I’ve seen you all, all over Instagram, the picture perfect parents… and kudos, I don’t know how you do it! I dream there may be days when I will successfully juggle PTFA meetings with perfectly timed homemade paella, served with a kale breakfast smoothie, and a side of successful Pinterest crafts. But, alas, it just doesn’t seem to be for me.

And, according to recent news reports there are a number of mums feeling exactly the same way, so I have come to accept that I will never quite make it into the perfect parent ranks, and I’ve assessed why.

The kids don’t eat quinoa

The kids eat spaghetti hoops and chicken nuggets, they eat pizza, and they eat hot dogs. They also eat vegetables, fruit, and a variety of fresh, homemade dinners. What they don’t do is live by a strict health regime that only allows wholegrains and clean eating options. While I take my hat off to mums who make this work, sometimes you’ve just got to head to the freezer for an easy meal. Plus, what is childhood without a jam sandwich.

The house isn’t always "Insta" ready

The house isn’t even always best-friend ready! Keeping the house in such a pristine condition that you can post immaculate, well-lit photos of your munchkins making memories is, in itself, a full time job. My house is clean, full of toys and laughter and for now, that is okay with me (despite my Instagram envy).

I sometimes fake the bake sale

It’s 8:15am, we’re on the way to school, we see masses of ecstatic mothers proudly parading cakes and buns. And that’s the point when I have to smile to myself that not only will I be sending in a shop bought bake today .....I may have made it look homemade with a few additional sprinkles on top :-)

My crafts go in the bin, not on Pinterest

All crafts sessions begin as well-meaning attempts at quality family time. Half the effort is in the planning; just purchasing all the bits and bobs ups your parenting ranks to almost perfect. Yet these are the days when I feel like pulling my hair out and needing a Hair Transplant because try as I might, I cannot create anything with my children that remotely resembles anything I’ve seen on Pinterest. It goes in the bin. So shoot me. You need a BA in Arts to do that stuff.

Sometimes I am still finding my way.

I frequently say the words "because I said so" and I am just waiting until my girls are old enough to perfect a reasonable argument against my instructions because some of the time I am simply just winging it. Overall my girls are brilliant, they are funny, engaging, messy and gorgeous and I have had friends say to me that they don't know how I juggle it all with work, the kids and still trying to rock a killer pair of heels on the school run but we all find out own way ..... I still still finding mine.

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