Ruth Kelly really wants to spend more time with her children

[Amey]

Just heard her interviewed on Radio 4 (World at One). She said she needs to spend more time with her children now they are older (they need her more than when they were babies). Does anyone else agree with this?? Do children need us more when they are at senior school than when at pre-school? If she's right, what does that say about government policy to get us all back to work as soon as possible?

[CoffeeCrazedMama]

I think they do need you more - or at least, make more demands. I am running around all the time after mine and their activities, and they are all over 10. The thing is, when they are little, childminder or nanny can do all the little kid things, but when they are older, that is trickier as activities are further afield, etc.

I also find they need you to confide in more as they get older - I'm lucky, my teens are very 'talkative' with me, and I've often had cause to think, 'Well lucky I was here to hear that and help'.

[AnarchyAunt]

Oh well lucky her for having the choice.

All us slatternly single mums are going to be expected to work full time once our kids hit seven, thanks to this government.

[TwoIfBySea]

Is that not government code for someone having to leave because of incompetence or something like that?

Just like the Glasgow East Labour MP had to leave because of "ill health" and not because of the £500k of expense irregularities.

[TheCrackFox]

I never believe male politicians when they spout this line and I am not going to make an exception for Ruth Kelly because of her gender. She wants out because she can't stand Gordon so she quit before he could sack her.

[MrsGuyOfGisbourne]

Don't believe it for one moment. Quite apart form the face she was overheard yesterday by journos dissing GB, am also suspicious that her eldest is 11 - bet she intends to send him to a fee-paying school whioch would be tooooooooo embarrassing for a cabinet member atm, even with their rhino skins. Her hsuband is a -handbag- househusband, so its not like the kids have no sahp. And she will still have a supposedly ful time job as an MP, suirely

[mrsshackleton]

she'll lose her seat at the next election, hates Gordo and kids are a good excuse - sure she does sincerely want to spend more time with them but now the time is right

[fryalot]

what malory said

[Twiglett]

I detest Ruth Kelly

I think her eldest is off to a fee-paying school .. don't you?

[GobbledigookisThrifty]

Agree with Malory - I can't stand her and she's clearly leaving cos she hates GB (so at least I agree with her on one thing )

[fryalot]

Her hating GB is almost enough reason for me to start liking him tbh

[Marina]

Well, one of her children has dyslexia severely enough for them to have chosen a specialist private school for him. Maybe she feels she needs to be able to be around for 100% of the weekend in the circumstances.

[fryalot]

not quite, malory, no. But almost

marina - if that were the case, shouldn't she have made this decision a couple of years ago, instead of placing him in that expensive boarding school that caused such a ruckus?

[Marina]

I can't second guess Ruth Kelly's motives squonk but primary school aged children develop rapidly in terms of reading and writing ability. For all we know, he might only have had a detailed dx six months ago. It does happen.

[fryalot]

I know, and I'm almost certainly probably being a tad unreasonable because I dislike her so much.

[Marina]

[findtheriver]

Oh this is all a bit bollocky. Isnt her other half a stay at home parent anyway??