Just found this interesting article today on maternal ambivalence - it raises some important things about the ambivalence many mothers have to being a mother.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/25/health.children
This is one of the reasons I've decided to start training to be a post-natal group leader (in addition to the coaching!) - to help new mothers through this time of transition.
One to One Coaching
Monday, 25 February 2008
Friday, 22 February 2008
Childfree Women's Overtime Burden
Today is a day for finding relevant news paper articles about this decision
This article points out that women who don't have children do much more overtime than both working mothers and men who either do or don't have children.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/22/workandcareers.gender?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews
This article points out that women who don't have children do much more overtime than both working mothers and men who either do or don't have children.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/22/workandcareers.gender?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews
Discrimination against mothers and child-free women of child-bearing age
One of the issues that comes up when women are trying to decide whether to have children on not is the affect of having children on their careers. Unfortunately, women with young children are some of the most discriminated aganist in the workplace. At least in the UK, it is illegal to ask at interview about whether a woman has children or not. But in the US, this is perfectly legal in most states.
And, as this article points out, 'mother profiling' can affect women of child-bearing age who have no intention of having children. So it affects both women with children and women who wish to be childfree.
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,2259070,00.html
And, as this article points out, 'mother profiling' can affect women of child-bearing age who have no intention of having children. So it affects both women with children and women who wish to be childfree.
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,2259070,00.html
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Book Proposal finished and sent off
Sorry I haven't posted in a week - I've been busily finishing off my book proposal! It was 41 pages in the end! So it's been sent off to the literary agent and I'm now awaiting her feedback!
So I'll be back posting a proper blog entry soon - but I need a rest from my keyboard now!
So I'll be back posting a proper blog entry soon - but I need a rest from my keyboard now!
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Should we all have a life plan?
Well, I've found another relevant snippet to this discussion! have a look at this article!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2252496,00.html
Again, it's back to that issue of trying to get the issue sorted with your partner first!
And I guess I've found another celebrity who is trying to make the decision!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2252496,00.html
Again, it's back to that issue of trying to get the issue sorted with your partner first!
And I guess I've found another celebrity who is trying to make the decision!
Fictional book on the decision
This came through my inbox from Canadian bookstore Indigo
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Baby-Proof-Emily-Giffin/9780312348649-AllReviews.html
Basically, it's about a woman who doesn't want children, finds a bloke who doesn't want kids and they get married and decide to be child-free. But he changes his mind and she has a decision to make.
I read the reader reviews and (sorry if I give the ending away!) it would appear that she does stick to her decision to be childfree. But she really goes through alot in making her decision. I think I'll order the book as I haven't seen alot out that around women trying to make the decision to have kids or not.
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Baby-Proof-Emily-Giffin/9780312348649-AllReviews.html
Basically, it's about a woman who doesn't want children, finds a bloke who doesn't want kids and they get married and decide to be child-free. But he changes his mind and she has a decision to make.
I read the reader reviews and (sorry if I give the ending away!) it would appear that she does stick to her decision to be childfree. But she really goes through alot in making her decision. I think I'll order the book as I haven't seen alot out that around women trying to make the decision to have kids or not.
Monday, 4 February 2008
How the Childfree can help safeguard the futre
I saw this really interesting article in the Observer Cash section on Sunday
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/03/1
Basically, it's about how childfree individuals are more likely to leave legacies to charities in their wills. In addition to being a coach, I'm also a fundraiser for charities and I know what an amazing gift a legacy can be to a charity.
I also know that before I had my child, I did leave a proporation of my (meagre) estate in my will but now I have the boy, I have left everything to him and my partner if he survives me. The article has made me re-think this - although because my partner is so much older than me (early 60's), I would really want him to be finanically secure to bring up my child.
So it think it's really an important point - particularly when people accuse childfree people of being selfish. When I'm coaching someone around the issue, one of the things I have them do is to identify there core values and look at how they can live those values - whether they have children or not. A strong value like 'Caring' can be lived in many ways - not just by having children. And leaving a legacy to a charity in your will is a great way to do this.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/03/1
Basically, it's about how childfree individuals are more likely to leave legacies to charities in their wills. In addition to being a coach, I'm also a fundraiser for charities and I know what an amazing gift a legacy can be to a charity.
I also know that before I had my child, I did leave a proporation of my (meagre) estate in my will but now I have the boy, I have left everything to him and my partner if he survives me. The article has made me re-think this - although because my partner is so much older than me (early 60's), I would really want him to be finanically secure to bring up my child.
So it think it's really an important point - particularly when people accuse childfree people of being selfish. When I'm coaching someone around the issue, one of the things I have them do is to identify there core values and look at how they can live those values - whether they have children or not. A strong value like 'Caring' can be lived in many ways - not just by having children. And leaving a legacy to a charity in your will is a great way to do this.
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