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Bored Angry Distressed? Brain-dead Alienated and Desperate? Then it sounds to me like you are a B.A.D. – Mother.  Now don’t worry - you are not alone.  Whilst Woman’s Day and the Huggies commercials will have you believing that every mother is PERFECT, we at Baby Boat are not afraid to say that we aren’t,  and that sometimes even we have some ‘not so’ perfect days.  

Whilst we all of course espouse to be perfect, some days as much as we try we just can’t be.  Some days your little angel will drive you to the brink of madness, others you will in your pyjamas for 24 hours.  And yes, you might just buy a pre-made cake for your kids ‘bake sale’.  

To help save your mental health we have created a space here for the not so perfect mums called “The Bad Mother’s Club”, here you can read about the things that other mums get up to behind closed doors, and hear the truth about motherhood, and realise that you are not alone.

So why do we need a “Bad Mother’s Club”, and how did all this Stepford Wife perfection start in the first place?  Well thanks to women’s lib, it is now expected that a women can be a mother, a loving wife, run a house and hold down a full job, whilst still finding time to go to the gym, blow dry her hair and just always look simply fabulous.

And thanks to the gossip magazines your husband now believes that you should have your bikini body back in 6 weeks. (well if you ever had one, that is). On top of being this glamorous ‘yummy mummy’, in your spare time, you will easily be able to fit in  - being treasurer for the girl scouts, a volunteer at the school canteen, and have at least 3 hobbies.  And of course you will still have the time to be a great girlfriend and daughter and visit your grandmother every Sunday.

Now whilst we of course do not condone or encourage any kind of abuse or neglect against any child, we really do think it is very important for some of us to get our ‘bad mother’ habits off our chest.  

Have a read of what some of our members have said:  (warning – it may leave you feeling normal)

P.S. Check out our facebook page which is available for you to bitch, moan and whinge about how hard your day has been and how totally unappreciated you are.  It is a place where you might just hear the truth for a change.  A place where you can openly and honestly discuss what it is really like to be a mum and not feel like you will be judged by anyone, least of all us..............  I will be a frequent visitor.... So hope to see you there....

I am a B.A.D Mother because....

I tell people that I only use tinned food when I am out because of the convenience, but truthfully I use it 95% of the time.   Liesha – Palm Beach, QLD

I pretend I am taking my laptop away with us to do work, but really I take it so that my 18 month old can watch wiggle DVD’s whilst I enjoy a HOT cappuccino.  Kazza -  Derrimut, Vic

Despite the warnings, I still ALWAYS breastfeed my baby to sleep.  Christine - Stones Corner, QLD

I let my baby watch Playschool DVD’s to buy myself time to eat, shower and make important phone calls when I know I should be keeping her occupied by organising wholesome educational activities.  Jackie – Kelvin Grove, QLD

I let my toddler believe she is drinking red cordial, but really it is water in a red cup. Ann-Marie – Rapid Creek, NT

I have let my baby chew on something she probably shouldn’t, (like my car keys) just because it meant she was quite for a minute.  Tracey – Dudley Park, WA

Sometimes I let my baby go out with cereal on her face, rather than battle for an hour to clean it. Rachel – Kogarah, NSW

I am not completely honest with my toddler, sometimes I put pumpkin in her mash potato, and I tell her that it is mashed potato with tomato sauce.  Giovanna – Banksia, NSW

We don’t have a routine of any kind. Donna – Glebe, Tas

If I serve my baby her food in a bowl and no one sees me dish it up, I let them believe it is organic, hand grown, steamed, and served fresh.  Michelle – Pullenvale, QLD

I have bribed my 2 year old with ice-cream.  Rita – Shoalwater, WA

I have used DVD’s as a babysitter.  Anne – Barmouth, UK

I have dressed my daughter in my son’s hand-me-down clothes and not corrected strangers when they tell me how cute "he" is. – Jasmine – Cairns, QLD

I am a bad mother because we have never been to Gymboree or Baby Yoga.  Julie – Chermside, QLD

I have never been to the child health clinic.  Not once. And why should I? My DD is perfectly healthy.  Lee-anne – Blacktown, NSW

I let my baby eat off my spoon.  Tanya – Footscray, VIC

On weekends I pretend to be asleep, so my husband gets up to get the baby whilst I have a lie in.  Michaelea – Hackney, SA

We breastfeed to sleep, and ‘shock horror’, even co-sleep sometimes!  Amy – Robina, QLD

I let my baby go out in the T-Shirt and Shorts he wore to bed.  I mean how dirty do they get sleeping in an air conditioned nursery. And it will only be covered in food in an hour any way.  Rebecca – Pittwater, NSW

I let my baby stay up late if I want to watch the last 30 minutes of a show.  Valerie – Walkerville, SA

My baby doesn’t have themed, trademarked or brand name anything!!! Debbie – Bayside, VIC

I get my DD dressed out of a pile of clean laundry located on the spare bed, instead of ironing it all, neatly folding it and arranging it by type, style, size, colour in her drawers.  Tiffany – Mossman, NSW

I have been day dreaming and my DS has bumped his head getting out of the car.  Amy – Redland Bay, QLD

I have been out half the day and forgotten to change my DD’s nappy.  Sarah – Mermaid Waters, QLD

My daughter has more DVD’s than me, and none of them are Baby Einstein.  Tara – Cambridge, WA

I am a bad mother because I was delighted when I realised some of my son’s DVD’s had a ‘loop’ feature.  Donna – Cronulla, NSW

I have broken all the centre’s rules, and told my daughter to ‘give it back’ to bullies. Mel – Springfield Lakes, QLD

I told my son that mashed potato was ‘potato flavoured’ ice-cream.  (Didn’t work though)  Julie – Hindmarsh, SA

I use my baby as an excuse for me being late or not attending.  Even if the reason is because I just wanted to sleep in, or just couldn’t be bothered going.  Danielle – Westmead, NSW

I have left my baby in the garage with the air-conditioning running when she has fell asleep in the car.  Vicky – Kirwan, Nth QLD

I told all four of my daughters that their tongues would turn purple if they lied, and that only adults could see it. (and yes, it always worked)  June – Woronora, NSW

Instead of the nice calming music that babies are supposed to be so responsive to in the womb, I must have watched so many action movies that my now 10 month old sleeps straight through rapid gun fire and doesn’t wake up when my husband plays Halo on the XBOX.  Immi – Bellbowrie, QLD

I give my baby boiled frozen veggies, instead of steamed, home grown organic types.  Jodi – Moree Plains, NSW

Yes, it is true, I am not a saint 24/7, and yes, I have on occasion yelled and even sworn at my husband in front of my baby.  My DS just smiles and makes his “goo gaa” sounds even louder so that he can be heard.  Kath – Ashgrove, QLD

I look forward to my son’s nap times. Jacquie - Adelaide, SA

I use disposable diapers. Carol – Louiseville, USA

I have three separate play-stations set up for my baby, so she can amuse herself for at least an hour on her own whilst I get the housework done.  Sue – Lane Cove, NSW

I joined a mother’s group to feel normal, but am always so stressed, busy and unorganised that I always make up some excuse as to why I can’t make it.  I have only been twice this year.  Elaine – Highett, VIC

I still breastfeed my 11 month old, as I am too scared to teach him how to sleep on his own and it just fixes EVERYTHING!!!    Jodie – North Plympton, SA

Sometimes, when I am trying to get the house work done, I crawl past my baby’s plan pen so she doesn’t spot me when I am trying to get the house work done.  Saeeda – Bankstown, NSW

At 3.00am I throw a towel over the wet spot and tuck my toddler into the other end of her bed, and deal with clean sheets in the morning.  Teena – Innaloo, WA

If the weather turns cold and I have forgotten to back the baby’s jumper, I tell my husband, that it is warm, and it must be him.  Susie - Little Mountain, QLD

I sometimes let my baby have tinned custard twice in one day if he refuses to eat his vegetables.  Angie – Helensvale, QLD

I just love this site.  I love how you Aussies just “say it how it is”.  I think I have done everything on this list at least once, if not twice. LOL.  Mary – Tadcaster, UK

I confess I use disposable nappies, and I don’t feel guilty about it one little bit. Lisa - Logan, QLD

I think i am a b.a.d mother at times

I use wet wipes. I don't wash my son's bottom every time he does a poo but i have told family members that i do.

After putting my son down at nap time or bedtime, i crawl out of the room so he doesn’t see me leave.

I leave washing on the line overnight if they haven't dried so i don't have to make the effort to lay them out around the house.

anndd.. I should be doing the ironing right now but I'm lying on the couch with the laptop :))   Ozlem - Auburn, NSW

I know I shouldn’t, but sometimes just to get the peace, I let my daughter colour in on the floor, whilst I sit there and feed her.  Georgina - Batemans Bay, NSW