Mum's the Word: The mother of all hangovers

MUMS, are you prepared? Not for Mother's Day, but for the dreaded Mother's Day hangover.

Mother's Day is wonderful but can cause a serious hangover. Picture: Liderina

MUMS, are you prepared?

Not for Mother's Day, but for the dreaded Mother's Day hangover.

You know the one I mean. It's not the alcohol-induced one that usually comes after a night of laughter and fun. It's the one that turns up once a year, the day after Mother's Day.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Mother's Day.

It's always a great surprise to see what special treats the kids have made at kinder or school. Sometimes it's quite obvious my little ones didn't make the present themselves, but rather their teacher did. However every now and again I get a beautiful drawing or card that really comes from the heart.

Then there's breakfast in bed if I'm lucky, lunch out or a picnic on the beach and tea cooked by my husband.

I go to bed feeling relaxed, pampered and loved. Perfect.

Then I wake on Monday morning, ready to start the week, and the hangover hits.

The dishes aren't done, the floors aren't swept. In fact I can't even see the floor.

Food prep for the week ahead isn't done, school uniforms aren't ready and there's no milk for cereal or bread for toast. No breakfast for anyone.

The kids are needy because they used up every piece of sharing and caring the day before, to make my day special.

Yep, it's the hangover from hell.

When I was a child I used to love getting my mum something for Mother's Day.

Each year I would eagerly ask her what she would like, and was disappointed by her answer every time.

"I would just like to not have to do the washing or cooking or cleaning for a day,” she would answer.

My face would drop as I thought, what a silly present, that's not something I'm going to give you. I wanted something I could just hand over to show my appreciation.

But mum, now I get it. I understand that more than any gift, you just wanted a day off from looking after us and the house, and I'm sorry we never gave it to you.

And the strange thing is that's exactly what I do get, even if it results in the mother of all hangovers the following day.

Originally published as Mum's the Word: The mother of all hangovers