Mother Pukka - Anna Whitehouse
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And has she moved house? It doesn’t look like her normal house.
Are you here yet @Rosieee I got an Uber cba walking!
Right so Hi
everyone. Ive come over to this thread from MOD & FOD thread following MPs recent announcement she had PND and PP and had been suffering for the past 3 years. She proclaimed she’d sought help 18 months ago but then got her diagnosis recently.
For any of you neigh sayers our there who may have wondered how someone with such debilitating mental health issues managed to...here we go...write books, go on book tours, lobby government and companies for her flex appeal campaign, run an Instagram account, go to TV awards, create content for Ads, write articles for magazines, present a radio show, run a house and Mother two children (to name but a few of her activities), she’s a high functioning depressive.
So she was signed off work made her announcement about PND & PP and then came back, with what can only be described, literally, as, with Gusto #AD, five minutes later flogging her new book.
Forgive me as I’m new to MP and many have said she’s one of the “better ones” seems open, honest and transparent. From my little searches I see a well oiled media machine who tends to get ahead of the curve and changes up to avoid the criticism most influencers are prone to.
I won’t ramble on anymore but I’m interested to hear peoples views and even open to my current mind set being changed.
Right so Hi
everyone. Ive come over to this thread from MOD & FOD thread following MPs recent announcement she had PND and PP and had been suffering for the past 3 years. She proclaimed she’d sought help 18 months ago but then got her diagnosis recently. For any of you neigh sayers our there who may have wondered how someone with such debilitating mental health issues managed to...here we go...write books, go on book tours, lobby government and companies for her flex appeal campaign, run an Instagram account, go to TV awards, create content for Ads, write articles for magazines, present a radio show, run a house and Mother two children (to name but a few of her activities), she’s a high functioning depressive.
So she was signed off work made her announcement about PND & PP and then came back, with what can only be described, literally, as, with Gusto #AD, five minutes later flogging her new book.
Forgive me as I’m new to MP and many have said she’s one of the “better ones” seems open, honest and transparent. From my little searches I see a well oiled media machine who tends to get ahead of the curve and changes up to avoid the criticism most influencers are prone to.
I won’t ramble on anymore but I’m interested to hear peoples views and even open to my current mind set being changed.
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I find the flexible working thing very very irritating. Why shouldn’t you be committed to your job? It’s not the time to be an entitled employee when the current job market is so fragile.
I’m a teacher. I wonder how she’d react if I was her kids teacher and decided to knock off at 11.00am to raise the next generation.
I’m not sure why she sees flexible working as a right. I can’t see how it’s possible for the vast majority of people.
I’m a teacher. I wonder how she’d react if I was her kids teacher and decided to knock off at 11.00am to raise the next generation.
I’m not sure why she sees flexible working as a right. I can’t see how it’s possible for the vast majority of people.
I’m here @Dogmuck thanks for the recap ! I was just waiting for you to do the work 
just wanted to add that announcing your depression on psychosis on tv crying and then announcing a new book the next day was what got me here. Also telling us that we should always take our maternity leave only to be back 6 weeks later with a new mental health issue, book and ads. Liar
just wanted to add that announcing your depression on psychosis on tv crying and then announcing a new book the next day was what got me here. Also telling us that we should always take our maternity leave only to be back 6 weeks later with a new mental health issue, book and ads. LiarFlexible working only works in certain industries- health care just can’t function if everyone wants Friday afternoon off to take Johnny swimming- I’ve worked part time since having kidsand I know I’m luck I can do this but when I’m in work I’m there to work -I get pissed off with colleagues who swan in late because they’ve played the system and expect everything to revolve around them with us mugs picking up the pieces
MP saw an opportunity and flew with it- not realising the repercussions
MP saw an opportunity and flew with it- not realising the repercussions
YAy 
good to see you all. Hope more join us in this debate. I’ll be back later but I’m taking one for the Dogmuck team and going food shopping...Aldi & Morrisons...please pray for me - thoughts and prayers always help...apparently 
good to see you all. Hope more join us in this debate. I’ll be back later but I’m taking one for the Dogmuck team and going food shopping...Aldi & Morrisons...please pray for me - thoughts and prayers always help...apparently me tooI’m also here from the SODs
I’m torn on this. I have always enjoyed Anna’s account and found her honesty and willingness to try and do better refreshing (although she flip flops around about showing the kids), and if I’ve ever replied or messaged her she’s replied.
As someone with PND, I am baffled she was/is able to do so much with the diagnosis, keeping em and the baby alive is all I can manage most days. Maybe I’m just envious she’s more high functioning than me? It does feel a bit incongruent to come back with a book, and immediately jump into the Gousto AD - talk about setting an unrealistic expectations for the rest of us. I dunno, as I say, I’m torn.
As someone with PND, I am baffled she was/is able to do so much with the diagnosis, keeping em and the baby alive is all I can manage most days. Maybe I’m just envious she’s more high functioning than me? It does feel a bit incongruent to come back with a book, and immediately jump into the Gousto AD - talk about setting an unrealistic expectations for the rest of us. I dunno, as I say, I’m torn.
I’m here from the SODs when Fod actually used to do stuff. Then I lost my mojo. Hopefully this thread will be like viagra to my limp fod libido. I’m already finding parallels and am predicting a similar (but b tec version) trajectory: loved by most for quirky humour grounded in realness about the parental struggle (using emotive gcse level language in her case rather than year 5 clumsy metaphors in his ) then moving on to irritating, then entitled and smug, then apologetic (chest beating self flagellation/reflection in her case) followed by a huge fall from grace.
Have to say, I agree. I’ll take the flaming, but it used to piss me off when all my co workers got christmas/summer holidays off coz they had kids- that was their choice so why should I have to plan my work life around that. I don’t particularly feel any different now I actually have kids. I think things should be fair. MP reckons that flexible working will mean people will work twice as hard. Will it duck. It’ll be the same old twats using it to their advantage while everyone else is left to pick up the slack.
And yes, to this. I made a similar point on the ODs thread. No one in retail, teaching, caring professions or warehouses will be able to use flexible working. It’s for middle class women/men like Anna who work out of an office.
Meant to add, flexible working/WFH is possible for more people but lots of offices especially have an office culture, which may not suit everyone. An old work colleague used to start 15 minutes later than me and leave 15 mins after so she should drop her daughter to school - made no odds to me or the team, the work got done, but it was made out to be some massive huge problem. It wasn’t, it was 15 minutes! And my whole team has been WFH during the pandemic... and the work has gotten done so clearly there are industries where it can work where historically people have been told no.
I think WFH is doing massive harm to workers and to the economy. People want to see their work colleagues, have some bants, go for a drink after work, nip out to Boots at lunchtime, gossip in the canteen or bogs...interact. Just saying morning to the security guy at the entrance and a quick chat with the cleaner as she’s emptying your bin 
is all part of the fabric that makes up your working day.
WFH is great if you’ve got kids and childcare is an issue, but for most getting out of the house is a blessing. Having a reason to get up, get showered, put your slap on, your “work clothes” and listening to the radio in your car or reading a book on the bus/train is actually incredibly cathartic for many as it forms the ebb and flow of their life. Yeah we all have those days when an extra hour in bed would be bliss or just slinging on your leggings, not having a shower and spending that two hours you would normally spend getting ready and commuting catching up on Tattle, but ultimately we are, on the whole, creatures of habit and we require physical human interaction.
Of the people I’ve spoken to about WFH some enjoyed it initially but all have said “I’m ready to go back in now”, a little bit like when people are at the end of their holiday. They are fatigued by it.
Imagine being 22 and WFH, I couldn’t have handled that, I loved all those things I mentioned above and have made lifelong friends from work colleagues, you just can’t do that when you’re WFH. My friends kid is just about to start an apprenticeship with one of the big accountants. It would have meant leaving home, a move to a city and going into the office, but now he’s been told it will be remote until at least January. That has really pissed him off, he’s essentially under house arrest, at his parents, for another 5 months, having missed out on the summer of fun after his A levels. Ultimately it’s not good for people’s mental wellbeing.
Flexible working is really only for parents, nobody else has the excuse to work outside of the usually hours, you can’t call in and say, I’ve got a massive hangover this morning so just gonna get a fry up neck some ibuprofen and I’ll check my emails later. Parents can, they call up say little Tommy has a bug and childcare won’t take him so I’ll have to be home and I’ll look at my emails if I get chance, nobody can say anything to them.
I agree Covid has shown that WFH is possible for many who were told it was impossible but I would disagree that the same level of work is getting done. Have any of you had to call your bank, your insurance company in-fact any service industry where a call centre is involved? My experience this last 5 months has been awful. I’ve listened to more plinky plonky hold music in the last 5 months than I have in my entire life. Customer service levels are crap.
So Anna, the instamum, is campaigning for parents and as was previously said, the biggest beneficiaries of any change will be the highly paid professionals not the low paid warehouse workers. So whilst yes her message is a good one, there’s little hope of this across the spectrum and the privileged will yet again be the winners.
is all part of the fabric that makes up your working day. WFH is great if you’ve got kids and childcare is an issue, but for most getting out of the house is a blessing. Having a reason to get up, get showered, put your slap on, your “work clothes” and listening to the radio in your car or reading a book on the bus/train is actually incredibly cathartic for many as it forms the ebb and flow of their life. Yeah we all have those days when an extra hour in bed would be bliss or just slinging on your leggings, not having a shower and spending that two hours you would normally spend getting ready and commuting catching up on Tattle, but ultimately we are, on the whole, creatures of habit and we require physical human interaction.
Of the people I’ve spoken to about WFH some enjoyed it initially but all have said “I’m ready to go back in now”, a little bit like when people are at the end of their holiday. They are fatigued by it.
Imagine being 22 and WFH, I couldn’t have handled that, I loved all those things I mentioned above and have made lifelong friends from work colleagues, you just can’t do that when you’re WFH. My friends kid is just about to start an apprenticeship with one of the big accountants. It would have meant leaving home, a move to a city and going into the office, but now he’s been told it will be remote until at least January. That has really pissed him off, he’s essentially under house arrest, at his parents, for another 5 months, having missed out on the summer of fun after his A levels. Ultimately it’s not good for people’s mental wellbeing.
Flexible working is really only for parents, nobody else has the excuse to work outside of the usually hours, you can’t call in and say, I’ve got a massive hangover this morning so just gonna get a fry up neck some ibuprofen and I’ll check my emails later. Parents can, they call up say little Tommy has a bug and childcare won’t take him so I’ll have to be home and I’ll look at my emails if I get chance, nobody can say anything to them.
I agree Covid has shown that WFH is possible for many who were told it was impossible but I would disagree that the same level of work is getting done. Have any of you had to call your bank, your insurance company in-fact any service industry where a call centre is involved? My experience this last 5 months has been awful. I’ve listened to more plinky plonky hold music in the last 5 months than I have in my entire life. Customer service levels are crap.
So Anna, the instamum, is campaigning for parents and as was previously said, the biggest beneficiaries of any change will be the highly paid professionals not the low paid warehouse workers. So whilst yes her message is a good one, there’s little hope of this across the spectrum and the privileged will yet again be the winners.
Exactly, my partner is loving it but he’s a highly paid office dude, there’s no relevance to the majority of workers in this country. Unless that’s another part that she’s not started or whatever but I doubt. She may come here to defend as she is pretty good at stating her case and isn’t afraid toI think WFH is doing massive harm to workers and to the economy. People want to see their work colleagues, have some bants, go for a drink after work, nip out to Boots at lunchtime, gossip in the canteen or bogs...interact. Just saying morning to the security guy at the entrance and a quick chat with the cleaner as she’s emptying your bin
WFH is great if you’ve got kids and childcare is an issue, but for most getting out of the house is a blessing. Having a reason to get up, get showered, put your slap on, your “work clothes” and listening to the radio in your car or reading a book on the bus/train is actually incredibly cathartic for many as it forms the ebb and flow of their life. Yeah we all have those days when an extra hour in bed would be bliss or just slinging on your leggings, not having a shower and spending that two hours you would normally spend getting ready and commuting catching up on Tattle, but ultimately we are, on the whole, creatures of habit and we require physical human interaction.
Of the people I’ve spoken to about WFH some enjoyed it initially but all have said “I’m ready to go back in now”, a little bit like when people are at the end of their holiday. They are fatigued by it.
Imagine being 22 and WFH, I couldn’t have handled that, I loved all those things I mentioned above and have made lifelong friends from work colleagues, you just can’t do that when you’re WFH. My friends kid is just about to start an apprenticeship with one of the big accountants. It would have meant leaving home, a move to a city and going into the office, but now he’s been told it will be remote until at least January. That has really pissed him off, he’s essentially under house arrest, at his parents, for another 5 months, having missed out on the summer of fun after his A levels. Ultimately it’s not good for people’s mental wellbeing.
Flexible working is really only for parents, nobody else has the excuse to work outside of the usually hours, you can’t call in and say, I’ve got a massive hangover this morning so just gonna get a fry up neck some ibuprofen and I’ll check my emails later. Parents can, they call up say little Tommy has a bug and childcare won’t take him so I’ll have to be home and I’ll look at my emails if I get chance, nobody can say anything to them.
I agree Covid has shown that WFH is possible for many who were told it was impossible but I would disagree that the same level of work is getting done. Have any of you had to call your bank, your insurance company in-fact any service industry where a call centre is involved? My experience this last 5 months has been awful. I’ve listened to more plinky plonky hold music in the last 5 months than I have in my entire life. Customer service levels are crap.
So Anna, the instamum, is campaigning for parents and as was previously said, the biggest beneficiaries of any change will be the highly paid professionals not the low paid warehouse workers. So whilst yes her message is a good one, there’s little hope of this across the spectrum and the privileged will yet again be the winners.
I’ll welcome her and I welcome her making this an equal benefit for all. My WFH rant was more about the fact I personally don’t believe it’s a healthy way forward for many many working folk.
My beef with Anna is much more complex than that
I think she’s a player, a great player in her field, but a big time player nonetheless. I don’t buy her current game.
The flexible working thing is an interesting one - I found that pre Covid I was one of the more efficient people in my workplace because I worked flexibly; I didn’t hang around chatting or want to go for drinks after work or to nip out to Boots in my lunch break - I was at work to work and get my job done to make the most of my time as I was grateful for the flexibility.
I’ve been happy to work at home as it hasn’t really made a difference to me because of those things.
It’s true flexibility doesn’t apply to all jobs but that doesn’t mean no-one should have it. That’s nonsensical. Also working flexibility doesn’t mean working special hours or coming in late because you have a school thing. Lots of my parent friends are teachers or doctors or nurses or midwives or retail workers; they all work part time and the workforce is better for it as they make a valuable contribution.
You don’t have to be a parent to ask for flexible working; anyone can.
(this doesn’t mean that I agree with everything MP does; just that I think flexible working is an important issue as the generic 9-5 model isn’t necessarily the only way for all jobs)
I’ve been happy to work at home as it hasn’t really made a difference to me because of those things.
It’s true flexibility doesn’t apply to all jobs but that doesn’t mean no-one should have it. That’s nonsensical. Also working flexibility doesn’t mean working special hours or coming in late because you have a school thing. Lots of my parent friends are teachers or doctors or nurses or midwives or retail workers; they all work part time and the workforce is better for it as they make a valuable contribution.
You don’t have to be a parent to ask for flexible working; anyone can.
(this doesn’t mean that I agree with everything MP does; just that I think flexible working is an important issue as the generic 9-5 model isn’t necessarily the only way for all jobs)
THIS!I work with someone who expects time off as a parent for her 17 year old (yep, 17) *every* time there is something going on in his life. I’m all for flexibility where it can be supported but there are instances of taking the piss. He starts 6th form now and she wants time off to take him there on his first day
. It just ends up that she’s only working PT hours but getting paid FT. Whenever we suggest that a mid-teenager doesn’t need quite the full on parental support of a younger child she quotes MP’s flexible working campaign for parents 
(I’d be happy if she adjusted her hours to do these things but it just ends up that she works much less than she is contracted)
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