Labour will base advice service on MUMSNET!

[Blu]

here

Although I am pretty outraged at the thinking around the 'shift parenting'. yes, another thing to feel criticised over - DP and I have run ourselves ragged to ensure that DS gets as much time as possible with us in our as a two-parents-woh family, shift parenting so that we can take it in turns to pick him up from school etc. There is more than one way of looking at this, and they could maybe start with the finances....house prices and stamp duty etc. It's all very well demanding that employers allow parents to work reduced hours, but if you can't manage on a reduced salary, that's not going to help.

[Freckle]

Would the government then be held responsible if anything untoward was posted on their website? If so, could a disgruntled person close down the government out of spite and pique??

[Carmenere]

Why don't they just give mums free PC's and broadband and then they can all go on mumsnet. Why try to impersonate and improve a resource that is already very sucessful?

[fullmoonfiend]

''It would be modelled on the success of Mumsnet, the website with topics range from nanny problems to breastfeeding techniques.''


No, the topics range from ''Have I got a clown's sleeve after having 6 kids?'' to ''Should one be allowed to sample supermarket grapes before one buys?''

[fullmoonfiend]

Freckle, gooood point

[JoolsToo]

agree carmenere

[zippitippitoes]

my god if the topics ranged from nanny problems to breastfeeding techniques I'd be off

[Jimjams2]

"Harriet Harman will claim today, arguing that children want time with both parents together doing activities that bond them."

So what's the lovely Harriet going to do about families with a disabled child. We "shift parent" because we can't do activities with both parents bonding as a bloody family.

Idiots.

"it's about doing things as a family."

Right well that's us stuffed then.

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[Jimjams2]

Good point YG!!

[WideWebWitch]

Why don't they just ask us lot what parents think? We are parents (although not representative mind you, I don't think anyone would argue that we are)

[WideWebWitch]

I can't imagine a sanitised Govt version of mumsnet can you?

We'd be deleted all over the place.

[zippitippitoes]

there would be about a weeks delay between posts while they were reviewed

[fullmoonfiend]

Is there really such a thing as 'representative parents'?

[Carmenere]

God I've just had a thought! Imagine being paid a civil servants wage to spend all day on mumsnet monitoring it or whatever! Now there would be a desirable job! Although I'd imagine the gov one would be somewhat sanitised.

[fullmoonfiend]

oooh! I can read...where do I sign up?

[JoolsToo]

they'll be able to mention you know who on their site,

one good reason to avoid it then!

[Carmenere]

Yes but will you be allowed to criticise the complete works of swmnbn????Will they advocate freedom of speech, I doubt it tbh.
But I'm sure Justine et al will be paid huge consultancy fees, or at least they should be!!

HEY MUMSNET TOWERS - MAKE SURE YOU GET PAID LOADS OUT OF THIS!!!!!!!!

[JustineMumsnet]

We were thinking why waste a load of tax payers' money creating a new website? Shall we just let them have a "Talk to the government" area on ours?

[foxinsocks]

I doubt they'll need their own area. They can just come on here and lurk like everyone else does .

Can't see how anything they come up with will change the plight of our friends who work opposing shifts (dad works mon-fri, mum works sat - tuesday and granny has the kids monday and tuesday).

The real problem for them is not their working environment but the bloody COST of childcare is so extortionate that they have to work opposing shifts to get out of paying any of it.

[Carmenere]

Whatever way you look at it Justine, you own something that the government want/need, nice position to be in

I don't know about having a section of 'talk to government', how do you think it will affect the site if every mother in the country is directed here as soon as she gets a BFP?

IIWY I would consult for them to set up their own version and then charge them a fortune to link to it.

[CountessDracula]

I was going to suggest that Justine after seeing this yesterday - how about a Policy area or something? Every time a new announcement is made it can be posted and debated on here.

Think you should make them pay to get the info though (not sure how?!)

[WhenSantaWentQuietlyMad]

I suppose I am pleased that both political parties are realising the difficulties placed on all parents, and I think they are all trying to work out what the hell to do!

Why is it that to survive in today's society we are all driven into this mad situation of shift parenting.

After years of striving for equality, we are all just in the hamster wheel. Is this what we all wanted?

[millie865]

Hi all. I am the mumsnetter (lurker and reader rather than poster) who introduced Harriet Harman to mumsnet.
She's going to be making a speech later in the week about support for families (in all their forms - the shift parenting example was just one in a series of examples of the stresses that modern families can face). Although she is making policy recomendations she also wants to have a real discussion and saw mumsent as a model for online dialogue.

I've written to mumsnet asking if you would be interested in some form of on-line chat with Harriet in the next couple of weeks.

This isn't a government announcement, it's Harriet talking about what she thinks Government should do to support families. She has a long history of work in this area (her first question in Prime Ministers Questions as a new MP over twenty years ago was about afterschool clubs - all sides fell about laughing)

I'll make sure she is aware of this thread, and maybe it'll be possible to arrange a time for a live chat. I know everyone here will have lots to say!

[NotAnOtter]

not sure about the whole idea.
Will MUMSNET get royalties?

[lulumama]

well..it will be interesting to see if this is just another political , vote winning strategy,that is merely paying lip service to the needs and desires of real parents...struggling every day to do their best . it is all very well getting involved with public debate on parenting and looking for real opinions...it will be interesting to see if any real changes actually happen....

changes that parents need and want, rather than waht the government or politicians think we want...


cynical, moi ?