Price of motherhood

I WAS open-mouthed at the devilmay-care antics of Barbara Judge, chair of the Institute of Directors, who has been accused of highhanded behaviour (Mail). But she does have a point about motherhood being career suicide.

No amount of legislation alters the fact that your lifestyle changes for ever with the advent of children, and unless you leave the care totally to someone else, you will never have the same flexibility and freedom to soar to boardroom heights as the childless, without huge sacrifice.

This is not sexism, it is hard fact. For small businesses, maternity leave is costly. The climate of compensation and claiming victimisation has created a perfect storm. Legislation implemented with the very best of intentions to safeguard against racism and sexism and promote equality can act to the detriment of the very people it seeks to protect and sadly increase the likelihood of discrimination.

CHRISTINA Burton, eastbourne, e. sussex.