Children of working mothers are more likely to mug you

[chomalungma]

I know. It was 13 years ago. It's probably out of context. Sometimes you say things that rattle a few cages.

But it all builds a picture of our current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/04/boris-johnson-claimed-children-of-working-mothers-more-likely-to-mug-you

"“In the last 30 years an ever-growing proportion of British women have been ‘incentivised’ or socially gestapoed into the workplace, on what seems to me to be the dubious assumption that the harder a woman works the happier she will be, when I am not sure that is true of women or anyone else,” he wrote.

In the book, published before he became mayor of London, Johnson said an increasing number of female graduates tended to pair up with male graduates – a process known by economists as “assortative mating” – and that they then pool their advantages.

“The result is that in families on lower incomes the women have absolutely no choice but to work, often with adverse consequences for family life and society as a whole – in that unloved and undisciplined children are more likely to become hoodies, Neets [not in education, employment or training] and mug you on the street corner."

AIBU to think that his articles from the past reveal much about his views on women, Muslims, LGBT people....

How did I miss this gem! Seriously don't waste a precious second thinking about my children. Just focus on your own. Good luck....

The children of this working mother would be more likely to mug you if I didnt work as they would be homeless, hungry and cold.

I work because I have a mortgage and bills to pay, food and clothes to buy, I.... ME.... no one else. I get no maintenance, no support, nothing. I hate that I have to work the hours I do but they understand that without my job we go under so we work together. We call it "our" job, because they know that without them helping at home and me going to work for the money, we would all suffer. They need me and I need them.

That fucking cunt can go to fucking hell.

Logjam sounds like she’s very resentful that children of WOHM grow up just as well adjusted as children of SAHM! Clearly pisses her off big time

The overwhelming feeling I get from this debate is that many women see themselves as above child rearing...they consider themselves too clever and interesting for it and it should be outsourced as soon as possible to usually working class women on minimum wage

You're pathetically wrong. I have 4 kids, a house a fulltime job and 2 cats and myself and DP do all of that together with no help from anyone. No benefits, no family members to do free babysitting or childcare and no outsourcing. I do my own cleaning, I do all the school stuff and home work because im better at it. DP does the cooking for the same reason. I do laundry because I quite enjoy it and book all the holidays because im good at research and he does the dishwasher and cars because I hate both. There's no "buttering one half of the bread each" Amd you know what, if O had to, I could do it all, because I'm capable and motivated. We used a nursery and a childminder when they were younger, a dual income family childminder with a similar lifestyle to our own, or after-school clubs. Now my eldest babysits for pocket money. We're not perfect by any means but don't foist your bitterness onto us. we have balance in our lives and my boys are being bought up to respect women and see them as equals. Yes I am educated, yes I am intelligent and yes I want a life outside of parenting, which is never far from my mind, even while at work, and no I'm not apologising for it.

I haven't read the article because it's by Johnson. But based on the thread title, would it be more correct to say 'children in families with 2 working parents are more likely to mug you'?
It really gets my goat. Could the dads stay at home Mr Johnson? Would that work?

No outsourcing

We used a nursery and a childminder when they were younger, a dual income family childminder

Yes, outsourcing childcare was what I meant. Not sure what your definition of outsourcing is.

Do any of the SAHMs on this thread take advantage of the free 15 hours at pre school?

Do any of the SAHMs on this thread take advantage of the free 15 hours at pre school

My dd is older now but yes, she went to the nursery attached to a local school for three hours a day, as she was entitled to and which was for her benefit.

So I'm more likely to mug and be ignorant and unintelligent according to this awful human.
And yet Corbyn is the dangerous one?

My kids were lucky enough not to have those ratios all day when they were preschool - they had a teacher and a TA in a state nursery with 8 kids - they only stayed there 3 hours a day - it was in the Labour years though.

so a ratio of 1:4?

I would not pay someone £10 and hour to look after my preschooler while looking after 3 others.

So how much did you pay the state nursery for the 3 hours per day?

Do you class that as outsourcing @formerbabe?

Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. Set him on fire.

I didn't send DC1 to preschool for the 15 hours as I preferred to stay with my childminder even though it was more expensive. I preferred the provision & the practicality of just having 2 days of full time childcare. On my days off I liked to be able to have the whole day free as opposed to having to wait until 12 to do something or making sure I got back by 12. I will do the same for DC2.

Cuckooboo I expect formerbabe believes that because she did what worked for her - ie: using the 3 hours a day entitlement which was beneficial to her child, no one else who does things differently can possibly be doing what’s beneficial for their children!
Some people’s minds are clearly blown by the fact that there are many different ways of bringing up children and that there isn’t a ‘right’ one

death of the housewife has on the whole been a negative thing for society

I could not disagree more. The problem isn’t more women working it’s that fact that society and men haven’t adapted to the changes in the labour market.

The overwhelming feeling I get from this debate is that many women see themselves as above child rearing...they consider themselves too clever and interesting for it and it should be outsourced as soon as possible to usually working class women on minimum Wage

No, but I do see myself as equal to my husband so I have have the right to a career just as he does. This means we need to approach childcare and household responsibilities in an equal way.

Formerbabe, I meant no outsourcing now that they're at school.

I'm sorry you had a shit childhood. Others didnt, even with a working mother. Castigating other women for having jobs isn't the answer. You also sound like a massive hypocrite im afraid, used those free hours for a break did you? Get your hair and nails done? Even sacred mothers need a break and time for themselves. For many women that's their jobs.

Don't presume you know what I think.

I have no issue with childcare.

What I have an issue with is women who sneer at other women and see them as lesser beings because they choose to look after their children full time.

Spot on cosmo

It’s actually quite frightening that in the 21st century anyone can actually think that a woman who wants to work as well as be a parent must think themselves ‘too clever and interesting’ Makes you despair really. Such a bizarre and outdated idea that women are ‘getting above their station’ by actually considering themselves as capable of working as men. And actually considering that the man they partner might be capable of looking after children and doing domestic chores. How very dare they!

Honestly there are a few posters who would get along brilliantly with Boris.

@Acciocats I must be an awful mother because I kept DC1 with the childminder for 2 days a week when I was on mat leave with DC2. I assumed that was the more fun option!

I'm sorry you had a shit childhood
I didn't say that

Women should be able to choose what's best for themselves & their families and not be forced either way.

No

PARENTS should be able to work out what is best.

I said women because the OP talked about women, because the article is about women.

Some people are so pedantic 😂

The overwhelming feeling I get from this debate is that many women see themselves as above child rearing...they consider themselves too clever and interesting for it and it should be outsourced as soon as possible to usually working class women on minimum wage.

And you think other posters are sneery? 🤣🤣

I have zero issue with SAHPs, my mum was one. However I love the balance of working as well. Why do people have to legitimise their choices by disparaging others.

@cukooboo and I returned to work when my first child was 3 months old because that was ML back then. Oh and by the time we had 3 children, our childcare bill was the same as my take home pay but I continued to work because our children were thriving in their mix of childminder and nursery, I was doing a valuable job in education which I’d trained for, and because dh and I wished to share the skills of earning, running a home and caring for our children. So all this clearly makes me a terrible mother. Do I trump you in the ‘bad mother’ contest?

Of course, the snag in my theory is that our 3 children are now happy and well adjusted adults who enjoy close relationships with dh, me and each other; they did well at school and university and are embarking successfully on their own adult lives.

Damnit - why aren’t they mugging old ladies?

I'm sorry you had a shit childhood
I didn't say that

Awkward!!! 🤣🤣