Masochistic Mommy

Today I was enjoying a very informative episode of Peppa Pig – the one where Peppa and her pals are learning to ski and their teacher, Madame Gazelle, is a world champion... Anyway, I was having a great time and then, during the commercials, this crock of shit appeared: Before I even had a chance to recoil in horror, a Mary Poppins’esc woman’s voice announced giddily: “All the princesses of the kingdom want to go to the ball! When the music starts, if you're lucky, the prince will choose you to dance with him around the ball room.” Cue a live-action sequence of three simpering girls grinning like cannabis-addicts in a greenhouse. Everything in the ad is pink with a tinge of pastel thrown in. Glittery effects and cartoon graphics overlay the clip of the live-action girls, who are shown hunched over a pathetically under-sized plastic boardgame. The voiceover continues: “Who will he choose?” “Destiny has decided you’re the lucky one!” One of the simpering girls opens her mouth in mock...

Did you know that if you follow the standard, “What I need for my baby” list for the next 21 years, then your child could cost you over $200,000 (that’s $9,500 per year, or $800 per month), even without being privately educated. The marketing clout of the baby industry has got a lot to answer for. The reality is that most of the items we are told we should buy for our babies are unnecessary . This timeline will expose the common (and not-so-common) culprits. If you’re new to starting a family, it will hopefully give you the advantage that many second-time parents enjoy. Jump to... Pregnancy 1 Week Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 8 Month 11 12 Months 18 Months 2 Years 3 Years Pregnancy: Maternity clothes: There’s no reason why you cannot wear your normal clothes instead of purchasing ‘maternity wear’ often at inflated prices. Items such as wrap-around dresses, smock tops, tunic tops, dresses ...