Is it just us or do all mums find it hard to keep up?

This morning I had a stark realisation. There are lots of ‘parent types’ floating about, and plenty of hilarious articles describing hierarchies and genres in humorous details. With all this technology and my love for it, I just cannot figure what has happened to me. How did I become this type of parent?
Rewind back a few short years ago, newly engaged, pre- recession, some money to call my own. I had a job I enjoyed, and the best office buddy to boot. Positively rosie. We started a tradition back then that we each buy each other a lovely new diary for Christmas, and we would set off into the brand new year, continuing along our flawless paths of uber organisation. Gym classes, hair appointments, parties, dinners and nights out... never a problem. Always ready, organised, available and on time. One child later, diary still functioning-relatively well, if a little more full of appointments for baby, and less of nights out, but still,  relatively ready, organised enough, available, some of the time and almost 'on time' . 2 children later, because they are so close of age, it's still a fairly tight schedule, doable but tight! Forget the struggle, the juggle is real. Two babies each later, we were not ready to consider admitting defeat, we continued the tradition of diary buying.
The diaries matured in style as we did. Our diaries were more full of bills, and bits of papers and letters with the details of appointments on them, because we no longer had the time to write them into the diary, but putting the piece of paper there showed great intentions, and was almost as reliable, if said paper was slotted into the correct week and hadn't fallen out.
3 children later... where is my diary??? I'm lost. I now have a 'mammy calendar' stuck beside my fridge, and a small diary in the bottom of my handbag. The diary is rarely referred to, the calendar is beside the fridge, and as I spend a fair amount of time there, I do get to see it but I'm not sure I digest it. There are letters from creche and primary school EVERYWHERE!!! I gather them and frantically promise I will add them to the calendar or my diary, or both, and I will miss nothing. Swimming, School tours, photographers, PT meetings, committee meetings, costumes for plays... my head hurts. 
Alas, I have discovered to my absolute horror that I'm the mum at the school gates or creche reception, asking when ‘that thing is’ when it's already over. I'm the one that opens the car door and there is a mass of letters and newsletters falling out on top of me. I open my handbag and they are there. My dressing table, which is really a window sill... covered. I've tried sticking them to the fridge. They are out of control.
  • Bring in a 'bottle top' instruction comes home... I send first born to school with the top of the milk bottle we used that morning, only to see the rest of the kiddies bringing bag loads of the bloody things in. 
  • “Did you return that form?” What form? I didn't see any form. Oh wait, yes I did but I just haven't seen it in a long time, so know I didn't. I lost it. 
  • “Are you using the photographer? We sent a leaflet home?” Um, no, I take loads of photos at home. “But it's for their pre-school graduation.” Ok yes, you got me, yes I really am using the photographer. “Did you fill in the form.” ARgh!!! no, I will. If I find it.
Where is my diary?????????????
Written by Sonja, staff writer with Family Friendly HQ and mummy blogger too!
Read Sonja's own blog at lifeisnotpinterestperfect.blogspot.ie

Topics