Women want to sort a career first, that’s progression
ON the way to my career in journalism, I nearly caused both my parents to die of heart failure.
Once when a bailiff turned up at their door in Wales and said he was there to take the furniture because their “daughter had unpaid debts”.
Another time when a County Court Judgment went against me – for unpaid debts. And again after a second County Court Judgment – for unpaid debts. I was 24 at the time, sleeping on various mates’ floors and working for what amounted to pocket money in the newsroom of a local radio station. I’d already been on a circuitous career path having left my training as a radiographer halfway through, before embarking on an English degree and then a diploma in radio journalism. I was 28 before I set foot inside Sky’s newsroom, aged 32 before I got my big break as a GMTV correspondent and 36 before I got the ‘top job’ on the GMTV sofa. Why am I telling you all this? Because my parents were proud, but vexed. Mum took to showing me videos of her various friends at their 24/25/26-yearold daughters’ weddings, clearly trying to nudge me into settling down. I didn’t know it then, but I was clearly one of the increasing number of ‘career girls’ who, having worked hard to achieve professional success and independence, had no intention of chucking it all in to start a family just when work had got exciting.
I was 36 when I married, 38 when I had my first son, and 41 when I had my second. I never once felt like a late bride or an older mother.
I was fit and happy, and that’s all that really mattered.
This week, figures for the first time have shown that women in their 40s are the only group with a rising pregnancy rate, while pregnancies among women in their 30s fell.
It suggests that women want to sort their careers first, so that, like me, they have one to go back to once the early months’ mum duties are done with.
It’s progression. And it’s empowering for women. It was never even a question that I’d have a career rather than a job.
But as a mother of boys – and I do think boys need their mums more – I can’t help worrying about the effect it’s having on our children.
But that’s evolution for you. I guess.
I never once felt like a late bride or older mum