I loved this article. I was sorely tempted to drop by the Orléans library a few weeks ago to meet you in person, but chickened out.

The part of this article that resonated most with me:

“Paul and Véronique bucked that trend, deliberately rejecting the fashionable ethos that gives “career” and “lifestyle” near equal importance, if not greater importance in some socio-economic circles, than “children” and “family.”

I, too, am in my early forties. I am expecting my third child next month. All three of my babies were conceived while I pursued a graduate degree. When I announced my second pregnancy, the news was met by family with horror “that will ruin your masters.” It is as if a piece of paper is more important than a human being. There seems little or no social support for three children (let alone more) and this is something I struggle with. The immense social pressure to pursue paid work at the expense of having a family is almost overwhelming. Combine that with a lack of good part-time career opportunities for women, a lack of decent (non-profit, regulated) childcare… well, it makes becoming a mother feel like a counter-culture choice at times.

I love to read your blog and follow your twitter account. I don’t know if I could manage nine children, but I certainly do appreciate your message. I feel that I am swimming upstream, focusing on family in a culture and society which puts careers, material possession and salaries ahead of family.

I loved this article. I was sorely tempted to drop by the Orléans library a few weeks ago to meet you in person, but chickened out.

The part of this article that resonated most with me:

“Paul and Véronique bucked that trend, deliberately rejecting the fashionable ethos that gives “career” and “lifestyle” near equal importance, if not greater importance in some socio-economic circles, than “children” and “family.”

I, too, am in my early forties. I am expecting my third child next month. All three of my babies were conceived while I pursued a graduate degree. When I announced my second pregnancy, the news was met by family with horror “that will ruin your masters.” It is as if a piece of paper is more important than a human being. There seems little or no social support for three children (let alone more) and this is something I struggle with. The immense social pressure to pursue paid work at the expense of having a family is almost overwhelming. Combine that with a lack of good part-time career opportunities for women, a lack of decent (non-profit, regulated) childcare… well, it makes becoming a mother feel like a counter-culture choice at times.

I love to read your blog and follow your twitter account. I don’t know if I could manage nine children, but I certainly do appreciate your message. I feel that I am swimming upstream, focusing on family in a culture and society which puts careers, material possession and salaries ahead of family.