Yummy Mummy

[ailbhe]

What the hell is a Yummy Mummy? Is it like a Breeder? Or a Moo? Am I one? Some days I look very smart, well, maybe not smart, but funky as hell, with excellent jeans and orange tshirt and tie-dye headscarf and a daughter in orange and tie-dye looking very coordinated and slightly piratical, and her buggy has a funky coloured polyester cosytoes and we swan around the shops buying organic this and fairtrade that and recycled the other, looking at amusing socks and stopping for lunch in the park or maybe in Pret if I have Luncheon Vouchers and I generally feel top of the world and leisurely and very, very trendy and young. And rich, on those days, because I never actually want to buy anything I can't afford, on those days.

And some days - today is one of them - my hair is greasy and my clothes have poo-stains and my eyes are sunken and I have circles around them from crying so much. But my daughter still has a homecooked organic produce banana muffin for her snack. And I hosted the NCT toddler coffee and no-one realised how truly manky I am. And the house is hoovered and I have plans for dinner and I'm still knitting this winter coat for the baby, I think it's 38 rows now but I'm not sure. I look like hell and I've been picking a spot on my chin until it bleeds and I am beginning to fear for the stability of my marriage and I probably have PMS as well.

So what's a yummy mummy? Does anyone ever say anything including the phrase "yummy mummy" without being massively patronising? Ever? And how can you tell when you've seen one? How can you tell it's not just me on a good day? And how the hell else can I keep some sense of identity, if I can't even try to look mildly fabulous without being lumped in with idle ladies who lunch?

Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot, I don't work. I forgot.

Comments

[ruthi.livejournal.com]

I just thought it meant young women, who look good who, and have children.

http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/yummymummy/ is where I last saw the term 'Yummy Mummy'. I was pointed there by mrs_warwick.

Obviously I don't pay attention to the rightwrong media.

[ruthi.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. I'm probably a LOT less aware of it because I am not a mother. My non-awareness does not make it a non-issue.

[ailbhe]

Thanks for that. I have no idea how prevalent it is as a term - I haven't time to pay attention to much in the way of media other then CBeebies (I'm beginning to quite like Teletubbies and Step Inside) - but when I hear people mention it it's almost always INCREDIBLY patronisingly.

And I've never gathered a definition beyond "Mother who is not a hag."

[mrs-warwick.livejournal.com]

I'm beginning to quite like Teletubbies and Step Inside

The last couple of weeks, Rhiannon has been asking for Step Inside whenever we go to turn the TV on. I don't know which bit she likes best, but it's flavour of the month here.

[thereyougothen.livejournal.com]

well there's this: http://tinyurl.com/a2wes which is obviously a great cause, but the whole yummy mummy thing makes my skin crawl. sorry, but we're not edible. and it is patronising. some woman here in edinburgh has set up something called http://www.yummymummyevents.com/ and if I were ever to meet her I think I'd be tempted to slap her. (and I don't normally do that sort of thing)

however, while trying to bring up tinyurl.com I accidentally found this page: http://marnanel.org/writing/tinyurl-whacking which could lead to all sorts of fun places. so go and enjoy that, and don't worry about the annoying bitches erm, yummy mummies...

[random-c.livejournal.com]

Yummy Mummy is a phrase I've heard on daytime television, therefore it must be evil... oh and I have a couple of knitting row counter things, would you like them?

[helenprev.livejournal.com]

I have never in my life heard the term 'Yummy Mummy' until I read this post!

Mind you, I don't watch daytime television...

You on your days like today sound like me a lot of the time too.

I just conducted a quick survey among the older two of my children - asked them if I am a Yummy Mummy.

Freya said: "I think you're a very nice mummy, and a bit like yummy."
Taliesin said "Yes, you're very tasty."

And after all, our children's opinions of our mummyness are actually the only ones that really count - yes? :-)

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard it, either. I wish I could still say that.

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

I used to loathe the expression. I think I first came across it in chick lit. However, since attempting to lose a bit of weight & generally wear smarter clothes & not so many baggy jogging trousers, I do use the term to describe myself on a good day.

I identify it with when I feel in control, am dressed in not snotted / puked / weed on clothes & my clothes actually fit me.

I've had to relectantly put my favourite size 16 clothes into the "giving away" bag as I feel down the stairs yesterday as I tripped over my massivley too big size 16 combats.

I wasn't a yummy mummy this morning, as I had tracky bottoms on (albeit funky ones) as I was intending to tidy up Kate's room. It didn't happen as both kids weren't having any of it & they ended up being smeared with biscuit, chocolate & ground. I dropped Kate off at nursery dressed in that way, so wan't very yummy, more like scummy.

[mrs-warwick.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what a yummy mummy is supposed to be, I only came across it when the call went out at work for cakes.

[k425.livejournal.com]

I think Yummy Mummies are the ones who always look well turned out, with manicured nails (hands and feet), properly done hair, make-up, and clothes with no baby-trails. They carry little handbags and have no baby equipment in them. The only clue that they have children is the fact that they're actually pushing a buggy. I'm not sure I've ever seen a real one, mind you.

I was a YM on my wedding day. Generally, however, I am not. I saw myself in the mirror in the loo at work today and couldn't work out how I'd got that smudge under my eye. On closer inspection I realised that it was hollowness. I now have huge bags and major shadows. There is a nappy in my tiny rucksack. There is a scab on my cheek where I've picked a zit. But I don't want to be a YM. I want to look like I've got a toddler, because that means we wrestle and cuddle and he buries his head in my neck or peeks through my legs at people, leaving slime trails or weetabix over me, and that's okay.

[djelibeybi.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, sorry, I forgot, I don't work. I forgot

You *don't* ??!! So what do you call all that knitting and cooking and cleaning and caring then? You work a damned sight harder than I do atm.

Work

[ailbhe]

I am continually wearied by the ways in which the universe assumes that I don't work. That *phrasing* constantly crops up.

Funnier, however, was a recent survey which asked for the income of the "Head of the household".

Neither Rob nor I can work out who that is. We haven't asked Linnea. It's not a role any of us relish, though I fit the job description better than they do...

Re: Work

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

d_h and I take turns at being the Head of the Household for surveys (these days they usually ask for the income of the "main income earner", I've noticed, and for the moment that's me).

[richtermom.livejournal.com]

Yummy mummy sounds like something Trini and Suzanna say, and I'd cringe when I hear it.

[faeriebluebell.livejournal.com]

The only time I ever hear Yummy Mummy is when my husband starts talking about cereals from his childhood. He was a cereal character here in America a long while ago. I'm certain, of course, that's not what you are referring to. :) But here's a picture if you'd like to peek at Yummy Mummy american style.http://www.youthink.com/forums.asp?action=read&ct=14&q_id=724 scroll to about mid page. He wears red purle and orange bandages.

[feetnotes.livejournal.com]

i've never heard it before, and i can't imagine an occasion outside of an anthropophagically sfnal story that i'd consider using it, "but" -

i s'pose it could be used, quite sincerely, by a teenager who realised they fancied you. a fairly young teenager who.

[shinydan.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a euphemism for "MILF" to be honest. Not sure that's patronising, but it's definitely demeaning.

shinyDAn

[ailbhe]

MILF?

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

"Mother I'd Like to Fuck".

I kid you not.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

"Yummy Mummy" is right up there with "MILF" for me. Patronising crap, all of it.