappreciation and target our exhaustion that we have to ask if we are being properly represented.
I count myself very lucky that I have supportive family and friends - I'm sure no matter how isolating your situation is that you don't feel wrecked and undersupported ALL the time?
My kids are hilarious - we have great fun together. I love being a mum and I mostly laugh more than I complain. Sure, they drive me around the bend but I don't want that to be all it means to be a mum.
The beauty of motherhood is being trampled on in the media - an image that is in danger of evolving into a bedraggled group of moaners.
Interestingly, a new piece of research has shown that many advertisers are totally off the mark when it comes to connecting to the mummy market. It has created a stereotype of frazzled and overwhelmed super mums which is not quite relevant to most women.
The Australian observational study by 9Honey, examined changing the behaviours of mums over five years and they found that, these days, mums have switched from trying to "do it all" to "simply doing their best"
Being a mum, to me, is being a sympathetic ear, a gentle hug, a firm guide and a champion for the little people in my life. I laugh, I cry, I get crazy frustrated but I burst with pride. It is a rainbow of emotions that includes being moany but it is so much more.
Yes, it is tiring and challenging but so is a lot of things. But it is overwhelmingly positive and that is being overlooked.
This is not the way I want to be defined - especially not by advertisers.
What do you think? Do you think we are being stereotyped as baby-brained mums, exhausted and frazzled? Does it matter? We would love to hear your thoughts.
