Mumsnet campaigns and alliances

[JustineMumsnet]

Morning Mumsnetters,
Following on from something someone suggested a while back, we want to think about how we might use our MN muscle to campaign on things that matter to us - like miscarriage, breastfeeding support, premature sexualisation of children (toddler thongs) etc and also how we go about building links with voluntary sector organisations to increase that muscle. Policywonk and Onebat, dynamic duo that they are - have rashly agreed to collect our thoughts/help out a bit with organisation - so we'd be very grateful if you could let us have your two penneth worth on any and all of this stuff.
Many thanks.

[Tabithacat]

Like the nappy one too. It'd be a good start.

My biggest gripe is the EMA grant - give it to all kids or none! Either way, don't mind. But don't make kids stand out from their peers for this reason.

[Ronaldinhio]

ohhhhh a mumsnet state
my husband has a times worried that we might make time to get off our arses and take over Europe
Can style and beauty decide on the look and feel of the new party?

[Anifrangapani]

What about more support for carers. ALL carers - partners of people suffering from mental health problems, disability, parents of children with disabilities, carers of elderly parents. It does not have to be financial support but places where you can get advice and support.

The current provision is so disjointed and patchy.

[frasersmummy]

what about teaming up with the why17 campaign being run by sands

I think its about time the world was aware that 17 kids a day are either stillborn or die within he first few moments of life

I think we need to make people aware of this figure and campaign to have the govt make an effort to reduce this dreadful number

[BecauseImWorthIt]

I'm not sure I'm going to express myself well or succinctly, as I'm so angry about this

I think this is a really, really important issue that we/women/MN should consider too.

I have absolutely nothing against the choice that women may make (if they are lucky enough to have that choice, of course) to either stay at home with their children, or to stay at work, either full or part time.

But it makes me so, so, soooooooooooo that this is all being laid at the doors of the women of the future.

Where are we educating teenage boys that they should expect to take more time to be involved in their future families?

Why is it that only girls should be told that they can't have it all?

What kind of message is this bloody woman giving future citizens? How are we to ever get the importance of children and the family across to everyone and not just 'ghettoize' this to being just the area that women should be concerned about? How can we get men to take children and the family seriously and not just something that goes on at home, and is of secondary importance to their jobs?

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Sorry.

[scrappydappydoo]

I like the idea of lots of small campaigns - I'm sure there are 1000's of issues similar ones to the 4 nappy rule we can support.

Oh and yes please lets do something about the oversexualisation of children - the playboy stuff drives me mad especially as most children have no idea what it represents. And I do not want to be confronted with naked women on the front of magazines and on page 3 of trashy newspapers - its is sending the wrong message to our children and it needs to stop...

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Good idea re Women's Aid, dittany. I'm wondering if Norma might have anything 'left over' from the Christmas appeal?

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Oh hello. You called?

I had already thought of this actually. There are a few donors who have stuff like cots for eg, where they can't post and I may not be able to find someone local enough.

I was going to tentatively suggest to them that they could find their local WA and donate if I can't match them up.

Do we think that is a good idea?

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Also, back to the thread, I would love to see MN do something in support of WA, either practically or in raising awareness of DV and the fact that it does't have to be "violent" to be abuse. I am lucky never have been in that situation, but have read plenty in the relationships section, and have posted to advise people to contact WA on several occasions.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Hear, hear, Norma.

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

--it was pure coincidence

I'm psychic doncha know

[blueywhite]

yy to lads mags firmly on the top shelf.

Thinking today how small the lettering on labels generally is now my eyesight is failing.

This is annoying for food labels, etc, but I feel it could be downright dangerous wrt medicine labels.

I do have reading glasses, but today I was trying to read the paracetamol instructions without them (glasses downstairs and felt unable to leap out bed).

Just wondering if there are occasions when people guess the dosage when they can't read the small print because they can't find or even don't own glasses.



So a campaign for a minimum font size for dosage instructions on medicines, please.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Not read thread but I would really like to see all county councils fund children with SN in a way so that instead of each school being given an equal pot of money, no matter how many children with SN they have, )which means the more children a school has with SN the more the money gets squeezed) the funding follows the child instead.

No matter how much I try and rewrite that I cannot get it to make sense I hope you know what I mean!

[HerBeatitude]

Masses more support for breastfeeding please, including legislation to make it an offence to harrass a mother for bf-ing in public.

And the Womean's Aid one is v. good idea

[notwavingjustironing]

Has anyone else seen the front page of the Sunday Times - u-turn on the Childcare Voucher issue!

[policywonk]

Interesting about the childcare vouchers

Also on the ST website is this: 'Why the mum 'n' dad vote will decide the next election'

'This valuable electoral group is also constantly talking to itself, both at the school gates and in online forums. In recent months mothers of young children have found their political voice through the website Mumsnet...