They sound unrepentantly idealised, like Ms Temperance Perfect Brennan. I'm going to love them.

Thanks so much for answering. I (and I'm sure others) appreciate the advice.

Awesome. Are they mystery genre? They're definitely going on my must-read list.

Don't have your own biological child. You're already raising two (even if it's part time) and I don't think it will be any more or less fulfilling than parenting one that came out of your own body. And honestly, your forties are going to be a hell of a lot more fun with relatively minimal responsibilities.

Sorry for beating a dead horse, but what things qualify as verifiable skills? Computer facility and software, of course, but what else would constitute "skills" during a SAHM gap?

You don't do it, and nobody you know does it, and therefore it must be true.

On women and makeup:

True, true. Maybe it's my age, but I feel like Peg's always been there for me. From first year uni, with the quasi-feminist ham-fistery of Edible Woman, to the totally cynical but frighteningly prescient Handmaid's Tale, then the technically brilliant and astoundingly boring stuff, and now the ass-kicking sci-fi.…

Nooooooo. She's OURS. Especially when she says subtly nasty things about our prime minister.

Hmmmm. The article doesn't say that the couple contacted an adoption agency; it says that priest-guy heard about the situation and offered to help find a family for the incipient kid. It's the church's social media person who's all alarmist about it... did she ramp up the hyperbole to get a greater response?

Disgraceful behaviour... in my experience, back in the mid-2000s, the SAHDs were positively fawned over. This is in Vancouver, though, where most first-time mothers are in their 30s, so perhaps there's a greater acceptance of differing parenting modes.

I just visited my first one, actually, last week. It had about 4 stalls facing a long row of sinks in a counter, with room on the counter for changing. The stalls were separated by floor-to-ceiling walls; they weren't too roomy, but you could fit a kid in there with an adult easily. I was very pleased with the…

Whoops! I mixed her up with Carly Rae Jepsen. I blame my advanced age.

Isn't Taylor Canadian? Happy America day, peeps!

My dear, please let me introduce you to http://www.etiquettehell.com

Money is always good. Is there a women's organisation that HRW can suggest, with the ability to accept online donations?

I totally approve of uniforms. I've had a minimal wardrobe for the past dozen years, maintaining at about 10 t-shirts, 5 pairs of pants or skirts, sneakers and hoodies. I have some dresses for formal events, but the last few years I have one "winter parties" and one "summer weddings" dress. So awesome.

Urgh, there was the Little Brown Dress Project, but the site seems to be down.

My mom signed my grade 4 permission form so fast I was reeling.

I cannot agree with the age (10 or 11) that you feel is appropriate for expanded sexual knowledge. My son was a champion masturbator by the time he was 3, and by 4 he was keen to know where he came from