I’m starting to get guilty. Guilty that I haven’t made a Christmas cake yet. Guilty I may not be entirely on top of my Christmas shopping and it’s 11 days out. Guilty I have’t worked out the Christmas menu. I even had a dream last night about searching downtown for a favorite brand of Christmas cake- and failed. This mummy guilt is all pervasive isn’t it. As soon as we’ve dealt with one bit of it and neatly disposed of it we’re onto something else that comes right up behind you when you least expect it. 

For me I’ve had a lot on in the last few months. launching a new business, getting a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis for my 8 year old (a really good prognosis though I hasten too add), signing off on renovations. Still I dream about Christmas cakes.

In actual fact, I think the words ‘Supermum’ and ‘guilt’ should be banned! A supermum doesn’t exist and guilt shouldn’t. Life is about choices and compromises and challenges, and once you have children those factors are even greater.

A supermum would be one who handles all these perfectly. We all think we’ve met her- either at mothers’ group or sitting behind the boss’s desk. But trust me, she’s an illusion. Every mum struggles, every mum has moments when she questions what on earth she’s doing and why- why the house is a wreck or the kids are screaming or your sex life is but a distant memory. 

We’re all juggling and struggling and laughing and crying. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting it. Forget trying to impress, let’s just be honest.