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How do you juggle being a parent with being a politician? | How do you juggle being a parent with being a politician? |
(about 2 hours later) | |
MPs have been debating whether the House of Commons should be more family-friendly. | MPs have been debating whether the House of Commons should be more family-friendly. |
Some say the parliament needs to modernise and stop hiding behind its "Victorian values". | Some say the parliament needs to modernise and stop hiding behind its "Victorian values". |
Others are in favour of maintaining traditional rules - for example, they are opposed to breastfeeding and bringing babies into the chamber. | Others are in favour of maintaining traditional rules - for example, they are opposed to breastfeeding and bringing babies into the chamber. |
BBC Scotland has spoken to politicians about how they juggle their personal lives with their professional lives. | BBC Scotland has spoken to politicians about how they juggle their personal lives with their professional lives. |
Balancing act | Balancing act |
Kirsty Blackman, MP for Aberdeen North, said it is "manageable" to be an MP and a mum to young children - hers are aged two and four - but that it is not always an easy task. | Kirsty Blackman, MP for Aberdeen North, said it is "manageable" to be an MP and a mum to young children - hers are aged two and four - but that it is not always an easy task. |
She said for single parents, or people without a strong support network to help out with childcare, it would be impossible to be an MP unless the House of Commons reformed to be more accommodating to parents. | She said for single parents, or people without a strong support network to help out with childcare, it would be impossible to be an MP unless the House of Commons reformed to be more accommodating to parents. |
When her young children visit her in London, she sometimes has to entertain them in the parliament until the day's voting is over - often after 23:00. | When her young children visit her in London, she sometimes has to entertain them in the parliament until the day's voting is over - often after 23:00. |
Because her children are too old to be taken into the voting lobby - only babies under one year old are allowed in - she is faced with leaving her children in the care of the party whips' office. | Because her children are too old to be taken into the voting lobby - only babies under one year old are allowed in - she is faced with leaving her children in the care of the party whips' office. |
Ms Blackman said the parliament should become more family-friendly to allow a wider range of people to become MPs. | Ms Blackman said the parliament should become more family-friendly to allow a wider range of people to become MPs. |
"It worked out for my family because of the flexibility of our circumstances - my husband has reduced his hours at work. Becoming an MP was something that was really important to me and something I really wanted to do", she said. | "It worked out for my family because of the flexibility of our circumstances - my husband has reduced his hours at work. Becoming an MP was something that was really important to me and something I really wanted to do", she said. |
But at home in her constituency, she often enjoys taking them along to some of the events she has to go to. | But at home in her constituency, she often enjoys taking them along to some of the events she has to go to. |
She said she thinks it is important that her constituents see her in her capacity as a mum as well as in her role as an MP. | She said she thinks it is important that her constituents see her in her capacity as a mum as well as in her role as an MP. |
Progress | Progress |
Jo Swinson, who was the MP for East Dunbartonshire until May's general election, said that the House of Commons was more family-friendly when she left than it had been when she was first elected 10 years before, but said there was still a lot of progress to be made. | Jo Swinson, who was the MP for East Dunbartonshire until May's general election, said that the House of Commons was more family-friendly when she left than it had been when she was first elected 10 years before, but said there was still a lot of progress to be made. |
However, she said, modernisation faced opposition from some more traditional-minded MPs who seem to be stuck in the past. | However, she said, modernisation faced opposition from some more traditional-minded MPs who seem to be stuck in the past. |
Ms Swinson gave birth to her first child, Andrew, when she was an MP. Her husband, Duncan Hames, was also an MP. | |
Her son was the first baby to be taken through the voting lobby - by her husband - after the rules changed to allow babies under one to go into the voting lobby with their parents. | Her son was the first baby to be taken through the voting lobby - by her husband - after the rules changed to allow babies under one to go into the voting lobby with their parents. |
It was "crystal clear", she said, that she and Duncan wanted to combine having a family and being MPs. | It was "crystal clear", she said, that she and Duncan wanted to combine having a family and being MPs. |
She said this brought its own set of "logistical challenges", but acknowledged that "a lot of people have it a lot tougher" than MPs. | She said this brought its own set of "logistical challenges", but acknowledged that "a lot of people have it a lot tougher" than MPs. |
She said: "You need a range of experiences for a successful, representative parliament - including parents of small children. | She said: "You need a range of experiences for a successful, representative parliament - including parents of small children. |
"Being an MP can't be made an entirely family-friendly job, but the people who sign up to public service in that way recognise that there's no way around that sometimes. | "Being an MP can't be made an entirely family-friendly job, but the people who sign up to public service in that way recognise that there's no way around that sometimes. |
"However, there's a lot more can be done to make things easier for MPs with children. There should be no additional barriers but in place to make it less family-friendly than it needs to be." | "However, there's a lot more can be done to make things easier for MPs with children. There should be no additional barriers but in place to make it less family-friendly than it needs to be." |
Unavoidable consequences | Unavoidable consequences |
But being a parent of young children and being an MSP is an easier combination, according to one parliamentarian. | But being a parent of young children and being an MSP is an easier combination, according to one parliamentarian. |
Aileen Campbell, Scottish government Minister for Children and Young People, was the first Holyrood minister to go on maternity leave when gave birth to her second son, Crawford, in 2014. | Aileen Campbell, Scottish government Minister for Children and Young People, was the first Holyrood minister to go on maternity leave when gave birth to her second son, Crawford, in 2014. |
She said she discussed her maternity leave with the first minister, who "wanted to send a clear message: you can have children and still have a place in politics". | She said she discussed her maternity leave with the first minister, who "wanted to send a clear message: you can have children and still have a place in politics". |
Ms Campbell described it as a "very welcoming" and "accommodating" place to be a parent. | Ms Campbell described it as a "very welcoming" and "accommodating" place to be a parent. |
She said she felt comfortable enough to breastfeed her young son around the parliament. | She said she felt comfortable enough to breastfeed her young son around the parliament. |
"There's a quiet, safe and comfortable space for breastfeeding, but I have sat out in the parliament's garden lobby and breastfed out there," she said. | |
"As a country, we need to make women feel comfortable doing whatever they think is right for them when it comes to breastfeeding." | "As a country, we need to make women feel comfortable doing whatever they think is right for them when it comes to breastfeeding." |
On visits to the parliament with her children, she said everyone - from the first minister to the security guards - was "keen to get in a wee cuddle with baby Crawford". | On visits to the parliament with her children, she said everyone - from the first minister to the security guards - was "keen to get in a wee cuddle with baby Crawford". |
Small gestures, Ms Campbell said, made all the difference: "even little things, like organising me a parking space that was suitable for me to manoeuvre the buggy around." | Small gestures, Ms Campbell said, made all the difference: "even little things, like organising me a parking space that was suitable for me to manoeuvre the buggy around." |
However, she said that being a parliamentarian had some unavoidable consequences on family life. | However, she said that being a parliamentarian had some unavoidable consequences on family life. |
"The reality of the job is that you're elected to serve your constituents for a term, so while I had maternity leave from my ministerial duties I still had constituency duties." | "The reality of the job is that you're elected to serve your constituents for a term, so while I had maternity leave from my ministerial duties I still had constituency duties." |
But she said she has managed to strike a balance between work and family: "My husband is a stay-at-home dad, but whenever I possibly can I get home for the children's bedtime." | But she said she has managed to strike a balance between work and family: "My husband is a stay-at-home dad, but whenever I possibly can I get home for the children's bedtime." |
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