The Guilty Mum

How myself and my siblings survived childhood remains an utter mystery to me. Dire threats were only made about going on the roads, staying away from water dams and never going into a paddock where there was a bull. Otherwise, we had pretty free reign. I think at about 12 years old we were finally allowed to cross the road on our own.

Little Jo at the age of nearly 8 can easily pick our tramstop as we approach in the tram. I remarked to her that she will be able to travel to town on her own soon. No, she replied. I won't be allowed to until I am a teenager. So that is much the same as my own parents' road rules. Otherwise, compared to the lives her mother and uncles lived as children, she is very protected from any threat or danger. I can't imagine her being allowed to roam alone in the bush or climb 25 metres up a tree. I expect if the dangers of dieldren and asbestos were known, there may have been a few more rules for we children.

Of course, the loss of one child if that is all you have would be absolutely destroyingly devastating. Had my parents lost one child, at least there were still three more. I don't mean that to sound so harsh, but it is true.

River made an interesting point yesterday about babies with wet nappies. Nappy, diaper if you like, companies would have us believe that as soon as a baby is wet, it is in great discomfort and the nappy should be changed immediately, preferably for a very expensive ultra absorbent. I'd not thought about it really, but of course a baby doesn't know they have wet their nappy. They won't be uncomfortable. River expresses it well, so take a quick read.

Making parents feel guilty makes a lot of money for retailers and suppliers of baby goodies. The Guilty Mum was an ongoing segment in ABC's brilliant tv show The Checkout.

Here is a clip.