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MNHQ

Can you do the school run and run the country?

159 replies

HelenMumsnet · 13/07/2011 10:51

Hello.

We've been reading this story about Nick Clegg "killing himself" to take his children to school in the morning - and we wondered what you all think...

Is Miriam Clegg right to insist that she and her husband share the school run - or should Nick, as the Telegraph suggests, be concentrating on running the country?

OP posts:

Likeaninjanow · 13/07/2011 12:42

Awful, just awful. I honestly can't believe this was written by a woman

caramelwaffle · 13/07/2011 12:46

Oh goodness.

I have now read the article. Was that piece of tripe really written by a woman? A working (journalist) woman.

Oh, dear.

shmoz · 13/07/2011 12:51

What a vile article from the Torygraph.

How very dare MiriamGD have a career and fail to support her husband on the campaign trail, oh the . Women, know your limits!!

Worryingly, the journo seems to think Nick Clegg's day job is running the country! How I laughed

motherinferior · 13/07/2011 12:52

It must be quite embarrassing for the kids, I must say. I do very much hope he doesn't go to the end of term disco - Dad Dancing is bad enough but if your dad is Nick Clegg...

BTW, we journalists do work, you know. And do the school run too .

Tuppenyrice · 13/07/2011 13:10

Al0uise - my DP does the morning school run. But then he is a rockstar so he has time

pookamoo · 13/07/2011 13:18

Just heard Carrie on R2. LOL at "Daddy will be home in 4 years' time"

beachyhead · 13/07/2011 13:24

Ooooh, Carrie's just been referred to as that silly Mumsnet person on R2

paulapantsdown · 13/07/2011 13:35

I have it on direct authority (someone very close to me is working on the house directly opposite the Cleggs) that infact the nanny takes the kids to school every day.

So its bollix anyway.

Al0uiseG · 13/07/2011 13:56

TuppenyRice How does that figure on the embarrassment scale for kids? It's got to be one way or the other. :o

motherinferior · 13/07/2011 13:58

Paula, the thing is you wouldn't know if NC was doing it. It would be that bland bloke over there - what was his name, I'll remember it in a minute - sloping off, glimpsed from the corner of your eye...

Whoamireally · 13/07/2011 14:30

I bet he stands around trying to chat up the yummy mummies

Whoamireally · 13/07/2011 14:30

Or if not chat up, at least smile winsomely

MeriNisipPoissons · 13/07/2011 14:30

Nice to hear MumsnetCarrie on Jeremy Vine today about this.

ThingOne · 13/07/2011 14:32

What a vile article.

Miriam's hardly an evil ball breaker. She's and intelligent and hard-working woman who is trying hard, with her husband, to give her children an ordinary childhood in extraordinary - and unexpected - circumstances. How can it be emasculating for him when she's the one who had to change her career to follow his?

The Telegraph is stuck in the 1930s.

I earn about 1/10th of my DH's income and he still manages to do the school run at least once a week. Because he knows the kids like it!

HoneyNorwegianRidgebackdragon · 13/07/2011 14:36

dh is out the house by 7am each morning, due to the commute, but when the school run needs to be done he does it, and goes in late. My dh has commented on the OH that go in with their partners to collect and look throughly peed off about it though. He once commented "can they not be entrusted to do it on their own?" And it is true there are a couple who have clearly returned early are dragged along and then totally ignored - I had never noticed till he pointed it out.

I guess I'd object to Clegg doing it if someone can tell me why it's detrimental that he does. But really, he's just dropping the kids at school.

Would the telegraph make such a furore if Shiny Dave was papped stopping for 10 minutes to pick up a pint of milk on the way to work?

Tortington · 13/07/2011 14:45

I THINK its ridiculous that the deputy primeminister takes the kids to school.

if i had a job which allowed me to get someone else to do it - i would. taking the kids to school proves what point exactly?

she doesn't have to bloody well do it either, they have enough money to get 'people' to do it surely?

i think this is some bullshit 'must appear normal like common people' bullshit bollocks.

it is totally impractical.

yes us commoners have to share this practice - dh walked the kids 45 mins to school for years - then walked to work - so the fuck what - does he deserve a fucking medal?

what a fucking hoo haa over nothing. common, normal people do what is best for the family. if that means i start work at 8am and dh takes the kids to school becuase his employer is more flexible - then he does.

the only problem exists if a man in this situation says ' actually i know my employer is more flexible, but as a woman with a vagina and tits, the kids are your responsability

and i'm afraid at this point if you don't divorce the fucker, i've lost sympathy with you becuase you are a disgrace to woman kind for being so fucking THICK!!

HoneyNorwegianRidgebackdragon · 13/07/2011 14:48

"the only problem exists if a man in this situation says ' actually i know my employer is more flexible, but as a woman with a vagina and tits, the kids are your responsability"

I was trying to think of a polite way to say that Custardo....but yours does get the point across

Insomnia11 · 13/07/2011 14:50

Quentin Letts can fuck the fuck off, I know that much.

I think political leaders should be setting a good example. Refusing to cow-tow to macho corporate norms could bring about real change in this country.

The right-wing media here CAN'T STAND IT if a political leader's wife dares to have a career. Look what happened with Cherie Blair.

motherinferior · 13/07/2011 14:52

Er. Hang on.

Some of us like taking our kids to school. I do. It's a nice bit of my day. I get to talk to them and spend time with them and generally touch base with them in a way we don't do later on when everyone is knackered and I need to get back to work (as must Clegg).

In any case, presumably his day's loaded far more towards the evening. Quite a few lobby journalists drop off their kids in the morning, because they don't see them till later.

JoleneJoleneJoleneJoleeene · 13/07/2011 14:56

Miriam's shaping up to be quite a feminist icon. I think she's great.

paulapantsdown · 13/07/2011 15:32

Yeah well apparently (see my previous comment re insider info above!), Miriam is nothing but rude to the coppers guarding her house, and neither her or Nick have made them a cup of tea in the 6 months they have been on duty there! They can't stand either of them!

paulapantsdown · 13/07/2011 15:39

i am aware that my posts are stupid and pointless, but its boring in this office today.

whomovedmychocolate · 13/07/2011 15:40

Perhaps the school run is the only chance his kids get to actually see their father. In that case it is important.

Fennel · 13/07/2011 15:43

In working parent terms, doing the school drop-off is often an easy option, then you get to work and stay for ever. Picking up, 3 or 3.30, that's the real killer in my workplace. Noone is in at 9am but people who want to get anywhere don't slope off at 2.30.

Al0uiseG · 13/07/2011 15:53

If everyone who had a job started at 10am and finished at 2.30 to fall in with the school run the country would be positively 3rd world. I really, really think that Cleggy should be at his desk doing his very important job rather than delaying the start of the working day by pretending to be so enlightened.

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