Every parent knows the feeling of potent dread that can come with morning in a busy house. "It'll be grand," is what you always mutter to yourself before the frantic rush to get the kids washed, fed, dressed, organised for school and out the door - and before 9AM at that - begins. In fact, despite the best intentions, it often isn't all that grand - it's downright stressful.
But it's hard to admit that. These days women are subjected to huge pressure to 'have it all' and indeed, do it all while still smiling and agreeing that it's great to be a super mum. But sometimes, it's wearing. And this we don't often hear about. Parenting is truly wonderful, but it's damn hard. Even super mums get tried, get stressed and almost cry as their youngest throws his cereal on the floor, just as you think, "I've got this."
Which is why it's so refreshing to read actress Kristen Bell's candid answers as she spoke of the morning routine in her household. It was, she said, "miserable."
“It’s miserable,” Bell told Popsugar. “It’s awful no matter who’s doing what. And I’ll tell you right now, the 3- and 5-year-old aren’t doing jack.” (Bell is known for her utterly honest accounts of parenting, with husband Dax Shepard).
Haven't we all felt that? That why-are-you-doing-this-to-me-God kind of misery in the mornings?
And even if you're a Hollywood star, it doesn't mean you get to skip the manic-ness that comes with early starts and two kids under seven.
"Usually, I try to get them dressed because they’re in the bedroom, so we might as well knock a couple things off our list that happen in the bedroom,” Bell explains. “Then it’s breakfast. Then they have about a half-hour of playtime while I feed the dog, brush my teeth, put some semblance of sunscreen and pants on to attend preschool.”
And then the real challenge begins: getting them out of the house (hurdle one) and into the car (hurdle two), as the Frozen star explains:
“Getting them in the car is really the hardest part because once those kids have woken up and rediscovered their thirst for life like they do every morning, they’re just running in circles, and I’m like ‘Stop, stop, stop. Put your seatbelt on. Put your seatbelt on. Put your shoes back on. Put them back on. Take her shoes off and put yours back on. No, put your lunch away, we’re not at school yet.'”
And it is such a joy to read about her frankness. Her mornings may be awful "no matter who is doing what" but practically every mum on the planet can relate to it. No gloss, no sheen, just the acknowledgement that parenting is damn difficult, no matter who you are.
Keep talking that talk Kristen Bell or as she is sometimes known, Hollywood child whisperer. We need more like you.
