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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think we should be protesting

747 replies

Jessieabs · 10/10/2021 20:08

For affordable childcare.

Why are we letting the government get away with the absolute joke that is childcare in the U.K.

Over 2k per month to send 2 kids to nursery seems like madness! There should absolutely be reform to this crazy state that we’re in. Surely a huge majority of the voting population have children/have grandchildren or plan to have children, but this issue is rarely talked about at election time!

OP posts:
firstimemamma · 10/10/2021 21:29

"Over 2k per month to send 2 kids to nursery seems like madness!"

It doesn't really seem like madness to me, that's 2 children looked after all day every day (presumably) for an entire month. I can think of other things I'd rather protest about.

coolhwip · 10/10/2021 21:29

Why should childless couples pay increased taxes for your children?

Pythonista · 10/10/2021 21:30

How horribly fucking elitist to say only rich people should have children.

It's pretty fucking horrible to say that high earners should be subsidised!

parentinghelp1 · 10/10/2021 21:30

@Jessieabs

I mean the government should further subsidise childcare.

Also when people say ‘one parent should stay at home’ we all know that most of the time that’ll be the woman sacrificing their career.

Genuinely surprised in some people’s opinions on this.

Yes because often the women chooses to stay home doesn't want to spend a minute away from her DC.
coolhwip · 10/10/2021 21:30

@Perfect28

I honestly feel sick that people think things like 'breed them then feed them and suck up the costs'. It's abhorrent.
So who else should feed them?
UnshakenNeedsStirring · 10/10/2021 21:30

Why have kids if you cant afford them?

Pythonista · 10/10/2021 21:30

And I'm sure cheap childcare would be great quality...

Confiscatedpopit · 10/10/2021 21:30

Bet those who are saying it’s fine have grandparents on tap/ trust funds. In other words don’t have a clue.

I’m with you OP.

AlfonsoTheDinosaur · 10/10/2021 21:30

How horribly fucking elitist to say only rich people should have children.

Except that no one said only rich people should have children.

Delatron · 10/10/2021 21:30

It’s just awful it’s it @Perfect28 maybe it’s a symptom of what this country has become.
You would not hear people speak like that in other countries.

PurpleOkapi · 10/10/2021 21:31

OK, let's hypothesise that from tomorrow only women on salaries of say above £50K will have children - to be able to meet all their childcare and other costs themselves, you know, also in the case if the other parents runs away and pays CMS rate only. I don't know what % that would be, but let's say - 1 in 10 women.
Do you think that would change the society for better?

It's impossible to set a firm salary figure, because the amount that's actually necessary will vary tremendously based on the involvement of other people. She can make zero and it will be fine if the child's father earns enough for her to stay home. If the child's father will be the one staying home, then obviously she needs enough to support the three of them, but they still won't need paid child care. If they're both working, then how much she needs to make depends on how much he makes. If they work different schedules, they won't need full-time care, so they'll only need to pay for part-time. If she has family willing to provide full-time care for free, then she won't have to pay anything for care.

But in general, yes, I think that would be better. There are far too many people on this planet, and continued population growth isn't sustainable. Neither are the social programs that rely on it. And honestly, the ones who have children without pausing to consider whether they can afford it - or knowing full well that they can't but not caring because they believe they can't or won't think beyond their own happiness - are often not very good parents, anyway. Their selfishness and inability to make responsible financial decisions don't magically go away just because they have a child. Those character traits tend to come up over and over again, and cause problems for the child throughout their lives. There are threads proving that all over MN.

AlfonsoTheDinosaur · 10/10/2021 21:31

@coolhwip

Why should childless couples pay increased taxes for your children?
Or even childless individuals?
Silverswirl · 10/10/2021 21:31

No one should be subsidising childcare.
You chose to have the child and childcare has always been expensive. It’s not like it suddenly massively increased in the last 3 years.
Enough kids get shunted off all day- sometimes for very long days to some nursery with randoms. A child feels safest with their primary caregiver who is the same person both day and night for most of the week, every week. Many don’t like to hear that and say that little Johnny loves nursery and would get ‘bored’ at home but most are just saying that to make themselves feel better about their child being away all day or because they want to buy unnecessary things or because they actually find parenting boring and repetitive

CoastalWave · 10/10/2021 21:31

Cwenthryth If you know you want kids, save up BEFOREHAND to ensure you can afford one.

Actually people can say, only have them if you can afford them. They most certainly are a lifestyle choice, the same way that people who choose NOT to have children spend their money on holidays, nice cars, nice clothes etc. Just why exactly should THEY have to pay for YOU to have what YOU want?!

Mind boggles.

And I say this as someone who does have children.

If you want one, pay for him/her yourself. FFS.

EasterIssland · 10/10/2021 21:31

@Pythonista

Yup that’s right. There has been a big push for decades now to have more women in STEM careers and sitting on management boards and in order we need to address the barriers that they face - this is a pretty damn big one. If their career prospects are cut off at earlier stages because of childcare then it hurts us all. Studies have shown that having more female bankers promotes greater overall stability and economic prosperity for everyone

So we subsidise childcare for high earners? Well that is all kind of fucked up Grin

We subsidise childcare so women don’t have to give up their jobs. Not every woman will be a high earner but some will and if we make it more difficult for them then we won’t have as many high earner women … and then women will complain that we don’t earn as much and how society is so machoism mainly having men ceos etc. .
StarfishDish · 10/10/2021 21:32

@Dreamstate I was meaning that some people get more help than others.

Cwenthryth · 10/10/2021 21:32

So we subsidise childcare for high earners? Well that is all kind of fucked up
Subsidise childcare for everyone, universally, across the board, uniformly. Equalise opportunity to work regardless of sex or parental status. Universal access means reduced administration costs. Higher earners pay higher taxes and contribute that way.

Sleeplessem · 10/10/2021 21:32

But it’s not that different though @Autumndays123, people who actively make the decision to smoke, drink to excess, overeat and the 1001 other things that will require some sort of increased usage of the health service. Those are all lifestyle choices and are expected to be covered at the government/ public expense.

So what about the people who have say had multiples when they weren’t expecting it? Or falling pregnant despite taking precautions.

Any why stop at childcare under 3, classrooms are over crowded perhaps education should be reserved for those who can only pay for it too?… Oh wait….

AICM · 10/10/2021 21:33

All those in the 'If you can't afford them...' camp, fine. Just don't moan about the gender pay gap.

parentinghelp1 · 10/10/2021 21:33

Also isn't childcare already free from age 3? How much free shit do you want 🤷‍♀️

parentinghelp1 · 10/10/2021 21:34

@AICM

All those in the 'If you can't afford them...' camp, fine. Just don't moan about the gender pay gap.
Why? Two entirely separate issues
Pythonista · 10/10/2021 21:34

@Cwenthryth

So we subsidise childcare for high earners? Well that is all kind of fucked up Subsidise childcare for everyone, universally, across the board, uniformly. Equalise opportunity to work regardless of sex or parental status. Universal access means reduced administration costs. Higher earners pay higher taxes and contribute that way.
Which costs the childfree. Including childfree women.
grapewine · 10/10/2021 21:34

Why is the cost of childcare such a surprise to people? It's not exactly a new thing.

EasterIssland · 10/10/2021 21:35

@parentinghelp1

Also isn't childcare already free from age 3? How much free shit do you want 🤷‍♀️
After 3 it’s 30hours. That means the parent will be allowed to do (so they can do drop offs and pick ups) 20-25h/week 39 weeks/year. So not really free
grapewine · 10/10/2021 21:35

@AICM

All those in the 'If you can't afford them...' camp, fine. Just don't moan about the gender pay gap.
That's not at all the same thing.
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