Seems to be a concerted media attack on mothers at the mo.

[twiglett]

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See my link on crap ST writers. I am getting really fed up with this too. Seems to be written by some unhappy souls who think everyone has to lead the exact same life. How unhappy must they be to bitch about other peoples lives ?

I don't need anyone in the media to 'back up' my life choices. I am a SAHM (with some freelance work) and I couldn't give a tinkers cuss about what anyone else thinks. I live a very nice life bringing up my two kids in the country and it suits us all very well. I have lovely children and a happy dp and I think I do an excellent job (most of the time...apart from occasional, human, twinges of self-doubt...). Many of my friends work full-time and they also do a fantastic job and have very happy lives too.

Somebody once said 'The best revenge is a happy life' and it is very true. Have pride in your own life and you won't care about snippy 'journalism' any more!

I read both pieces and thought they only made sense really if you started with the assumption that motherhood is respected in our society and country. Which often isn't the case.

Twiglett,

Do you mean the Rose Shepherd 'Happily Unblessed' article? I agree withn you that there have been recent media articles that devalue or criticise mums in particular, but I didn't really read Rose Shepherd's article in that way. It just seemed to me that she was defending her right not to have children without denigrating those of us who do...

Perhaps I've got the wrong article. I can be a dappy cow sometimes!!

Missed the articles, but I really think that newspaper columnists should get out more.

Every Sunday I get wound up by at least one columnist who puports to be analysing British life / society when, quite clearly, the only life they know is a very charmed one. Oh how I would love to be paid a good wage just to spout my warped opinions once a week. And then I could rage on about the shortcomings of everyone else. Power to the SAHMs, that's what I say! (and I'm not one. Even though I technically stay at home).

On second thoughts, perhaps I am the one who should get out more.

The Zoe Williams article in the Guardian got me wound up. DH read it and said 'Its just sour grapes I bet she doesn't have a bloke!!!!!'
People are entitled to their opinion but she was wrong in one very important way. You do NOT know what tired is until you have a baby! DH is a fab getting up Dad and he always says that he was less tired working as a Junior Doc on an illegal rota where every 3rd night he got no sleep at all than he has been since the children were born.

I would agree with Enid except that I think it is having an insidious effect on the status of women generally. While ever everyone is engaged in in-fighting about the particulars of women's personal lives, attention is deflected from things which effect all women, and encourages a belief that woman have no identity except in relationship to children, whether it be 'mother' or 'child-free', or (less happy), child-less'. The very fact that these articles are only ever a primarily about women, rather than PARENTS, exacerbates this effect.

I find it hilarious when they moan about how they are discriminated against as childless. Try going to a restaurant, flying on a plane, having to take time of from work because of sick child, paying 800 a month in nursery costs...Ha ha ha....Yes, families with children really rule the world...NOT!

Of course you don't know what tiredness is until you've had a baby! For God sake this Zoe Williams can sleep off her hangovers at weekend, can't she?

I don't think it's selfish not having children, but I definatly think having children make you less selfish (if that sounds right). I am sure you can lead avery happy fulfilled life without having children, but then they should get on with their happy childless lives rather than writing paranoid articles about people who have other things to do than read them (like taking care of their kids,))

read the zh article - seems to me that everyone tries too hard to put everyone in a box, to get a 'tag' for their article/programme (she said, speaking as a journalist..) when in reality it just doesn't work that way. I too normally have a lot of time for zh (reading her booker prize shortlisted novel at the moment, surprisingly good) but despair at articles like hers. and she does have a child (or at least one on the way, that's why she was in ny instead of at the booker prize) so no lying-in for her either

Please don't get cross with me but I could kind of see Zoe Williams' point. Although I have 2 kids and yes could witter on about how tired I am or how fulfilled I am, I don't feel that having those children (which was my choice) should disadvantage others. I shouldn't not get special perks at work becasue I am a mother - I should get them becasue I am good at my job. I know of plety of occassions that people with children have been able to get away with a job less well done becasue of the fact they had kids (if that makes sense)

I felt ZW was just getting back at teh raft of media articles that are written to make women who are not mothers feel worse about themselves. I think that motherhood, particularly at the moment, has been portrayed as the best/only thing for women.

I perhaps haven't seen all the articles having a go at mothers yet again, but I suppose I just support any journalist who is trying to even the score (so to speak).