PARENTING is already the toughest job in the world without others bragging about their prowess in it and creating visual yardsticks for everyone else.

The social media craze called the Motherhood Challenge encourages users to post photos of how they are “happy to be a mother”. This is not only insensitive to those with fertility problems but particularly upsetting for mums with problems and just an irritant to the rest of us doing our best to muddle through parenting as always.

Real mums (and dads) don’t need to boast. The results are there for all to see in their children.