I suppose I'm inviting some backlash for commenting on this article, since A) I'm not a woman, and B) I'm not a parent... but I feel like I have to answer this British Woman's questions for her:

Kids are supposed to be fulfilling, life-changing, life-enhancing fun: why was my attitude towards them so different?

That's simple.  Your view is that your children were created purely to enhance and enrich your own life.  They are just like a piece of Harvey Nichols merchandise you were going on about earlier.  What you have failed to grasp, shockingly enough since you've been a parent for over 12 years now, is that your purpose is to enrich your child's life, and that you are supposed to be a life-changing, and in fact, life-shaping force for them.

What kind of mother hates reading bedtime stories?

That's also simple.  An uncaring mother.  I hate to be that cold and simplistic about it... but I think you already know that, given the sorts of attitudes you've talked about so far.  I won't say "bad mother"... because in the grand scheme of things... you could be a lot worse.  You could beat your children after all.  At least you don't do that.

Am I a lazy, superficial person because I don't enjoy packing up their sports kit, or making their lunch, or sitting through coffee mornings with other mothers discussing how Mr Science (I can't remember most of the teachers' names) said such and such to Little Johnny and should we all complain to the headmaster.

I'll give you this much.  You're very smart.  You've figured out your problem exactly.  And as they say, acceptance is the most important step to recovery.  Besides, what makes you think you're supposed to enjoy all aspects of child rearing?  Some things just need to be done in order to get to the good parts.  You know... like eating your vegetables before having dessert.  Oh wait, that's something a mother would say, so I wouldn't expect you to understand.

But since when did masterminding 20 school runs a week become an accomplishment? Getting a First at college was an accomplishment.

And exactly how do you expect your children to do well in any college?  You seem to not care about their development even enough to read a story to them at night.  You don't know their teacher's names... do you expect them to simply come out of the womb all smart and enlightened and capable of deep political discussion with you?

And if masterminding a car pool is such a simple task, and you're such a brilliant person, then why is it so hard for you to do?  I'd think a smart woman such as yourself, who has mastered every part of her life and career, would be able to whip this stuff together in no time.  Could it be that parenting is not the boring, incredibly easy task which you claim, but instead is much more difficult than you first thought?  Could it be that you pull away from your children because of your fear of failure, and your inability to cope with the difficulties?  You know... just something to mull over.

Research tells us that mothers drink the most when they have young children. Is that because talking to anyone under the age of ten requires some sort of lobotomy?

So you thought this was easy... and now have... what... buyer's remorse?  Is there nothing in your child's lives that you can take joy or pride in?

So how have we reached this point where so many intelligent women are subverting their own needs and desires to that of their children?

Granted I'm not a parent, but as I understand it, this is nothing new.  This is not "a point" we've recently reached in our society.  This is pretty much how parents have been doing it for thousands of years.  I find it fascinating that you think you're breaking new ground here.  Actually... it's not surprising at all.  Most people who think the world revolves around them have a hard time coming to the conclusion that they're nothing special.

Sometimes, apparently, the best thing parents can do for their children is to let them be bored.

This, of course, makes mothers like me - who love their children but refuse to cater to their every whim - feel vindicated. By sticking to our guns, we have unwittingly created children who can do things like make up stories (very few kids can any more).

But who would your children tell those stories to?  After all, if you won't read them a bedtime story, and can't stand to have a conversation with them... how would you even know that your child can make up a story of their own?  Oh... I'm sure the nanny told you all about it.  That must be so fulfilling.

They stopped asking me to take them to the park (how tedious) years ago. But now when I try to entertain them and say: 'Why don't we get out the Monopoly board?' they simply look at me woefully and sigh: 'Don't bother, Mum, you'll just get bored.'

How right they are.

Excuse me while I go to the State Department website and look up information on international adoptions from England.  Do read the whole thing... because I've only scratched the surface of what this woman wrote.  The later half is of course where she talks about how her feelings are all society's fault, and then adds in some more vindication from "psychologists".  Via Charlie Sykes.