Category Archives: Motherhood

Double trouble, but not negligent

August 18, 2008 – 9:27 pm

I wrote a post last year about a couple who were suing their obstetrician because the birth mother was implanted with two embryos rather than one. A reader has alerted me to the fact that a decision was handed down while I was conferencing in Singapore: so here we go, a belated update.
The couple had [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Feminism, Law | Comments (3)

A misleading veneer of sophistication

August 18, 2008 – 12:36 pm

I’m sure my daughter looks like a right little yuppie. She goes through the shops shouting, “I want a Babycino!” and people smile. But this is totally misleading. She explained to my mother the other day: “Mummy calls Babycinos marshmallows, but I call them Babycinos.” The general tone was that Mummy is an idiot.
The other [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, General, Personal | Comments (6)

The Wisdom of Solomon

August 15, 2008 – 5:07 pm

And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Human/Civil rights, Pregnancy, Technology | Comments (2)

Pregnancy is not an illness II

August 14, 2008 – 3:16 pm

I’m going to have to go on maternity leave early. Today was my last day of teaching. That’s the thing; pregnancy is not an illness, but it does put a lot of strain on the body, and it’s undeniable that it affects one’s capacity to work effectively. I had to finish early last time too, [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Personal, Pregnancy | Comments (23)

Tantrums

July 29, 2008 – 7:02 am

My daughter is usually really good when we’re out and about. She loves to have an adoring audience. Yes, she’ll throw the occasional small tantrum, but it’s usually quickly resolved.
Yesterday was the exception. I really needed to get groceries because the cupboard was bare after our overseas trip. Things started out fine until we left [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Personal | Comments (26)

“The Elephant in the Room”: work practices of solicitors

July 6, 2008 – 9:01 pm

A friend has alerted me to the release of a report called ‘”The Elephant in the Room”: Working-Time Patterns of Solicitors in Private Practice in Melbourne’. Now that I’ve finished the drudgery of marking, I can give it the proper attention it deserves.
The title is a reference to a comment by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Law, Society | Comments (22)

Hysteria over obesity

May 31, 2008 – 11:20 pm

Before winter set in here in Melbourne, I picked up my daughter from creche.
The carer said, “She didn’t eat any lunch, but she ate all the afternoon tea, which was nachos.”
I was curious. “What was lunch?” I asked.
The carer sighed. “Salad,” she said. I gave her a wry look.
“Yes,” she said, interpreting my wry look [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Feminism, General, Media, Popular culture | Comments (14)

Belated Mother’s Day post

May 13, 2008 – 11:17 am

I don’t feel like the best mother today. My daughter was sick last week, and didn’t have to go to creche. I don’t think she had quite realised that she would have to go back this week now that she was better. She screamed “NO CRECHE, WANT TO STAY HOME WITH MUMMY!” and kicked the [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Feminism, Personal, Pregnancy | Comments (0)

Expectant

April 30, 2008 – 8:17 pm

Yes, it’s official now - I am expecting Baby No. 2. Well, most of you probably guessed from my post “Pregnancy is not an illness“.
This now explains why I had to quit Missing Link a few months back. I have been finding it very hard to operate normally with “morning” sickness and the debilitating tiredness that [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Children, Personal, Pregnancy | Comments (2)

Toddlers as witnesses

April 12, 2008 – 9:25 am

The other day, I was driving my 2 year old daughter to creche. She announced with satisfaction and great confidence from the back of the car, “One day, Mummy broke my fingers.” I saw her make an illustrative wiggle of the said fingers in the rear view mirror.
“What?” I cried with horror. “I have never done [...]

By Legal Eagle | Also posted in Law | Comments (15)