Why is it so?

It was Miss H's 8th Birthday Party yesterday, and we took a Squeal of Tweenies horse-riding. I have yet to work out precisely when I became the type of mother who Does these Things. Because no-one in their right mind would take seven 8-year-olds to a Riding School, and then load them up with fairy bread and cupcakes and cheezels... would they? I know that it's not something I would have anticipated all those years ago, when the idea of 'children' first crossed my mind. My children were going to be different. They weren't going to be influenced by Mattel or Disney - they were going to learn to think independently, and be who they wanted to be. And naturally the person they were going to Be was NOT going to a be pretty pink pony-obsessed tweenie....

Things haven't turned out like they were supposed to...

I set to pondering on this as I was filling loot bags (or rather, Loot Pink Plastic Noodle Boxes with tiny pastel winged horses tied to the handle) with lollies- whizz fizzes and chupa chups - couldn't find any bananas (spewin') at 9:30 on Saturday night. Thankfully I had a glass of wine and a mother to laugh at my feeble justifications.

When did this happen? When did I get sucked in to the whole perfect parent phenomenon? I used to wage jihad against lolly bags, and provide carrot and celery sticks for snacks...

I continued to question myself as the 100s and 1000s crunched underfoot during the preparation of the fairy bread (with white bread!). It was a join effort - the twins were 'helping'.

The answer came when all H's friends arrived, and I let them know what the Big Secret - that had required them NOT wearing dresses and party shoes, but rather jeans and sneakers - was, and my kitchen exploded into a frenzy of screams and squeals of utter delight. I may have received an instant headache, but the look on H's face was priceless.

And worth the complete lapse in parental principles.