Suggestion for next guest?

[Marylou]

Hi Justine and Carrie,

How about a high profile mum such as Cherie Blair or even Madonna?! Would be great to ask them about juggling career and family......

Thanks,

MaryLou

Hey! What about a Guardian Journalist? Lets see if we can get one to own up to looking at this site! I'm ambivalent about India Knight too, she makes me angry like a sore tooth, you've got to go back an give it a poke to see if it still hurts! Perhaps we should challenge a newspaper to let one of us have a column in their papers since they write such crap!

Hi all,
We have booked Frank Furedi for April 10 (Tuesday night so no ER excuses). We'll remind everyone nearer the time and promise to continue to follow up all suggestions.
Justine and Carrie

Well I've got yet another one - how about those hunky brothers who have kindly taken it upon themselves to reorganise what they say is our deeply useless childcare industry (is it Tinies they have bought up - one of the big nanny agencies anyway). Never had a nanny or used such an agency but lots of us here have and might have comments on their experiences? Sorry J & C, you've probably got ideas stacked up in a holding pattern all the way to 2003...
Or the outgoing MD of the late lamented Maclaren?

Sorry to be really thick but who is Frank Furedi?

There was an article about him in The Guardian, he's written a book saying that we are muscling in too much on our children's space and environment - we should let them have freedom from an early age (he lets his 4 year old frolic in local woods, that sort of thing) and threats like paedophiles are much less of a risk than we think, and it is important for our kids that they have their own head space and room to range free. It is an interesting debate; I recently had a big quarrel with my mum, as I pointed out to her that me and my best friend went to a local piece of wasteland each day of the summer from the age of 6 armed with a Caramac (boy does that date me!) and some digestive biscuits ; I think it's great that we did it, but my mum says she could have heard us from her kitchen window - not physically possible! - and seems to think I was accusing her of neglect. It is really important to have freedom - I encourage my kids to look after each and their friends ( they are 3 and 4 and we don't have any local woods!) in the hope that this create a good habit. I personally am much more worried about road rage and too fast drivers than nasty people; I've always said to the kids that most people are incredibly nice and the world is a great place.. sorry to be sidetracked.

Ha ha Kathmary, this sounds exactly like a recent conversation I had with my mother, the effect being that if I let my 21 month son on his own into our secure and compact back garden while watching from the back door "anything might happen". I seem to recall slicing my knee right open on a piece of broken china on my father's compost heap at a little older than he is now, at the far end of my family's much bigger and more menacing garden (delapidated glass cold frames, dense holly bushes, large collection of dog turds from spoiled family pet, etc). Where was this careful mother then? Allegedly "watching me like a hawk". From the kitchen window, some miles away.
Regarding Frank Furedi, I think he is saying some interesting and laudable things, until I start thinking about Sarah Payne's family. You always think it will happen to you if you let your guard down for even a second and tragic but rare cases like this confirm this fear. I know I'm going to have to tussle with that feeling for the next 20? 30? 50? years. How do you get the balance right? Until I had one of my own I thought I was going to be a really cool, urban mum, and despised people who shipped their little treasures around in armour-plated people-carriers. Ho hum. What do others think? I am looking forward to hearing where Frank's local woods are. Not anywhere in greater London, I bet.

Marina how many children are there in the country?the Sarah Payne case was just one event. Very sad, but not a new phenomenom. In the 'old' days there was just as much, if not more bad things going on, but no media to publicise it. I'm sure our children are as safe as kathmary was. (traffic aside of course!). Furedi has really hit the nail on the head, looking forward to his appearance!

Oops just realised there's a new board on this issue!

Lil re. Sarah Paynes case,
(Sorry in advance...I feel a long ramble coming on.)

I work in the media and was involved in some of the coverage of Sarah's death.
It was such a tragic case which deeply affected many(often hard faced) journalists. The coverage of her murder and the public displays of sympathy were unprecedented. This led to some criticism from some people that we had changed as a nation post Diana's death. (Eg. although there was a public outcry after Dunblane there wasn't the same scale of public memorial books etc. across the country.)
My own view of cases like this has changed drastically since I had my children and my fascination with news is no longer so objective. I find myself deeply affected by the stories I work on.
After Sarah's death a number of News editors questioned whether the coverage had been excessive. There was a lot of research done about how many children are killed each year etc. The outcome was (as you'd expect) that children in the 21st century are living in an extremely safe environment and the chances of something awful happening to them is certainly no greater than it was in the 50's and 60's.
Still.......it won't stop me wrapping my little ones in cotton wool for just as long as I can.

Hey, the new advertisements on Mumsnet are great! But was that really a recruitment ad for the Royal Marine Commandos I spotted?? I mean, I thought Commando was the latest 3 wheel push chair, and obviously Royal Marine is the trendiest shade of blue...

Oh I don't know, I could see quite a few members in the marines - do you think they would consider part time work, and time off during school holidays?

Hi all,
Seems like Melissa Hill has some controversial views that people might like to explore further. How do you feel about inviting her on for a live chat? Let us know.
Justine and Carrie.

Sure, but it might be only fair to warn her that she will be in for a tough ride from at least some of us!!

She could always do a Gina Ford and not answer the questions she doesn't like!

I have been asked to question her when she is on, but (no, this is not a cop out) I don't know if I'll be available. I work 3 nights (soon to be increased), and I am not really supposed to use the Net at work, (though I do sometimes!).

It is the idea that woman can't have children and jobs that annoys me about Melissa Hill. She seems to think that women inherently hate working and somehow want to be with kids and dads don't. Else, why would she have called her book "The Smart WOMAN'S guide"? And could someone please ask her why she uses the words "housewife" and "full time mum" for women who quit their jobs? You are still a full time mum if you work!

She isn't against women being financially independent (she claims on her website) but she seems to think we can't have everything, and yet it's ok for men. She doesn't think men might like more time at home! The thought of compromise eg both working part time or something doesn't seem to enter her head!

Oh yes please, I devour his column every week, and while we're on the subjcet of Observer columnists how about Monty Don - there's a man who seems to have his work/life balance sorted.

Sorry Emmagee, but I'll definitely have to take a pass if M.Don is our next guest. I'm afraid he is a pet hate in our household!
What about Julie Burchill? I've heard she's a bit of an internet addict. I bet she has an unusual and controversial take on being a mum that'd get us typing in outrage- always good for a laugh when we all disagree and send in peeved messages thick and fast. Perhaps she could go virtual head to virtual head with Tony Parsons on child-rearing issues!

Errr is that Julie Burchill who said "the only reason to move a sofa is to induce a spontaneous abortion"????. I absolutely cannot bear her I'm afraid an dI think her attitude to parenthood beggars belief.

Star, I don't know the Barefoot Doctor. Where does he write? Soulful but grounded sounds good at the moment.
I think the only way to deal with sad publicity seekers like Julie Burchill is to ignore them, so I'm with you on that one Croppy.

I know you have done Dr Christopher Green (oh that sounds a bit rude! Sorry) but I missed him, would quite like to put afew questions to him.

So do I, Croppy. That's why I think it'd be quite interesting to have her on!