Children get stuck, and every time we wade into a puddle, climb a precarious rope ladder or even successfully wrangle a tangled jumper from over their head, we’re showing up for our kids, says Early Years Scotland Policy & Engagement Manager, Lorna Kettles.

In a rare turn of events, I had a free few hours to myself over the weekend. I looked at my ironing pile, considered the mess that is the toy corner in my living room, then decided that the most appropriate course of action would be to leave those as they were, think about what I would benefit most from doing and treat myself to a solo date to see the new Bridget Jones movie. As a long-time fan of this unlikely heroine, I couldn’t wait to see how she tackled the ups and downs of motherhood as a lone parent. It was glorious, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has belted out ‘All By Myself’ in their jammies with a large bar of chocolate in their hand.

In one part of the film, Bridget gets stuck up a tree while attempting to rescue her young daughter who has climbed higher than she realised she was able to, all the while denying the need for any assistance to get back down. I laughed out loud – not only because it was funny, but because it made me think of all of the times that, as parents, we get ourselves into ridiculous situations for our children. How often have you heard your favourite wee voices shout ‘help!’ and have found them with their arms or their legs entangled in something you just can’t fathom how they got into, and you’ve got to keep a straight face and try and work out how to unhook them? I wish I had a pound for every time a red-faced, breathless child ran up to me in a soft play, proclaiming that my child was stuck and couldn’t get down. Perhaps the wealth that would come from that would make up for the utter mortification that results from these situations, where I stand at the entrance of a sweaty plastic tunnel I know that my 40 year old, perimenopausal body is just not going to fit in, trying to bribe my wailing son with all manner of treats so I don’t have to then end up trying to wriggle my way through while other parents try not to laugh into their lattes.

What we probably don’t realise, though, is that despite our stifled laughter or embarrassment, these ridiculous situations form brilliant memories for us and, more importantly, our children. Every time we wade into a puddle, climb a precarious rope ladder or even successfully wrangle a tangled jumper from over their head, we’re showing up for our kids. If you’ve had to extrapolate one of your children from the branches of a bush, it’s because you’ve been able to take them out to a park or on a walk where they’ve had the opportunity to explore an outdoor space, use their imagination, risk assess and invariably problem solve when they realise it’s easier to stretch up to a higher branch on a tree than it is to stretch back down. The realisation that it’s your child shouting from the top level of a climbing frame that they have no idea how to descend means you’ve had the means to treat your children to a fun day out, where they’ve been able to run around, get lots of exercise, interact with their peers and, in some cases, face their fears (some of those slides are TALL). Parent of being a parent is pulling up your socks and doing what needs to be done, regardless of the embarrassment. Plus – when they’re teenagers, they’ll be embarrassed by just about everything you do, so it kind of comes full circle anyway.

Oh, and one more thing. It’s ok to leave the housework or the admin or whatever you think you should be doing if you get a bit of time to yourself. I would highly recommend the cinema on your own – nobody talks to you and you don’t have to share your snacks. And while you wait for the movie to start you can think about the time your bottom got wedged in that yellow slide in the soft play and you thought you’d have to be winched out and end up on the news.