Have you ever wished you had a magic wand, tap it and have all chores done in a blink of an eye? Or have tantrum free toddlers and a spotless house while you sip a glass of wine smiling and thinking “I love my life”.

I have to admit I did think about it. My child has just passed the baby stage, becoming a toddler over night. I found myself in a bit of a chaos praying I can survive this and cursing the infinite toys that somehow appeared in my house without me even realising. See, I’ve made that mistake every mum makes: I bought toys for my little girl, toys for every stage, soft toys, musical toys, sensory toys and cards, puzzles and so on. If I was to read “Mum hacks” before I would have know what is so obvious now: pots, pans, empty bottles, boxes and spoons do the trick better than any toy in the world and they don’t make me go crazy every night, wasting half hour to put them back in their boxes so I can take them out again in the morning.

This book “applies just as much to the brand new mother who can’t find a moment to blow-dry her hair as to the company director who’s struggling to get her three kids to school in time”

Every child is different and every mother is different so it’s easy to say not all of us go through the exact same situations but most definitely we are all frustrated and stressed and in desperate look for some precious me time, having that coffee or toast without them getting cold, getting the little monsters in time and out the door without the every day drama and craziness. Different chapters apply to different types of mothers. I bet that when you read it you find yourself in one of the situations described so realistically. I couldn’t find myself in the kitchen area as I do love doing dishes (thinking time) and the mess is not as bad (at least for the moment) but I was surely able to find here some of my frustrations and happily, so much advice about how to avoid them. The time you gain avoiding unnecessary chores is so precious – for you and your child. Instead of crying and stressing out about the never ending laundry in your basket (or worse – outside it as toddlers throw everything everywhere) you could learn how to make it all fun and teach them to be organised in the same time.
Having a one year old implies lots of running around and not much of the teaching but reading “Mum Hacks” I realised what is there to come and how to make it all less frustrating.
I know screen time is something I promised my child will not see until the age of four but I found myself living her in front of the TV watching Sponge Bob or playing nursery rhymes thinking she actually learns something from the songs and I am free to do some work around the house. But all this is just our excuse.

“Children will always love best from human interaction. Don’t be fooled into promises that learning apps will make your child smarter or teach them to read “

The author of this book is a mother as well and a journalist, she managed to write eight books while juggling it all with success so taking these into consideration you can’t stop but thinking “Wish I could do it all and not complain about anything”. This is not a book about being a martyr mother and doing it all for your kids but a hands on guide to fitting it all in so you can gain the time to relax and be a great parent. It also shows how you can look and feel good about yourself, how to stay in shape and be that cool mum who got it all under control.

Happy mum, happy baby like I say. We all need to learn and get better at one thing or another. Some are good with organising the morning rituals but lose the plot by the end of the day, some go crazy by the time the clock hits 7:30 am and they realise they are late again for school and work and some are so so good at teaching their children how to listen and do things first time when asked and not the 20th but they struggle finding time to eat, sit down and actually breath. So we are all in the same boat after all.
Are you planning your first or tenth trip and stress out about the travel and endless tantrums? Are you dreaming of a stress free birthday party? Do you want to save time at Christmas and actually enjoy it?
Of course you are. We all do. What I can advice you is to keep this book around you, maybe in your bag and whenever you feel like giving up or you get stressed about all these open it at the right chapter and read it quickly. You will definitely find a solution to your problem. After all, regardless of where we’re coming from, the mum and child hacks follow the same pattern. Our children want to be understood, are like a sponge when it comes to learning and get frustrated if they don’t make themselves clear in front of us. Our job is to teach them, educate them and make it all fun so our lives can become brighter and more fulfilled with laughter instead of tears.
Being a mother is a 24h job. Only you get paid in kisses and cuddles. Make it all worth it and grow old knowing you’ve been the best mother your child could ever have. They just need to be loved, listened to and guided towards the right path. Discover their talent, their inclination and encourage them as there is nothing more rewarding in life than knowing your child cherishes, loves and respects you for all you have done.

“It would be a tragedy if you looked back at your children’s childhood and all you remember was rushing from A to B, bundling them off to school so you could get to work, or drowning in household chores. Imagine too if that was what your children remembered most when they looked back on their childhood in 20 years from now”

Remember that there is no perfection when it comes to cleaning, cooking and working but there sure is when it comes to the time you spend with your children
Find “Mum hacks” by Tanith Carey, read it, keep it in your bag and open it whenever you feel you can’t cope with life. Find that eureka moment and enjoy life as a mother more than anything.