to be worried there is no thread about what is being done that will affect our children's futures?

[granted]

I have become increasingly concerned both at the measures being taken by this govt (and the last too, though obviously nothing we can do about those now) that will impact on the next generation.

Articles like this:

www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1328228/Revealed-30-year-graduate-debt-trap.html

on top of high house prices, increasing unemployment, climate change - we spend so long on this site debating the tiny things, like bedtimes, number of baths, bla bla bla - just surprised that I haven't come across other threads discussing this.

Do other mums feel like this, and if so, what can we do? Am thinking about situations where women campaigning together have made huge changes eg I think in Norther Ireland women were drivers for the peace process etc.

I feel strongly that a load of super-rich and entirely male politicians have no concept of what effect the raft of policies they are implenting will have on ordinary families and ordinary children - who after all, have no vote to make their views heard - and the current lot will probably have retired by the time they're old enough to make their views known.

Anyone else?

ILovejudgejudy, maybe because there is such a high benefits budget?

That is ONE good thing about being here. University education is free. You just pay a £30 admin fee to get your student card. With your student card you get discounts on glasses, newspaper subscriptions, public transport, etc. And you get a student loan which you dont have to pay back until you are in full time work, the interest rate and repayment are set according to your salary. You also get quite a large grant.

It is all politics, isnt it. This is a small country, which needs for the inhabitants to work, and take further education.

No one wants to face up to the fact that although baby boomers have worked very hard for their retirement the fact that they are (in large numbers so bloody rich) is because they bought houses for 15k that are now worth hundreds of thousands. If you want to talk about entitled it doesn't actually make sense that in your 80s not working you should be able to afford cruises when you couldn't working in your 30s... And still get a free tv license, bus pass, benefits...

Before I get flames there are also lots of poor elderly, most of whom (guess what) never bought a house, or lived in areas where houses prices didn't rise so much.

The way the cuts have been aimed are very unfairly balanced toward penalizing those too young to vote. Who are unlikely to get a state pension, a job, or even ever be able to buy a house - particularly if they get a degree. When house ownership is a major factor in whether you will survive your retirement in this country.

It just proves how much we emphatically aren't all in this together.

"In this welathy country I do 'expect' my sons to get a decent education. And I was grateful for the EMA which allowed us to afford bus fares to the 6th form college. Now thats gone ds2 cant afford to stay there."

If it's gone why I am still paying it out every week to students at my school? As far as I am aware it will remain in place for the remainder of this academic year at least.

Granted - I agree, but there is a lot of apathy. Having lived abroad form some time, I think a large portion of UK people (yes, I know I am generalizing) put up with a lot and moan about it, but don't really do much about it. I ca include myself in that, most times. That is why I gave the example of the ridiculous 'environmental tax' in what was my old area. Hundreds of people were furios about it's unfairness, but only five turned out at the protest meeting (actually organized by an environmental group). In the end, the local gov knew people would just take it, and overrode the democratic process. I moved away - I guess that was my protest.

Oh, and thanks nurse sunshine format very patronizing post. You make big presumptions (as do others) about my background - you know naaathing about me, my position in life, my background or my education. You are wrong in your presumptions. There will be many political persuasions on a forum - it is a shame that some reduce differing views to rudeness.

To summarise some areas that are worrying me - and I don't think, before it starts to get party political - that one can lay the blame at the door of any one political party - Labour have had 13 years to get some things right and clearly didn't, or we wouldn't be in need of the appalling Tory 'remedies'.

So:

1. Student fees - the link I posted in the OP shows that the average student will leave with 51K in debt - an astonishing, bacck-breaking amount of borrowing (except for the lucky few who have rich mummies and daddies to pick up the tab) - what a dreadful way to start one's working life. I enjoyed a free university education, as I suspect most of those posting here did, and think that affordable education should be a right and a priority - it benefits not just the individual but society as a whole. Are those posting here that studenys ought to 'contribute' aware that this will make English public universities the MOST EXPENSIVE in the world? Shocking.

1. Climate change. Enough said.

1. Economic situation - v ropey. Anyone who thinks the Toories' policies are going to pull us out of our current hole needs to do some serious reading. World econmic shocks, as well as our own poor economy, are going to be v hard to deal with. Welcome to the age of austerity, for our children tto grow up in. Not pretty, not cheering, but essential reading - I recommend The Telegraph, eg:

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8111153/Doubts-grow-over-wisdom-of-Ben-Bernanke-super-put.html Or: www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/8118430/Markets-alert-for-credit-crunch-2.0.html Thought-provoking stuff.

1. House prices. Enough said.

1. Pensions. Hollow laughter.

We are lucky that we never had to grow up under the financial/economic conditions politicians are demanding our children suffer - because they are too young to vote, and too young to take to the streets to riot - yet.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds these things cause for concern.

And tell us what we can do to remedy to the situation.

Sorry - typing one handed

Just wanted to clear up something...

My understanding is that people will lose benefits if they refuse 3 job offers NOT 3 interviews.

As the goverment have said they will "make work pay" ie ensure people are better off working than on benifits, I think it's reasonable.

Granted - I remember growing up in a desperate period of uncertainty during the property crash/ parents in negative equity, miners strikes, foot and mouth, unemployment. I wouldn't want my past to be rose-tinted.
I think to a degree that we may become a much less consumeristic society, and at least that is a small benefit.
I would like to see more campaigning about moral issues - as I said before - too much violence and sex trickling into mainstream. I think morality is the basis of a good society, and I'm no prude, but I feel it has been lost. What can be done?

QuickLook, you could be right.
You need to show that you are actively seeking employment. They did something to ensure people did not just go for interviews and perform badly on purpose.

Riven, Can your DS not get a weekend job to pay for his own bus fare?

I had to in order to go to college - yes it interfered with my social life, and meant I had to be a lot more organised about getting homework done, but it was unthinkable that I should have expected the government to just dish money out for me when I could earn it myself, even at 16

Sorry benefits

"And presumably those rich people that can afford to help their children through education have worked to be able to afford that"
I think it is helpful to move away from the gneralisation that the poor do not work. The rich do not always work harder. I know a number of very wealthy people who do not "work" at all. They sit at home doing as they please while people pay them rent. They even have an employee to sort out their books etc. This is not working "hard" as such.

I have a variety of friends that work very very hard standing all day doing physical work for minimum wage.

Riven, sparechange has a point. My neighbours (in London) 17 year old daughter has done evening babysitting since she was 14. She had done a lifesaving course in her spare time, and work as a life guard at a nearby pool some evenings and during the weekend.

Our neighbours 18 year old son has been doing evening babysitting for years. He has also taken a cleaning job at a nearby nursing home.

Can your ds find part time work?

I agree with you, LRS - didn't want to make my list too long! but I agree that morality should be on it. But how to put the genie back in the bottle? eg re violence/sex so out there via the internet etc - any legislation would be bound to fail.

Sorry no helpful suggestions - I actually think that is one of the less solvable problems - resolving the economic situation is easy by comparison.

I suppose ultimately, the only way to resolve it is by bringing back shame - an external expression of the conscience for those who have none themselves. It should be shameful to choose a life living on benefits, for example.

Instead we have a world where people like Raoul Moat have a huge facebook fanclub. V sad.

Should add - a life on benefits when one is perfectly fit and well and not currently looking after young children, before anyone says - but I can't work because of X, Y or Z. I didn't mean you, OK?

Babysitting is only usually a money spinner in wealthy areas. People have to have the money to go out and pay the sitter. The same with being a tutor to younger kids.

Oh, and could we save the 'entitlements' theme for another thread? There have been several on benefits recently - this was quite specifically not intended to be another.

Interesting subject - I contributed to a couple of threads myself - but an entirely different one.

ie could you ladies please keep to the point?

It was easier when we were young. I also worked when I was thirteen for cash in hand. It is hard to find those jobs now.

Likewise Riven's son's employment opportunities - fascinating, and helpful, but in the wrong thread.

Riven, have they thought about cleaning, dog walking? Any local golf clubs, garden centres?

(btw, this isn't saying they haven't looked hard, just some suggestions of some of the less-obvious places I worked as a teen not too far away from where you live)