Being a good mother does not call for the same qualities as being a good housewife; a dedication to keeping children clean and tidy may override an interest in their separate development as individuals.

(1974) Housewife. London: Jonathan Cape. London: HarperCollins.

She has also made important contributions to debates about sociological research methods. She was educated at Somerville College Oxford University taking her BA in 1965 having married fellow future academic Robin Oakley the previous year. She has also written an early partial autobiography.