My eldest son turns five in a couple of weeks. He asked me to arrange a party for him to celebrate with his friends. I was all set for the challenge. I was going to be supermum and arrange a wonderful party at home. I would be like Nigella and Kirsty (without the hired help) and craft everything from scratch. The food, games, and decor would fit his chosen them of Cars, yet nothing would be shop bought or tasteless.
I would host the herd of five years old whilst appearing unflappable. Dressed in my Boden tunic (sorry), with perfectly manicured nails and funky jewellery, the other mums would watch with awe. The children would be delighted by me and declare Super Kid’s party to be the best they had ever attended.
When the party was all over and the house back to perfect order my children and I would curl up on the sofa, which would have changed from nearly collapsed blue and saggy, to purple velvet and in perfect order.My son would look at me and say “Mummy your the best, I loved my party thank you”.
However returning to the real world I am mum to three small children. I am rubbish at crafts. Some days simply keeping up with the laundry is an impossible task. I am chasing my tail and if I attempted this challenge it might just push me over the edge!
So ……. I booked the local soft play. All that will be required of me will be to turn up with a cake. The kids will be entertained, the food will be prepared and there will be no clearing up required at all !! My son will be happy, there will be friends, cake and presents.
The reality is that I am a perfectionist. I love the idea of being this show home mum I picture in my head. She is calm, patient, loving and skilled at crafts and baking. However I bet underneath it all this woman is just like me, only better at covering it up. So I’ll proudly flaunt my inadequacy for mothers everywhere, to feel better about being ‘good enough’.
yay for you :))
I bet that unflappable woman is frigid anyway 🙂
I’m sure !
You sound just perfectly wonderfully “adequate” to me!! Move over Stepford yummy perfect mummies – the real mummies rule!!
Thanks , real mummies unite !
I’m sure your son will be happy with what you have arranged for him along with the fact that he is going to have a happy, stressless mummy smiling through it all!
Exactly , I think children mainly want love and happy parents and all the rest is just a bonus.
spot on 🙂
Bud is too little for big birthday parties yet but my overriding rule for the future when he wants to start inviting his little friends is that I will never, ever, have his party at home. I’m going to go elsewhere and let someone else clean up the mess. You have the right idea!
Good call, glad you have your sensible head on already, good for you.
We mums are so hard on ourselves. I too think that deep down I’m actually well-dressed, socially adept, and wonderful at crafting and baking. I’m a VERY long way away from turning that person into a reality!!! Anyway, the important thing here is whether your boy enjoyed his birthday and party? As long as he did that’s all that matters x
His party is in a couple of weeks but I’m sure he will have a good time. I think a lot of women are giving themselves way to hard a time about who they are versus who they think they should be. Thanks for your comment.
My boy is 4 in 3 weeks, I was tempted down the soft play route, but decided on a trip, with some little friends of his to see some trains… Now I’m panicking. Honestly, how hard can it be to invite children/parents to meet at a place? soft play is looking tempting again….
Aw I’m sure he will love it. I have a train fan in my house also, and it will be much more personal than soft play. I’m just in a place in my life at the moment where it is all I can manage. Thanks for your comment.
I’m not long-since out of that place too. but I guess I need to challenge myself. I can always go and hide under a duvet for a couple of days afterwards 🙂
Good decision. I tried to host the whole thing myself and made all the food pink – even the bread. I yelled all the way through it, parents told me later they thought I was mad, and the only thing they ate was crisps! This year I hired a hall, an entertainer, fed them nothing but crisps and biscuits, and enjoyed my daughter’s party! And my glass of wine 😉
Thanks for linking up to the Love Mummy Blogs showcase!
Thanks for your comment. I do rather fancy pink bread though, might give it a go just for my own personal enjoyment. Big thanks to marvellous momasaurus for linking me up in my hour of need.