Not really an AIBU, more of a rant. I'll probably get flamed by all the self employed. I have a "friend" (I use that term very loosely now), who is self employed, recently had a baby. Went back to work within a month of having her for financial reasons. Obviously not being entitled to SMP. I had a baby a couple of months after. I'm employed so am entitled to maternity leave and SMP, which I have taken.
Shes always been quite an opinionated person. Benefit claimants are treated with utter contempt by her, no matter the individual circumstance. I do not claim benefits but I do not pass judgement on people that do.
Anyway, she has now taken to treating mothers that are entitled to maternity leave with the same contempt she has for benefit claimants. She constantly bangs on about how she had to leave her baby and never gets to see her whilst everyone else gets to sit on their asses with their babies.
For example, she decided that one day a week she was extending her opening hours to 8pm because of "all you moaners constantly asking for appointments". One of many written on her business page. I used to use her services but the way in which she words things on her page it makes you feel you are an inconvenience to her and you are keeping her away from her baby by being a "moaner" for wanting an appointment. She basically insinuates shes being hounded and she must abandon her baby to satisfy you. God forbid she has a no show. Expresses how tired she is and how she will leave work now and deal with a baby that doesn't sleep, get up in the morning and do it all again for all you moaners. I think shes unprofessional for posting all of this on a business page and should keep it strictly business. I dont know if anybody else feels as uncomfortable as I do and has stopped using her service. I understand how hard it must be for her to leave her baby but she is very openly and publicly slating the very people that pay her wages.
We live in the same area and go to the same baby group. She is so woe is me. She is soooooo much of a better mother than everybody else because she left her baby at a month old and works so much harder than everyone else. When she first went back I was thinking good on her that must be hard and thought she was amazing. We used to get on well, now I just want to avoid her at all costs. She makes you feel you are less of a mother for taking the leave and pay you are entitled to. You are beneath her if you take your maternity leave.
I have a lot of respect for self employed mothers that have no choice but to resume work pretty much straight away but jesus christ dont make the rest of us feel guilty!
Sorry, I just needed to get that off my chest as it's been bugging me for quite some time now.