When I was pregnant with my first-born I made many vows about what I would be like as a mother.
I was never ever going to be one of those mummys on her phone at the park.
I was never ever going to let them watch TV just because they were bored or give them an Ipad to stop a tantrum.
And with so many items of “fashion” I swore I NEVER EVER let my child wear “THAT.”
Of course they now watch TV all the time, have easy access to Ipads and I hardly ever go to the park, let alone avoid my phone when we do.
And as for “THAT"...well I have broken each and every one of these taboos as well.
Here are ten of the things I swore my child would NEVER wear.. and now do.
1. PJ’s during the day.
My babies were always going to be dressed in “day clothes”. None of this still wearing the onsie from the night before. None of this – toddler at school drop off running around in Elsa jammies and a dressing gown.
What were these mothers? Lazy?
And then, well I er had kids. Three of them. So sanctimonious me pre-kids me had a complete reality check.
2. Dress-ups as clothes.
What were they thinking? Those parents letting their sweet little darlings run around the park suited up in polyester. Dress ups were for parties or for home. Not for wearing in public.
Can you see I didn’t really have that much experience with two-year olds pre becoming a mum myself?
With my first somehow we survived until he started pre-school before the demands for Spiderman costumes, Superman capes and Batman masks came in.
By child number three there is no longer a dress up box. The Elsa dress and the Princess gowns are just integrated with her wardrobe as they an essential part of her daily fashion.
3. Character T-Shirts.
Aren't they awful?You’ll never catch my child in a Wiggles top. Those Barbie T skirts. Pretty tacky huh?
This one didn’t take long to change. And oh, how I changed! I think our first Wiggles concert at age 18-months saw the first purchase, and they haven't looked back.
4. Leggings as pants.
Leggings are not pants. Pants are not leggings. It is an undisputed law of fashion. Who doesn’t know that?
Well, three-year old girls for one. They don’t know.
The mothers of three-year-old girls just trying to get them out the door – they pretend they don’t know.
I now couldn’t care less about the laws of fashion - if it means you aren't naked then just wear it.
5. Light up shoes.
I HATED them when I just had two boys.
I would go into those brightly lit shoe shops and there they were a kaleidoscope of neon with this tacky twinkly-blinky in-your-face explosion of light and colour.
I actually took a photo on my phone and smsed a friend once – also a mother of just boys with a snarky little message “ Thank god we have boys huh. Imagine buying these revolting trainers.”
And then I had a girl.
And then she saw the shoes.
And now she is on her fourth pair.