My View: Mothers must be off their trolleys to play

If it wasn't so tragic, it would be funny. One of them, Elaine Carmody, was affronted that anyone could take offence, pointing out that she has "lovely pairs of pyjamas, with bears and penguins on them". This is a 24-year-old woman, with two children. Not only is she prepared to admit, on record, that her nightwear features the kind of cutesy creatures my four-year-old daughter likes, she is also happy for us all to know that she rolls out of bed in the morning, doesn't bother to shower, takes her kids to school, and then wanders the aisles fondling the fresh produce without so much as washing her hands. And not only that. She is presumably wearing no knickers.

I've spoken to lots of women about this. And one or two admit that in extremis, they have rushed off to school with jeans and jumper pulled on over their night attire. But Amanda has got four kids under five, and Liz says that she had been up all night with a sick daughter and simply ran out of time to do anything else. We all have our off mornings.

But this supermarket business is something different. It says that these women have no respect for themselves or others, no idea what message they are sending to their children about standards, and no job or anywhere meaningful to go once they have spent their benefit money, except back to bed and Jeremy Kyle.

And what really riles me is that the lovely Elaine is especially cross because she was about to spend 100. I know plenty of mothers who work all week, and can only dream of turning up at Tesco's with 100 to spend on groceries.

You and I are probably working to pay for Elaine's shopping. And her pyjamas. Another woman, a single mother of three, said that she hasn't the time to get "dolled up" in the mornings. Well, love, a word of advice. Get up earlier. I've got two kids, I'm on my own for months at a time because my husband works away, and I've got the whole shower/make-up/hair routine down

to 15 minutes max.

But then again, you would probably think I'm a snob for slapping on a bit of lippy. No wonder our stylish European sisters regard us as beyond redemption.

I think it is safe to say that I would never, ever go to the supermarket in my pyjamas. I don't wear them. But if I turned up at Netto in my nightie, do you think they would give me 100 to spend in one go?

However tempting the idea, I think I'll keep my nightmares to myself.