Apparently. This is according to Ian Duncan-Smith writing in the Guardian. He's announced extra money to help parents pay for childcare, because this will mean that 'more parents can work part-time, or full-time, and their children will grow up in a family where their parents are positively contributing to society and growth in the economy'. I wish the Tories would make up their minds whether women should stay in the home (because children of working mothers grow up to be feral beasts) or should go out to work (because otherwise they are appalling role models who contribute nothing to the world), so that I can at least be clear about exactly why I hate them so much.
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SAHPs do not contribute positively to society
50 replies
NomDePC · 07/10/2011 09:04
OP posts:
starrywillow ·
08/10/2011 12:08
Parents who want to work or feel they can't afford not to work are being given help so their wage isn't gobbled up by childcare, I think that's a good policy and it's helpful for single parents too. Parents who don't want both to work, don't have to pay for childcare and so don't need the extra help. I don't see why this has been met with such hostility. 
nickelbabe ·
08/10/2011 09:44
but I love Homes under the Hammer!
and it's on in the evenings after I've had my dinner.
MustControlFistOfDeath ·
07/10/2011 19:01
Oh Bloody Hell, is watching Homes Under the Hammer socially unacceptable?
nickelbabe ·
07/10/2011 13:13
Sardine - we're on 6 figures if you count the pence (is that allowed? 
)
NomDePC ·
07/10/2011 13:03
What I hate is that it's so opportunistic. When Labour were spending money to support childcare, the Tories were saying that this was damaging children's development by encouraging parents of young children to work (which is what I think they mostly believe deep down). But now that the economy's up shit creek and they need to increase taxation, suddenly SAHPs are feckless layabouts.
Anyway, for the record, this is a list of what I, as a SAHM to a baby and a preschooler, believe that I do to contribute to society and economic growth:
- Raise my two little boys to be decent human beings (hopefully
).
- Spend my husband's income (This sounds flippant but it isn't - if DH lived alone he'd keep his money under the mattress and live on Lidl baked beans. I'm the one who ensure that we are skint our money goes back into the economy.)
- Help to organise a local farmers' market, providing a useful service to local people but also giving local businesses a valuable sales platform.
- Help to produce a local community magazine, which, again, provides a useful service for local people, but also provides a valuable advertising medium for local businesses.
- Help to manage a local residential organisation which has the knock-on effect of helping a number of elderly residents to continue living at home.
- Sit on a healthcare participation panel, to give patients a voice in local health services.
If I worked, I would of course do 1 and 2 (though would probably have less opportunity to do 2!). I would probably not do any of 3-6, though, and certainly not all of them.
Don't get me wrong, I don't believe I need to do any of these things to 'justify' staying at home - but I list them for interest. If IDS would like to discuss my lack of contribution to society, he is more than welcome to kiss my ass come and talk to me over a cup of cold poison tea - if I can fit him into my schedule, that is
.
OP posts:
MustControlFistOfDeath ·
07/10/2011 12:37
Riven you are correct, the fistofdeath belongs to Alice (the lone female engineer)
Rivenwithoutabingle ·
07/10/2011 11:54
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
MustControlFistOfDeath ·
07/10/2011 11:34
Proon that's a terrible attitude, just what kind of message are you giving your children by being there for them, how very dare you.
Get back to work immediately or at least start doing some voluntary work (at least 30 hours a week should do it), or else Dave will send the boys round
Rivenwithoutabingle ·
07/10/2011 11:27
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
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Proon ·
07/10/2011 11:22
I was raised during the last Tory government and the message was "sort yourselves out, don't depend on the state to do it for you". (Well, actually, it was 'get on your bike, pull yourselves up by the bootstraps, and other clichés as well'. 
)
So I've sorted myself out and for part of my life I am a non-benefit-claiming, VAT-paying SAHP. (They can fuck right off if they want me to also do stuff for free.)
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