The Reasons for My Love Affair With Coffee, From One Tired Mummy

We love featuring guest posts from people that love coffee! Whether they're coffee geeks or they value the time out they get when they sit down with a silky latte, everyone has their own experiences when it comes to their favourite brew.

 

This guest post has been submitted by Sam from Thrift, Plan, Enjoy. Sam writes all about saving money and enjoying life, but still has time to relax with a super fresh coffee. Let's get into the post.

 

Before the baby 

I was always a tea drinker. Until recently. I was the person at work everyone laughed at when we did the Starbucks order. Because the tea price tag was as much as luxury coffee. And I'm quite sure the colleague ordering the tea on my behalf, felt a bit uncomfortable. But it's what I wanted at the time. And I stuck to my guns. 

Motherhood requires caffeine 

Fast forward to motherhood. I experienced a total lack of sleep for a prolonged period of time, had a demanding baby, and needed a boost. Now I have an energetic toddler and that boost has become a regular daily lifeline. 

 

I can totally relate to the TikTok videos of grumpy mums before they’ve had their coffee in the morning. Getting up earlier to drink a cup of coffee has become the norm for me. The power of the caffeine outweighs an extra 20 minutes in bed. 

Life goes on

Life doesn't really care if you’ve had no sleep because of an energetic or unwell toddler. It is still not acceptable to phone work to use this as a reason for a day off. So the day job also requires your full attention, in addition to the several other priorities you have as a parent. Cue a cup of strong, hot coffee. Some days it’s just required to fuel you, in absence of sleep.  

Nobody else is going to get stuff done

Being a mummy can be a lonely journey. When you’re stuck in the house (sometimes by choice), naturally there is a lot of cleaning to do. Babies and toddlers make a lot of mess. 

 

Although it would be lovely, I’ve gathered nobody is going to turn up at my house to come and clean for me. Therefore, it's down to me, with a little help from my hubby. Tackling the level of mess a toddler can make, requires rocket fuel. And coffee provides the energy I often need to get through the day. 

Developing a love for coffee 

But isn't just about the caffeine hit any longer. I genuinely love buying and trying out new coffees. My highlight when I visit my sister-in-law's house is the new coffee machine. And I am currently researching which one we can purchase to replace our old one. It’s an exciting time for me. 

Increasing my knowledge of coffee 

As well as developing a love for coffee, I'm also interested to learn more. Thankfully, my hubby is very knowledgeable. He is literally one of those holiday tourists, sitting alone in a Spanish coffee kiosk, enjoying the delights of “proper coffee”. He is constantly educating me and I am thoroughly loving the coffee journey. 

Bedroom Coffee 

During the pandemic, I had to create a corner workspace in our master bedroom. It's great and it works. But the early morning starts required me to have the coffee machine in the bedroom with me. And to be honest, I miss it. 

I remember it was an 80's thing, for our parents to have the coffee machine next to the alarm clock, on the bedside table. Let’s bring this trend back!

The cost of coffee 

Whilst I've ditched the Costa and Starbucks takeaway coffees, I do enjoy a cup of coffee when we eat out. Or the cheaper alternatives in local cafes. For me, a coffee machine at home is a great compromise. Money-wise, we have less to go around because I've opted to work fewer hours and spend a bit more time with my family. This means the at-home coffee machine is a perfect solution to my problem. I need a morning boost and some enjoyment but it also has to be cost-effective. 

Holiday Coffee 

We have a coffee percolator at home and love nothing more than buying a great ground coffee. But this is reserved for weekends and time off work, mainly. We also take it on our UK holidays. And the whole family enjoy, what we call "proper coffee". Everybody gets involved and the love of coffee really does bring everyone together.  

The decaf argument

Because I suffer from IBS, I always have a decaf option in the house. Especially now the toddler likes to have a cold milky cup of tea (it’s a Yorkshire thing, I think). Pre children, I needed to drink decaf in the afternoons, otherwise, I wouldn't sleep. These days I am that exhausted I could sleep anywhere. 

My conclusion - it’s good to have a decaf option in the house. You never know whether guests will turn up, who cannot have caffeine or simply don't like it. 

Connecting over coffee

As you can probably imagine, I used to meet with friends at nightclubs and I was a bit of a party animal back in the day. These days my party animal behaviour is limited to dancing to Baby Shark before bed and making animal sounds (I wouldn't change it at all). 

 

Meeting in a coffee shop has become a lifeline for me, and many other parents out there. We chat, enjoy a hot luxury coffee and share our problems and challenges. Luckily, we have a lot of lovely coffee shops near where we live. 

 

Because I didn't have the best start in my pregnancy and early motherhood journey, I savour the moments I am now able to meet with a friend for coffee. There was a time when I hid away and cancelled plans because I felt so low. 

The joy of piping hot coffee

If you’re a parent or a generally busy person, you will understand cold coffee. I am not talking about the luxury iced coffees you can buy, but the coffee that was meant to be hot and has sat there for too long, meaning it’s now cold. Sometimes when I’m busy writing, this happens to me. 

 

That said, I still drink cold coffee. The caffeine is required and sometimes there isn’t enough time to make a fresh cup. 

 

However, I also fully savour the moments I am able to drink a full cup of hot coffee, without interruption. I recently saw our retired neighbour sitting in a local coffee shop, with a good book. Cue me, looking over in envy whilst trying to reason with a moody, unruly toddler. Whenever I can, I plan some coffee time. Alone. And honestly, it does wonders for my mental health. 

Final thoughts 

As you can tell, I've gone from an avid tea drinker, to actually loving the exploration of coffee. All I need now is a belated honeymoon in Italy. And a weekend of coffee, pastries, ice cream and pasta. That sounds like my kind of mum heaven. Sending this post to my hubby, so we can hopefully start planning it. And he won’t have to sit alone in the coffee kiosk, with his proper coffee. He will also enjoy educating me on the delights of all things coffee.