AIBU to be sad and shocked by this article?

[LittleDorrit]

Have just been reading this:

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/mar/18/child-poverty-labour-eradicate-promise

and I am shocked by the conditions this family is living in, but in particular how little/what sort of food they are able to afford.

It's not so much an AIBU issue, but just wondered whether others in similarly difficult circumstances think this is typical, or whether the mother could try to buy other types of food (e.g. rice, lentils, etc.) or perhaps be able to afford to spend a bigger proportion of her budget on food... £20 is very little.

How beastly for you.

oooo I see JP didn't answer my question as to whether my DH should be imprisoned for not currently paying me any child maintenance.

thankfully don't need it - yes things are tight - but an extra-ordinarily tight period a few years ago taught me to be frugal and make a little money go a long way.

And I'm lucky that I can easily get to a range of places that sells decent quality fresh veg which I use to bulk out meals so making cooking cheap.

It is beastly SH. I'm just a common or garden paper shuffling pleb

Bloody hell, what a thread, I got to page 16 or something then gave up as it was growing quicker than I could read it!!

I cannot believe some of the posts. Sorrento, yours in particular...

Imovenomore (hope that's right), you saying that an extra £5 pw would have made your life a million times better has moved me more than anything else I have ever read on MN. I cannot believe that £5 per week could make that much difference. I feel incredibly guilty, and at the same time very fortunate that this is not the kind of 'broke' I have ever felt God I hope that comes across the way I am feeling and not smug or patronising (?!)

This whole thread is very depressing, from the original article to the nasty comments that have been posted.

Mind you...if anyone wants any paperclips expertly unfolded toot sweet, I'm yer woman.

Do not be shocked as it is NOT true. If a person (male or felmale) of any generation presents themselves at the door of social services (and is a European Citizen), with children under the age of 16 they will be helped. Stop, and ask questions?

I feel for her, she is running to stand still and the kind of worries she has for her children's future are the sort that keep you awake at night.
She ran up unmanageable bank charges by not being able to operate a bank account within the terms so taking on further debt is not going to solve her problems in any way. I wish someone would help her reclaim some of the charges - I bet Lloyds took full advantage of her.

Agree re the poatoes versus frying chips comment but lack of education manifests itself in many ways including food choices.

I see no reason for the squalor either but I suppose it might be a symptom of depression.

I admire her for her attitude and for still trying to better herself which must seem like a huge mountain to climb all told.

"I see no reason for the squalor either "

oh god I'm screwed them if that photo is of squalor................looks like my house does at the moment, and indeed does at the end of every day when the DS's go to bed (I just haven't got round to tidying it up yet).

No no janos, I was talking to Sorrento!

Squalor???? snort

When doing the maths i notice no one seems to have taken into account the cost of

Toys

And

Every day clothes for the kids

Plus

Saving for birthdays or xmas

I have not changed my mind at all i think it is terrible people in a civilised country like ours should be living like that, least of all babies and children.
Working a low paid job is the same after you have taken out rent, c-tax, and childcare, you are probably left with less to live on than someone on IS/jsa

This is where social services could be more helpful.
A social worker could be allocated to a number of these families and give them all up to date information on maybe finding a job/childcare, simple improvements, maybe offer the use of a phone or something for phoning up about jobs, telling these people where they could access the internet (local library ect) so they could go on such sites as freecycle.. i don't know but surely some little things could improve the standard of living for some of these people.. its not all about throwing them extra money, its about giving them the opportunity and knowledge to dig themselves out of a hole.. even if they don't wish to work, there are other things they could be shown how to do or offered help with.

actually if you look closely at the photo one of her children is in the process of emptying toys over the floor near the TV - just the sort of thing my DS's would do - I'd tidy to within an inch of my life and then they'd turn it to total chaos within minutes

Looked like squalor to me. But you know, as many have said, no-one will starve, there is free healthcare and education and clean water.

Stercus - sites like Freecycle are hopeless if you only have intermittent internet access.

I'm currently watching my 2 local freecycles closely for furniture for DH (have put out a "wanted" too - but nothing yet) I have been watching things being posted as "taken" within hours (often minutes!) of first appearing on the site.

looks like toys on the floor to me.........

my house looks like shite.
I've day a day off work tomorrow and Friday which will involve scrubbing the house to make it look reasonable, and then sobbing on both evenings when I pick up DD and within two minutes she house looks like cack again!

Before i get flamed lol i was one of the lucky ones who managed to get a job and had family pick up my kids from school at the time so my life did improve through working and i was bloody lucky and i appreciate that.

Childcare costs are crippling and so is rent and c-tax IMO.

If you are in a low paid job i have often said the rent should be paid for you, as if you were not in a job it would be paid, at least in a job you are trying to improve yours and your kids lives..and you are also through tax ect paying 'back' into the system..the barrier to getting work for a lot of people is the thought of the rent and childcare costs.
I know it was a huge worry for me and still is

my house looks worse than that at the moment actually (might help if I tore myself off here and did something about it ) - can't say I've ever thought of myself as living in squalor...........yes I'm a slattern, but I don't live in squalor

Perhaps squalor was a strong word to use but if I was expecting a national newspaper round for a photo session I would spend an hour, perhaps more, tidying.
It's not like shes just clocked off a 12 hour shift is it?
But then I suppose it adds a little colour to the picture they are painting of her.

Ah right sorry SH..it's getting past my bed time, really and .