To think it isn't always possible for a lone parent to work with preschool children?

[turquoiseamethyst]

I was thinking about this from another thread, but I promise this is not a TAAT.

Depending on the age gaps between the children, nursery or childminder fees could just work out too high making working literally too expensive! Plus, not all work is 9-5 and round the clock childcare in the form of a nanny is beyond many people cost-wise.

AIBU? In a way I want to be told I am but I don't think I am...

Omg the pedantry on this forum is nauseating!

I get free prescriptions due to my lovely thyroid - lucky me

I wouldn't be living on benefits if it paid double - because it's a shit thing to envy - people on benefits/low incomes have limited choices, limited options, limited voices and fuck all back up for when things go wrong

at least by working they give me an 'emergency' credit card!

There is no way I'd ever go back on benefits, which is why I made myself work to break even. I don't envy it at all, I'm simply stating things have got easier for some (not all) single parents who have an ex with a good income

Adults do not get free dental care other than a cursory check or an emergency filling. If you are having problems paying for scripts, move to Wales. I am sorry but your post is really ill informed. The bedroom thing only applied to council tenants so is irrelevant to this argument.
Also, as I have pointed out twice, the maintanance can stop from one month to the next. but you took no notice.
In addition you ignored my point that as a single parent it is actually really difficult to remain in out of work benefits but I guess that does not suit your trope.

Pedantry or accuracy? There is no such thing as "full benefits". People throw the term around in a fit of jealousy or envy or fuck knows what and they only serve to make themselves look ignorant. Full benefits isnt a thing. People get whatever benefits they are entitled to according to their circumstances.

I'm also waiting for the reforms that are being considered whereby if you have a long term chronic health issue those meds will be free. Currently the meds keeping me going and meaning I can work don't qualify and cost a fortune. Yet I'll never not be able to take them.

and I am not being 'pedantic' I am pointing out that you seem v ill informed.

I'd have loved one of my ex's to have a good income!

I made the wrong choices! Neither of them do.

So I bring up 3 children and subsidise the bastards.

I'd rather have a loving, non cheating, non cuntish, right in the head husband than getting tax credits.

But since I don't have one of those, I'll take what is offered, with a smile on my face, and the attitude that my children are only young once. I've worked FT for 10 years, and in 5-7 years I'll work 30-37.5 hours again.

But now, with little children, and the option not to, then fuck that shit!

Work will always be there. My babies won't.

This has turned into a benefits bashing thread

Okay - I am not claiming any state benefits apart from CB.

I STILL can't work.

YNBU. Not everyone's circumstances are the same and before we go any further being a parent and rearing a child is the hardest vocation in the world, yet the government seem ridiculously obsessed with forcing lone parents out to work, and why is it all of a sudden a job when you're looking after someone else's child.!

Oh yes if you've got your mother or family members living down the road who can look after your kids then fantastic. What do you do if you hsvent ...Put them in a nursery/or with a childminder, but it's expensive and hey why shouldn't it be. It's not an easy job. They don't just play with babies/kids all day. They have to educate the children There's lots of paper work, so it would be unreasonable to expect them to do it for a pittence, but then some may rightly say. Why should I pay a nursery/childminder for the privilege of spending more time with my child than I do. But we solve that by the government paying full childcare. They want lone patents in eork then they should fully fund it. Not expect them to pay 30% of their childcare. That's a lot of money to some people.

Also not all children settle in a nursery do they.

You are not claiming any benefits op? If you don't work what do you live on?

I get more tax credits a month than I do wages. Don't get HB as I stay with my mum but my tax credits cover my childcare costs (£970 a month) with a bit left over. I only earn 13k a year working a 40hr week though.

It's a long story girlie but please don't at me.

It's a fair question but just as in RL I'd be disinclined to go into it if someone was pulling faces at me; so it is on here.

these things always do end up in benefit bashing..The media has done a great job of demonising LP .. WE are all teens who have just got pregnant to live in a council house, scrounge benefits avoid work and just got out EOW as we have built in childcare with EX having children and therefore get a break no one else does.

I realise no one will ever understand how tough it is to to it on your own with no real child support or from family or Ex.

I don't need approval from anyone as to why I didn't work.

It is just sad that so many people see it as an envious position to be in.

It's not pedantry when someone is wrong! Council tax isn't paid unless you are on disability benefits or live in an area where the council still has enough money to cover it since the changes last year (which is not a lot of places). Housing benefit rarely covers the full rent because private rentals charge a lot more than the highest rate of HB in many areas. The free dental is a check up and one of the black fillings if you need one.

By the way some of us single parents on over £100k a year are more than happy with NHS dentists and black fillings!

I just wish people could see that the astronomical costs of childcare - and the fact that it is only really available during the week, during the day - means that if you have two under 3s (or more!) you have to be on a very high salary indeed in order to make it worthwhile.

There is a lot of "I did it! So can you!" that I've seen on here recently. I don't like it. My circumstances might be unique but I didn't make them up and I just can't work (at the moment!)

I'm with you turquoise. The I did it/do it so everyone can/should get my goat, too.

Of course it isn't always possible for a lone parent to work with pre-school age children! Or with school-age children either, for that matter. Yanbu. Can't believe that people would argue against this bald fact.

Oh, but they do!

so do I mintyy. I felt very judged when I already felt trapped in the recent aftermath of the toughest time in my life.

I think people should stop themselves in their tracks if they find themselves judging a single parent to young children for not working. I work now, it's possible now, but I still have nothing but respect and sympathy for the women five years behind me down the tracks. It's a tough slog. Hang in there.

Mintyy JCP expects lone parents of school aged children to work so they'd certainly argue the point. You get moved from IS to JSA and have work focused interviews to "prepare".

The "i did it so you could too" is so lacking in empathy, but that it is the sort of mindset that is an advantage in business I sometimes think.

I do think in most cases, it is possible when children are at school to work some hours; I think in most cases it's around 16.

But in my case, I feel so helpless. I just don't think I can find work as I am pregnant and have a 10 month old. Then when DC3 is born in July/August I don't think childcare providers will take them until they are 3 months. So the earliest I can get work is October! And then I've got to find around £2000 a month!

turquoise do you really have to rush back to work in October?