A year ago, I’d have thought nothing of booking myself in for a hair appointment. I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid before purchasing a £5 bottle of shampoo (although, to be fair… I always used to wait until it was Buy One Get One Free). I’d quite often pop out on my lunch break and treat myself to a new top from H&M or another Emily & Fin dress to add to my collection. But now? That I’m a Mom? Those things feel like absolute luxuries that are so far down the priorities list that I’ve kind of forgotten they’re even a thing. But rather than mourn the loss of the lovely little things that used to be my everyday pick-me-ups, at least I get much more satisfaction now they have been added to my Mom Luxury Items list. And even if I only get to experience them once in a blue moon, what a treat that is!
I was intrigued to see what other things that used to be considered ordinary every day events/items have become luxuries and asked a few of my blogging friends to share theirs. This whole collection makes for a GREAT present list for Moms, by the way. These are the things we really appreciate:
A Bath
Mine would be a bath. I’ve had five baths in five years, and three of those were post labour! Obviously, I have showered in this time….albeit with an audience!
Laura from Five Little Doves
Now, I’m quite lucky as LPD does quite often let me enjoy a bath at the weekend… although after five minutes, I usually end up having an audience too. My boys just can’t be without me for even ten minutes!
Painted Nails
Quite a few bloggers cited painting their nails as a pointless exercise now.
There’s no point now, I spend my days washing hands, faces, and washing up!
Hannah from East Sussex Mummy
You know it’s pointless as after just one cleaning session, they’ll be chipped but it’s nice for a few hours at least.
Beth from Twinderelmo
I’ll always remember my Mum saying to me ‘Only people with too much time on their hands paint their nails.’ Every time I see someone with nice nails I can’t help but hear that ring through my head. Sorry to everyone I’ve ever seen with nice nails! If it helps, I also remember a lad I went to school with once telling me that he really fancied girls with nice nails. So, there you go. A bit of balance.
Hair Straightening
Now, I just don’t get the time to fully dry and straighten my thick hair, and when I do, historically a baby has either thrown up in it or spent the day pulling it. Mum buns with half wet hair all the way…
Sam from My Mini Monkeys
This hits the nail on the head! These days, my hair gets a quick ‘blind-blast’ (you know, when you just full power aim it at your roots without even looking in the mirror to check how it looks) with the hair dryer before being whacked up in a very unflattering pony tail. Or let loose in a lion’s mane. I miss the days when I had the time and energy to blow dry my hair in the mornings and leave the house with it looking half decent. I seriously need to up to Mom-hair game and find some quick and easy hair fixes.
Toothpaste…
My luxury is definitely an expensive toothpaste and mouthwash! I know that may sound odd but as we budget alot, it’s so nice to get some nice products.
Laura from Mumma and Co
I TOTALLY GET YOU, Laura! I use Sensodyne toothpaste which I absolutely swear by because I once heard that the Sodium Laurel Sulphate found in most normal toothpastes can be a cause of ulcers and I know it’s hardly a ‘high end’ toothpaste but it does cost a fair amount more than your average tube so now I feel like it’s a bit of a splurge to buy it. Still, you can’t quite put a price on an ulcer-free mouth, eh?
Eating Out
Pre kids I used to eat out 2 or 3 times a week, we still do take the kids out to eat but it’s so expensive and often more than a little stressful!
Lauren from Belle Du Brighton
Lazy morning brunches from swanky bagel bars… Totally forgotten luxuries now.
Irina from Wave to Mummy
I’m sure our bank balances are thanking us for not treating ourselves to as many meals out, although I think the amount we spent on takeaways when Pickle was first born more than outweighed our previous meal outgoings! We’re basically confined to the house from 7pm onwards, which makes any usual evening activity pretty difficult. It’s all about making the most of lunch time!
Private Bathroom Time
Not only are blissful baths a thing of the past, but also is the sacred privacy of the bathroom. Are you even a parent if you go to the toilet without an audience? Or as Kimberley from OddHogg puts it:
Without rushing and panicking that he is trashing the place or killing himself!
This is something I don’t think LPD has really experienced yet. Even this morning, as I lay in bed desperate for a few extra minutes sleep after Pickle had me up from 2am – 4.30am (YAWN!), I kind of hoped he would have a quick shower, shove some clothes on and take over the breakfast duties. And bless him, he did eventually take Pickle down for his breakfast but after what felt like an age. There definitely wasn’t any hurried washing, super speedy pat-down-dries and getting dressed whilst dancing to try and entertain the child. And I’ve never ever known him go for a ‘quick’ wee. What takes him so long?
Normal TV Viewing
Considering I reckon LPD probably thinks I just sit at home watching TV all day, it was a relief to see so many other parenting bloggers say they’d class watching normal TV as a luxury these days!
Being able to watch TV during the day… Or rather, being able to watch anything other that My Little Pony or Miffy’s Adventures. Being a parent basically means watching the same episodes of the services cartoon over and over for years.
Gareth from That Marketing Punk
Watching Saturday night TV with a bottle of wine! Now it’s more of the case of finish work, battle the bath and bed then fall asleep by 8pm. I’m high rolling like that.
Chelsey from CeCe Lauren
I suppose that was one benefit of all those newborn cluster feeding stages – it did allow for plenty of binge TV viewing. I think I went through the whole 10 series of Friends in just a few weeks. Now, by the time we’ve put Pickle to bed, eaten something and got ourselves comfortable, it’s a quick episode of something before he wakes back up again or we’re too tired to continue. Oh I miss the days where we’d sometimes watch four episodes of The West Wing in one evening!
What would be on your luxury list?
Laura Delaney
I love all of these luxuries & they are SO true! Being a parent definitely makes you appreciate the little things in life, like nice TOOTHPASTE! haha. Thanks for including me. xx
Sonia
As the kids have got older I am starting to be able to enjoy all these luxuries again and once you can do them without problem again you start to take them for granted and they become part of daily life. I think eating out is still a luxury for me though, I love to go to expensive restaurants with my other half every now and again as a treat x
Little B & Me
What a great post!
I felt guilty the other day about treating myself to a £7 book. Its funny how our luxuries change isn’t it!
I’d just love a lie in, thats all thats on my list haha x
Clare
Most of these would be on my luxury list too, especially the bath, there is nothing like a long soak with the bathroom all to yourself!
Deborah Nicholas
Oh gosh yes please, all of these are on my luxury list too! I love eating out and its such a rare treat to have a bath to myself!!
Nadia
What a great list. I went to H&M the other for the first time alone since becoming a mum over 2 years ago. It really was a treat, haha.
Romeca
Everything you’ve mentioned! I long for a relaxing bath once the kiddies are in bed! X
Hannah
Private bathroom time is what I crave the most. Kids can fine one moment, but the moment you head to the bathroom…they just know! A luxury for me is doing my makeup in peace and taking my time and painting my nails, allowing enough time for two coats to dry – I actually can’t remember the last time I successfully did that, ha ha x
Laura
Another luxury – time to read, and in fact being able to hold a book open with both hands and not multitasking! Hubby bought me a Kindle as a post-birth present, so I could read (one-handedly) while stuck under a feeding newborn!
Totally hear you about the baths, haircuts, nails, toilet, hair straightening, etc! And people wonder why mums ‘let themselves go’ after having kids! There’s no flipping time (or money!) to spend on ourselves!
We too used to binge-watch the West Wing of an evening, but no more! After the kiddo goes down to bed, and we’ve tidied/cleaned the lounge and kitchen, we’re either barely alive, or don’t have enough time to get through an episode!