"Alpha mums turn parenting into a serious issue and motherhood into martyrdom, and the result is nobody has any fun"

[Twiglett]

article in sunday papers says Alpha Mum might have had her day

and that Beta Mums are raising confident happy children

well hurrah

goddarnit

dagnabbit

Dh has a theory that until around 11 children should be allowed to try any hobby or pastime they express an interest in.

Now I realise that | have been doing it ALL wrong. Instead of this sporty stuff, I should have been hothousing them in maths, introducing them to mandarin, and teaching them greek as well.

If you fail to make the grade as an alpha, but don't meet the criteria for a beta, what are you?

Does your DH's theory include him running them to all these activities or you??? If its you and not him, wonder how long his theory would hold if he did it all???!!

life as a beta is so much more... comfortable. I think I'll be beta for ever and ever.

quattro, what happens after 11?

lol MI

I'm going to join her in Omeganess.

We didn't get out of our PJs till about 10ish and only had breakfast at 11 .

Don't think I have the energy to be Alpha. Sounds awfully tiring (and tiresome).

Qu, that was what we did in a sense although mostly in school, not out and with 3 at university it's interesting what they've picked now as the things they love but if they hadn't been introduced to all those things then they wouldn't have had the choices or options. the 22 year old at the moment is riding every day and she's going to help the children of alpha parents learn to sail in the Caribbean for the summer shortly. She's doing those things she loves because of what she had the chance to do as a child, although actually she had hte chance because we worked and earned enough money to buy the interests in some senses I suppose.

After 11, he believes in rationing them to one or two hobbies. The things they are really interested in.

But as I have found with swimming, one hobby can be pretty all consuming - involving five or six outings a week.

I would like my children to be couch potatoes. Really I would!!!

I see, quat. Makes sense now.

Sounds to me like Beta is the new Alpha