Thursday 23 April 2009

Hey ho, hey ho, it's off to work we go....

I went to a party this weekend, it was a momentous event actually as it was the first that son number two has ever been invited to in  his own right. Up till now he has simply clung onto his brother's coat tails and looked up beseechingly at the birthday child's mum when it was time to go in the hope that she would bestow a spare goodie bag on him. 

Since he has the most enormous chocolate brown puppy dog eyes this strategy is usually a success as I have yet to meet the mother who doesn't melt under his stare. Sadly that includes me, which is probably why is is quite so naughty, it's impossible to stay cross with someone so cute. 

But the other momentous thing about this party was that I met a mum who had more children than me. Normally when I reveal the fact that I have four children all the other mums reel back in horror as they wouldn't dream of being silly enough to go for more than the sensible two they already invariably have. I have begun to feel a bit like a pariah in mummy social gatherings thanks to my excessive breeding habits, so I was so pleased it was my turn to suck in my breath when one of the other mums told me she had gone one further and had five children. 

What made me feel even better was when the most glamourous, beautiful mum in the room piped up that she had four children too. The stereotype of us uber breeders is that we all rush through life without a moment to brush our hair or change out of our stained jeans - but it turns out that's just me. This woman had sleek dark hair, a tiny waist wrapped in a delicious dress, perfect makeup and her own TV show. Her kids are quite a bit older than mine, so seeing this vision of loveliness gave me hope for the future. 

The other notable thing about these two mums of many is that both of them had worked throughout. Now my twins are only 10 weeks but thanks to a painful shortage of cash I decided to write a piece or two just to actually pull my account a little further out of the red towards that ever receding horizon of black. 

The response of everyone around me is to assume that I am superwoman, juggling four young sons and a 'career'. I hate to shatter their illusions but what all of us multi mummies agreed was that we loved to work to give us a rest from our many kids. After all, what's easier combining the diplomatic skills of a Middle East envoy to keep your offspring from killing each other, with the talent of a Michelin chef to tickle their fickle tastebuds and a love of tidying that would make Kim and Aggie look messy, or lounging around in front of a computer all day while someone else deals with the hard labour of bringing up your children? 




6 comments:

  1. Er...I would say lounging around in front of the computer definitely!! Unfortunately I'm trying to do both and doing neither very well! Sounds like you're doing fabulously!

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  2. Hiya,
    If I'd had my daughters younger, I would have loved more children. The times I have ventured out with them and two little mates with similar builds and hair colours the looks and comments I have got have made me laugh out loud. I remember once when we were selling our (tiny) house and someone knocked on the door "without prior arrangement" (as warned against - (perhaps this is why!) and there were several kids climbing over our battered sofa and spilling out into the hall. I have never forgotten the snotty way the prospective buyer said to me: "Of course we have just the ONE." My answer? Anyone who somehow "judges" someone else as per the number of kids they have? Sod 'em all!

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  3. I have tagged you too. Know what you mean about working to get time away from the kids. But I still think you are superwoman, whatever you say!

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  4. Come to the Midwest! I frequently meet people with 5 or 6 children. You'd fit right in with 4 (with 3, I sometimes feel I haven't tried hard enought). Lots of them home-school - which you might find less attractive...

    There are 2 tv shows here, which are a bit addictive. The first is "Jon and Kate plus eight", about the life of a couple who had twins, decided to have one more child and then had sextuplets. The second is about a family in which there are 18 children. Yes, 18.

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  5. Oh, I watch Jon&Kate. It always makes me feel so grateful that I only have three children!

    At our school, it is apparently trendy to be on the fourth pregnancy this year.

    Camilla

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