to think perhaps this family could have done something differently?

[thinneratforty]

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/11/family-living-in-tentTheir rent seemed really low. And is 'going out' enough of a reason to move into a tent? We never go out either or have much left after the bills are paid, but would still rather stay in a nice warm house.

When I started work in the early 80's, I worked with people who lived in council property who didnt have running water or indoor toilets. wide spread central heating and double glazing was a phenomenan of the 80's - I still know people who refuse to have central heating - granted they are older folks.

Bexley village has several properties where CH & DG are not allowed because they are listed buildings, therefore you cannot make change to them. Families live in them.

Dunno why everyone is hysterical because they have an alternative lifestyle. And candles. Well send them some yankee ones and it'll all be ok! Honestly, do you really think they have naked candles, dobbed on an old saucer with a bit of melted wax?

I love the Guardian but this is the sort of article that makes me want to tear my hair out. They want to save up for a plot of land to build an eco-house. So they decide to live in a tent? WTF?

Why should/would SS intervene? they sound like they are taking good care of their baby's short term needs.

I don't get what their long term plan is though?

Living in a proper tent/yurt - no issue. Not much different from living in a caravan I'd think.

However I agree they do sound pretty naive. I can see how their current lifestyle works, BUT what I can't see is how they hope to move forward with their plan to buy their own plot etc when neither of them have proper jobs. Presumably whatever cash is earned from his occasional farm work (over and above what's an exchange for living on the land/use of shower, loo etc) is spent on food, toiletries etc? So how can they save towards their dream?

This article was a bit odd really. She made the choice to give up work after she had the baby. They found their living costs a bit high. Fair enough. But how did this then get on to him deciding to give up work and then living in a tent? Could he not carry on working and they move into a shitty basement studio flat as we did other people do? And if this is all about money why has she got an iphone a phone with internet access?

It seems to me that this is more a lifestyle choice then them being poor and homeless and having to live in a tent.

Goodness me people would really want ss to get involved in a happy family? We were in caravans and tent all through the year growing up every weekend and all through the school holidays from me been a month old. This family lives different lives and should not have to comfort to what the public deem fit. Wilst were all sitting with our heating on and all our quick cooking utensils it was but a decade or two that only a very small amount of people had heating.
Families do not need central heating it is nice but not needed. They will be fine with there limited heating if that went it would be cold for them just the same as if our boiler went.

If the wife did the labouring jobs with the baby strapped to her back a la proper peasantry, then the husband could get a salaried job and save enough to buy the land/eco house.

Fair play in looking for cheap and sustainable living, but if it's about finance, why did she give up work when she was a freelancer? What benefit or use is her partner when he is up getting logs every two hours?

It all seems a bit worthy and contrived, but they aren't harming anyone so what the hell...

Not my idea of a good time, but if it suits them then fair enough.

All these calls for SS involvement - do you know how difficult it is to get them involved? A child who is warm, fed and loved is not going to be on their radar.

I know plenty of people who live in benders, tents & the like with or without babies, I don't think its that remarkable & can't see why on earth SS would have any interest in them.

I suspect that their story has been mangled out of all recognition by the Guardian the way these things always are, you'll probably find that the bloke is working & that's how they plan to save up for some land while the woman does the chores or vv. And I bet any money that the 'getting up every 2 hours to put wood on the burner' actually translates as :

journalist - don't you freeze overnight
woman - meh, if its really cold we chuck a bit more wood on the burner when baby wakes up for a feed, at the moment she's up every 2 hours anyway . . .

or something to that effect.

And while you can't just buy a bit of land then build an eco-home there are ways round these things (a few councils even have specific sustainable housing policies these days).

You don't really need to restock woodburners every two hours. We leave ours for 8 hours over night and it soon perks up when you stick a log on it and open the grate thing.

From the sound of their jobs, they certainly should have been able to afford their fairly low rent!
Sounds like excuses to me, but their life sounds warm and lovig

SS wouldn't be fussed as long as she's warm, well feed and safe.

Why on earth should social services be involved? The parents appear to be loving caring parents, not child beaters or neglectful of their childs needs. The baby is well fed, warm and cared for. Just because a child has a tiled roof over its head does not mean it is cared for or loved more or better looked after.
They have made a life style choice which suits them, it may not suit everyone , me included because I like my home comforts and I am too lazy to live such a way , however I respect their right to choose.

Why on earth would SS need to be involved? What do you think people did before the influx of central heating? And what do you think people in the really cold countries do?

It may seem extreme, but then I think teenagers wanting cars, Botox and aspiring to be glamour models is extreme, so I'll take a couple mangling their undies in a tent.

Very different to living in a caravan.

They mention that they didn't expect the sides of the tent to slope - TBH they didn't sound very well prepared, unlike tribes in other countries who know what they are doing.

I think it sounds lovely.

I am quite tempted.

Their parents ringing up to see if their 6 m old gd is "cold" in a tent in the snow in feb.

Why the fick haven't they offered to help them in more of a practical way than that?!!!
The mind boggles it really does

I'm quote envious. Life is too complicated nowerdays, it must be much better for your mental health to live the simple life.

If it works, then good for them!

Fair play to them, I say. Although I bet they'll have had enough by this time next year. Meeting the needs of a baby under 1 and an active toddler under canvas are very different things.

They refused to be identifiable in the article though so maybe feared being judged. Eavh to their own but I like a warm bed/running water/flushing toilet too much.

It sounds like it suits them and I see nothing wrong with what they're doing. I know people who have lived in caravans and boats for similar reasons. But I agree it's a lifestyle choice - there are definitely other options. I know people who have faced unaffordable rent who have moved into much smaller apartments and/or in cheaper areas, or pushed for council housing.

I'm in a HA flat myself (which is free from mould, double glazed and with lovely neighbours). But I know others would have shunned that as an option based on prejudices about the area, and then would claim they were forced into other places.