Would Would you like to come along to the launch of Home Front: What do mums and dads need to make life work?

Sorry, bad link it is here

The meeting has started and I will be feeding in your views and feeding back responses from speakers and the floor

If you can't make the debate but would like to feed your views in www.mumsnet.com/Talk/5311/567141here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/2310/566617

This could provide a starting point, as if you needed one!

yeah, now worrying about stacks of work to be done, trying to get it all done in my teeny part-time hours... so maybe won't do it after all... might take Woodstocks advice

i am a journalist

AND i live in london

AND i hate going to launches outside london because getting home in time at night is hard enough from WC1, thankyou

BUT like everyone else i wont be going because i'm off next week and so have no childcare and unsure ds's opinions (ie going DA! DA! and pointing wildly) are welcome.
if tis any reassurance to you provincials, if past launches i've attended are anything to go by those attending on the day will be mere window dressing to make the tv clips look good. dont go, take part in the proper online consultation all summer which is what will really matter at your leisure.

I'm going too

I'm a definite maybe.

Oh lord I've put everyone else off now.

I'm going.

If there was a creche I'd be there IN A FLASH! have lots to say and what a good forum...

hello

I too am in this category, don't mind about going into a roomful of people, even if I have Weetabix in my hair, it will be some how "authentic" and "grass-roots" as non-governmental organization speak goes.....

will email MN towers too. by freak chance the UN is currently having virtual conference on the same subject - look on the UN Division for the Advancement of Women website for details and to vent spleen on an international level, as well as at UK authorities.

I happen to know that both equality for women in the family and the responsibility of governments to transform stereotypical attitudes is part of international law (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Article 5
Article 5

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures:

(a) To modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women;

(b) To ensure that family education includes a proper understanding of maternity as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children, it being understood that the interest of the children is the primordial consideration in all cases.

.... so we need to tell those in authority to drink that milkshake down, daddy-o

X T4T

So who is going?

I am in the category of "work round the corner, could go as I am working overtime on Monday, but I'm not confident enough to waltz in and talk to a roomful of people"!

Just scrolled through briefly - I fall into the weirdly small category of WOHM who could in theory make it to the event (my office is around the corner)...but I'm on maternity leave with 2 dcs to look after so shan't be there....anyway, just wanted to reassure MN Towers that there is an (admittedly small) audience for this type of thing.

The Inmarsat building is right on the Old Street roundabout, right on top of Old Street tube station (Northern Line). But its only about 10 mins walk down City Road from Moorgate, if that helps anyone.

But it's not just grumpiness, I don't think. People with family commitments are excluded from all sorts of things, both in and out of work, which is the point of the debate I assume. And now they are also excluded from the launch!

I can quite see that there is a need to cover London, but not exclusively London.

i told my journo friend and she's mailed all her editors. she writes about all things small children related so hopefully you'll attract some visitors from that.

I think this sounds great and hope the launch event goes well and that you get lots of press coverage. Looking forward to taking part in the online debate.

Looky here, you Archers-loving country bumpkins on this thread: London. Rules. That's it. We sht-hot city slickers know everything there is to know about everything that matters. The sun revolves around us*; Copernicus was wrong. So if you can't make the London meeting because you have the misfortune to live outside the big smoke, just sit quietly and let the grown-ups sort your lives out for you.

Actually, I can't make it either!

Yes I would but I can't but the answer to the question is gin

i'd like to come. i am on mat leave at the mo and might be able to arrange childcare.
this is an issue i feel v strongly about - i hate being invisible at work cos i'm part time and a mother so i'll do my best.

i also live in london and am far from affluent and it adds insult to injury to be considered the poor relation in london ('oh, do you live in a flat?') and considered jammy by everyone outside london ('you don't really need umbrellas in london do you' - true comment). yes, there are baby yoga classes etc all over the place but if you can't afford them...

well i would love to go but am at work.maybe they should consider online/written contributions

My dh has said he might go.

I can't come, but I have a thought:

I think all nursery childcare should be not-for-profit charity or government run, so that all proceeds go into the nursery and for paying the staff a decent salary for a very tough and responsible job, rather than big companies creaming their profits off.

(FWIW, I am not a nursery worker but a mum who uses a nursery which is very good but the staff are undervalued, IMO, and underpaid, and stuff in the nursery is pretty shabby, despite the fees being some of the highest in the area.)

Bundle - Inmarsat is at the Old St roundabout

I think this sounds like a great initiative and really want to be part of the on-line debate. Hope your launch goes well.

I've got a journo friend and will let her know that it's happening.