Thursday 28 February 2008

Stories I've been reading...

I've been having a wander around the news sites of the internet (as one does)... mostly occasioned, it has to be admitted by listening to a radio phone in this morning whilst stuck in traffic on my way to the Physio.

Two stories particularly caught my eye. Number one - Marks and Spencers who are to start charging 5p for carrier bags. Good for M&S... may others follow in their footsteps. Regular readers will know that the wasteful use of carrier bags by shoppers is a particular peccadillo of mine... and the fact that this country is so backward in it's attitude to wasteful packaging is a source of constant irritation to me.

The other story was one of the subjects of the phone-in on Vanessa's show on BBC Radio London this morning. Apparently there was a survey done (by YouGov and NetMums) which found that mothers are being made to feel inadequate by the 'cult' of the 'Yummy Mummy' and the likes of Angelina Jolie and Victoria Beckham. Apparently these celebrities are making young mothers feel that they should 'have it all'. Seriously? Because these women actually do it all themselves? With their armies of stylists and assistants and nannies and chauffeurs etc. Like they live in the real world?

I don't have children, but lots of my friends do. I can easily imagine that there are many things which might make one feel under pressure... I don't think that conforming to some imagined lifestlye should be one of them!