“I THINK I understand why, in the last two years and contrary to the usual trend, birth rates grew as the economy collapsed. In a sea of psychic pain, the birth of Cecelia Ahern’s daughter, Robin, was a rare source of good news. Who wouldn’t like a piece of the hope and happiness a new baby brings? I’ve never met her, but she seems to be a remarkably nice woman; unspoiled in attitude, diligent in her work and deserving of every happiness. I wish her all the best as she sets out on the challenging role of motherhood.

She is blessed to have her own mother and sister nearby. Yet I still have this urge to rush round to her house and tell her a few things early on. I know “middle class” is often employed as a term of abuse, but successful, middle-class women face a particular psychological challenge on becoming mothers.

The hardest thing about rearing children, especially for highly capable women like her – oh alright, women like me – is that we approach the task in the same way we did our academics, our career and our homemaking.

We set a goal, consult the experts, implement best practice, press return, and it all comes together.

If Cecelia is like all the other professional women, she knows that if she sets high standards and a good routine early on then she has the power, the determination and the resources to shape her adorable baby into an admired child and a well-adjusted, high functioning adult.

But one day, and maybe it won’t happen, but it probably will happen, she’ll find herself shouting in frustration…” [Tiny Fey does Sarah Carey, Irish Times]

via something called Twitter, and a person called Hugh Green