Guardian Family: Confessions of a Full Time Mother

[morningpaper]

Confessions of a Full Time Mother

"Kirsty Gunn is not working on her next novel. She is not a columnist for the London Review of Books. She has chosen instead to disappear from the professional world and embrace a domestic life just as rich and interesting and inspiring ... "

PAH! She's opted out of the professional world - well except for this article and the book she has just written about her "year as a full time mum" - full time that is, except for the 30 hours a week that her children are at school in which I presume she fannies about writing drivel like this.

At first I thought it was an ironic joke, but sadly not. Perhaps she is friends with that woman who survived the concentration-camp conditions of Fulham after that breeze blew her wooden grapes off the sideboard...

[morningpaper]

Of COURSE there's nothing wrong with men crying

But crying because they are DROPPING THEIR CHLDREN OFF AT SCHOOL?

DOES COLIN FIRTH DO THAT? I think not.

[yellowrose]

I love the Guardian on most days that I read it, but it does sometimes print stuff that isn't worth the paper it is written on.

[SarahJaneSmith]

Lordy, what a load of sickly tosh.

I have five children with a sickness bug here at the moment and I have run out of bleach and loo roll . I think I know which war-zone I would prefer.

[morningpaper]

I'm very happy that this woman is making money writing about her experience of having 30 hours a week to busy herself writing about having 30 hours a week to busy herself

Good for her

It's still wet

[yellowrose]

The last time I saw dh crying is when his aunt died of cancer. Nothing wrong with a man crying, but a bit pathetic if it is just saying bye bye to baby for a few hours.

[morningpaper]

YUCK Sarah Jane

Now that I WOULD read about

[beansprout]

SarahJane - now that's a war zone

[AitchTwoOh]

xenia, i'd lay you a pound to a penny that her husband owns or is senior at Atlantic books and that Kirsty G writes for pin money, not to pay her mortgage bill - whichever type of mortgage that may be.
[clementines vomited across my limestone floor]

[Judy1234]

Yes, the Guardian should try to employ single mothers and mothers who are the family's main breadwinner. They failed here.

But the piece got you writing this thread so it's hardly failed in that sense. No doubt it will help her sell copies of her book too.

Men who look after children a lot tend to get that very close bond a lot of stay at home mothers have and do feel very upset when they leave the child at nursery as studies in Sweden have shown. We should be praising men who can show their emotions like this. It shows progress in society and yet here you man bash because he is upset and showing feelings. Why should he not?

[AitchTwoOh]

xenia, be sensible... do you think she's a good writer?

[yellowrose]

No one is man bashing. I can't stand macho men who say only wimps cry. But one has to draw the line somewhere.

I would also worry about a mother who bursts into tears every time she leaves her children somewhere. If it upsets her that much, perhaps she shouldn't be doing it !

[morningpaper]

Xenia - man or woman dropping off their children at nursery or school and CRYING - is WET.

[franca70]

Haven' read the whole thread, just wanted to thank tinker for this
"My husband weeps, quickly and quietly at the nursery school door when dropping off our youngest daughter"

It's called relief.

[ghosty]

I wonder whether the writer is a Mumsnetter and is reading this thread ...
Maybe she is thinking, "Well, that went down like a shit sandwich ... time for me to get a new job I think"

[Aloha]

I'm a better writer, and I denigrate her writing!

[AitchTwoOh]

by the way xenia, i have been puzzling about it for the last ten minutes or so and i just wanted you to know that re: "Yes, the Guardian should try to employ single mothers and mothers who are the family's main breadwinner. They failed here."
I have NO IDEA if you are serious or not.

[marthamoo]

Tbh, I think my 9 year old is a better writer...

[Enid]

reading about having small children is intrinsically uninteresting

however you try and wank it up

articles about other people's children are D.U.L.L.

[naturemum]

Had been feeling a bit sorry for myself this past week - after the monotony of the usual chores and DH working most evenings so no-one to moan at in the evenings but since reading this article I now know that I'm not alone...

What a load of pants... we can all stand up and shout loudly about how much we love our children and what lives we would have led if we hadn't chosen to be mothers ... and I bet we could all have written a better article that that given the chance and the dosh!

[JackieNo]

I've cried when I've left my DS at nursery and he was crying, but I still had leave him and go to work. I'm not wet.

Have to say I wasn't as against the article as most of you seem to be. I wasn't keen on her style, but I do find it interesting to read about other people's takes on the conflict/interplay between work and home, and the pull in both directions.

Oh, and apparently her husband is in publishing - if you scroll down to just under the loans ad.

[funnypeculiar]

lordy, can't beleive so many of you mnaaged to read this ... I was so bored by the end of the first paragraph I had to poke myself with a sharp stick...

[edam]

Oh FFS what a load of sub-fifth form twaddle.

I have written for the Guardian (different section) and actually bothered to do some research, look up some facts and interview people. And try to write in a manner which would interest people. Not just splurge the dreary contents of my domestic to do list on the page.

[AitchTwoOh]

oh, but it's Canongate Publishing, they're really cool. what's going on? [deflated] how can that bad a writer be published?

[Caligula]

I just couldn't read the whole article, it's just boring.

Very very boring.

That's one book I won't be buying.