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Original poster

Rachida Dati and her ill daughter

96 replies

Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:00

I can't find a link anywhere but they're discussing it on the radio at the moment.

Rachida Dati - female French foreign minister who came under a lot of fire for going back to work 5 days after having a C-section to her first and only daughter and who continues to keep schtum about who the dad is, so effectively she is a single mum.

Well, her daughter is now 4 months old and was taken ill at the weekend and rushed to hospital whilst her in the care of Rachida's sister whilst RD was at a wedding. The baby remains in hospital and RD has gone on a trip to the Middle East (work related, not a holiday).

What do we all think of this?

OP posts:
PortoPandemico · 06/05/2009 11:02
Original poster
Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:11

You big chicken!!!1

IMVHO - I think it stinks. I really do. I can't imagine that there is not a rational person on the planet who would not understand if she were to postpone her visit, or alternative send someone in her place so she could be with her daughter in hospital. Apparently her trip includes a meeting with Queen Rania of Jordan which she was "looking forward to" (quoting from what was said on the radio).

OP posts:
TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 11:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:14

Sorry - she's not a Foreign Minister, she is Justice Minister.

OP posts:
TheProfiteroleThief · 06/05/2009 11:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bleh · 06/05/2009 11:16

I thought she had been "let go"? She's back?

aGalChangedHerName · 06/05/2009 11:17

I would think/hope that any parent (mum or dad) would want to be with a sick baby or child than at a wedding. Poor little baby

FlappytheBat · 06/05/2009 11:23

Under the veil of anonymity that Mumsnet allows, I will say exactly what I think.

I think that this woman decided to have a child as it might have been something she regretted in a later life if she didn't.

I don't think she has a maternal bone in her body or actually cares for her child at all. What type of "mother" could treat her own baby like that?

I have had 2 sections and although I was sort of up and about by day 2, there is now way I could have contemplated going to work on day 5.

She probably feels that as her daughter is so young, she won't remember that her "mother" wasn't around very much. But what happens when her daughter rejects her as she has become attached to her primary care giver?

She could be a very good mother and have a strong bond with her child, but having a baby in hospital and carrying on with your normal work, it doesn't sound to me as if she has bonded with her baby at all!

namebacon · 06/05/2009 11:24

How come no-one criticises the father for not being there.

FabulousBakerGirl · 06/05/2009 11:25

And your point to post this Pennies is...?

FlappytheBat · 06/05/2009 11:25

Father probably lived in a test tube so she didn't have to get involved in a relationship with a real person!!

nancy75 · 06/05/2009 11:26

she has never said who the father is, i wonder if the father even knows the child is his. its all very odd.

BonsoirAnna · 06/05/2009 11:26

She's a single mother and no-one knows who the father is, so presumably he isn't involved with his child's upbringing (and perhaps was unaware of her conception).

BettyTurnip · 06/05/2009 11:27

Sarko!

Original poster
Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:28

namebacon - she won't reveal who the dad is, so he is out of the picture.

FBG - to encourage healthy debate. Some MNers out there might empathise with her and I'd be interested to see their point of view. What's the point of your post?

OP posts:
bleh · 06/05/2009 11:31

Where's Xenia. No doubt she has some interesting views on this

FabulousBakerGirl · 06/05/2009 11:33

Pennies, you posted in such a way to seem very critical so I wondered what the benefit to anyone was.

A child is sick and that is what is important right now.

littlelamb · 06/05/2009 11:33

FBG, if every post on Mumsnet had a point it would be

99% of the time.
I know the story of her going back to work divided people at the time. I think this is further evidence of a woman putting a career before a baby I would wager she hasn't bonded at all well with tbh. Would I say the same if she were a man? If she were a single dad then yes I would.

Gorionine · 06/05/2009 11:33

FlappytheBat, I so agree with you post.

I could not understand why she went to work so soon after giving birth and actually started a thread about it at the time. I understand even less how she can stay away when her 4mths old is in hospital. She either has no bond with her baby or is under the kind of preasure I cannot begin to imagine as there is absolutely nothing I think important enough to be able to keep me away if one of my DCS was sick!

pollypentapeptide · 06/05/2009 11:36

Maybe she has pnd, that can affect bonding with baby. Looks can be deceptive.

Original poster
Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:42

FBG - you're missing the point. Wringing hands about the child is not the point of this thread, although of course we hope she gets better soon. I've not suggested that the child's illness is not important. On the contrary, her illness is the central issue here, and what we are discussing is the mother's approach to dealing with that situation.

I'm sure we all hope she makes a full and swift recovery. On the assumption that she will it's the longer term issue of her bond with her mother that causes me more concern.

If, god forbid, she doesn't then that is also gives us food for thought bout what is the appropriate course of action as parents when our children are ill.

OP posts:
FabulousBakerGirl · 06/05/2009 11:44

I am not wringing my hands.

I am just in a say nothing at all if you can't be nice mode.

Debate is obviously good.

Original poster
Pennies · 06/05/2009 11:47

I'm sorry but I can't be nice about something that I disagree with so profoundly. It's like saying I should say nice things about Mira Hindley!

OP posts:
littlelamb · 06/05/2009 11:50

But come on FBG, since when is Mumsnet 'PoliticallyCorrectNet?'

FabulousBakerGirl · 06/05/2009 11:51

Not how I meant it all.

I will leave this now as I am not rowing today.

I think criticising her is pointless to be honest.

You go ahead and discuss it all you want.