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Original poster

If you are fed up of the WOHM vs SAHM debate (I know I am) DO NOT open the News Review bit of the Sunday Times....

275 replies

foxinsocks · 29/10/2006 12:47

just don't do it

OP posts:
Greensleeves · 31/10/2006 00:02

I took my children for a picnic in the park today. They had wholemeal sandwiches and carrot sticks. I thought of this article and sniggered.

handlemecarefully · 31/10/2006 00:06

I printed off the make your own bat mobile instructions from the cbeebies website and we coloured them in and made them.

Apparently my children will hate me / pity me in future because I am such an economically unproductive sap, a poor role model for my dd (this has been posted on MN quite recently) and slavishly attend to their needs in a pathetic, needy living through my children manner

BloodyTenaLady · 31/10/2006 13:55

Ha saw another article in the Mail yesterday about pushy mums, who actually train their kids to egg and spoon race before sports days.

And whats wrong with that I ask you?

Come on own up!

BloodyTenaLady · 31/10/2006 14:11

.

GoingQuietlyMad · 31/10/2006 14:37

tenalady i couldn't agree more.

what on earth is wrong with a little surreptitious coaching here and there if it makes the children's lives easier?

I am usually a WOHM and yes, I envy SAHM who are able to put time into these things. But let's be honest, if I could do it, I would.

I think it depends on the sort of person you are.

If I didn't work, I would have to channel all my energy and competitiveness into the children. Not to make other people look bad, but to feed some kind of inner perfectionism. I'm not sure why that is such a threat, unless you go around criticising others all the time.

BloodyTenaLady · 31/10/2006 14:44

My motto is 'fail to prepare or prepare to fail'

Original poster
foxinsocks · 31/10/2006 14:48

because I think there's a difference between preparing for things like exams and preparing for things like egg and spoon races!

the joy of egg and spoon races isn't in the winning but in the taking part (I know, old cliche) and laughing at dropping the egg 20 times

OP posts:
BloodyTenaLady · 31/10/2006 14:51

I think if a child hasnt done anything like it before, there is no harm in practising. Just gives them a little more confidence.

Original poster
foxinsocks · 31/10/2006 14:56

but at some point, they will be faced with something they haven't done before

why do you need confidence for an egg and spoon race though? it just doesn't matter if they can't keep the egg on the spoon - that's half the fun

OP posts:
GoingQuietlyMad · 31/10/2006 16:51

mind you, it depends on the child's personality as much as anything else.

my motto too - "fail to prepare is preparing to fail." i like to be prepared for things, to avoid looking a total idiot.

dd1 lacks confidence so i might practice with her to avoid a crisis on the day. dd2 is nowhere near as self concsious, so I would prob not bother.

actually i am now lol about the idea of having a heated debate about practising for egg and spoon races. what am i on about???!!!!

mozhe · 31/10/2006 23:48

I think you all sound a tad defensive, I recognise that SAHM. How about a genuine discussion ?

ScareyCaligulaCorday · 01/11/2006 09:54

Oh yeah, right Mozhe, because the tone of that ridiculous article really invites genuine sensible debate, doesn't it. What d'you want to debate? Whether Daisy Waugh is a cynical, lazy journalist with a chip on her shoulder, or a brilliant social commentator whose stunning insights into the lives, attitudes and priorities of complete strangers on a train should have us all worshipping at her shrine?

Give us a break.

notasheep · 01/11/2006 21:02

exactly

Schhh · 01/11/2006 22:43

travel on any train in germany, and this woman, kids and wholemeal sandwiches are there, though. They cant all be on their day off from being company directors, surely?

Anyway, if they want my sympathy, they shouldnt look on in silent horror when my 4, white bread eating, un-entertained children are misbehaving as I surf the internet.

WhizzBangCaligula · 02/11/2006 10:34

LOL I've just sent the letter

wheelsonthebus · 02/11/2006 14:32

for anyone who thinks there is not an ongoing conflict between WMs and SAHMS should have a look at the thread "would you give up a salary of £250,000 to be a SAHM", with about 450 posts and rising.

mozhe · 02/11/2006 15:04

Come on ' mothers who don't work ', there is a case for the ' over parented ' child....and I've yet to meet one whose parents go out to work, why is that ?

WhizzBangCaligula · 02/11/2006 15:06

Oh wtf is an over-parented child?

Most kids are at school most of the day and they go to bed at between 7 and 8. There isn't enough time to "over-parent" them.

PrincessPeaHead · 02/11/2006 21:32

caligula are you serious? have you really?

WHOOOO HOOOOO!

I'd like first peek at the response please! (And PLEASE tell me you called them Augustus and Jemima, go on go on)

WhizzBangCaligula · 02/11/2006 21:44

LOL, must tell you what happened - I got a response back from La Waugh herself, one word - "eh?"

So I explained it was a joke and directed her to this thread. I wonder if she's read it?

Also got an e-mail from the letters editor asking me to call her, so that she could verify the letter was for real! I did assure her that it was tongue in cheek, and she said they'd received loads of letters about the article.

And yes, I referred to Jemima and Augustus but left out the bit about Bear Stearns, just made it anonymous. So now I'm curious to see how many letters they'll print about this on Sunday.

PrincessPeaHead · 02/11/2006 23:19

that is so funny! lolol. even more brilliant to tell daisy to read this thread! you are v gutsy, ha hahahahahaha

mozhe · 03/11/2006 00:40

yes. gutsy....I've just penned a letter of congrats to Daisy, I think she was spot on. Am I gutsy ?

PrincessPeaHead · 03/11/2006 10:00

not quite as gutsy as pointing her to a thread which calls her a tosser, obviously, but I'm sure she'll appreciate your kind thoughts!

mozhe · 03/11/2006 10:03

NOT everyone on this thread thinks she's a tosser ! I think she's witty, funny and possibly quite observant ?

PrincessPeaHead · 03/11/2006 10:07

sigh. I didn't SAY that everyone on the thread calls her a tosser. In fact, I didn't call her a tosser, I said I thought she was a good writer and quoted a paragraph which I thought was brilliant.
But some people DO call her a tosser and it takes more guts to point someone to a thread which insults them (whether or not there are also people who are kind on it) than it does sending her an email which says "well done, ma'am".

Is this REALLY something you have to debate? Yawn.