Blog Posts

So the news, social media, and school playgrounds up and down the country have been ferociously debating what is now known as “PJ-gate”!

A head teacher in Darlington seems to have caused uproar amongst some people for sending a letter home to parents asking them not to do the school-run dressed in their pyjamas.

The media have grabbed this story with both hands and pointed the fingers at the “slummy mummy” generation that seems to be evolving.  If you actually read the story and hear what the head teacher has to say, it’s not just the school run but also parent’s evening and Christmas performances where some were turning up in their bed attire.

There’s seems to me to be 2 opposing arguments being voiced (quite loudly by some I’ve spoken to!)

1. The “slummy mummy” who can’t be bothered to get dressed and goes straight home to lounge on the settee watching Jeremy Kyle (no dig here about JK mind – my guilty pleasure !)

2. The opposing argument of a “cultural rebellion“. Who is she to tell us what to wear? Why does society dictate what I do? I can do as I jolly well like! (Does anyone actually say “jolly well like” anymore or is it just my Mum????!!!!!!)

In truth though, I imagine the reality is somewhere much more in the middle.  The parent / carer may have come home at 4am from a hard night shift, gone straight to bed, disturbed their sleep to tend to their child and get them to school, then straight home to bed in readiness for the next night shift.  They may also be suffering from an illness / anxiety that prevents them from leaving the house, so to have made it as far as the school gate may actually be such an achievement for them – regardless of what they are wearing.

But as for parent’s evening and school performances……..hmmmmm, I’m struggling a bit with that one.

Those that oppose this – and I was surprised to see the argument on social media as pretty much 50 / 50 – say that it shows lack of respect for themselves, their children, and the school.  They also say we as parents, should be setting examples to our children, and being well-turned out and presentable when with others.

To be honest, I personally wouldn’t go out the house in my “jarmies”, much as I feel like it sometimes!  I’m not always perfectly presentable either (dependant on how many times the baby was up in the night!) but a change of clothes and a quick wash has always been achieved!

Each to their own I guess, but it’s certainly lived up the school playground with gossip this week!

Gayle

 

The link to the interview with the Darlington Head Teacher is here, if anyone actually missed it on the news this week

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-35413153

Traditionally choosing your baby’s name is one of the first debates future parents have……….before all the breast v bottle, dummy v no-dummy, co-sleeping v cot debates all begin! So how do you go about choosing that all-important name?

Some stick to family ties, some like to go with unusual names, some have been inspired by others.

 

On 12th January this year Howard Donald, from Take That fame, posted an announcement on social media of the arrival of his newborn son with wife Katie Halil.  They have chosen to name him Bowie (Taylan Donald) in respect of David Bowie who tragically passed away just days before.  A lovely gesture and certainly one which will live on; I’m sure there were lots of Elvis’ toddling about in the late ‘70’s and Freddies running around in the ‘90’s for the same reason.

 

 

 

 

But I wonder what has to be in a name for that to catch on.  Will we see a future generation of Alan’s coming along in the next few months (re: Alan Rickman who also tragically passed away earlier this month).  Or does it need to be a stand-alone, ear-catching name.

When Harper Beckham was born (to David and Victoria), named after the author Harper Lee, on 10th July 2011, a spate of baby Harper’s then came along across the globe.  The name quickly rose to rank 77 on the 2014 list of baby names – becoming the fastest growing baby name of the year!

Place names have also become popular; Brooklyn (another Beckham), India, Sofia, Sydney, Orlando, Paris all hitting top spots in baby-name lists in recent years.

 

And then there’s the numerical link! Harper (Beckham’s again?!) has the middle name Seven after her famous father’s shirt number when he played for Manchester United.  Singers Beyonce and Jay-Z gave their daughter Blue, the middle name Ivy – this was as a link to the roman numerals for the number 4 being IV; both of their birthdates being the 4th of a month, and being married on 4th April.

It’s an absolute minefield and whoever you talk to will have an opinion.

 

So whatever you choose, choose what you feel is right.

 

And for £15 there is always deedpoll!

So the dark nights are now coming in more quickly, and we’re barely home from the school run before all I want is to put our pyjamas on, and snuggle under a blanket watching christmas films!

It’s a great time of year for family-time in our house.  All wrapped up indoors, with the curtains closed to the world.  Family board games are the main request, but there’s only so much Frozen-themed snakes and ladders, and Peppa Pig Guess Who I can bare before I turn to a glass of wine!

In the meantime the calendar is full of christmas parties, fayres, pantomimes………..and that’s only for the kids. And there’s Christmas catalogues everywhere!  So this weekend we need to finalise the treasured “letter to Santa” – so far the 5 year old has asked for a real-life Jasmine and an actual flying carpet so hope Santa can step his game up and sort that!  The toddler will be much easier………cars, cars, cars!

So far my list consists of slippers, the new John Grisham novel, and the car seat organizer!

What’s on your list this year?

Gayle

Simply Babies Online