So – being a stay at home mum means I have to do housework! I cant say – oh no, cant tidy up, I’m working. No time for washing, ironing, cleaning blah blah. Now it is my job to do! I am very confused as to how I ever had time to work – and by that I mean paid employment. Because obviously being at home is work – its called houseWORK isnt it? But there is so much of it and it never ever ever ends! You do one bit and theres still more. And more. And more. So anyway, today I decide to tackle the 11 year olds bedroom. Big mistake. In fairness to him he had tidied – sort of. So all I needed to do was hoover and wipe his bedside table, windowsill, drawers and shelves. No problem. Except – I used a bleach spray which seemed to be specifically designed to target my asthmatic lungs. Cue much gasping for breath and spending the rest of the day feeling wiped out. Lessons learned – Cleaning.Don’t. Just don’t. It can be fatal!

OK – so I’m not a First Time Mum. But its the first time I’ve been a stay at home mum. Not a student mum. Not on maternity leave. Not on sick leave. Not on bereavement leave. Not on holiday. I no longer have a job! Well- apart from being a mum, mummy and wife. I have joined the ranks of those mums I used to watch enviously making coffee dates, playdates (in the daytime and not just at weekends!), hanging around the school gates not rushing off to work. I dont have to worry if my son’s school strikes (its not, tough luck honey!). I can go to sports days, parents evenings, playgroup – everything in fact! Its a whole new world to me – I cant get used to the fact that I answer to nobody! But is it wrong of me to miss the structure? I get confused when I wake up wondering what day it is! But oh…how lucky am I! And I do appreciate it. I appreciate it so so much. This is all I’ve ever wanted..and now at the age of nearly 40 I’ve achieved it!