In response to Louise Kirk: Women cannot ‘have it all’ without damaging their families and homes, Nic Conner wrote:

Very good article.

In my day job I help people on benefits to “sign off” and start their own business.

Quite a few are mothers and most are single mums.

They are all dependent on the State as most don’t have a breadwinner to support them.

Many are not looking for a career or any other middle class hang ups. They still want to be full time mums but feel they need to find a way to support their children while bringing home the bread.

They turn to self employment as they can work from home when the children are at nursery and school.

These mums try to fit in work life around their domestic lives. Unlike middle class mums, who will fit children around their work lives.

Their motive is not because they are looking for a purpose outside their lives; it’s not to build a career. They do it for their children, to serve.

This I expect Mumsnet middle class types will never understand.