I have three amazingly scruffy kids. They can start the day OK, but after an hour in the garden they are covered in mud, and with paint all over their clothes and faces because they've been painting mud pies. Then we go to French, like yesterday. Unless it is an event where they are specifically expected to turn out well (and we do attend those too, including the odd formal dinner) then I do not mind. At all. In fact, I rather enjoy seeing their muddy clothes, dirty faces, grubby sleeves. It tells me they have been enjoying their childhood. And what else is childhood for?

I wrote something about "Dirt" the other day. As my Little Miss is just nearly two, I don't have to worry about her walking out the door looking like an urchin but I do have issues with dirt and cleanliness and general appearance. I want my child to look CLEAN and CARED FOR! I cringe from the toddler who has a crusty, runny nose, food glued to his/her face and hair with bits of banana in it. I tend to wonder what's going on in that household but maybe that's not fair? I suppose my issues with keeping my daughter "presentable" are down to wanting to be seen as a good mother?? There's my own psychoanalysis!

I think it's in there genes and there's not much you can do. Boy Two is in perpetual disorder and went to school today with last night's ketchup on his face. I can't stand the battles so am telling myself it's them expressing their individuality. It is, isnt' it?

I want the children to look reasonably clean and tidy for school and when we're going out. But I don't stress about it too much. I can't be bothered to hover over them constantly with the baby wipes and besides, it just annoys them. We do have a morning routine of brushing teeth and washing faces and putting clean clothes on that is non-negotiable though. They can at least start the day looking reasonably decent!

Up until a few months ago my son was fairly smart - short hair, uniform vaguely presentable (though don't look at the shoes, Dad still had to do them as son's efforts were hopeless).

A few months on and the shirt is still hanging out, the shoes still scuffed but the hair is now long and floppy. However this is because he is now interested in his 'look'.

I am going to make a confession here - as my teen now wants his hair straight and is very particular, every morning after he has showered and dried his hair.....I HAVE TO PUT THE STRAIGHTENERS ON AND STYLE IT FOR HIM.

At 8am I shout to him 'The Salon is now open' and in he comes, I do my bit, he preens himself in the mirror then asks me to re-do it to his satisfaction before he gets the bus to school.

I know, I am an idiot and a doormat but as he trots off to school, flicking his fringe and the smell of Lynx fills the air, I can't help but smile.

I've an 8 yr old who loves to be preened, loves his hair gel done by dad - for going out, but when off to plain old school well, he looks like stig pulled through a hedge backwards....maybe he's just learning about different looks for different activities?

BG is always covered in something, no matter how much I wipe her. 'a dirty child is a happy child'

I have long given up on my two other than to ensure they have clean clothes in the morning , brush their teeth and and that soap and water features somewhere in there daily routine!! LIfe is far to short and there are plenty of years for them to worry about their appearance although hitting 13 has seen a marked improvement in daughter - problem now is prising her from her hair straighteners as we head out of the door to school and the whiff of impulse choking me in the car!!!!

I have 1 neat and tidy and 1 scruff. No matter how much I brush her hair she still looks like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards. I'm going with it, it's the way she's supposed to be I reckon!

My eldest always looks reasonable but my middle son has the worst bed hair EVER. Unless I wash his hair in the morning (which does occasionally happen) he has bed hair all day. I have no idea why his hair stick straight up from his head like a cocks comb, but it does. And it's red too.

My 18 month old daughter has perpetually either got snot running down her face or snot crusted hair sticking out. I'd love to be able to plait and braid her hair like other Mums but I'm hopeless. Roll on when she wants to straighten her hair , that I can manage!

Sometimes Amy looks a bit scruffy though I would never tell her! Her hair needs cutting and if I haven't plaited it then she very often comes home looking like nobody owns her. Talk about hedges and being dragged!!

CJ xx

They leave for school neat and tidy - come home looking like they spend the day with charlie and his chocolate factory! Just wish they were still babies so they would look like I wanted them to so although I raise my eyebrows and want them to look like i want them to it never happens - but above all, I want them to be themselves so guess you can't have it all ways!

I used to be fairly scruffy when I was at school. Or so I thought before I noticed the state of TB. He's shirt's usually untucked and he looks like a mess before he's even out of the door in the morning. I'm not sure I can bring myself to mention what a state he's in by the time he gets home...