“You really enjoy going to the toilet. On your own.”
For the last five years I have been a working mum. It’s definitely a balancing act, but something that I wouldn’t want to change. Over the years I have made the following observations about myself and others. These are the dead set signs that you are working mum:
1. Despite checking yourself from every angle before you walked out of the front door, you go to the bathroom at lunchtime only to discover that you have someone else’s toothpaste smeared all over the side of your skirt. Yep. That would be from the cling on child that you had to peel off this morning. And it’s been there for 5 hours.
2. On a particularly cheerful morning you find yourself at your desk loudly humming the tune to Dora the Explorer without even realising it.
3. When you open your laptop or iPad up pops a YouTube clip of some lady with marvelously manicured finger nails opening Kinder Eggs and playing with the plastic toys from inside. 16 million views…..seriously!
4. You can always easily identify your lunchbox in the office fridge. In there amongst all the sensible clear Tupperware sits your blue and green Ben 10 box.
5. You really enjoy going to the toilet. On your own.
6. You drink every last drop of your coffee while it is still hot. And then you celebrate because that never happens.
7. You have to wear a long sleeved dress to an important meeting, because it is just impossible to remove the Peppa Pig temporary tattoos from your arms.
8. You breathe a sigh of relief when you arrive at your desk as you've already done the equivalent of a marathon before getting there.
9. You become the office dealer of tissues, wipes and band aids. Everyone knows you have an endless supply in your handbag at all times.
10. You are able to type and talk about a different topic at the same time. That is nothing compared to cooking dinner, reading a book to the toddler, rocking the baby and helping the oldest with their homework simultaneously.