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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

following on from tax credits and working mums thread

58 replies

maighdlin · 09/01/2011 22:38

following on from previous threads, i was wondering why the govt don't have the option of giving stay at home parents the childcare tax credit they would get if they were working? why can't the government pay for people to look after their own children? im probably being very simple, but im sure many out there would much prefer to not work and, without wanting to start a sahm v working mum argument, its good for the children to have a parent there at home. expense obviously would be an issue but those who would have received childcare tax credit wouldn't be earning bucket loads and paying lots in tax, there would be a shortfall between the tax credit the govt pays and how much tax the person would pay from their employment.

i await being told im being stupid but i think it would be a good idea to help people stay home with their children, even if it was just up to they were school age. there should be a lot more help for parents who want to stay at home and the govt are always spouting shite about how the family is the core unit of society and how they look after families.

OP posts:

frgr · 09/01/2011 23:07

"i just don't think that sahps get any help"

but they do. my partially-disabled (but FULLY able to work!) uncle is a single, childless man who's just been made redundant. if you think families and parents get a shitty deal when it comes to tax credits, childcare, maternity pay, etc - try being part of another segment of society.

accidentwaitingtohappen · 09/01/2011 23:09

Sorry, but I don't see the point in going out to work then paying all that money to someone else to look sfter my kids whilst I go to work to earn the money to pay them, IYSWIM.

frgr · 09/01/2011 23:10

You're not reading posts such as WhyHavePets (re: economics) or mine (re: equality of opportunity for women) then.

mutznutz · 09/01/2011 23:11

I think the idea of paying people to look after their own children is a very odd one...especially as we already get child benefit.

Having said that, I'm almost sure (willing to be corrected) that Holand run a scheme that pays parents to mind their own children?

WhyHavePets · 09/01/2011 23:12

maighdlin, it is the same old argument, if you have dc and want to stay at home with them then you are going to need to ensure you can finance that somehow. Most of us cant, sad but true. I work very hard to enable myself to have my dc, I wanted children so I work to afford them - the same as i would anything I decided to have!

The Gov is in the job of keeping the economy going and keeping people in a position where they can at least attempt to earn enough to support their families. Especially at the moment this is a tough job so I doubt that they are giving much thought to how they can enable parents to stay at home with the dc as long as they like - especially as there are people who would rahter have more children than work (less than certain papers would have us believe though )

classydiva · 09/01/2011 23:13

All parents even non working parents get child tax credits.

It is the working tax credit stay at home parents on benefits don't get.

Catnao · 09/01/2011 23:13

Well - I suppose I meant ( as the mother of a ten year old who has never had the opportunity to be a stay at home parent - although I would have liked to, and think it can be valuable), that actually - in 6 years time, my son can legally leave school and home and set up on his own (I hope he won't - unless he is a professional footballer/entrepreneur).
So - if I HAD given up my career and all benefits etc when he was new born- I might regret it later?

Rainydaze · 09/01/2011 23:13

I can't believe the question "Why can't the government pay for people to look after their own children?" Why should it?? They're YOUR children and YOUR responsibility. As I said above, the taxpayer funds a HUGE amount of your family's life, including healthcare and education.

Paying people when they have children wouldn't automatically result in happy children and good family lives.

Sorry OP, but your post is self-centred and blinkered.

Violethill · 09/01/2011 23:14

When I read threads like this, it makes me wonder about some people's grasp of basic economics..... I mean, where do they think 'government money' comes from? It is generated by PEOPLE WORKING. Do they not see the irony??

Rainydaze · 09/01/2011 23:15

Lol - you're so right Violethill!

huddspur · 09/01/2011 23:16

The reality is we simply can't afford to do what you propose even if we thought that it would have social merit which I don't think it does. There isn't a bottomless pit of money

frgr · 09/01/2011 23:17

Violethill, I think the problem is that you can explain, very logically, the reasons why this is a bad (short sighted/etc) idea all you want, but some people just don't want to face the ugly truth. That it just woudn't work very well in the society modern Britain is.

if you want a good understanding of how it works in other parts of the EU,

THis makes for some interesting reading, and it's not too long - check it out

Imarriedafrog · 09/01/2011 23:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Catnao · 09/01/2011 23:21

It would be hard to get back in to many careers - ask my mum - who had to retrain at her own expense...

A1980 · 09/01/2011 23:22

Why should the taxpayer fund other peoples lifestyle choices? Having children is a lifestyle choice, you choose to start a family.

If some people couldn't afford to eat if they didn't get tax credits once wonders why they had children in the first place. I certainly wouldn't have them if things were that tight.

Instead of standing around wondering why the govt doesn't pay you to be at home with your kids why not take personal responsibility for your choice?

As another poster said, SAHM's are not neccessarily the best options for a family. Absolutely fine when the children are young, but beyond that? My mum was a SAHM all the way and TBH I wish she had effing worked. Particularly when I was a teenager. She was always there, in my face, knows everything, never get away from her. Now that I'm working myself I realised I never saw my mother with a job and I can't imagine her having one. It would seem weird for her to work. I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Tax money to pay for beneifts is generated by people who work, there isn't a limitless supply of money to pay a wage for every SAHM. There is already CB, free schooling, free healthcare, free prescriptions until your DC is 19, free bus fares, etc etc.

TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 23:24

I agree. On these threads it does seem like there are two species. I was a SAHM for 5 years. Went back to work 2 years ago and have been promoted beyond where I was when I left. Doesn't work in all professions I know, but fortunately it does in mine.

Imarriedafrog · 09/01/2011 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Catnao · 09/01/2011 23:28

I am hoping to get pregnant at the moment, although it isn't happening...if I do - we have planned for the 12 months (max) one of us could be at home.

We value our careers and our child (and potential child!

It would be hard for either of us to take 5 years out and then expect to be back at the same level...

Catnao · 09/01/2011 23:28

And we have the same job!

Imarriedafrog · 09/01/2011 23:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ENormaSnob · 09/01/2011 23:29

Why the fuck should the government pay you for staying at home with your kids?

Unfortunately the countrys purse isn't as big as your sense of entitlement.

TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 23:30

So, you make your choices based on your situation, and I made them on mine. Which is why you can't really generalise, can you?

TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 23:31

That was to catnao.

I think IMAF and I may have the same profession...

Niceguy2 · 09/01/2011 23:32

i think it would be a good idea to help people stay home with their children, even if it was just up to they were school age.

Imarriedafrog · 09/01/2011 23:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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