The clerk asked a lady renewing her driver’s license her occupation.  Seeing her hesitation, the clerk explained, "Do you have a job, or are you just a …….?”

"Of course I have a job," snapped the lady.   "I'm a Mum.

'Housewife' covers it," said the clerk emphatically.

I forgot all about this incident until I found myself in an identical situation at   our local police station. "What is your occupation?" the clerk probed and my reply simply popped out, "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."  The clerk paused, pen frozen in midair looking rather puzzled.   With new interest the clerk asked, “Just what you do in your field?"

Coolly I replied, "I have a continuing programme of research, (what mother doesn't). I’m working for my Masters, (the whole family), and already have two credits. (Kids).  The job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree.?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

When I got home, buoyed up by my glamorous new career and the respect it earned, I was greeted by my lab assistant - aged 3. Upstairs, our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development programme, was testing out a new vocal pattern.  I had triumphed over bureaucracy and had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "Just another Mum."

Motherhood ..... What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door