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Have you seen the ad on tv for vitamins for a mum who does yoga on a mat her child has drawn on? Nice looking ad. But why is the vitamin for 'women with children' rather than 'for mothers'? And why do 'women with children' have different vitamin requirements from women without children? Once we stop breastfeeding, aren't we all the same?

And the ad where the women is on a date and needs to scratch her head. Clearly, she needs the speical scalp-care shampoo. Why does no-one consider she might have nits? In my world, no-one is thinking of itchy scalp shampoo. We think of treating nits. Over and over. Why is there no tv advertisement for nit treatment?

My friend rang me in despair because her son has just started school and she has been combing him and herself, productively, every second night. When he stayed with his dad over the weekend, no combing. I suggested she go on RSVP and ask for a man who is handy with a nit comb.*

So, I'd like to see advertisements where parents of both gender are combing their children for nits, just by the way, as they order the take away food, or need that quick, easy to prepare meal. Because combing for nits takes up time our of your busy day. Or maybe we need to advertise gift vouchers for professional nit treatments. That's one gift I'd love to receive. Or ways for mothers to stay calm while combing three people for nits, making sure they do their homework while feeding them healthy meals, and then combs herself when the children are in bed. Or maybe we could lobby for collective action to make sure EVERYONE treats for nits and have certain days where we all schedule it in, and organise nit parties where we invite in the aunts and uncles to help comb our children. Help a mum. Comb a child. That's an ad I'd like to see.

* I also suggested she raise the issue at the P&C - do they enforce the kids with nits aren't to be at school policy? Do some people just not bother treating their kids?