One thing mums are short on is time – we pull ourselves this way and that, and before we know it we’re flopping down on the sofa in the evening, looking at our watches and thinking, “It’s that time already? But I still have to do the kids’ LUNCHES!”
So look, if there’s the opportunity to make our lives a little easier we’re going for it, right?
The way we see it life’s too short, so here are some of the (naughty) ways we cut corners here and there to give us more time to paint our nails and watch some telly:
1. Going all out for our child’s birthday party
There will always be that mum who spends 72 hours in advance of their little one’s birthday bash baking avocado and beetroot cake and constructing organic paper mâché decorations. Our ‘life’s too short’ approach? Let them run around silly in an indoor soft play centre before bribing them to leave with the promise of McDonalds.
2. Making jams and preserves
Okay, we promised ourselves that one day we would go a bit Martha Stewart and try to make our own jams and preserves. An impossible dream, because why on earth would we buy kilos of fruit and spend hours slaving over a vat of scalding berries when we can just buy a jar instead? Anyway, the guys who make family fave Fruitfield spent a century and a half getting their jam right – so it’s safe to assume it’ll be a LOT better than our efforts!
3. Hand washing clothes
We know hand wash only clothes aren’t the most practical, but sometimes a gal just can’t resist a soft cashmere cardi, and besides, most coats can’t be put through a washing machine anyway. Cue us brazen faces (SHOCK! HORROR!) throwing them into the washing machine on a low heat and hoping for the best.
4. Making dessert from scratch
Sure, in a perfect world we’d have the time to make a mille-feuille or a croquembouche from scratch, but why would we bother our bums when we can nip to the bakery down the road and get a mouth-watering cake ready-made instead? You know it makes sense!
5. Hand sewing a costume for the school play
Who wants to stay up late constructing a cape from elastic and pillowcases, or hemming the sheet you turned into a dress, bent over and lit by the dim glow of a lantern. Okay, okay, we being dramatic, but sometimes it’s worth shelling out a couple of euro and just buying it in a costume shop or euro store.
Have you any shortcut tips for us mums? We’d love to hear them so get in touch!
