January 6, 2025

Imperfect Mum’s Diary

A space where the glossy sheen of idealized parenting meets the Imperfect mum’s diary, often chaotic reality. Alongside heartfelt stories I offer essential tips and guides on everything from pregnancy and birth to raising kids from toddlers to teens in today’s world. Plus, curated recommendations on must-have parenting gear and products that really work.

While visiting his mother in 1988, author Will Self came across a stash of boxes under her bed. Inside were diaries dating back decades, including a series of unfiltered musings on marriage, sex (extramarital and otherwise), and her own personality. Self decided to burn them, but his half brother kept copies. The diary entries inspired his 13th novel, “Elaine,” about a housewife navigating an unhappy marriage and Ithaca’s academic elite in the 1950s.

Imperfect Mum’s Diary: The Beauty of Imperfection in Parenting

In the book, one of Elaine’s daughters writes that she thinks it is important to be a good wife and mother, but that is not enough. The book also encourages women to be proud of their flaws and mistakes. ‘Being a crap housewife is an achievement,” Jessica says. ‘It means you care.’

I love this idea and the message behind it, but I do have some concerns about how this book is being marketed to mothers. We already see so many posts on social media of perfectly packed school lunches, gourmet family dinners and beautifully dressed children. We need a little more honesty about the messes, hiccups and disasters that are real life and give mums a break from the pressure to be perfect all the time.…