I was horrified to hear that the 17 year old daughter of Sarah Palin (Republican John McCain's running mate for the White House, although "mate" is a bit strong as they had apparently met only once prior to her Vice Presidential nomination - electoral expediency by any chance?) is 5 months pregnant. Mine is not a moral objection, not against poor Bristol anyway, but a furious incredulity that any mother of 5 children, one only a few weeks old with the added complication of Down's Syndrome, should put herself forward to be Second in Command of any country, let alone the USA. That the regrettably named daughter is "going to keep her baby" apparently makes it alright with the vast majority of McCain/Palin supporters. Well, of course she's going to keep it - what other option is open to the daughter of such a high-profile pro-lifer?
Has anyone even asked what she would like to do or why, at 17, she had fallen pregnant in the first place? Sarah Palin wants to "break the glass ceiling" (where have we heard that one before?) and prove that women can have it all. Well if they can (and the jury is still out on that one) it comes at a price not always paid by the ceiling breakers themselves. At best, Mrs Palin is putting her country before her children (one is already on his way to Iraq) at worst she is casting her family by the wayside as she marches, seemingly insouciant, along the stony path to self-aggrandisement. I could never warm to a woman who had her official photo taken while ensconced on the hide of a bear shot by her father, anyway.
At the opposite end of the Spectrum, on Sunday I found myself reading Rosie Millard's advice to the broad-sheet reading parents of little children starting school for the very first time this September. Helpful hints to avoid last minute stress:
Make the lunch boxes up/sign forms/lay out uniform the night before.
Well Duh. What does it mean when you are beginning to feel that you've already lived too long - and you're only 54?
Has anyone even asked what she would like to do or why, at 17, she had fallen pregnant in the first place? Sarah Palin wants to "break the glass ceiling" (where have we heard that one before?) and prove that women can have it all. Well if they can (and the jury is still out on that one) it comes at a price not always paid by the ceiling breakers themselves. At best, Mrs Palin is putting her country before her children (one is already on his way to Iraq) at worst she is casting her family by the wayside as she marches, seemingly insouciant, along the stony path to self-aggrandisement. I could never warm to a woman who had her official photo taken while ensconced on the hide of a bear shot by her father, anyway.At the opposite end of the Spectrum, on Sunday I found myself reading Rosie Millard's advice to the broad-sheet reading parents of little children starting school for the very first time this September. Helpful hints to avoid last minute stress:
Make the lunch boxes up/sign forms/lay out uniform the night before.
Well Duh. What does it mean when you are beginning to feel that you've already lived too long - and you're only 54?
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