Mumsnet Talk

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/11/family-living-in-tentTheir rent seemed really low. And is 'going out' enough of a reason to move into a tent? We never go out either or have much left after the bills are paid, but would still rather stay in a nice warm house.

I'm thinking social services will be interested in a nine month old baby in a tent in minus seven weather!

Wtf are thy thinking, honestly.

wow - I am all for alternative lifestyles but a tent in winter with a baby seems a little ill advised

Shock horror, they couldn't afford haircuts.

They're keeping it constantly warm. Frankly they've made it sound cosy. They also sound like very loving parents - they are both there to look after her for now too.

They are living with a stove and candles, in a tent, with no running water or toilet and washing facilities, in minus seven weather, with a baby. I cannot get my head around it. Ss must intervene surely!

[shrug]

We live in a caravan for very similar reasons. Its the only way to manage on our income, and tbh we probably have a higher standard of living in many ways than if we were in a house.

Its not just a tent either - from the pictures it is a bell tent or yurt, made of heavy duty canvas, that has a woodburner fitted inside. They are actually pretty damn warm in winter., We have friends who live in them all year round - in fact I know people whose babies were born under canvas. The midwives didn't call social services

Why would SS intervene? They are probably well toasty. There are such things as launderettes, and washing in a tin bath, and water butts - and as for candles, what's the issue there?

i read this yesterday and was incredulous

i wondered why onearth social services hadn't been involved too

the bloke has to get up every two hours through the night to feed the stove???

i also wondered how the grandparents could stand by and let them do it
i know if i said to my mum 'i am taking the baby to live in a tent' then she would have intervened!!

I read the article thinking WTF as they gave up work too so won't build up any money by living there but I think if it's a yurt or similar if a different idea do living in a tent

I can only see a picture of a stove? It just calls it a tent, then again there's not much of a story in "people live in yurt".

If its a camping tent, the child shouldnt be living in it, and th candles are worrying too.

It isnt what I would do but they seem to have thought it through, and they seem to be keeping the child warm etc and have a back up plan. Good luck to them!

Ss? Really? The child sound fine, I'm sure Ss have more children to worry about, maybe those who are being beaten to death? Not the ones kept warm and living in a tent.

Candles + crawling baby + canvas = bad idea.

Its not a camping tent, the picture in the paper made that clear. I think it is a bell tent.

Lots of people, even in this country, live withoug heat, light, running water and make do. I don't see living in a tent is any different.

Why the hysteria? Its a life style choice. Some people return to basics. Besides they have the use of the farmhouse (showers, charging mobiles - I did laugh at that). The bloke has just taken himself out of the economy - doesnt claim benefits, and works in a barter system ie labour for field rent.

Oh I see the picture on the website now. Well, the paper copy had more pictures, showing furniture and canvas and stuff.

I have to feed my stove which heats the whole house every 6 hours.

If it's a yurt then they are liveable all year round and are better than some shoddy housing - seriously, there are flats and houses which are council owned which are thick with mould and much worse conditions than this.

They have access to a toilet and shower in the farm house. They can also take refuge in the farm house in emergencies. It's not a 'normal' tent! I think social services have better things to do...

Looks fine to me...

Ah ok we can tell shelter to call of the campaign for decent housing then, obviously it doesn't actually matter, silly them putting so much effort into it

Queen, the only picture I have in the article merely shows a stove not a tent, I am viewing an iPad version, do t know if tht makes the photos different.

But how are they going to save up to buy a plot of land, if she's not working and he's doing farm labour in between chopping wood, whatever that means? Using someone else's toilet isn't really a working solution, either. Also, plots of land are really expensive if they are viable house sites. I'm fairly sure you can't just buy a bit of field for peanuts and then bung a house on it. Even an eco-house.

I hope it is a yurt with a wood burner or they're going to be soooo cold.

Maybe SS hasn't been involved because it's not necessary?!

In mongolia people live in gers (like yurts) just fine, with much colder winders than here.

just over 100 years ago we would have all had candles.

and he has heat on all night who has their central heating all night?

not sure about the not working bit as surely they would need to save some money to get there dream.

and how is the farmer going to get rid when he want them to go?
and how will he stop others who want to do the same?