Excellent

The world seems to be a bit naff at the moment. The Coronavirus threat is ever closer to home. A couple of schools in Lincolnshire have been closed for a deep clean and a friend is off work in quarantine this week. In general, I think we are all a bit scared about it and scared for our vulnerable friends and family members.

The cold weather is heading back tomorrow too, a couple of sunny mornings have tricked me into thinking spring is coming but it was a false alarm.

Also I think we all still feel a bit crap about Caroline Flack, so in general February feels a bit meh.

The terrible twos seem to be reaching new heights every day in our house too. Wilf has decided he is fussy about trousers. Fair enough, some might be tighter than others but oh no. A pair that were perfectly acceptable yesterday are not OK today. I can’t keep up. We are always late for something by this point too, so my sympathy is lacking.

So as Shouty Mummy made many appearances this week, I was thrilled to experience one of those absolute corker parenting moments. You know the ones where you have to hold in the tears so you don’t get a weird patronising look from your husband?

Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody came on a car playlist. It felt like it was time. The boys were introduced to the absolute classic film, Wayne’s World.

Now you might be thinking, how young? Naughty things are referenced the whole way through the film, but I have decided I definitely watched inappropriate films when I was little. I didn’t generally notice or understand bits that were too adult. So I am going with it. Well until I get called into school for an inappropriate playground game. “You be drunk Phil, now no spewing in the car.”

The film has been watched approximately 20 times in a week and I can’t begin to describe how much my heart hurt watching both boys head bang in fits of giggles to the car scene.

It is moments like these that transport you back to your own happy childhood. Remembering your own parents letting their guard down and dancing like idiots. Making yourself feel dizzy headbanging your wild hair around the room.

You can smell your childhood living room, have the feeling of the sofa on your fingertips and the smooth marble of the fireplace. You can see in your mind the blue carpet of shark infested waters, planning a furniture climbing route around the room to avoid being attacked. As a child you have no concept of time so those warm, safe, happy times felt like they would last forever.

Suddenly you blink and you are 31 and you are the one making the warm, safe environment. Flashes of madness, giggle fits and silliness really do make the hard times easier and for me, those hilarious Clarke family times behind closed doors are my childhood.

So next time it all feels a bit much. The bad parenting moments seem to be outweighing the good. Stick on your favourite film from your childhood and watch as your children turn into you and your siblings all those years ago.

The terrible world locked out, you can act like an idiot for an hour or two and end the evening with a grin on your face.