And now I am transported back to my childhood, and to the children in my school who seemed to have such old mothers compared to mine.

Nobody ever talked about the fact that they were really being reared by their grandparents. It simply wasn't discussed.

As you say Donnette, every child has the right to know his/her father, if only for health reasons.

I was raised in a small village, and the 'sin' element of getting pregnant was front and centre of how a mother and her illegitimate (what an awful word!) child were treated.

I just wonder how these people lived out their lives. Were they curious, as you were?

Did they exercise their rights? Gosh I hope so.

Did they ever meet their fathers?

Were their lives compromised by the resultant secrecy?

Different times, of course, but terribly, terribly unfair.