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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ways to change the UK for the better....

145 replies

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 14/02/2011 21:27

We always see suggestions in random threads of what we need to do to improve life in the UK for the average working person. I'm curious what you would do, with all the ideas together in one thread...

(PS before anyone points it out, I know its not an AIBU, but I'd like to see the honest answers that this area produces. Plus you can decide if each others ideas are Unreasonable Wink)

I shall be back asap with my own list.............

Heres a controversial one to get you started: If you are a young mum that still lives with your parents and doesnt work, you shouldnt get healthy start vouchers to spend on formula

OP posts:
goodkate · 14/02/2011 21:45

By the way my friend (now divorced) and her daughter work their arses off, so it is not his mother who's made him like this, rather his father who has never worked full time.

xstitch · 14/02/2011 21:45

You do realise that not everyone who ff chooses to do it that way and not all mothers who find themselves living with their parents are young mothers. Not everyone struggling has chosen to have children and live on benefits.

FabbyChic · 14/02/2011 21:46

If you have no money and no qualifications you shouldn't be able to come and live in this country and get benefits and free health care.

You can't do it in Australia so you shouldn't be able to do it here.

bumpsoon · 14/02/2011 21:47

I reckon a hundred nearly trained pilots could run this country aswell as the current mob ,apologies for going off at a tangent !
As for the formula/breast debate ,very poor show in hiding it in a wider context question , plus dont you get 'milk' vouchers to be used for either formula or cows milk ,you would want poor little mary to have adequate nutrition if she was breast feeding wouldnt you ?

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 14/02/2011 21:49

I dont have to be a breastfeeding militant in order to not want my tax money spent on anyone getting free formula. They have free babyfood in their breasts if they dont want to pay for it. And if they do choose to formula feed, they can buy it like everyone else.

All of the young mums I know chose to FF so they could go and get pissed when the baby was only weeks old.

As a plus, I think anyone that medically cant breastfeed should get formula on prescription. And sanitary protection should also be on prescription.

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 14/02/2011 21:50

Mozette - it would be better for the mums who are upset because they don't succeed in bf due to lack of support. They would be happier. Also, bf babies are healthier ( not having a go at anyone who ff here just stating the fact in response to a question) so money saved by the nhs :)

Booandpops · 14/02/2011 21:50

Fabby. Agree !!!!!

PinkIceQueen · 14/02/2011 21:51

People that refuse to work in so called "unsuitable jobs" should not receive benefits... I feel a flaming coming on Grin

MrsPresley · 14/02/2011 21:51

Heres a controversial one to get you started: If you are a young mum that still lives with your parents and doesnt work, you shouldnt get healthy start vouchers to spend on formula

My daughter was 15 when she had a baby,not ideal but it happens. I gave up work so she could finish her education, I had to buy everything that was needed for the baby, even though the baby had 4 grandparents I was the only one who bought anything, cot, pram, clothes ect Thank god for charity shops and kind neighbours!

My daughter couldnt claim benefits as she was too young, I couldnt claim for the baby as he wasnt mine! (she did claim from 16 till leaving school at 17.5)

She got chid benefit, that was it!! I had to pay it all. I dont what these vouchers are or if they were available 10 years ago but by fuck I would have been so grateful for them!!

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 14/02/2011 21:51

They also include vegetables bump. I said I agree with them anyway, just not to be spent on formula.

Anywho...
University should be free for anyone who deserves to go, with much less people going.

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 14/02/2011 21:52

Good post fabby chic.

goodkate · 14/02/2011 21:52

Ah but xstitch unfortunately there is not an insignificant portion of single mothers who actually choose that as a lifestyle option.

You would be rather naive to think otherwise. Giving/not giving free milk or whatever benefits does not help people get out of poverty as the last 40 years have clearly shown us.

caffeineandchocolate · 14/02/2011 21:53

10 hours of sunshine a day from April to September and a decent summer would do for me.

Serendippy · 14/02/2011 21:53

allsquareknickersnofurcoat Mon 14-Feb-11 21:40:59
Living with the parents particularly was an attempt to not say "young mums"!

Tried to hard not to make it offensive and just made it confusing!!! [doh]

But in your OP you specifically said 'young mum' so you ARE grouping, you ARE stereotyping and you ARE offensive.

AimingForSerenity · 14/02/2011 21:53

I would change the way people are assessed for benefits, not quite sure how but am sure it could be improved.

Through my work I come across people claiming benefits that seem to be completely undeserved e.g. overnight care allowance for an elderly lady who lives alone and has no overnight care in place, her daughter has claimed carers allowance for years but just vists twice a week to deliver shopping and DLA for the child of a very wealthy family who has a health issue that is controlled by medication, this child plays a competitive sport at county standard yet gets DLA?

I see people on here who seem genuinely deserving yet can't get help and yet others knowingly claim stuff they shouldn't get so IMO it needs to change

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 14/02/2011 21:53

Doctors surgerys should be open outside of the normal working week.

OP posts:
bubbleymummy · 14/02/2011 21:54

Agree allsquare. I think there should be some kind of academic scholarship scheme for university.

PinkIceQueen · 14/02/2011 21:55

As there is so much competition to get dc's into grammar schools, couldn't the government wake up and smell the coffee? (I feel another flamming approaching).

spanners80 · 14/02/2011 21:55

well, if breastfeeding wasn't hidden from the masses is would be the norm, and therefore the majority of young people wouldn't wince at the idea or call it 'weirds' or 'un-natural'. THEN, by breastfeeding they would:

  1. provide auto-immune agents to their young babies & the nutritionally required food that is designed by Mrs Nature
  1. Save money on formula
  1. Save their carbon footprint in the cost of producing and storing the formula (not to mention bottles, milton etc. etc.)
  1. If they're breastfeeding, they are more likely to need to stay at home - thus preventing the parents from having to take care of the offspring and producing a more responsible parent.

While I'm ranting - give all new parents a set of cloth nappies because they're not THAT difficult to use.

And because I'm already so going to be flamed I'm practically burning, burn all parents at the stake if found giving their child cola in a baby bottle!

And I'm done Wink

goodkate · 14/02/2011 21:56

I agree with allsquare 100%.

Universities are not the be all and end all of employment. It should be free to those that are that way inclined but millions of school leavers aren't - many are suited to working straight away. Employers should be encouraged to take on school leavers and train them in the mariad of ways my peers did when I was at school.

MrsPresley · 14/02/2011 21:56

Doctors surgerys should be open outside of the normal working week

Some doctrors are. My doctors has surgery on a Saturday morning and opens at 7am 2 mornings a week, which is a godsend as my DP cant go between 9-5 Mon -Fri.

Our dentist also has Saturday appointments

mozette · 14/02/2011 21:56

BubbleyMummy - I am not the best judge of this as I FF and I wasn't that fussed about not being able to BF Shock My DD was perfectly healthy on FF thanks and didn't cost the NHS anything up until she was about 3

However I do agree the there should be more BF support however I don't agree that it would make the UK better as a whole

PinkIceQueen · 14/02/2011 21:57

Reduce the cost of public transport drastically, would solve the problem of traffic congestion.

bubbleymummy · 14/02/2011 21:57

:)

usualsuspect · 14/02/2011 21:57

The Daily Mail should be banned