Hungry kids and shitty views

[icequeen34]

I apologise as I'm sure there are already threads on this topic. But I feel so so sad and angry today, not only about Marcus Rashfords campaign to feed hungry kids over the holidays being rejected. But some of the horrible views and justifications being spouted - mainly the old 'lazy parents need to take responsibility for feeding their kids' remark. Some utter twat was saying poor families should grow their own food because 'it's not hard' and another Tory MP claimed the blame lies with absent parents (as if his leader isn't one of those).

These are terrible comments from privileged people who clearly don't understand the lack of time, money, outdoor space and education needed to grow your own or shop more savvy. But even in the cases of the worst most lazy parents, why can't people see that the children shouldn't be the ones to suffer? It really boils my blood especially when MPs get so much in terms of expenses for food.

Sorry for the rant I just feel very disappointed and upset today.

that the issue is not food it’s being able to have equipment to cook, gas, electric etc

I do find this Dickensian vision of poor people odd, there are of course tragically some (any is too many) who don't have a steady supply of gas and electric and no cooking equipment, but it's not the norm.

@CherryPavlova
You are assuming that the only reason that children go hungry is parental income which sadly isn't true. There is a large number of children that will only be fed if somebody outside of the household both provides the food and supervises it's consumption. It is these children that can most benefit from interventions around food provision but such children won't benefit from interventions that provide vouchers as the vouchers won't be spent appropriately.

@ghostyslovesheets

your mum sounds lovely as well Handsoff

I remember my primary school having a 'lucky dip' to see which 3 kids would get their trip to the seaside paid for - I was one of them - so chuffed I couldn;t wait to tell my mum - of course there where only 3 names in the bag - me and the other 2 poor kids in my class - it was very kind the way they did it. I think my mum remembers kindness like that and pays it forward

That is lovely, so artful and so gracefully done. There are some very kind and forward-thinking people in the world.

@Malachite234

Move to area with cheaper rent means higher unemployment and/or a car is needed.
also loss of family ties/childcare/friends, it's not a panacea.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Young children can share but for how long? teenagers sharing is hardly appropriate is it?

Childrens commissionaire voting with the Govt? Even Anne Maria Morris, a hard right Brexitier voted against her Govt! she has gone up in my estimation.

On Marcus Rashford, he was given the MBE to make him "one of the establishment" he should hand it back, mistake accepting it.

@Fajitanita, your post about living in a low-income environment really resonated with me.

I grew up on the roughest council estate in Croydon. My mum had been a nurse, and was regularly called on to advise on whether or not a rash was German measles or a bone might be broken, and to give first aid to kids who'd hurt themselves. My father would fill in forms or draft letters for neighbours who lacked the skills to do it themselves. Clothes were handed down several times over.

If someone was too ill to walk their kids to school, another parent would do it, and if you had to take one child to the doctor or hospital, a neighbour would keep an eye on the ones left at home. When my mum had a hysterectomy, neighbours helped out with laundry and housework, and took my DB to school, picked him up afterwards and looked after him until my DF or I got home.

But it was also a hotbed of racism (the National Front were very active), domestic abuse and petty crime.

You see the best and the worst in people when you grow up somewhere like that.

Yes that is very true @LakieLady, there were negatives too for sure.

Who do people think will be the ones feeding these children their free meals during the holidays?

@Didkdt

What bothers me about all of you lot on your high horses us where the hell were you last year 5 years ago This is not new to Covid but you've just picked up a stick. There are adults going hungry as well. Often parents of those hungry children. So why are you taking up arms now?

Well, I was working supporting just the families most affected by this shit, and campaigning for the Labour party. I haven't changed, unless being angrier counts.

I suspect that those posting on this thread aren't representative of the country as a whole, tbh.

StatisticalSense. I'm assuming no such thing. I fully understand that some parents will not cope regardless of provision and direct support may be necessary. That's a tiny minority. If they have sufficient income, most parents feed their children.
Sadly poverty is common and not especially related to fecklessnes and incompetence. To suggest that is so is to fail to understand the impact of an unexpected drop in income when you're just surviving.
Vouchers ste dehumanising and if parents are going to divert funds to drink or drugs, vouchers won't stop an under the counter, voucher trade economy. Being poor does not mean you are a second class person. Vouchers are akin to putting the parent in the stocks. Somewhat of a middle ages attitude. Keep the serfs in their place.
Maybe read bible passages in the voucher aisle of Tesco to encouragemore God fearing behaviour
?

Atcthe heart of this iscthe hatred of women, especially single mothers . As a sociery women are only deemed worthy when shackled to the "right"middle class man and is fertile but not too fertile.

And lets not forget class hatred too. If Kate Middleton pops out another one she will be celebrated as she married into money and provides another heir...if a lady down the road pops out number 4 and struggles, eyebrows are raised.

Society *
Hatred*

I think that FSM should be for all children full stop. We have the money to waste on bridges a d rebranding highways England etc FFS. How about spending on something actually proven to have monumental benefits and relatively simple to do.

Many of those in poverty are in work and receiving tax credits - which means they are ineligible for FSM. I know because I’ve been there. After I escaped an abusive marriage i had to go part time as I couldn’t afford the childcare fees to enable me to me to work FT. My income worked out at about £13k, well below the £16k eligibility for FSM, but because I also got some tax credits (which all went in childcare for my working days) I was not eligible for FSM.

Luckily for me, my kids school were compassionate and paid for my kids meals for me and breakfast club for about 6months out of their school welfare fund until my ex was finally forced to pay CM which helped quite a bit.

Just feed all children. It costs little but makes such a difference.

Young children can share but for how long? teenagers sharing is hardly appropriate is it?

I am sorry but this is one of the things I can't get my head around in the UK. It's fine, albeit annoying, for teenagers to share. I and many of my friends did till we left home. If you can't afford bigger property, you have to make do, that's it. Food comes before separate bedrooms where I am from.

That sounded harsh. That wasn't intended. It's just baffling

I don,t think FSM for all. I can afford to pay so I should.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Young children can share but for how long? teenagers sharing is hardly appropriate is it?

I am sorry but this is one of the things I can't get my head around in the UK. It's fine, albeit annoying, for teenagers to share. I and many of my friends did till we left home. If you can't afford bigger property, you have to make do, that's it. Food comes before separate bedrooms where I am from.

Well, i don't know where you are from but the UK is/was the 5th richest country in the world, not the C.A.R

Even DWP guidelines are against teens of opposite sex sharing, they call it overcrowding!

Quite remarkable.

Well, i don't know where you are from but the UK is/was the 5th richest country in the world, not the C.A.R

Well I wouldn't shout about the 5th richest country much since we are talking about starving children here...

Food is a necessity, space is a luxury. One takes a precedence.

Yes v true but it is a "fact" oft quoted & i'm not shouting about it! as its based on asset prices! gdp per capita we are in the 30s..

the point is that it shouldn't be one or the other should it?

@contrmary

A large part of the problem is that the fact it is being pushed for so hard by an overpaid, spoiled footballer. It doesn't sit well with many people that such a privileged person is demanding these changes. Talk with your Premier League mates and get them to agree all professional footballers' wages above £1000 per week go to feeding kids, then we'll have a think about what the rest of us can do.

You do not speak for me, thank God. What a mean post.

I don't think it is helpful, overall, to knock back suggestions made in good faith with remarks such as: 'what if their is no money to turn on the kettle, the microwave, the grill, the oven.'

That's because many people reading this-but who won't comment-start to think it sounds fucking ridiculous and I'm afraid for the vast majority-not all-it is.

Eventually, people close their ears to children going hungry because they know that in most case people can afford to turn on the microwave, grill or kettle, so it allows them to reason that all sorts of bullshit excuses are being made and the real reasons get overlooked.

So, stop with the, 'can't afford to turn on the kettle, have to make oats with cold water; because that is simply not the case in most-not all-cases. It does not help anything.

Further, I was astonished to read earlier in the thread, a post that cited the case of two heroin addicts spending £400 a week on drugs and that was why they could not afford to buy food. This example was given as a reason why children should not suffer because of their parents.

Others agreed with that and so do I.

BUT-are we to fund the children's diet in order to allow their parents to continue to spend all their money on drugs-have they no responsibility?

Secondly, wtf are we doing allowing children to remain in the care of two heroin addicts who let their children starve?

Are the ones paying out for bedrooms for each of their kids the same ones unable to afford food? Where is your evidence for this?

Not every child that gets free school meals during term time would not starve if they didn't get them during holidays.

There are parents that manage their money enough and those that don't. So what to do? Target those children who are not being fed enough to give them and their parents extra assistance and support.

I'm saying this having lived on benefits when a child in a single parent household with other siblings.

My mother couldn't afford most things. So she made choices. In primary school I didn't have some of the workbooks as you had to pay for them in the 60s in my area. I didn't have the right uniform for high school so stood out like a sore thumb, but I had enough food to eat.

I also appreciated school dinners as it was the only time I got puddings!

I’m torn on this.
As a child who grew up on the breadline I don’t think that families should ever be left without the basics. Children should never go hungry.

My issue is that children also shouldn’t be fed utter crap at the expense of Joe tax payer as it just dumps money into a vicious circle creating adults who are poorly nourished and also badly educated about diet.

In my opinion a bigger ‘initial investment’ should be made to educate low income parents how to shop well, cook from scratch and make the best choices for their circumstances and budget.
What needs to happen is for people to be treated as individuals not numbers.
What’s your living situation?
What cooking/washing facilities do you have available?
What local food stores do you have?
Are you able to get there?
Do you have internet access?

Lots of considerations. I honestly believe that if families were equipped with the fundamentals to do better and help themselves 2/3 would!

The big problem is what we’d do with the 1/3 who don’t actually care and don’t want to make the effort but complain they don’t have enough to feed their kids on takeaway pizzas. No it’s not the kids fault but how do you help a child whose parents don’t care 🤷‍♀️

Divide and Conquer...The Tories will Tory.