The Independent on Sunday ran some articles yesterday on how the main political parties are targeting mums at the next election. We know this already. Is it a positive thing that we're a focus in this election campaign?

I'm a stay at home mum and it's easy to feel I don't have much status. To hear that politicians are interested in my vote is good to hear. My great great grandmothers weren't even allowed to vote, so I'm living in privileged times.

Mums are being wooed by all the political parties with promises of more flexible working and better childcare. Great. It's all positive stuff. Let's think about other things a mum like me would like a government to do.

We're a single income family and my husband is self-employed. Labour haven't exactly been considerate to people like him over the past thirteen years. I want to know that he will always be in work. I don't want to go through the experience we had this time last year of him being out of work and us not knowing how we were going to pay the mortgage and bills. I'm interested in a government that can keep our economy healthy and not stealth tax and over-legislate small businesses.

Last week Podge got into our first choice school for him. We're in the catchment area so you'd think this would have been a certainty. But no, some children in the catchment area didn't get in. The school is hugely over-subscribed. Mums want a state education system where they're confident their child will get the best education possible. Not having to cross their fingers in a lottery of over-subscribed schools versus ones just scraping through Ofsted inspections.

Late last year I gave birth to my daughter at home. I felt lucky to have such a good experience. My other births were not so good. They were in a large over-stretched, under-staffed maternity unit fifteen miles from here. Mums want a choice in where and how they give birth. They want to feel supported and cared for when they have their babies. They don't want to be left alone during labour or ignored on a busy maternity ward. They also want good healthcare for their children, not a two week wait to see the GP or an endless search to find an NHS dentist for their children.

So I've listed issues relating to the economy, taxation, education and health. Things which are discussed during every election campaign. 'Family friendly' policies such as flexible working and childcare are all well and good. But are they going to swing my vote? No. I feel patronised that my vote can be so easily bought by some token policies. I'm interested in the fundamental stuff that will help my family be happy and secure. The same as everyone else really. The fact I'm a mum is almost irrelevant.

My blog is at http://babyrambles.blogspot.com