Have I been blowing hot air?

I didn’t mean to call her irresponsible, it just happened. I was just in shock when she told me about her latest purchase.

So, mothers, I’ll explain what happened and you can tell me whose side you’re on.

It’s Saturday, just before Strictly, and I call my daughter.

“Hi Em, how was your day?”

“Hi. It was great. I visited Clare’s new baby, he’s gorgeous and he’s got red hair. I got him a beautiful outfit with blue elephants on it.”

“Aw cute, where did you get that?”

“A baby boutique, can’t remember the name.”

“You know, you shouldn’t spend too much on things they are only going to wear once. And the supermarkets have some lovely things, at a fraction of the cost.”

“Well that’s what I bought, Mum.”

Awkward silence.

“So how is Clare, she keep well?”

“Yeah, taking it all in her stride. And she was telling me how much she loved me hair. I’ve been getting lots of compliments about it since I got that new hairdryer.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had a new one. Actually mine is a bit iffy, where did you get it?”

“QVC. They had a great deal on Dyson hairdryers, and I’ve wanted one for ages.”

“Aren’t they a little pricey?”

This was shameless probing on my part - I knew exactly how much it was.

“Yes, I suppose but it’s supposed to be the best.”

“Go on, how much was it?”

“Look, you’re not going to approve and if I tell you it’ll just start a fight, so can’t we just leave it at that?”

“Fine. But I wouldn’t have said anything about it. You are old enough to be responsible with money.”

“Mum, I work hard, I wanted it, OK?”

“Well, from what I hear, those hairdryers are hundreds of pounds, and anyone who spends that on a hairdryer, I think, has more money than sense.”

In my defence, this argument had come on the back of several spending sprees from Emma.

“I haven’t been overspending, Mum, I’ve been buying things my family needs.”

“I’m sorry Emma, I think you are needlessly throwing money away, especially with Christmas just round the corner. I mean have you won the lottery or something?”

She’d hung up by this point.

Perhaps I’m just a different generation, and perhaps I was a little tough on her. She does work hard, but really, £399 for a hairdryer, that’ll never wash with me.