Earlier this week, the Daily Mail seemed to go all out to get the “slummy mummies” – a group of women who have been misunderstood. According to the Mail, these bloggers get a thrill out of boasting about their negligent parenting. The article has stirred up a hornets’ nest with almost ten thousand shares and a thousand comments on the page.

So what’s happened? A group of bright and successful bloggers, Katie Kirby (Hurrah for Gin), Steph Douglas (Don’t Buy Her Flowers), Sarah Turner (The Unmumsy Mum) and Clemmie Telford (Mother of All Lists), alongside comedians The Scummy Mummies, have all been named in the Mail for ‘driving down’ parenting standards and apparently, being too honest about the calamities of parenting. I was fortunate enough to actually meet Clemmie Telford at an event today and I can tell you, she’s a lovely, honest mama. I can also tell you that I’ve seen The Scummy Mummies as a comedy duo and it’s the funniest thing I’ve seen for a long time.

Yes, some of it is slightly stretched, but that’s all part of the fun. Some of the content these mothers write about is very funny. I mean, really, laugh out loud funny and very therapeutic. Jesus Christ, it’s a bloody scary world out there. If we can’t take humour in our children’s unnecessary toddler tantrums, kids meals and gin, then what is the world coming to? These ladies are building an honest, open community that acknowledges our flaws as well as our successes. Imperfect parenting is REAL parenting. No Gina Ford here (sorry Gina).

Not much has changed from when I grew up in the eighties. I seemed to survive on a lifetime supply of fish fingers or something Bernard Matthews related. Weekends mostly consisted of liver and bacon, wheat crunchies, soda stream and slush puppies. I seemed to have turned out OK.

This week, thousands of mothers took to social media – posting under the hashtag #solidaritea – to show their support for each other and their determination to have each other’s backs and resist the forces that try to pit them against each other. A compassion-filled resistance, celebrating the good, the bad and challenging stereotypes is surely one most of us can get behind.

On a positive note, I wonder how many free fish fingers these bloggers have been sent since the article? A years’ supply? Either way, it was great fun to see Birdseye UK getting involved on the campaign and supporting the bloggers in a positive way. I seemed to have acquired a few Instagram follower too. Thank you Birdseye UK. I’ll await my delivery.

So in summary, Daily Mail. We didn’t really approve of your article, so we’re taking out two fish fingers and slapping you around the face with them.

We are good mothers. And you know what Daily Mail…the kids are alright.

As you were.