Whether your mornings are always chaotic or just the occasional ones, this post might make you smile It’s not your everyday let’s start the new year happy, positive post, it’s a record of probably our worst morning ever and I’m only sharing it with you to make you feel a little better. I am usually an Okay Mum. A bit forgetful and disorganised but I think I do alright. Not today though.

You see behind all the happy smiley front door photos inundating social media right now, each family has a story of their own and they are not always perfect. Believe me, you are doing a great job.

Picture this, it’s 8.10am and a tired but happy Mum is feeling super organised and ready to face the day. Confident in the knowledge that she’s got this!

The house is quiet and calm. Daughter number 1 is starting secondary School (a Grammar one no less) and her bus should be dropping her off at school any minute. The Mum takes a deep breath and smiles as she looks around. Two pairs of girls brand new patent, shiny shoes are neatly laid out ready for the day. Next to them are two healthy packed lunches, water bottles, P.E kits and coats. The girls are all dressed and ready, excited to see their friends again. They are starting in Year 3 and 5 and hadn’t seen many of their friends over the holidays.

The Mum glances at her watch. It’s ten minutes early but she decided to make them put their shoes on anyway…. now this is where it all went wrong.

The youngest puts her shiny black shoes on and promptly burst into tears. Not sad tears but big fat angry ones accompanied by a high pierced whine that pierces her Mums ear drums. “They are too big” she cries angrily. “I want to wear my old ones!” They were checked and were definitely not slipping but the little girl went on and on and on and on and on and on! Nothing would calm her down. The Mum was beginning to feel frazzled!

At the same time the other daughter said “I’m not being funny but mine really don’t fit. My toe is pushed up at the end”. Mum checks daughters feet and agrees they don’t fit so promptly orders more to arrive the next day. It’s not her fault, her feet really have grown over the past few weeks. She’ll have to wear them today though as she doesn’t have any other black ones and time is ticking on. They have to leave NOW or face being late on first day back.

All the while the youngest is still squealing in that high pitched whine.

Mums head is ready to explode. She goes to the cupboard for the old shoes. Very aware there is nothing wrong with the new ones and it’s more to do with the the fact her daughter is just being difficult. She was up early, is tired and possibly a bit nervous now too. Mum picks up the shoes and throws them. screaming “is this what you want? They probably won’t even fit anyway”. One rebounds off the TV, the other off the sofa and they land in the middle of the carpet. There is silence. Everyone looks horrified, even Mum who never loses it.

The little girl picks up her shoes, patent peeling at toes and put them on. “Yes, they fit” she says with a triumphant smile, grabbing her stuff and heading for the door.

Two seconds later and calm has resumed again. The girls ask for their photo to be taken and look like butter won’t melt:

Yes this is my youngest two. Entering Years 3 and 5 and I am that Mum. I won’t be winning any parent of the year awards this week but after reassuring them how much I love them and wishing them great days we set off happy and excited.

It might have been a terrible morning but what I’ve learnt from this little episode is:

1. Always keep your children’s old shoes in July. Apparently this is a common problem even though we’ve never experienced it before.

2. Try to buy you children’s new shoes as close to the end of the holidays as possible. They can grow a lot over the summer.

3. Allow extra time to get out of the door on that first morning.

Hope your first day back goes better than mine.

Karen x