As a parent, what "issues" annoy you the most?

[willow2]

OK, what is it that gets you ranting? Holiday prices, education reforms, the state of the maternity service? What would you change most, if you could? Discuss...

[ruty]

exactly Katte. i can't claim any benefits as a SAHM, despite people's beliefs to the contrary.

[Caligula]

Everything everyone else has mentioned. Just everything.

[harpsichordcarrier]

hey nulnulcat we'll be the judge of that thanks very much
re the girly clothes only available in pink, if anyone knows anyone who goes to French hypermarkets for booze etc I have bought some really nice cheap girl's clothes there in orange, green and even blue

[anniediv]

This may have already been done/posted, but yesterday I was walking through town with my 8 month old when I passed Claire's Accessories. A little tiny girl not much bigger than my baby was being held in a chair in the shop window SCREAMING while her mother watched, while shop assistants pierced the poor child's ears. I felt sick, she looked horrified, upset, distraught.

[Bozza]

But Katte are you really less well off as a SAHM than unemployed. I may be totally wrong here but I thought that if we had no children but I wasn't working I wouldn't be entitled to anything anyway because of DH's salary. Is that wrong?

Fairly hypothetical really because we have two children and I do work. Actually though I think if I stopped work we might get some tax credits.

[harpsichordcarrier]

bozza, job seeker's allowance? i think it's called

[m1m1rie]

If you're looking for green (or yellow, or blue or white or anything) look on ebay!! Small children hardly get to wear their clothes for long before they grow out of them, so long as you don't mind pre-owned...

Just thought of another rant, MIL again -aside from her pre-occupation with spirituality (and her infliction of that subject and her other favourites on anyone she talks to), death and illness (she has just too much time on her hands); why when she comes to visit does she wander in the kitchen 1 minute before dinner is served and say 'is there anything I can do?'. By doing this, she has salved her conscience that she has at least offered help, without the remotest opportunity that her offer will be taken up (yes, there is, peel 5lbs of potatoes for your fat, greedy, boring boyfriend, stuff the chicken, prepare 4 different types of vegetables and whip up an apple crumble for pudding - don't forget to put the dishes in the dishwasher as you go). And when she occasionally helps by doing a bit of ironing whilst I am at work, although all the items she has ironed belong only to her son....

[Bozza]

Hmm - would I definitely get that? Have no idea.

[ruty]

whatever the case, the government pays many people unemployment benefit who possibly could be working. when you choose not to work to do something, i think is a valuable occupation, rearing children, you get nothing. the government doesn't give two figs for mothers. anyway, sorry for ranting, probably another thread subject!

[RedZuleika]

m1m1rie: Thanks. Yes - I have looked on Ebay and the things I've found for my daughter in red / green / anything other than pink have been from there. Sometimes even new.

But where is this stuff being sold new?? In order for it to be passed on through Ebay??? It's a mystery...

[m1m1rie]

TK Maxx, I reckon! The only place where you can buy an £800 (who WOULD pay that for a child's clothing item?) Ralph Lauren lambskin coat for £16.99!! I've seen it! It's true! I think they then sell them on ebay for something approximating a retail price. I have bought new on there too, so if you don't like the thought of second-hand it can still be a good, cheap way to clothe your kids (whilst avoiding the spangly, tarty-looking gear from Adams and Next). Am I the only parent in the country who thinks Next are one of the biggest culprits in leading the pre-teen hooker look? and why did I have to buy my 11 year-old daughter's school shoes in Ireland because over here they all had 3" block heels? (Even, or maybe especially, Clarks)

[Kirk1]

Oh, goodie, a place to vent!

People parking in M/T spaces because they have posh cars and don't want them scratched. People who think just having the car seat in the car entitles them to use the spaces (I don't consider I have the right to park in a mother and toddler space if DS (age 2) is elswhere and DD (age 5) is with me.

Children's clothing. anything for girls is tarty even for very young girls, and there seems to be very little choice in boys clothes.

Drowning in an endless sea of pink. I know at the moment it's her choice, but when she does finally grow out of the pink phase, she won't get a lot of choice :P Oh and I hate the way most pink is Barbie branded too.

People who sneer at other people's choices.

Breast or bottle? I breast fed myself, but if you decided that bottle feeding was better for you and your baby, hell I'll support your choice.

meat eater/vegetarian? I like meat, but if you decide to bring your child up on a vegan diet I can respect that. You're braver than I am, but it's you who has the work, not me - not my call.

I chose to send my DD to a fee-paying school. It's not that I distrust the teaching in state schools, I just don't think schools are being helped to teach. They're being given 'initiatives' and 'guidelines' and cr*p like that when what they need is the money to hire teachers who won't get disillusioned after a couple of years (like my DH did) and buy the resources they need to do their job. Not some irritating polititian who has never set foot in a classroom since they left school telling them what and how they should be teaching.
Some snotty cow telling me that my choice of school is terrible because they make DD wear a blazer can go french connection UK herself.

Stepmothers who think they have the right to tell you how to bring up your children and that you owe her something despite the fact that she kicked you out at age 7 because you had difficulty with toilet training.

OK, I'm getting off this soapbox before I start getting personal.....

[m1m1rie]

Getting personal is what it's all about...don't stop because it's getting personal. She's not going to read it, is she?!(Did you see my comments about my mother-outlaw?) It's great therapy (and it doesn't cost £75 per hour...)

[Kirk1]

You are so right :) I still don't believe she thought it was bad that DD's school uniform includes a blazer. Sure, it's a lot more money than I'd like to spend on an item of children's clothing,(£85) but comparing her school to the school my friend sends her two girls to I'm glad she goes to the school where she's stretched in her own peer group rather than having to do her reading and maths with the children two years older than herself. And what's so wrong with having a blazer as part of the uniform? I think it looks cute and I can't wait to see what DS looks like in it.

[neo123]

my son's deputy head telling the whole assembly that they can come to school with a sore throat or a cough, and that they do not have to stay at home if they are ill. My son's primary school giving rewards at the end of the school year for children who never missed a day.

[neo123]

the price of a child's haircut has suddenly double in price because "its half-term" said the hairdresser licking her lips in glee.

[neo123]

young mummy pushchair buggies who deliberately drive their buggies into me so I would move out of the way, when there is no way to move to anyway and i wasn't in their way to begin with never mind driving over my sandalled feet in summer on the high street, I never did that with my son.

[neo123]

tax credits and gorden brown, if you're reading this gordon (cause you got kids now), thanks for the credit card debt i am now deep in it to pay for food and bills when you cut all of my tax credits out totally.

[petunia]

neo123- Agree with you about haircuts. I hadn't noticed whether prices go up at half term but I went in to a state of shock when I saw the price of a childs trim at our local hairdressers. £7.00 for each child (DDs are 6 1/2 and 3), the same as an adults trim. I was so gobsmacked at the price, I'm doing DDs hair myself now.
Guess we've been spoilt by our mobile hairdresser and her prices.

[neo123]

husbands who thnk they aren't supposed to buy valentine day pretty things for you because the courtship days are over but are very happy indeed to receive loads.

[handlemecarefully]

"that they can come to school with a sore throat or a cough"

and what is wrong with that exactly - a sore throat and a cough is hardly major!

[WestCountryLass]

listarry1

People telling parents how "lucky" they are their child is well behaved, what does luck have to do with it? It's hard work, love and discipline.. my child isn't well behaved because of some random gambling fluke (this isn't to say I don't recognise behaviour can be influenced by medical problems

My BIL tell me this all the time, their kids are nightmares though. My two didn't end up as they are by pure chance, it was hard work!

One thing that really pisses me off is other parents being judgemental. For example my DD was having a trantrum in a music class the other day (she is 18 months but the class is for kids 3 years up as we take DS who is 4). Another parent was eyeballing me, rolling her eyes and generally disapproving of how I was handling her tantrum (ignoring her, redirecting etc). I almost had it out with her there and then but figured I would end up lookin like an arse.

Most of us are simply doing our best! Parenting is hard enough without other parents being so judgemental.

[Anasaskia]

-Working mums who laud over SAHMs by saying "oh well staying at home just isn't stimulating enough for me".....do you think its stimulating enough for any of us????
-Restaurants that serve really rubbish "Childrens Menu" food...do it properly..its not hard.

[nulnulcat]

dont actually mind childrens menus dd loves chicken nuggets fish fingers etc but doesnt have them at home so to her its a treat! dont let her eat burgers though i would never eat one either

[Kirk1]

Can't believe this topic is still going :)

I have another gripe. Husbands who look as though they're paying attention then say 'sorry dear, I wasn't really listening. Was it important?'

I think I'll buy the jacket I was telling him about (£135) and when he asks at least I can say 'Well I told you about it, but you obviously weren't listening.....'

Oh, and little old ladies who pat pregnant tummies as if they have all the right in the world to invade your personal space just because you're carrying a future child. That one irritated me through two pregnancies!