A Right Royal Telling Off

I have to admit to revelling in the schadenfreude - seeing someone else so very publicly admonish their child. Because boy have I been there - done that and got the whole wardrobe - never mind the T Shirt!

My favourite moment of the Pippa Middleton wedding circus was seeing Prince George being told off by his mum Catherine - our future Queen. She bent down - wagged her finger at him and whatever words were uttered you can be sure they were stern - but it was the look on her face that I relished the most. That one of complete and utter frustration and annoyance at her child playing-up just when she needed him to be on his best behaviour.

I have to admit to revelling in the schadenfreude - seeing someone else so very publicly admonish their child. Because boy have I been there - done that and got the whole wardrobe - never mind the T Shirt!

Before I had children, I would look aghast as parents shouted at, or scolded their children in public - really why were they letting their kids behave in such a vile way in the first place? And if they were to allow them to act out - then surely they could take them aside and quietly explain that this behaviour was simply not acceptable.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. How the tables have turned.

I love and adore my children beyond measure. But they also have the ability to wind me up and stress me out like no other. I have not only told them off in public more times than I can count - but I have also screamed and shouted at them in a way I would never dream of talking to anyone else. I have caught myself numerous times - face contorted in anger and irritation-hoping no one was watching me. But that's what children do to us - they invoke the deepest of love and at times the wildest of frustration.

I really don't want to lose control and I realise that shouting does absolutely no good whatsoever - but like my kids, sometimes I just can't help myself. Naturally I feel guilty afterwards - but it doesn't stop it happening again.

And of course like all parents, Catherine is realising this the hard way. She is a busy mum who may well have had a nanny on hand, but it was she who was in charge of the kids on her sister's big day. She is determined to be hands-on and if that includes reprimanding her children in the most public of public arenas with the world's media watching - then wedding hats off to her!

The Duchess of Cambridge did all of us mums a favour when she recently talked about the challenges of motherhood - how at times she's felt lonely and isolated. It's so refreshing to see someone who lives her life in the public eye, talk about some of the difficulties many of us parents face. If more of us were honest about the ups and downs of parenting perhaps we'd all feel better about ourselves when sometimes we fail.

It's good to be reminded that we're only human and the odd volume enhanced reprimand is also within the realms of future kings.

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