You can find a balance for family life, even with a country to run

But some people are taking a rather dim view of our leaders’ modern parenting – chiefly, I suspect, older people, child-free people and male people who believe themselves to be far too important and busy to do the school run, preferring to leave all that to the wife (well, she’s got nothing else to do and it gives her a chance to gossip with the other mums, doesn’t it?).

Nick Clegg, meanwhile, stands by his school-run stints. He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: “Well let me let you into a little secret, which I suspect many fathers around the country feel. I actually like being with my children.

“I love having the opportunity as often as I can to take my children on the school run. And much more seriously, look, this is 2011. It’s not 1911.”

Warming to his theme, he added: “The idea that fathers or mothers can’t do a very good job in whatever walk of life but also remain as dedicated fathers and mothers is frankly an attitude which belongs in the last century, or the one before that.”

Good for him, and Mumsnet seem to like it, with members pointing out that he will hear more useful information and opinions at the school gates than he will in cabinet meetings.

It all reminds me of a joke my Dad told me years ago, about two ordinary blokes talking in a pub. One asked the other who makes all the decisions in their house. “Well,” says the other, “she makes all the small decisions, like where we live, which car we have, where the children go to school. And I make all the big decisions, like who should be head of the Bank of England and which countries we should invade.”

It’s a well-worn saying that no-one, on their death bed, ever wishes they had spent more time at the office. Cliche, perhaps, but nonetheless true.

No matter what your job is, no matter how important a cog you think you are in the organisation you run or work for, it might be worth reflecting on the fact that not even the leaders of this country think their job is more important than their family. They get lots wrong, Clegg and Cameron, but not this. Maybe it’s time we all, finally, got a real life.