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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To disagree with 3/4 year old children having more childcare paid for

999 replies

ReallyTired · 23/09/2013 10:23

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24199711

I feel the goverment should pay for education rather than childcare. 15 hours a week is enough to meet a child's educational needs for pre school. At a time of austerity, I feel there are bigger spending priorities. (Providing enough school places for children who are of complusory school age!)

If you choose to have chidlren then you should pay to look after them. I feel that labour's set of proposals are totally unaffordable and making the "banks" pay will damage the UK financial sector long term.

All these election bribes do not help the UK in the long term.

OP posts:
beepoff · 23/09/2013 18:32

Those on one salary of £50k don't lose CB...

The threshold to lose it entirely is £60k.

janey68 · 23/09/2013 18:33

Beepoff- that's a very good point. It was child number 2 which actually meant we were no better off at all for a couple of years with me working . I continued to work because a) I really liked working 3 days a week b) I'd seen too many women who gave up work really struggle to get back into a decent job and c ) my children's nursery so wonderfully complemented the time they spent at home that I really wanted them to continue and wouldn't have been able to afford it without working.
But you're right- many women give up work at this point, having successfully juggled motherhood and work with just one child. Extra free hours wouldn't force women who want to stay at home to go back. But it would make life a hell of a lot easier for those who do want to work

Retropear · 23/09/2013 18:34

You start losing it at 50 so can't do overtime and need to think very carefully re pay rises.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 23/09/2013 18:36

People who refuse to accept pay rises because it takes them over the £50k threshold - apparently acceptable but not taking a job because you'd be worse off financially would get you flamed to high heavens on here! The fucking hypocrisy. So many social inequalities.

janey68 · 23/09/2013 18:37

Why do you say 'farmed off to childcare' vestandknickers?
Is it a cheap dig at people who use nurseries and childminders? Why would you want to do that?
Its like me saying 'children being stuck at home all day' if they happen to have a SAHP.

beepoff · 23/09/2013 18:37

So vest in your opinion how many hours ARE ok for 3 year olds? And 4 year olds? What about single parents, how many hours are they allowed?

If it's anything over 15 then this scheme will still be useful.

Also nice use of emotive language... "Farmed out" to childcare?! I'd hate to meet the childminders and nannies you know...

beepoff · 23/09/2013 18:38

X post with Janey... Seems we both picked up on that. Quite offensive both to working parents who agonise over choosing childcare, and to the childcare setting/provider themselves.

jasminerose · 23/09/2013 18:38

I think this is a fantastic proposal. I hope it goes ahead.

vestandknickers · 23/09/2013 18:38

You are perfectly entitled to say they are stuck at home janey if that is how you feel just as I am entitled to say how I feel.

beepoff · 23/09/2013 18:41

Great response, Vest. No, really. Original, shows you understand Janey's point fully and definitely not a cop out at all. Well done you.

Bonsoir · 23/09/2013 18:42

My DD was stuck at home with me until she went to school at 2.10. Being stuck at home meant that we could go out and about in Paris every day to different parks and playgrounds, to have lunch out with friends or DP, to a wide variety of shops where she got to know all the shopkeepers. She saw a lot of her two brothers and got to know all the people at their extra-curricular activities. And of course we went to regular playgroups round and about.

The alternative was to be cooped up day in day out with another 20 DC i 70 square metres of not very attractive childcare.

TheSilverySoothsayer · 23/09/2013 18:44

Don't SAHMs need Home Responsibility Protection, like they used to have, to protect their State Pension? Am old gimmer so don't know what happens now - do people have to make voluntary NI payments to make up their years?

Wishihadabs · 23/09/2013 18:44

See I have been(rightly ) reprimanded on this thread for saying that woman who SAH may not be totally fulfilling their potential. However you say that IYO 25 hours (which as I say is 2.5 days for most working parents) is far too long, can you see how that might be offensive.? I personally don't care.Dd was in nursery that amount from 5months and has always loved it. She went ft from when she was 4 (her choice). I know that this is not too much childcare for most 3 year olds.

Retropear · 23/09/2013 18:45

Candy but doing extra hours,extra stress,filling in self assessment forms for nothing.HmmIn that wage bracket(middle management the jobs are often very demanding) and sorry but nobody thinks of us so why shouldn't we think of ourselves?

Dp pays enough tax and gets sweet fa.

jasminerose · 23/09/2013 18:45

I wouldnt send my child to French childcare either Bonsoir but thats some amazing provision in UK so different kettle of fish.

Weemee · 23/09/2013 18:46

| think that any increase in the early education hours is of benefit..... however, if it is to benefit working parents (which is what they suggest when they are shouting about it) then they must improve accessibility and availability.

Here I can only use all 5 sessions all mornings or all afternoons (9 to 11.30 or 12.30-3). I work in a nearby town and by the time I get to work it would be time to come back! Hence I use a private nursery.

They need to stop offering half measures either offer childcare/ early education ( whatever you want to call it) so that working parents can actually use it (without relying upon grandparents to do pick ups cos not everyone has that), offer the funding to be used where it suits as vouchers or don't bother at all.

Bonsoir · 23/09/2013 18:46

Everyone on MN tells me that but in real life people hate it!

ihategeorgeosborne · 23/09/2013 18:47

candy, I can see that, of course I appreciate that I am better off than many. I hate what this government is doing to the sick and disabled and poor families. It makes me very cross to hear about people being kicked out of their homes and homeless people on the streets being sanctioned for not attending JSA interviews. I do feel though that removing CB from a single earner family on 50k is bang out of order, when they are happy to continue paying it to families earning far more, just because of the earning differentials in the relationship. Further up thread, some one, I think it was Broken, said that she saved all her CB in an account for her children. This is something we have never been in a position to do and it is not right that families who are in this fortunate position are still able to receive the benefit. Losing £200 a month is big loss for us and something that has not sat right with me since they announced this ridiculous policy.

janey68 · 23/09/2013 18:47

Read the post again vest. I am NOT saying having a SAHP is being stuck at home. I am saying that that is the equivalent of assuming that a child at nursery or childminder is 'farmed out'- ie inaccurate and offensive. Like I said, my children's nursery was fabulous and I felt that along with all the exciting and stimulating things they did at home with me, it added another dimension

Retropear · 23/09/2013 18:48

Wish I'm afraid I disagree with you there.I have an early years degree,have spent a lot of my working life with early years and full time care would definitely not suit all children. It may suit yours but not all.That is a fact,sahp being glorified house elves was not(it was a opinion).

janey68 · 23/09/2013 18:49

Clearly some people only have shitty childcare available to them and that's a whole different argument entirely!

Madamecastafiore · 23/09/2013 18:49

All those people who want to return to work after benefiting from this extra childcare won't be able to though as there will be no jobs . All the jobs are going to young people because labour is guaranteeing all young people a job too!!

jasminerose · 23/09/2013 18:49

Childcare suits extrovert, outgoing children in the same way doing different clubs and activities suits those children once at school. I agree not all children are that way inclined

morethanpotatoprints · 23/09/2013 18:51

candy

Wanting to work (shock horror) is a choice the same as being a sahp.
I don't think I'm missing any point.
We all make our choices. Yes childcare is expensive but so is anything to do with raising kids.

Weemee · 23/09/2013 18:51

Oh and to all those criticising parents for using nurseries and childcare- it must be nice to be a SAHM but for many (me included) a single wage just does not cover living costs in this country Sad. But that's a whole other thread!