"When *my* Rachel arrived 3 years ago, I gave up me job"

[AwkwardMary]

"Blah blah blah....now I'm a WORKING MUM at the nursery!"

effing ICS advert makes me go all stabby....AIBU to want to kck the TV when it comes on?

It's a combo of "My Rachel" and "Working Mum" that really twats me off....she's not a "workng Mum" anymore than my DH is a "working Dad."

AIBU????

This advert is horrendous!!!! But I agree with other posters about the children centre - the one nearest me serves mostly forces wives (I'm one myself) and even though I accept the 'demographic' thing it would be nice to go somewhere for a chat and a free breakfast and not be asked "if there was anything I wanted to brush up on".

Yes many forces wives don't work but many is not all!!!! When I turned round to the lady and explained I had a masters in international politics she actually was lost for words......

The thing is Surestart settings have to push the courses as that is the demographic they are aimed for the sociallly and economically deprived, so they ask everyone as they arent just going to single certain people out. Although it might not be important to some there are mums who have undertaken the basic literacy and maths courses and it has gave them confidence to go back out to work or progress on to college.

It might seemsimple to some people but there are plenty out there who find it difficult and see it as an achievement to complete the surestart courses and good on them. That is totally different to the vast majority of the ICS courses which are just a money making scam.

Agree Molly. I wouldn't be offended at someone asking the question at all. How else do they know? I would be offended if they read something I'd written THEN asked!

Naughty at Rachel the little fucker!

I want to say that I do NOT look down on people who work in childcare...my DD loves the women who care for her at nursery....she really does and they are all funny and well educated people.

I do think that it's a good thing to help people from socially deprived areas to get on in life...but wouldn't it be better to help them to get more self confidence? Or to learn about running an online business?

Surestart do lots of work with confidence as they run self esteem classes, and their whole aim is to give mums/dads the confidence to be good parents and improve their own lives through learning.

However ICS is a fix the childcare qualification for instance is 400+ pounds and you would not be qualified to work in a nursery with it. The same goes for the psychology course as people have mentioned that would not qualify you for anything. The Surestart courses are free but ICS are taking people for a ride, except for the GCSE, A Level and degree courses they run as they are nationally recognised.

Sorry, I just wanted to say that I know sure start and ICS are not the same thing at all, I loved our children's centre and was very grateful for the free/cheap baby massage courses, etc. that I did there. I wasn't offended by being offered basic skills courses, I understand their remit, I was more amused by it.

My original post on this thread was about the assumption by many companies and organisations that motherhood must make you want to work with children (I do, but started that long before having my own)
and that most mothers don't have much in the way of qualifications.

naughtymrchicken

You generally can't tell by looking at someone if they have a phd or if they have some gaps in basic skills. To be all "how dare they ask me if I want to do a literacy course!" is a bit silly.

Free baby massage is lovely, but it's not really the core purpose of children's centres. Many LAs are moving to payment for results these days, so CCs do have to show that they are improving the situations of the parents and children using the centre - providing a nice place to hang out doesn't do that. Getting people onto courses, into work, into better housing, sorting out debts and benefits, getting children off child protection plans etc does.

On the subject of bringing your child to nursery if you work in one - my nursery is too expensive If childcare falls through, I can't just bring him to work with me.

Oh My God Mary. You are so not BU. The phrase "busy mum" or " working mum" make me retch.
When did any advert EVER say anything like "You know what it's like when you are a busy Dad..." or " Now I am a Working dad!"
Aaaarrgggh!
I totally agree that you are not "mum" to anyone but your own kids!

Pass me the knife...