I do not understand why people have kids when they can not afford them.

[sea74]

I know this topic will create lots of critics but i want to share my thoughts and see if anyone agrees or i am the odd one out.
I come from a european country where the fertility rate is 1.4 that is each woman/family has 1.4 child. Grandparents very often are the to help, but women (and men) are responsible enough not to have children if they can not afford them or look after them.
I grew up thinking that i want children not because i want them for me but because i have to donate life and their life must be a good life. Children are not mine but they are individuals.

Having said that, when i moved to the UK, i realised how things are different.
I feel that many people think children will not change their lives, they get pregnant easily, they do not really worry too much (and take contraception) in order to avoid pregnancies.
Then, when they have the child, you see that often these children live in broken families, or the single mothers do not have 50 pounds to buy them a decent meal, or they are left in front of the tv all summer because they had not planned childcare is expensive and grandparents live far.

Children should be planned carefully, i think and it is very selfish to have them without thinking of (and being ready for) the consequences.

I think that sounds about right

And don't forget that we must all be grateful for minimum wage.

oh yeah another one, don't forget that only the highly paid work hard.

Hey nothoneydragon I want more than the mw for looking at arses these days, and I usually have a needle in my hand when I do!

Night usual.

I am nominating you for a Good Behaviour award from HQ, stupendous calm on a mind numbingly mad thread.

What salary do you need to be considered a decent member of society? Just out of interest.

How much do you need to earn before your not entitled to tc?

I think a pay rise is in order

I think it's 26k for 1 child and 32 for 2 or more for CtC. Don't know about WTC.

Don't worry honey the stuff in the needle will make you feel happy

Actually I'm not working at the mo, I have 25 children and I live in a shoe

But... If only the well off reproduce... Who will do all the shit jobs when the current generation of serfs die out?
Who will sweep the streets? Serve afternoon tea to her ladyship?
Work on a till in Tesco?

immigrants, obviously....;0)

And robots.

There really aren't that many "shit jobs" anymore. Hence the high unemployment. We are struggling to adjust to being a post-industrial economy.

Erm, there are millions of low paid jobs. I've done most of them!
I'm just lucky that DP earns enough to put us into the able to afford to have children category!

The majority of people are on low wages. A massive majority. Clearly they still deserve to be able to have children.

Hmmm what to say - people who think those working NMW jobs don't 'deserve' any better becasue they don't work hard - mind boggles. Some people on benefits work damn hard for their money too, but that doesn't matter either does it becasue we just arn't real people to some it seems.

We are actually being screwed for £400 by HMRC becasue about 6 years ago DH was made redundant. We decided to live from his redundancy, savings and my contributions based benefit until he got work (2 months) rahter than faff with benefits and the humiliation of JCP. It turns out due to the fact he was registered self employed three years before that, even though the buisness folded after 6 months and tax returns were filled out to prove this they can charge NI contributions and tax. Did they come for this while we were both working? While DH had a good job and the money to pay for it? No they are coming for it now when £400 is an awful bloody lot of money to pay out - and it's impossible to prove he didn't earn any money 6 years ago.

Well I feel mn is partially responsible OP - I mean how many times have we said 'leave the bastard'?

Oh and where do you eat that a children's meal cost £50?

You have that slightly wrong trickle we don't even deserve NMW wage apparently.

saggy you are forgetting the low paid add nothing to society it would be a better place without us.

Denise that's not entirely true. Whilst the traditional low paid jobs requiring low level of skill and education are disappearing they are being replaced with jobs asking for more skills and qualifications but are still low paid. My job for example required a degree, I work hard even had a death threat last week but that's ok because I

sashh do you think people should stay with abusive partners then?

denise in your opinion below what salary is a person's contribution worthless and preferable that they are replaced by robots?

Scrounge Sash was being tongue in cheek.

The op was ridiculous. Most people are treating it as such. I promise you Mnetters don't condone abuse

I think the OP has read too much Closer magazine. Surely not EVERY family she has come across is lone parent, skint and generally feckless?