This wasn't really the case, as once the author becomes pregnant she's more or less assured of her decision (which is a relief I suppose! And when that happens, I assume I’ll go up into the loft, fish out the dancing llama, clutch it’s twerking body against my chest and sob as I reminisce about the dreadful magical years when my feet were never safe from an unseen plastic minion.

My Child and Other Mistakes by Ellie Taylor | Hachette UK My Child and Other Mistakes by Ellie Taylor | Hachette UK

If you, like me, ever feel a sneak of self-reproach edge in, I urge you to try and tough-love yourself out of it. My daughter trots in every day as happy as Larry (Larry is a notorious early years education lover). I have recommended it to all my child raising friends'***** 'An absolute must read' Raw, candid and hilarious, Ellie Taylor's My Child and Other Mistakes is the funny truth about motherhood and all its grisly delights.And I was like, ‘You're in the same room, but we barely ever talk,’ and that was really, really hard, that kind of adjustment. Her little face when I would come and collect her was a snapshot of anguish as if I’d left her with a pack of hyenas as opposed to some nice ladies with childcare qualifications and exceptional Goosey Goosey Gander skills. There’s no doubt that there’s a wide audience for Taylor’s style of comedy, I’m just probably not it.

build your child’s resilience - BBC Bitesize Five ways to build your child’s resilience - BBC Bitesize

It features things that you yourself thought, that you yourself doubted but did not find easy recognition in anywhere else. There is humour, of course, but there is also common sense and a certain amount of anger at what women still have to put up with.It celebrates a life experience but acknowledges all the variations that other people may feel or encounter. However, almost every single point tries to be pseudo-political with stats on everything from miscarriages she hasn’t had, to BAME maternal mortality rates, to shared parental leave that she was indeed able to take. I actually expected this to be a bit funnier (and don't get me wrong, I smiled many times while reading this), but I did appreciate the seriousness and honesty as well.

My Child and Other Mistakes Ellie Taylor on her new book, My Child and Other Mistakes

So lovely to read about someone else's experiences and to reflect on the early days of having my first son (it's a bit different second time round as know more what to expect! My body has incubated, born and nourished my favourite thing in the world, so the least I can do is cut the trash talk. A Sunday Times bestseller: the unflinching, raw and utterly hilarious book about parenthood that everyone should read'Very, very, very funny' JO BRAND'Bloody hilarious' CARIAD LLOYD'Full of honesty, heart and humour' JASON MANFORD'Raw, honest and hilarious' ROSIE RAMSAY'Refreshingly honest' ROMESH RANGANATHAN'Consistently funny and life affirming' JOSH WIDDICOMBE'I want my daughters to read this book' SINDHU VEEMy Child and Other Mistakes is the honest lowdown on Motherhood and all its grisly delights, asking the questions no one wants to admit to asking themselves - do I want a child? Or at least ensure that people always take the free hotel shower caps for future use - who would have thought to use them for that purpose. Some of it will be good change, like getting out of having to go to that boring lunch or hen do because you now have the ultimate excuse up your sleeve: ‘childcare issues’.It'll have lots of experiences, which you will go, ‘Oh my gosh, yes that happened, and yes, that’s awful! All these are examples of uncertainty and can help your child to start seeing an uncertain future as less threatening. Childcare costs in the UK are some of the most expensive in the world for a variety of reasons, including lack of government funding and also the legal specifications around adult to children ratios. Part of being resilient is learning to become independent and to trust in our own abilities – whilst asking for help where appropriate.