Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Apparently Every Mum Wants to Channel Elle Macpherson


And why wouldn't they? She picks up her kids in full hair and make-up, toting the latest designer bag and teetering in the highest and trendiest heels. Sainsbury's have decided to do a back to school survey for all the mums out there and the results are interesting to say the least. They surveyed 2,000 mums but not about bargain stationery or the art of the cross-stitch, oh no - it was about their appearance. More importantly, how long they spent getting ready for that first day back to school drop off and how it compared to the time it took them to get their children ready. 

Here are the stats: apparently the average mum will spend 25 minutes getting herself ready hair, make-up and outfit-wise - seven minutes longer than it takes them to help the children. And in this financial crisis, they will still spend an average of £60 on brand new clothes and accessories for aforementioned drop off (and we assume pick-up). One in five apparently get a savvy new haircut/hairstyle which will set them back an average of £50 just for the occasion. 

I don't have kids. It's been a while since I've been near a school gate. However, I totally understand these statistics. In fact, I'm surprised the getting ready time and amount they spend isn't higher - maybe some of the mothers were telling porkies…

At the end of the day, life is a runway for the modern woman and in my opinion, more and more people are realising this. The only disheartening thing is it seems like mums are doing all this to get one over on their competitors at the school gate. This is all very well and good because let's face it, it's what women do, but it would be so much better if they were doing it for themselves rather than for each other. After all, it takes a lot to be a mother a raise a child and although it isn't always possible to look runway-ready (unless you're Elle Macpherson, which is basically who I think these mums aspire to), when you do make the effort, it should be for yourself. *Dismounts soap box* 

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