Madam, – Breda O’Brien’s article on motherhood was a classic of the middle-class genre (Opinion, October 30th). Call me a sniper, but it is a luxury to be able to choose to stay at home to mind the numerous children you choose to have. Luxury too, to be able to call on an independent midwife to deliver said children at home. Luxury to be able to choose to work from home. For those of us who don’t have these luxuries, or these choices, the article contributes nothing to the debate on motherhood and childcare but a healthy dollop of guilt.
Meanwhile, we who struggle to bring up a baby and service a mortgage on two incomes will continue to do our best with the diminishing resources we have. – Yours, etc,