Wow, its BOOKWEEK! I used to see this all over facebook but this is my first year with a kindergarten child and wow, did it bring up some mum stuff. I did an Instagram story and got so much reaction that I decided I needed to capture the week from one mums perspective.
My son Jack doesn’t like or need to be in the spotlight, he doesn’t like extra attention and something like dressing up just isn’t his thing. He’d much rather sit in the corner of the classroom reading a book quietly then dressing up as its main character. He decided to wear an old superman costume (without the cape and didn’t want a photo taken) despite all my efforts to encourage him to wear something more exciting but it just wasn’t for him.
I was ok with that…. until I saw the social media posts of what other mums were doing! The craft, the planning, the costumes the books, the posed photos…. They were INCREDIBLE! I was in awe that some families go to so much trouble and I was smiling at just how brilliant some of the costumes were… and how happy some of the kids looked in their Thelma the Unicorn costumes, Harry Potter costumes and my personal favourite was a gorgeous little girl in a Willy Wonka outfit and her brother in a Bear costume (below).
CUE MUM GUILT…. We all experience mum guilt differently and it’s always related to our own insecurities and upbringings, but when I mentioned on my Instagram that I felt it for a minute in this situation, the response was huge!
How many mums out there this week are feeling shitty about themselves over a bloody book week costume is beyond me. The guilt that a dress up parade brought… the questioning of our parenting “Should I have made more of an effort? Will my kid now be judged? Will I be judged? Is it because I’m selfish and work too much? I wish I want so lazy”. I was amazed.
So, my view is simple.
If you’re a mum that loves craft and getting involved with the kids dress ups- then you’re amazing. Take heaps of photos, put them on social media and celebrate the memories you’ve created with your kids.
If you’re a mum that doesn’t like or have time for craft and bought an outfit from ebay or at the reject shop the night before- then you’re amazing. Take a photo (If they’ll let you) or don’t. But remember that your still a great mum.
If you’re the mum who completely forgot and your kid turned up late to school without a costume- then you’re also amazing. This will not be important to you or your kid after today.
As mums we need to focus on what’s important, which is what we do well, not what other mums do well.
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