10 things I can't live without as a parent – Mummascribbles

If you have come solely looking for practical advice on what I need as a parent on a daily basis, I am afraid that you aren’t going to find it in this post. Sorry!

However, if you are looking for solace in the things that get you through each day – you are totes in the right place. And there are a few little practical bits that do generally help me out each day too!

Baby wipes

Now I know that if I was going to go down the route of focusing on the environmentally friendly aspect of life, this would be one thing that I should be doing without, but in all honesty, I just couldn’t live without baby wipes. Yes they are great for wiping pooey bums and dirty hands, but they are also great for wiping tables when we are out, wiping floors where your child has spilt something, and wiping the hood of the buggy when you realise that the little bit of ice cream cone that had been popped in there, had a little bit of ice cream hiding in it, and has melted all over it.

And you know what? I can’t tell you how many times I have found myself without the kids and wished I had brought wipes with me! Yes, even as an adult they come in extremely handy!

Loose change

I not only need loose change for each and every one of the playgroups that Oscar and I attend each week, but I am so often requiring change. Whether it’s for the rides at the shops (I only give in now and again), the change that Zach wants to give to the local busker, the change for the charity donation rolling coin box at the park, or the pound coins that are needed for the various dress up days at school. I so very rarely actually have loose change on me so I am forever raiding the other half’s change tray (all men have those right?!).

My phone

For a variety of reasons. First and foremost is for the camera. I literally take thousands of photos on my phone, 90% of which feature my children! The other 10% generally feature hot chocolate or cake!

And the other reason, is for something to do. Those times when I’ve been stuck under a sleeping child. Doing a night feed. Sat at soft play while they are running around like loons. I need my phone always!

Tea

Firstly, I don’t function without tea in the mornings. And all my boys know that Mummy has to have her cuppa before she can do anything!

Secondly, I don’t function throughout the day without further cups! I love having a cup of tea at playgroup, I love having one in the afternoon. Sometimes I even have one after they’ve gone to bed. Tea is my thing (I hate coffee), and will be forever!

Biscuits

Now, I have recently cut back a lot on these because I stopped having them at home. But biccies really are my lifeline. If I can get my hands on one, I will! The only reason I stopped having them at home was because Oscar was hassling me for them every day, and so it was easier not to have them at all. But boy do I miss that morning biccie with my cuppa! And the one with my afternoon cuppa. And the ones that I randomly picked up during the day! Hence whenever I can get my hands on one, I do!

Television

Yep. My kids watch TV. Worse than that, they watch YouTube. A lot of it. I’m not going to sit here and lie that they don’t. That when Oscar badgers me for Blippi for the hundreth time, I don’t put it on. Because I do. And that when he wakes up at 5.30am, I don’t just take him downstairs and put the TV on. Because I do!

I honestly don’t see a problem with the TV. It has taught my boys all sorts of stuff, including colours, alphabet, numbers, and many, many factual things. I try to mix it up a bit. A bit of Cbeebies, a bit of YouTube, a film. But overall, yes I use the television to make parenting that little bit easier.

Soft play

I mentioned it briefly up there, but I am one of those weird Mums who loves soft play. Especially now that my boys are old enough to run around together, or even just Oscar on his own now. I don’t have to get dragged around, I don’t have to sit in the ball pit. The only thing I have to do is try and eat the marshmallows of my hot chocolate before they realise I’ve got them. The rest of the time I am mostly left alone to peruse through social media at my pleasure. Except the many times I am asked for a snack!

The other half

I have said it many, many times before – I don’t know how single parents do it. I couldn’t imagine my other half not coming home every day and helping me with the kids. On Tuesdays he goes to footie straight from work and where I did used to struggle in the early days of having two kids, I do now totally rock it. But that doesn’t mean on every other day, the relief when I know he is on the way home from work isn’t there. It totally is. And when I hear those keys in the door. Bliss!

My Mum

Every Friday. That’s the day my Mum comes round. OK, so on the odd occasion it may be a Thursday, or she may be poorly and not fancy coming over. But pretty much every Friday since Oscar has been born, she has been here. It’s our day. She comes over, we chat while Oscar naps, and then she spends the afternoon with us, picking Zach up from school with us, visiting the shops, or the library – sometimes the barbers. Helping me through the chaos of Friday. Where Zach is exhausted from a week of school and I am on my last tether after a week of parenting! Friday’s are like a day at the spa. Well, sort of!

My Mum friends

My god these ladies are epic! There are two main ones – Zoe and Sarah. Their boys are Oscar’s best buds. But the three of us have become such good friends. We meet up at playgroups, we meet at the park, we have playdates at soft play. And in the holidays, we always get together with the older kids too, who all get on really well. We laugh, we chat, we support each other through whatever crap is going on in our parenting lives. I honestly couldn’t do without them in my life.

So there we go. The ten things I couldn’t live without day to day when it comes to parenting. What is the top thing that you couldn’t live without?!

Pin Me

If you liked this post, I would love it if you would give it a little pin for me 🙂