As high-achieving mothers who give up their careers are accused of wasting their education... can a woman be too clever to be a stay-at-home mum?
By Frances Hardy
PUBLISHED: 00:15 GMT, 15 March 2012 | UPDATED: 15:14 GMT, 15 March 2012
Louise Kirk is passionate about the importance of being a stay-at-home mum. With good reason — she’s raising four formidably accomplished children.
Her three sons won scholarships to a top public school — they were choristers at Westminster Cathedral — and her daughter has just got a place at Oxford University.
The women of her family have a tradition of going to Oxford: Louise read history there; her mother-in-law is a past student; so, too, was her mother.
Best of both worlds: Gina Coladangelo and her children Talia, 2, and Bruno, 15 months. She's an Oxford graduate who has gone back to work doing flexible hours
Best of both worlds: Gina Coladangelo and her children Talia, two, and Bruno, 15 months. She's an Oxford graduate who has gone back to work doing flexible hours
And though they all gained degrees from one of the world’s most illustrious universities, each chose to put family before career and stay at home with her children.
The issue of high-flying women who take advantage of the best education in the world and then abandon careers to change nappies caused something of a stir earlier this month.
The debate was sparked by Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who controversially singled out educated British women for ‘wasting’ their top degrees from ‘fancy universities’ to devote their best years to child-rearing.
