She's redefining motherhood for a whole new generation of young, professional women by cutting out the nonsense. Jenny Scott, founder of Mother's Meeting, shares her tips on how to be a cool mum
After realising that, like herself, most young women don't want to have a total personality transplant when they become a mum for the first time, Jenny Scott set up Mother's Meeting. A network of young, professional, inspiring women with plenty to say and do, who also just happen to be mums. From Nike running clubs on London's southbank, to career events at Shoreditch House, Jenny's aim is to prove that having a small plus-one might make life a little... okay, a lot different, but it doesn't mean losing your cool.
Here, the Mother's Meeting founder and author of How To Be A Hip Mama Without Losing Your Cool shares her tips for staying true to yourself and how to be a cool mum in the face of, well, dirty nappies and a whole heap of new emotions...
1. Be honest with yourself 'Being a new mum can feel as though you're new to the dating market, looking for a new set of friends to hang out with on those long days at home. It's always easier to put a brave face on and pretend everything is ok even when you're going through what feels like the hardest day of your life but remember that 99.9% of women would feel so much better knowing they are not the only ones finding things hard. Be honest, cut the crap and people will respect you for being true to yourself.'
2. Accept who you are 'You are not super woman with endless amounts of energy and no emotions, so if you are having a bad day/ week/ month don't be afraid to admit it. It's not a sign of failure, it's a sign of being human.'
3. Don’t worry about what other people think of you. 'It doesn't matter if you want to feed your baby breast milk, formula or full fat whipping cream, just feel confident in your choice and go with what feels right, not what others think.'
4. Don’t feel pressured, go at your own pace. 'No matter how much time you have you'll never have enough time to go at anyone else's pace and going full throttle to keep up with peers will only make you feel frazzled. Switch off, do what feels right.'
5. Never compare yourself to others 'There really is only one you! So celebrate yourself, including your flaws. We all have them, and life would be pretty boring if everyone was the same and we all followed the same 'rules'. Plus, remember: social media isn't real life. So switch off from it as much as possible.'
6. Remember it’s ok to have bad days as well as good 'Don't fight them, just roll with them and remember nothing is forever. For each bad day, there's a pretty awesome one just around the corner. Hang on to those.'
For more on Mother's Meeting, check out their website