Does she really need it? No! Can I justify spending that much? No! Does she even appreciate it? No! Will my husband kill me for spending again? Yes! Does that make her spoilt? YES!
When it comes to Birthday parties we appear to be a generation of extravagance. What happened to a few friends around for sleeping lions and musical chairs? Now it’s entertainers, Farms and play frames. Not forgetting party bags and helium balloons large enough to lift a small child. Then we start on the presents. I used to get one big present and a couple of small ones. Now it’s the big present which usually costs enough to pay a small mortgage on its own and every item going that’s in the latest craze. Our latest being Hannah Montana. Which in spending terms means Hannah make up, Hannah jewellery, Hannah cushion, Hannah bag, the list goes on! Sadly on and on. Every year I say I won’t do it again but I always do. It’s very sad that although I want to say no, when her friends on the playground are raving over something they have got I feel I have to give in and buy it too.When I do,she’s all exited, plays with it for about a week then it’s forgotten and gone to the land of endless forgotten toys. So as I look around at the toy shop I once called my home, I decide it’s time to unspoil my child. How I will do this I have no idea but if anyone has any tips feel free to let me know!

Why is it that we can watch someone having open heart surgery on TV and not even flinch? But the second we even think about NITS we are horror struck. My daughter came home from school the other day scratching. I had a look in her hair. And there they were. Those little creatures that make you cringe. Luckily for me I’m one of those organised mums who has one of everything in the cupboard so I got to work on the family straight away. Two adults and two children de-liced. Now for anyone that has ever had a child with nits, especially one with a mane of hair, you would appreciate how hard it is to get a nit comb through it. Then to go around the whole family, they are not made for adults with long thick hair! I now understand why my child was screaming. Before I applied the lotion I had to do the combing. I got her to lean over the bath so nothing went amiss in the carpet. As one fell in the bath she began to cry “has that come out of my hair Mum” Of course I lied. I told her it was a little fly and rinsed it away. Secretly turning my head and trying to stop myself from being sick. For the duration of the week after boil washing everything in sight, even though they only survive on living hair follicles, I was scratching like mad. I even nit combed so much I made my scalp bleed. The question is how many of you, after reading this are feeling that little itch?

In response to a comment about the “we have buggies” blog your right we are not really penalised. I feel for those in the shop, in such a limited space, but on the other hand we spend a reasonable amount of money in there each week and it would be nice to feel a little more welcome. (Yes that may be a personal point of view.) But of course we will keep going because they do such good coffee!

4x4s, Im sick of every one complaining about them. No I do not have one, but yes I want one. I know there bad for the environment but the roads around Watford are bad for the suspension on my car. I mean where ever you go, its pot hole after pot hole. And don’t even get me started on traffic calming. They were made for off road use. Has anyone looked at our roads? They’ve got more dips and bumps than a 4x4 track. Take the speed bumps in sheepcote lane for example, yes they slow traffic but does it need to grind it to a halt. And the size of buggies nowadays, they do not fit in your average boot. I have a large estate car. But once the pushchair is in the boot, two car seats in the back and two adults in the front you can forget about the shopping. So I say stop the higher taxes on 4x4s. It’s better for the environment as you only need to make one trip. And better as you’re not constantly stopping and starting at the bumps, therefore using less fuel.

Why should we mums be penalised for wanting a coffee and a natter just because we have buggies. OK the buggies take up space but the mums make the purchases. My friends and I often frequent a local coffee shop a couple of times a week. Just for 30 minutes before playgroup starts. Not your most busy time of the day I add. And the days we don’t it’s not exactly heaving. So why do we feel we are in the way? In a year’s time those children will be in school and we will still want a coffee and that all important natter and you will want our trade then! Is it too hard to put in a few high chairs? I know there is limited space in these little places but be fair we are paying customers too! Accept us or loose us.

Today I’m not so much of seeing red as I am seeing brown. Yes brown as in the form of one giant dollop of dog poo! Not just on the pavement but happily spread all over my buggy wheel and on the sole of my shoe. It stunk so much it made my eyes water. As I stand on the grass desperately trying to rub it off and rocking my buggy back and forth I do get a few sorry looks. All knowing exactly what I am doing. Especially when the pack of baby wipes come out. Why oh why do some people feel they can walk away and leave this stuff on the street. Medically, if you get it in your eye it can cause blindness and Environmentally, I can’t imagine theirs any nutrients in it that could be of any benefit to the planet. I’m not blaming everyone on my school route that has a dog. I do see lots of people with their bags and scoopers, it’s the small minority. To cap it off this occurred in my local church ground. So not only was it on me, my buggy but another lump on some poor person’s grave. One which had a poppy on earlier this year. So he fought for his country, got lay to rest and then pooped on! My kids and a lot of the children in the area use this route to get to school. So the next time you disrespectful dog owners let your animal defecate on the ground and refuse to remove it. Think of the effects on a child if they fell into it !