"Single mothers with secondary school children should seek work" - BBC news this am.

[mumblechum]

What does everyone think? Apparently 70% of single parents already work, and a third of those who don't have a good reason not to, eg have a child with a disability.

My first response (have always worked at least pt) is "of course they should, the lazy buggers", but a 12 year old child can't really be left to fend for themselves EVERY day after school, can they, and I don't suppose you could get a childminder to look after them for just 1.5 hours a day.

My own experience is that my ds (year 7) does need a fair bit of tlc still, especially with all the upheaval of changing schools, more work, making new friends etc.

What do you reckon?

I think there needs to be tax breaks for companies to employ part time people. There are a lot of people who could really benefit from working part time as well as mums.

There is a major pension crisis and the governant wants us to work longer. Surely it makes sense for older people to work part time? As a country we would also benefit from their knowledge and expertise.

IMO you have to start with employers attitudes not employees, we employ a LP with teenage kids as our PA, she is fantastic but we are also a very flexible small company so she sets her hours and we all muck in together ( I am also a working mum) If more employers realised that flexibility and being a bit more understanding are the key to getting and keeping fantastic people then the world would be a much nicer place

yes elastamum, there is a thread currently in AIBU showing an example of some employers shitty attitudes.

But surely that's where crime comes into it Diva. Supplement with crime, which is alot of people on benefits do.

Amen, night! As I pointed out earlier in the thread, all this is just misogynistic and using single mothers as an easy target and scapegoat.

Utter bullshit when you consider that it take TWO to make a child.

Littlebella - you are so right. The issue is much broader. First, as has been pointed out countless times on this thread, every child starts its life with two parents, and neither parent should opt out of their responsibilities to that child - and I mean emotional, financial and every other kind of responsibility. It is not the job of the government, society or the tax payer to parent anyone's child - yes, there is a role for society to play in SUPPORTING but not actually in doing the job of a parent. Secondly, this whole debate is always in danger of becoming a polarised lone parent versus partnered parents scenario as Littlebella points out, which takes the focus off the real issue. It is truly ludicrous that we have a situation where for many partnered parents, both of them have to work because they can't afford not to, while many lone parents feel that its not worth their while to work.

general opinion seems to me that a lot of people think some lone parents wont work because benefit is such a high amount, they are better off claiming.

no.

benefit is a low amount, but some single parents are physically unable to work the hours necessary to be left with the same amount of money after outgoings etc. why is this?

because they are lone parents! have to pick up children at certain times, have all the responsibilty that is usually divided between two parents, often have to fund everything for the child/children, have little or no help from feckless fathers.

they cant live on any less than they already are, its that simple.

i would advise anyone who thinks being a lone parent on benefit is great to try it for a week. you'll be screaming to go back home to your partner. really.

and why are they not kicking the father's arse to work so he can pay maintenance thereby reducing the amount of benefit awarded to the mother or helping to make it financially possible for her to return to work.

or even actually trying to get the maintenance from a father who does work and pays bugger all?

not saying its the only solution obviously but it makes sense.

they get to walk away, responsible for nothing and then we get the flack!

No, I don't think anyone is saying that benefits are so high that you can afford a good standard of living on them. But equally, life as a partnered parent is pretty shit when you're both working your arses off, with a huge chunk of your income paying for childcare. Someone posted earlier the amount you get on benefits, and it doesn't sound a lot. But if you take into account that lone parents can get housing benefit etc, then a slightly different picture starts to emerge. For many two parent families, you just get NOTHING in the way of support - you pay the whole rent/mortgage, all your child care costs and if you want to be a SAHM well, tough - you just can't afford to do it. I know a number of partnered parents WHO BOTH WORK who, after all their essential bills are paid, have no more money left over per week than someone living on benefits. And I don't think anyone in their right mind can say that's anything other than ludicrous.