Real choice for childcare

Every mother is a working mother. Remember that feminist affirmation from the 70s? In Québec, a popular play about stay-at-home mothers was entitled "Maman travaille pas; elle a trop d'ouvrage." - translation: Mom doesn't have a job; she's got too much work at home.

We had hoped that in spite of small gains, the world had moved beyond prejudices about working mothers, that things had evolved and some obstacles had been removed.

It would appear that Britain has taken a big step backwards. Two female detective constables were threatened with prosecution if they didn't drop the reciprocal child care support they've arranged with each other over 2 years.

The Children's Minister has ordered a review of the case of two police officers told they had broken the law by caring for each other's children.

Ofsted said the arrangement contravened the Childcare Act because it lasted for longer than two hours a day, and constituted receiving "a reward". It said the women would have to be registered as childminders.

Minister Vernon Coaker said his department was talking to Ofsted about this particular case. According to the Mail on Sunday, Ofsted told two detective constables, Leanne Shepherd, from Milton Keynes, and Lucy Jarrett, from Buckingham, to end their arrangement.

'Stunned' Ms Shepherd told the newspaper: "When the Ofsted inspector turned up, the first thing she said was: 'I have had a report that you're running an illegal childminding business'. "I straightaway thought she must be mistaken, so invited her into my home to explain we were police officers and best friends helping each other out. "But she told me I was breaking the law and must end the arrangement with Lucy immediately. "I was stunned, completely devastated... I couldn't see how I could continue working."

Reward is not just a case of money changing hands. The supply of services or goods and, in some circumstances, reciprocal arrangements can also constitute reward Ofsted spokesman. ...

Thames Valley Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said the pair had its "full support". Secretary Andy Viney said: "Both of them are experienced professional officers. "They just want to return to work after having children and have found that the system is working totally against them.

Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills which inspects and regulates care for children and young people in Britain. Someone used the whistleblower's hotline to rat out Leanne and Lucy. Did this busy-body think their children were at risk, being cared for by their own mothers and a close family friend? Was it an envious neighbour or perhaps a sexist colleague?

The BBC News has an interview with officers Shepherd and Jarrett, here. And more at the Daily Mail and the Guardian.

As much as I hate to agree with Margaret Thatcher, this seems to me like the worst of a "nanny state" type of interference. Mind-boggling.

The Ugly Face of Anti-Feminism

No, I don't mean the desiccated Phyllis Schlafly, even though she does play the role of the designated anti-feminism poster-hag quite efficiently.

What I'm thinking about is Blob Blogging Wingnut's screed in 5 parts. By the way, that's a link to unrepentant old hippie's post about HER 'oover'.

HER ongoing attacks on feminism have become so predictably, tediously and pathetically stupid that it’s no longer a challenge or even fun to spoof HER. It would be like laughing at someone with Tourette’s syndrome. SHE can’t stop HERSELF, it is - along with HER zygote zealotry - an obsessive compulsive disorder.

Nonetheless, it's irritating to know malevolent fallacies and odious fabrications like HERS are floating in the blog-o-sphere.

Recently, I spent four days with a colleague who volunteers a bit of her time with an organization that I work for. She invited and welcomed me into her family (and her guest room) while I was working in her city.

My colleague is a stay-at-home mom with 2 daughters, one in first grade, the other a toddler. She’s a feminist who is happy to acknowledge that she's reaping the benefits of the activism my generation (and those who followed) did that allows her to be at home with her daughters. She feels that her commitment is recognized as valued and validated work because it is a choice, and NOT an obligation. There is joy, goodness, dedication and love that radiates from every activity she does for and with her daughters. There is no time in her busy days or nights for the type of bile that Blob Blogging Wingnut regularly regurgitates.

It's interesting that I've never felt or sensed the quality of nurturing, generosity and altruism in Blob Blogging Wingnut’s writing that my colleague expresses in her dedication to her family and community. At BBW's place, it’s always about HER, HER petty grievances, HER stifled creativity, HER disinformation and lies, HER screeds and HER shrieeekkking.

My stay-at-home-mom colleague chose what appears to be conventional family circumstances on the surface. Yet she had a multiplicity of career options that she discarded for the path that she has chosen while her children are young. And I suspect that when her daughters have grown into autonomous, self-reliant and competent young women, several dynamic possibilities will open to her as she is a skilled, accomplished and talented communicator.

Somehow I can't help but sense that in the case of BBW, it's MASSIVE sour grapes; SHE is bitter and resentful that HER belief in the supremacy of biology and the ideological tenets of the Roman Catholic Church does not make HER happier than the feminists SHE constantly reviles.