POSH TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has come in for some stick this week for revealing she has a small army of people to help her with her busy life.
She says she would be unable alone to juggle her successful career with the demands of family life with her two young children and shared care of her husband’s two older children. So she employs a nanny, cleaner, agent and personal assistant.
Actually, I thought it was a very brave and honest thing to admit, and actually does the rest of the female working population a huge favour. We are very used to envying the Victoria Beckhams of this world who appear to swan through the traumas of family life and running a business without a hair out of place and no sign of baby sick on her nicely laundered shoulder pads.
High profile businesswomen may happily bang on about “having it all” but the truth is that no-one can, and just to come close takes having people around you to help.
Kirstie herself has been dismissive of the claims of these high-flyers because she knows the reality of the situation. There is not a hope in hell that the average corporate boss, famous actress or pop star could possibly run their family lives without the daily help of employees.
And there is absolutely no need to feel guilty about having a cleaner or someone to do your ironing to allow any working mum to function properly. It’s a fact of modern life.