AIBU to think one adult should be able to support a family with a full time job?

[Kendodd]

Talking about a normal size family, two/three children. Not talking about riches either, just an ordinary place to live and everyone well fed and clothed, all needs covered without state benefits. Any full time job as well, not just some fancy high paid thing.
I know for lots of people working really hard in full time jobs supporting their family just isn't possible on the money.

YANBU - they should be able to support a family.
YABU - they shouldn't be able to have a home and children on an unskilled job.

I think you have an astonishingly unrealistic view of what life was like in the 1970s. You simply can't imagine what a poor country the UK was, and the conditions people accepted as normal back then. Very few people were able to go to university. Many students and other people lived in bedsits, where they had metres in their rooms dispensing heat for five pence pieces, and ate dreadful meals of canned goods with the families who lived there with the families. The general quality of the food was dismal. The wages were bad. There were many buildings that still looked bombed out after the war and the new buildings looked like they were built by the Soviets. There were few luxuries. Interest rates were high. The situation today is entirely different.

Becoming a young single parent is pretty much a fast track to persistent poverty, and it's so, so preventable.
Sometimes it is the only option to young women who need a roof over their head, those who've left abusive homes grew up in poverty with no education, they might have attended school though home life situations prevent learning, they've probably heard a 100 times "school is shit" many feel judged by teachers and have a harsh front towards authority from learning behaviours in their social situations.
Only the naturally highly intelligent study without parental support living a life when cold and hungry and even then many with potential give up constantly battling against poverty lack of privilege.

@EmeraldShamrock

Becoming a young single parent is pretty much a fast track to persistent poverty, and it's so, so preventable. Sometimes it is the only option to young women who need a roof over their head, those who've left abusive homes grew up in poverty with no education, they might have attended school though home life situations prevent learning, they've probably heard a 100 times "school is shit" many feel judged by teachers and have a harsh front towards authority from learning behaviours in their social situations. Only the naturally highly intelligent study without parental support living a life when cold and hungry and even then many with potential give up constantly battling against poverty lack of privilege.

If we carry on finding reasons and telling people why it can’t be done, then we cannot expect better results. And not having kids young has nothing to do with parental support for studying. This whataboutery harms the very people it’s intended to help.

We do. But we only have one child at the moment. Husband works full time. We own our own home, and have enough money to do nice things, go out to eat regularly, buy treats and special things. I doubt it's sustainable when we have more kids/ when they're teenagers and want new trainers every other week though

Perhaps people who can't buy basics like food should be focusing on their education, careers and employability, and postpone childbearing until those things bear fruit.

Ok, let's imagine someone working really hard but living in poverty, unable to afford basics, does evening classes, gets a promotion or a better paid job. Great, good for them. Somebody else then comes along, does their old job works really hard and lives in poverty, unable to afford the basics.

And that's why some could "support a family on one income." Because the standard of living was a lot lower than what people expect today.

Just explain to me what exactly we expect now that makes it impossible to support a family on one low income and is unreasonable to have?

I'm imagining them having a small two bed home.
Heating.
Enough food including fruit and veg.
Electricity.
Transport to work (could be a car if cheapest option)
Clothes and footwear.

Electronics such as TV, cooker, fridge and washing machine.
Adults will need a phone each.

Consumer goods above would all be basics.

@Kendodd

And that's why some could "support a family on one income." Because the standard of living was a lot lower than what people expect today.

Just explain to me what exactly we expect now that makes it impossible to support a family on one low income and is unreasonable to have?

I'm imagining them having a small two bed home.
Heating.
Enough food including fruit and veg.
Electricity.
Transport to work (could be a car if cheapest option)
Clothes and footwear.

Electronics such as TV, cooker, fridge and washing machine.
Adults will need a phone each.

Consumer goods above would all be basics.

I think it would be reasonable to add internet and mobile phone to that. A basic mobile phone contract £20 pm Internet £20 pm

Maybe one streaming service like Netflix £6 pm

It’s the cost of housing that makes it impossible. It’s absolutely crippling and just makes the haves richer and richer and the have-nots poorer and poorer

Yes they should. Most employers do not pay anywhere near a living wage. Instead they rely on the government to top up salaries with tax credits.

It's a disgrace.

A television is not a basic.

No, the point is nobody who works full time should be so poor.

I remember a thread a while ago loads of posters were saying that somebody working full time in a care home, SHOULD NOT be able a afford a take away coffee a few times a week and that this was an unreasonable expectation and a 'luxury'.
Ffs. Aren't we supposed to be making life better for future generations?

I agree that people who are working full time should be able to afford a decent standard of living. I don’t dispute that a cup of coffee, a TV or the odd trip to the cinema should be within their reach. I don't want to see people living on the breadline. I just don't agree that being able to afford a SAHP is some sort of basic right.