In 2019, our second son was born and our family was, to my mind, complete. Just two years later, my wife sought to persuade me that I did not know my mind. It only took her three more years to succeed. In 2024, our third child was born: another son. That was not what my wife had ordered, and Lionel Richie's promise of 'once, twice, three times a lady' had turned out to be empty words. In many cultures and countries, three sons would deem us truly blessed. But surveying the disaster zone of the playroom, we knew we were instead truly messed. A recurrent theme on Mumsnet is posts about 'gender disappointment'. ✍️ Max Hardy Article |