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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be shocked at those who went on strike today and took their kids along to hold the placards????

111 replies

Thruaglassdarkly · 01/12/2011 02:49

I am a teacher of 12 years on a break to look after my small kids. I'm married to a teacher also and we now live on one wage, which just about does us fine if we're very careful, so I feel quite lucky about that. Obviously, the pension cuts will affect us and we're not overly happy, but we are both against the idea of striking for many reasons, not least because it'll hurt many people - the kids, many parents who need to take a day off etc etc. We don't think that we should impose on others for our own gain, in short.
So, I have a lot of friends who are teachers who think otherwise. They took their kids on the protests today, took photos of them holding placards and put them on FB. AIBU to find this all a bit distasteful??? I think that these same children- should public sector workers get their way - will be facing a massive tax bill in years to come, way beyond our imaginings. Is it right therefore, to stick a placard in their hands when they are 5, 6 or so and photograph them "protesting"???? It seems a bit cynically exploitative to me and I'm so shocked that my friends have taken advantage of their kids in this way to make a political point. No flaming please - just reasoned debate. Many thanks.

OP posts:
BebeBelge · 01/12/2011 07:18

I'd be interested to know what level of explanation you could give a 5 or 6 year old tho

I would simply say that I think that the men and women in charge of the country are about to make a very bad decision and that I want to tell them that that is what I think, because everybody is allowed to say what they think in this country. When you are older, you can decide what you think too.

What is so harmful/influential/political/controversial about that??

Bobbish · 01/12/2011 07:18

oh yes I'm sure I do influence my DC in many areas. I just feel strongly that politics (or religion, but that is a whole other can of worms!) should not be one of them.

My parents always refused to tell me how they voted as 'that way, trouble lies!'

Bobbish · 01/12/2011 07:19

and I've just realised the irony of what i have written above, showing that i was indeed influenced politically by my parents!

ChristmasBreak · 01/12/2011 07:19

If you tolerate this then your children will be next.

MissMogwi · 01/12/2011 07:19

My DD who is 7, knows the strike is because the teachers want to tell and show the government they are not happy with the plans for the future. talk of pensions would have gone over her head.

I don't think any explanation would cause a damaging impression on a child. It's not a BNP rally.

I applaud the parents who took their children, good for you.

Of course our kids are influenced by our beliefs. Day to day life sees to this. Should children grow up in a bubble and emerge at 18 with no opinions or thoughts on society?

Iggly · 01/12/2011 07:25

I never understand parents who dont tell their kids how they voted. What are they hiding? It's an interesting point for debate - I will quite happily have political discussions with DS once he's older and forms his own opinion on such things. Politics is bloody important.

DogStinkhorn · 01/12/2011 07:26

Yabu

TandB · 01/12/2011 07:27

If the justice system en masse ever gets its act together about the spectacular mess it is being reduced to, damn right I will take my child on any march that is organised.

Because I would prefer that there is a functional justice system for the next generation to inherit so I don't see why the next generation shouldn't see that we tried at least, even if they only understand it much later.

Bobbish · 01/12/2011 07:28

When I was 18 i mostly disagreed with everything my parents stood for anyway!

I'm not saying that you shouldn't talk to your children about politics etc. I just find it a bit distasteful to have a pre-schooler holding placards stating "I believe XYZ" when they obviously are incapable of such opinions. (I'm not saying this is what happened at today's pickets and protests)

NinkyNonker · 01/12/2011 07:40

Shocked? Oooh err missus.

Yabu.

naomilpeb · 01/12/2011 08:30

I really don't see the problem with taking children on a protest march as long as you take full consideration of their safety, something I'm sure most parents would do. My parents took me on anti-apartheid marches when I was 6/7/8 and I clearly remember understanding the injustice of the situation. The idea that it's somehow wrong to share your political/moral views with your children is ridiculous. No one lives in a vacuum - I actually think that it's part of my parental responsibilities to my children to talk to them about what I believe. People do it every day, whether it's going to church or how you react to a news story infront of your kids. If you don't sympathise with the strike, fair enough, but that's another issue entirely.

echt · 01/12/2011 08:38

What naomilpeb said.

Interestingly, none of those who've objected to the kids as symbols have responded to the logic of parentally-enforced standards in other areas of life.

Abra1d · 01/12/2011 08:43

I think it was a good plan.

After all, it's the children who'll be paying their pensions. There is NOT enough in this mythical 'pot' to pay out in the future on existing terms and conditions.

Now these children will also have graduate loans to pay off, and won't even be able to buy houses or rent decent ones, in some cases, but they will be expected to foot this future bill as well.

MrsTwinks · 01/12/2011 08:44

(gets hard hat ready) I can see where you are coming from re placards.

Taking them is a whole different point IMO but making them hold banners if they don't understand the issue is a bit off. Mum took us on loads of green matches but before I was able to say I agreed I wasn't carrying banners. Some of the kids I saw holding them were 3 or 4 so too young to understand completely

Slightly o/t but I work with a politics student (alevel) who was going out on strike with her teachers as they offered 'extra credit' if the students did. Surely that's completely out of order, as IMO that's bribing students into supporting you.

Sevenfold · 01/12/2011 08:45

yabu
people took / or allowed kids to go on the student protests

echt · 01/12/2011 08:46

Children don't understand the lie of Father Christmas.

Logic.

Brain.

Engage.

Pagwatch · 01/12/2011 08:49

I believe in showing your children what you believe as long as there is room for them to disagree. Plus childcare etc may make taking children a necessity whatever you would chose to do.
But a child attending and observing is very different in my head to giving your child a placard to wave. Which I think is a bit wanky.

When we were fighting to stop a local hospital closing down we all got involved but one woman kept trying to put stickers on my dd. She isn't a fucking advertising space.

SmethwickBelle · 01/12/2011 08:56

I disagree with the OP.

People take their children to church - taking them on an organised and lawful peaceful protest is morally equivalent in many ways. It's saying "kids, THIS is something we as your parents feel strongly about and THIS is how we demonstrate our feelings about this thing".

(I'm thinking of Father Ted now and his banner "down with this sort of thing... careful now" Grin )

Original poster
Thruaglassdarkly · 01/12/2011 09:28

Thanks folks Grin. You've made some very good points which I take on board. It wasn't taking them on the march but having them placard wave I felt uncomfortable with, but you're right. We do impose our views on our kids all the time and we raise them with the values we hold ourselves. I think I probably let my frustration about the strike cloud my views a bit here.

OP posts:
hardboiledpossum · 01/12/2011 09:29

YABU my parents took me on demos and explained to me why they were there, it was great fun and educational.

FellatioNelson · 01/12/2011 09:34

Completely and totally agree with Pag.

MordechaiVanunu · 01/12/2011 09:45

I didn't support the strikes, but I think if you do feel passionately about something you should do something about it and stand up and be counted.

and I think children that see their parents speaking out getting involved and caring about the world around them are very lucky, and to experience that in childhood themselves is likely to make them think more about the world and there place in it, in the future.

So I totally think YABU, I think taking your kids on protests is a good thing.

Whether I happen to believe in that oarticuakr issue or not.

Obvioiusly I would like people to only take their children on protests which I personally believe in, but I can't seem to get everyone to go along with that. Grin.

Ticklemonster2 · 01/12/2011 10:44

I was on strike yesterday and I marched. My son was in nursery. However, we're he a little older I wouldn't think twice about taking him. in fact if nursery were closed I would have taken him yesterday. He would have loved the flags waving and all the singing. I'm not raising him in a bubble!
Don't forget, our pensions are handed to our children upon our death if we demise prior to taking our pension. I want my children to receive what I have paid for and nothing less. I am fighting for security for them as much as myself.
My father was a union man and I had much respect for that. He raised me to challenge political decisions. I want no less for my children. It's actually healthy. It's real life. I want my children to stand up for what they believe in - its a vital part of life.
By the way, where did you expect these children to be, other than with their parents?

Pagwatch · 01/12/2011 11:08

It's interesting how differently people view it.
My father was a union man for twenty year and would talk to me about it, he was passionate and articulate and i still live by many of the things he expressed but he would not take me on a march unless I asked and was able to articulate in reasonable terms the point of it.

My son was never taken on marches but wrote to the prime minister aged 7 asking why special needs provision was shit - obviously in is own words.
Sticking a badge on a kid and giving them a ballon is not the sole route to political or social awareness. Not taking a child to a march - actively being uncomfortable about it - is not the same as political indifference.

JuliaScurr · 01/12/2011 11:16

Do you feel the same about Sunday School?

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