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.

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?

I once knew of a woman who saved the sandwichs she was given in hospital when receiving dialysis 3 or 4 times a week to give to her kids as their evening meal. They were broke. Money poor, and also broke. Not affording food is not as simple as not having the money. The parents can be broke, broken, by their circumstances and not able to provide food. Food vouchers in the school holidays is a really efficient way of targeting help at the most vulnerable children.

I agree the CMS need to use their powers more but there should be tough laws in place for both parents, resident or not, to provide themselves financially. Not just a few hours work but full time. Childcare and help is more abundant than ever.

Rather than sticking plasters of money, it would be better to employ more social workers to ensure children get what they need from and create more job opportunities.

Life isn’t static and things change, no relationship or job is guaranteed but many don’t seem to think of the impact children have on their budget now or in the future.

@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.

And there's always one.

How is this even relevant ? How do you know whether Rashford or any of his teams mates are giving money to good causes or not ? And whether they are or not is not relevant . It is not their responsibility to do this : in the event that parents are unable , for whatever reason, to ensure that their children are adequately fed , this is why we have welfare state and social care .

Why would you knock someone who is using his position for the benefit of others .

@4cats2kids

You know the days of the workhouses are coming back when people begrudge kids food!

Yeah, its been a long time coming but it started in 1979. Bloody Thatcher and neoliberal economics. Her desire to break the working classes and Blaire later to tell us "we are all middle class now, except those people over there that are feckless ingrates" I mean, can't they be happy that I set up a family centre and tried to worm my way into their homes to instruct them how to live.

Utterly sickening. No amount of finger pointing at poor/feckless/disabled/whatever else the reason is going to feed kids though, so we as a society need to be prepared to pay 2p or whatever tiny amount extra to ensure that innocent children who never asked to be born get fed.
I used to take my neighbour's children to school, she had some MH issues and the children never had breakfast or break for school. In conversation a few times they told me that they didn't have dinner either as their mum wasn't feeling well. I used to buy fruit and keep it in the car for them to take for break and stick extra pieces in their bag for after school. The mother would constantly tell me that she was redecorating and I started to really resent that I was spending £15 a week on her kids when she was pissing the money up a wall on new wallpaper (it was £28 a roll) but I had to firmly pull myself into gear and remember that it was about the children.

@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?

What makes you think people are only bothering now based on the replies on one thread? You can AS me, being angry about turning your back on the most vulnerable in society isn't a new 'stick' for me and I doubt so for anyone else on here.

Personally - been donating to the local food bank for the last 5 years, voting against the sort of people who dont want to see a hungry child fed so not much more I can do.

A hungry child does not learn as well because they wont be able to concentrate to the same extent. Feeding children is an investment in their future. It's also a way of reducing the chance you'll have to pay for them in future, so an investment that may reduce your future tax bill.

There's a particularly disgraceful thread started today by a poster suggesting parents should feed their kids..... it would appear that some in society/lots? feel that children should go hungry! These people are really despicable - what on earth makes something feel it is ok to take money away so kids don't get fed?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4057675-am-i-the-only-person-who-thinks-parents-should-feed-their-kids-outside-of-school

If some of the sanctimonious posters end up in a similar position if covid means they lose their jobs they might understand poverty.

I'm fortunate and don't need benefits but feel any decent country looks after it's vulnerable - children/sick/disabled....!

@TiersTiersTiers

If some of the sanctimonious posters end up in a similar position if covid means they lose their jobs they might understand poverty.

I'm fortunate and don't need benefits but feel any decent country looks after it's vulnerable - children/sick/disabled....!

This a hundred times over

I would love to know if these 'parents should.. not the state's responsibility... Should not have had children... Feckless...I don't want My Taxes to go towards feeding other people's children ...' posters actually do mean and stand by the logical outcome of that stance - that those children should go hungry, become malnourished, or worse.

Is that actually what they want to see? Because the parent isn't doing what they 'should' , children should go without food.

Cos I have to say, that's bordering on psychopathic.

The posters who are saying In response to posters stating there are cheap options such as porridge, lentils etc, that the issue is not food it’s being able to have equipment to cook, gas, electric etc. Well how does the voucher scheme actually solve that anyway?

I refuse to have children for the reason I dont want to spend my money on any so why on earth the government should take tax from me to give to others who didn't come to this decision is beyond me

What are you going to do when you're too old to work? Presumably you won't want other people working to feed and clothe you?

After an absolute slating, Happy Helen has protected her tweets.

Of course, children in the inner cities are out every evening at this time of year, scrumping apples, picking blackberries and looking forward to going home to the smell of a hearty, home made stew.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

I've not read all posts here, apologies if this has already been said

Please check with your local food bank and all covid support groups. Government funding has stopped, is under discussion apparently. But we all continue to do what we can. If you can give some time, money or foodstuffs it would be gratefully received. All areas, all groups have different needs. Facebook is a good place to start.

Thank you, in anticipation

This thread has made me think about our local food bank . Which under normal circumstances I would have supported by using the donations basket in our local supermarket whilst doing my own shopping With Covid I've been using a mixture of online shopping or smaller local shops which don't have this facility .

Obviously food bank losing out at a time when need is higher than normal, and I bet I'm not the only one who has inadvertently stopped donating through these circumstances.

I've looked online at Trussel Trust and they have a system where you can donate cash but this goes towards their administrative and other expenses rather than directly towards food

I suppose donating cash is helpful anyway as this is used for campaigning and stuff as well

I can't get past the fact that Toriesvoted not to feed children.
It is irrelevant if those children have an absent parent, they voted to leave them hungry.

Just remember MPs have had an above inflation £3k+ pay increase, bars & restaurants at the houses of Parliament are subsidised and they claim expenses.

And they voted not to give children food during the school holidays.
At £15/w for the 13 weeks of school holidays thats £195pa per child.
Its not huge but it could make all the difference to those children.

Those MPs should be ashamed of themselves

@TiersTiersTiers

If some of the sanctimonious posters end up in a similar position if covid means they lose their jobs they might understand poverty.

I'm fortunate and don't need benefits but feel any decent country looks after it's vulnerable - children/sick/disabled....!

All the time someone with a disability or illness have to prove what their consultant is saying is true to get PIP, we have no chance of anyone giving a shit about the children.

This is going to sound dreadful and I don't actually mean it but anyway. If all these sanctimonious people found themselves out of work due to illness, got refused PIP, were sanctioned because they couldn't get to the job centre because they were in hospital/had a medical appointment; I'm not sure how much sympathy I'd have. I mean I'd like to think I'd have sympathy but I'm sure a small part of me would think awful thoughts about how they deserve it.

There is truth in both camps.
Parents must take responsibility for the children they decided to bring to the world, HOWEVER, no child should go hungry. I agree with pp that food parcels would probably be better and better received. And family life should be properly looked at if it's a long term issue (as anyone can temporarily fall on hard times). Help should be offered.

I know people will say that's not truth etc, but many people do live above their means. 4 member family on low income can be absolutely OK in 2 bed flat. Even 1 bed if rooms are large. Kids can share.

Feck do they not know how much it costs to grow your own food??!

Great point vettiyalruken. Would also like to know if these posters lost their health and income whether they would decline benefits as they, and only they, are responsible for feeding their kids.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

There is truth in both camps. Parents must take responsibility for the children they decided to bring to the world, HOWEVER, no child should go hungry. I agree with pp that food parcels would probably be better and better received. And family life should be properly looked at if it's a long term issue (as anyone can temporarily fall on hard times). Help should be offered.

I know people will say that's not truth etc, but many people do live above their means. 4 member family on low income can be absolutely OK in 2 bed flat. Even 1 bed if rooms are large. Kids can share.

It might be better if every family had a house and none required accommodation in bed and breakfast accommodation, heating a shared tin of beans on a lukewarm radiator.

Food parcels are rather stigmatising and very cost ineffective. Give people enough money to live.
Ensure sufficient affordable housing. Provide support and adult education to improve employability.
Make our society literate and numerate.
Bring back stigma free children’s centres that offer childcare, parenting support, developmental assessments, budgeting and cooking skills.
Improve quality of school meals and offer breakfast clubs for all schools.

Good provision increases the number of available jobs, puts money into the economy and doesn’t line Tory donor pockets.

@Malachite234, how the hell are people supposed to move to somewhere cheaper when they're on the bones of their arses?

They can't even afford the fares to a cheaper area to look at a property (you'd have to look at an area 30 miles away from here to find rents significantly cheaper), never mind raise the money for a holding deposit, rent in advance and deposit. And the cost of moving house and buying new school uniforms would be prohibitive, too.

And many families who are struggling rely on family and friends for support, so while they might be financially better off after moving, their lives could well be poorer in many other ways.

Life must be nice when you live in cloud cuckoo land.

@Fgs1

The posters who are saying In response to posters stating there are cheap options such as porridge, lentils etc, that the issue is not food it’s being able to have equipment to cook, gas, electric etc. Well how does the voucher scheme actually solve that anyway?

The voucher scheme solves nothing. I agree with free school meals but I believe these should be available to every child in school because there would be less stigma to poor children.

Rising cost of living, huge rents and housing costs, choosing between eating and heat, transport costs, wages falling or stagnating over the last 30 years, zero hrs contracts, complicated benefits system that is capped irrespective of how many DC, taking on debt every time an appliance breaks until you can't borrow anymore and a twenty a day habit because your nerves are frazzled. And lets face it, anyone living a miserable stressful hand to mouth existence probably is living on their nerves much of the time.

Work needs to pay for every worker, benefits need to at least keep families above the poverty line, wealth needs to be redistributed through wages and taxation, but the government should have no need to top up the full time wage of any worker,.......ah but we would be fucked because all these multi nationals that have no national loyalty and basically act as super entities with super political and lobbying powers, who have supra-national status would abandon us. And of course Brexit. But this is the inevitable consequence of 30 years plus neo-liberal economic policy here and across the pond. And that in itself was a reaction to the fact that commodity production was cheaper in other parts of the world, just in time production was possible because of technology and other parts of world had less regulations. So we deregulated and sold our "specialist educated labour" for peanuts.

The cause of poverty is the cause of wealth. Child poverty is nothing new, its just that between 1945 and 1979 we had a brief hiatus!

@Sinuhe

As millions lose their jobs, many smug people are going to be plunged into poverty

Yep the equilibrium will be restored!

They already have. Like where have you been all these months