As ever, with children of massively differing ages, the holidays feel disjointed. In addition, as the kids get older and start making their own arrangements – there is no structured plan from one day to the next – they all just want to do their own thing. I am still teaching here and there and my oldest child is already back at school, so it’s all proving to be messy. I wish we’d gone away – at least then I would have had their full attention for up to three minutes a day and vice versa.
After an extremely quiet weekend owing to the fact that most of my friends seem to have gone away – the kids came back from a weekend with their father all sun-kissed and wet haired having spent the entire weekend in their newly opened swimming pool. Not only is that proving to be a major attraction, but the new puppy caused hours of amusement as it jumped in and out of the pool – even if they are all covered in scratches and slightly annoyed that after having washed and dried the dog, it kept jumping straight back in again.
So, instead, I took them to Westfield’s this morning to buy pants and socks, which strangely didn’t seem to appeal to my 10 year old son in the least. “It’s MY holiday too” he kept saying as we bought yet another pair of pants for my daughter.
He was also not happy because I tried to spend my insurance voucher in Debenhams on some foundation (owing to bag getting stolen). I had no idea buying foundation was such a nightmare. WAY too much choice. In the end I decided to choose the same brand my daughter is currently favouring because her skin looks SO good but realised (after half an hour of some poor woman attempting to fill in the cracks in my face with a fine tooth comb) that my daughter would look good with foundation made of flour and water. The beauty person asked me what light reflecting-fine-line-filling-SPF factor illuminescent cream I wanted – and when I wasn’t sure she asked me whether it was for day? Evening? Day to evening with a bit of nude? (I think that was the colour rather than a inquiry into the state of my undress) Full coverage? (ditto) Matt coverage? Shiny coverage? Shimmery? Hypoallergenic? and when I didn’t know that either, she asked me what products I normally use? “Oh” she said. Silence. Like going to a new hairdresser the products you are currently using are always completely wrong – drying, contain animal sweat glands, too much this and that and do you think you should try something a little less dehydrating? Maybe some skin-boosting-serum- age-defying cream to create an amplified correction of all visible signs of ageing?
Well. It didn’t work. It took hours to apply (much to my son’s horror and daughter’s delight) and in the end I still looked like someone old and wrinkly but who was trying too hard to cover it all up. After that I had to make my daughter walk two paces in front of me. Then my daughter asked me why I was wearing my Converse shoes and suggested that it was because she had recently bought some and then laughed when I was all indignant and pointed out that I had been wearing them since they had been invented in 1875 and then she said that I did the same with the denim jacket and then I just felt rubbish. Old. Old. Old. I don’t want my daughter to think I’m copying her. How embarrassing.
Must find things to wear that do not look like I am trying to compete with a gorgeous 15 year old but aren’t yet elasticated at the waist.
AND THEN, this evening my son came back from school and said, literally a minute after I’d asked him how his day was, “you’re going grey”.
SOMETIMES, having children is the worst thing for your self esteem.
Expat Mum
April 18, 2011Ha ha ha. My 7 year old keeps saying “back in the old days, when you were little, did they have…?”. Make-up wise, you can’t go wrong with light reflecting make-up. Besides, you don’t look old at all. Behave yourself woman.
Family Affairs
April 19, 2011I think they should invent mirrored foundation – can’t get much more light reflecting that that! And so much smoother looking skin – especially if I stand close to my daughter Lx
kelloggsville
April 18, 2011As I walked around a large shopping mall yesterday I realised I was just another beige middle aged women sadly clinging onto the last glimers of youth whilst mistakenly believing I looked good/sexy/youngish. There were hundreds of us there, it was soul destroying. I’m not sure how to deal with it but dealt with it must be! How’s snake bite friend? Hope they are on the mend. I think trying to compete with pool and puppy is madness, simply allow them to smoke, drink and take drugs in your house and see how much the puppy appeals then. PS I didn’t actually pass my Parenting Degree, can you tell?!
Family Affairs
April 19, 2011Isn’t it depressing? But VG idea about turning my house into the fun den of iniquity house! (if it isn’t already) x
lori
April 19, 2011oh dear. i do know just what you mean. it does get better though, they get older too.
i just read that Boots no 7 is supposed to be a good foundation and well priced. and on the higher end, Chanel is lovely (the double perfection compact is amazing).
DD's Diary
April 19, 2011Don’t. I’ve just had that holiday, including the foundation! Thank God I found someone on the Benefit counter who was actually older than me (there is one person left in the world who is older) and she showed me this ‘Hello Flawless’ powder that you can either brush or pat with sponge, can do day, evening, nude, has an SPF and probably makes the tea. Highly recommended. And you are gorgeous btw x
Family Affairs
April 19, 2011That is v reassuring as I thought even Benefit was for 12 year olds. Will try. Thanks x