A ‘c’ Word I Finally Hate

I have never joined the international women’s collective that damns any use of C U Next Tuesday – that’s lady-speak for the unmentionable, in case you didn’t know. I believe it is a great word, one championed by myself, because let’s face it – every now and again you meet a person and it is the only apt description. However, since having kids, there is a new ‘c’ word in my life, and I really hate it.

It is the word CAN’T!

• Put your underpants on – I can’t
• Put your clothes on – I can’t
• Build your own train set – I can’t
• You spend the hours required re-jigging that bloody Transformers robot into a car –I can’t
• Want to watch Ben 10? There’s the TV and the video player, sort it out – I can’t
• Put your seat belt on, wipe your own bum,  press the elevator button, carry some shopping – I can’t, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t
• Get your scooter in/out of the boot (aka trunk in some parts) – I can’t
• Put your Pyjamas on and get into bloody bed – I can’t
• Batteries run out? Here’s a screw driver, there’s the batteries, off you go – I can’t
• Want to colour change your cars? There’s the kettle for the hot water, the ice blocks are in the freezer, there’s a towel for the bloody mess, go – I can’t

And obviously, this list is endless!

Every time I hear that horrible word I want to scream - YES YOU CAN! I quickly follow it up with “please just try, because when you succeed you’ll feel like 10 men. Naturally, if you try and can’t do it, well that’s what Mum’s are for, but try, just bloody TRY.”

As any parent knows, the sense of achievement when they do try and achieve success is massive, but in the meantime, they really push a hot button with that word.

I think my little lads are slowly getting used to the fact that their Mum is not a BIG fan of the word can’t. Every time I hear it, it sends a bolt of discomfort shooting through my body, because I never EVER want them to grow into the sort of people that say “I can’t” in relation to anything.

With that said, I personally can’t

• Put together anything from Ikea – in fact, I can’t build or make anything that includes complex or detailed instructions that do not make sense, especially if they are in black and white (and require reading for more than two minutes)
• Code – anything
• Learn anything to do with computers from reading, I need visuals
• Attend events online and get anything out of it
• Concentrate when my kids are moaning
• Build anything recognizable with Lego
• Paint, draw or design anything
• Do complicated maths
• Get up before 7am and feel good about myself
• Do things slowly, including speaking or thinking
• Achieve any level of consistency with pool, darts or Ten Pin Bowling
• Hit a tennis ball softly
• Do hair
• Make things look pretty

What “can’t” you do?

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea