Katie Ellison - Mummy Daddy Me

Someonepassmeacoffee · Mar 23, 2019

I'm new here (come from hearing about it on BrummyMummys stories!!!), but I really like Katie, she's always replied to any comments and messages and in my opinion she comes across as honest and likeable - not like some of the others who never acknowledge that they even have followers who try to interact with them.
I like watching her stories and read her blogs living in hope that one day I will take my own children on similar trips!

shopgirlmama · Mar 25, 2019

She's definitely a 'stay on my internets' mama for me (mostttt of the time lol). Just remember guys, she works in social marketing essentially for brands, so it's in her best interest to represent her own brand as a good example.

That being said, I really would like to see her travel stuff become more encompassing and transparent. That's one of my biggest areas of frustration with her, I would love to have the opportunity to travel one day like that with my family!! I'd like to see her write more about budgeting for trips, what to look for, what's best bang for your buck basically, and just an overall plan for doing amazing trips like this. Granted she gets a lot of it free, but I can't connect to her at all (and I don't think that's necessary either if you know what I mean), when it comes to travel knowing she's not paid for all of it. Most of her blog posts on her trips are on where they went, blah blah. But what about all the planning and thought that went into it? I'd like to know more about that.

Really86 · May 5, 2019

Did you know that Maddy is the only girl on her football team - she only managed to mention it twice yesterday - I know it's petty but if says it again I'm going to scream

British25 · May 5, 2019

Also (since this thread has popped up again [emoji12]) it kind of grates on me that every single photo she posts is her "new favourite".

This was completely natural, no poses, genuine smiles. Not insta worthy but it is my new favourite. These are the moments I'll always remember.

Classic Katie.

Yoghurtpots · May 5, 2019

British25 said:
Also (since this thread has popped up again [emoji12]) it kind of grates on me that every single photo she posts is her "new favourite".

This was completely natural, no poses, genuine smiles. Not insta worthy but it is my new favourite. These are the moments I'll always remember.

Classic Katie.

YES! This bugs me too. Every single picture is her perfectly posed either that what you said or another 'humble' caption completely unrelated to the pic.
Jeeze.. just admit that you love yourself and showing off rather than humble bragging all the time.

meetmeinthemiddle · May 5, 2019

Katie probably wasn’t that transparent, but she is now - she basically listened to feedback and acted on it.

Pushyplumb · May 5, 2019

Don't forget that Lottie is their filling to their sandwich and the easiest to look after.

That the girls biggest treat is to have a sleepover in mummy and daddy's bed but she doesn't mind because they won't want to do it forever and these are the memories they will have forever.

Would be very easy to invent a drinking game (with diet coke obvs) on the times Katie repeats herself.

meetmeinthemiddle · May 5, 2019

Pushyplumb said:
Don't forget that Lottie is their filling to their sandwich and the easiest to look after.

I heard Clemmie Telford saying this too. A LOT of recycling from insta mums ...

Pushyplumb · May 5, 2019

I think it is a lovely way to describe the sometimes easily to forget about middle child. The first time she said/wrote it I thought it was very sweet but she has repeated it several times now.

Yep, just like the matching wall colours, rugs, method cleaning products these vloggers are now even coping each others vocabulary.

Onthefence · May 5, 2019

I do get frustrated with the constant references to being the only girl on the team. I think it actually belittles her daughters’ achievements by only speaking about it in terms of her gender. Be proud that she’s a fantastic football player, not that she’s the only girl on the team, from what we’ve seen, she doesn’t need the caveats, she’s just great full stop

Ilando · May 5, 2019

Another privileged woman who has no understanding of the real world. It was hilarious when they first moved house and she went to great lengths to explain that they won’t be able afford to renovate any rooms yet.... shortly after have loads of work done!

I couldn’t care less but why lie and pretend that they’re not loaded

Really86 · May 6, 2019

Jon works for America (cue laughter)

I dragged Jon out for a coffee (well diet coke for me obvs)

-who doesn't love a drinking game!!

pipmint · May 6, 2019

shopgirlmama said:
She's definitely a 'stay on my internets' mama for me (mostttt of the time lol). Just remember guys, she works in social marketing essentially for brands, so it's in her best interest to represent her own brand as a good example.

That being said, I really would like to see her travel stuff become more encompassing and transparent. That's one of my biggest areas of frustration with her, I would love to have the opportunity to travel one day like that with my family!! I'd like to see her write more about budgeting for trips, what to look for, what's best bang for your buck basically, and just an overall plan for doing amazing trips like this. Granted she gets a lot of it free, but I can't connect to her at all (and I don't think that's necessary either if you know what I mean), when it comes to travel knowing she's not paid for all of it. Most of her blog posts on her trips are on where they went, blah blah. But what about all the planning and thought that went into it? I'd like to know more about that.

I agree with this. I find their family really relatable in their home /family life, and the travel stuff is visually brilliant. But where's the useful info on how to budget for the sort of trips they do? Where are the details of how much each hotel stay costs and how much an overall trip like the ones they do would cost in real life? Buying new things for the house all the time, new room = completely new (expensive!) furniture. That stuff to me is completely unrelatable because without the conversation about how they budget for these things, it's like living in make believe land. Totally unachievable for the average family.

Onthefence · May 6, 2019

I really think they don’t need to budget, they just have plenty of money for it all. Which sadly makes it completely unrelatable for me. I find myself feeling terrible about the life I’m giving my children. All of their furniture is ancient & secondhand. We’ve not been on holiday & she’s always saying how travel enriched her children’s lives. Travel would be my passion too if I had any money

shopgirlmama · May 6, 2019

Onthefence said:
I really think they don’t need to budget, they just have plenty of money for it all. Which sadly makes it completely unrelatable for me. I find myself feeling terrible about the life I’m giving my children. All of their furniture is ancient & secondhand. We’ve not been on holiday & she’s always saying how travel enriched her children’s lives. Travel would be my passion too if I had any money

I know the feeling, and I think they don’t have a budget cause she gets a lot of it free. She calls herself a travel blogger as well but I’ve never seen her talk about how she finds the best flights etc. Just shows the glossy side, and all these fancy things. Totally unrelatable for me as well.

I think we alllll want the best for our children, at least we’re not selling out our lives, our families, etc for it.

Onthefence · May 6, 2019

I agree, I don’t think she’d actually be able to talk about budgeting or value for money because A) she gets so much gifted or heavily discounted that she can’t give an objective opinion & B) it would expose that she has no clue of the kind of money most people have available to them

pipmint · May 6, 2019

Onthefence said:
I really think they don’t need to budget, they just have plenty of money for it all. Which sadly makes it completely unrelatable for me. I find myself feeling terrible about the life I’m giving my children. All of their furniture is ancient & secondhand. We’ve not been on holiday & she’s always saying how travel enriched her children’s lives. Travel would be my passion too if I had any money

Of course - I totally fell into the trap of thinking for a second that they are just like us normal folk, when actually there is no budgeting going on there. It's accounts like these that actually make me feel far worse than the huge instagrammers with over 1m followers. My brain can understand that they are leading a completely different life to the average joe. But it's the ones with smaller followings and families that resemble my own, selling a life that is "so normal and just like you!" that occasionally trick me into forgetting how much they are probably earning from social media and have me feeling like I should be able to give my children the same opportunities too.

Life88 · May 6, 2019

I do think they budget the holidays though, they seem to have one meal out a day and snack or grab sandwiches out and about which cuts costs alot. They dont go shopping and they do an activity every other day. To me this is how they manage it. It's not extravagant it's just carefully planned. I'm not saying they dont have money, they do but I doubt they are rolling in it. And so what if they do have a bit of money they both work let them spend it on what they like.

Also I don't think it her money that pays for most things. I think Jon has a great job and works really hard from what I see even working when they are away.

Really86 · May 6, 2019

This is so true, whilst the blogs are beautiful to look at & are really well filmed & planned there is no practical advice, agree there doesn't seem to be the need to budget (or cut back on anything when they return home, they haven't been in the house 2 years yet & they have completely renovated every room apart from the kitchen which is in the pipeline), I also have 3 children & would love to know where they find hotels that will accommodate a family of 5 in one room (or do the hotels allow this as they are being gifted), how much do all the day trips cost, eating out, do they breakfast in their room to save money, what would car hire for 16 days cost etc

Onthefence · May 6, 2019

Life88 said:
I do think they budget the holidays though, they seem to have one meal out a day and snack or grab sandwiches out and about which cuts costs alot. They dont go shopping and they do an activity every other day. To me this is how they manage it. It's not extravagant it's just carefully planned. I'm not saying they dont have money, they do but I doubt they are rolling in it. And so what if they do have a bit of money they both work let them spend it on what they like.

Also I don't think it her money that pays for most things. I think Jon has a great job and works really hard from what I see even working when they are away.

Maybe it’s perspective but from here, it is extravagant. I wish I could see redoing a great big house & going on American road trips as not being extravagant but it’s so far removed from my reality. I also don’t think Jon works harder than me or my partner, it’s obcuously just lucrative

pipmint said:
Of course - I totally fell into the trap of thinking for a second that they are just like us normal folk, when actually there is no budgeting going on there. It's accounts like these that actually make me feel far worse than the huge instagrammers with over 1m followers. My brain can understand that they are leading a completely different life to the average joe. But it's the ones with smaller followings and families that resemble my own, selling a life that is "so normal and just like you!" that occasionally trick me into forgetting how much they are probably earning from social media and have me feeling like I should be able to give my children the same opportunities too.

Yes that’s what it is. I feel like I must be such a let down to my kids because if these other normal mums can live extraordinary lives then where am I going wrong? Once she’s not on holiday she is very downbeat about everything she does “we’re painting the fence, it’s all glamour here” so she doesn’t even seem grateful, no matter how many times she says in a caption that she’s grateful