Should the tax and benefits system prioritise families? poll discussion

Chrysalis

Bayblue what I meant was, I see it as people who have children do so out of choice, in doing that choice they should expect to make sacrifices and be financially prepared beforehand, but you see it in the opposite way and that people choose to not have children and because they make that choice they shouldnt moan that they get less respect in society.

Natalie6999 your circumstances arent typical, obviously I would expect people in your situation to get help and also a bit extra to help with the kids.

Terry_D

I get so fed up with parents today expecting handouts left right and center. My latest groan is these "Parents with children" special car parking spaces in supermarkets - Grrrrrrr! - Walk like the rest of us!

We had our daughter nearly 29 years ago and bless her she's still at home with us, not because she won't leave home but rather the stupid prices of buying/renting your own home these days. We charge her a nominal rent (she works full time) but it doesn't cover the real cost of having her live with us - if we charged her the going rate she would never be able to save up a big enough deposit on her own home.

What's this got to do with this discussion? Everything. We (my wife and I) chose to have a child, no one forced us and no one paid us. We went years without holidays and other luxuries because my wife stayed home with her till school age. Having children is a CHOICE. With perhaps the awful exception of a rape victim, we can chose to have children or not, same as chosing to going on holiday or buying a new car. If you make that decision you should be prepared to bear the cost of it and go without the other stuff whilst enjoying your offspring - they are worth every penny you don't get and more..

krisskross

Terry_D wrote: »

I get so fed up with parents today expecting handouts left right and center. My latest groan is these "Parents with children" special car parking spaces in supermarkets - Grrrrrrr! - Walk like the rest of us!

We had our daughter nearly 29 years ago and bless her she's still at home with us, not because she won't leave home but rather the stupid prices of buying/renting your own home these days. We charge her a nominal rent (she works full time) but it doesn't cover the real cost of having her live with us - if we charged her the going rate she would never be able to save up a big enough deposit on her own home.

What's this got to do with this discussion? Everything. We (my wife and I) chose to have a child, no one forced us and no one paid us. We went years without holidays and other luxuries because my wife stayed home with her till school age. Having children is a CHOICE. With perhaps the awful exception of a rape victim, we can chose to have children or not, same as chosing to going on holiday or buying a new car. If you make that decision you should be prepared to bear the cost of it and go without the other stuff whilst enjoying your offspring - they are worth every penny you don't get and more..

Excellent post. Unfortunately today the cost of having a child appears to not be an issue. Everyone knows that it will not necessarily be the parents that meet the cost but the benefit system. When people already living on benefits have more children it is obvious that affordability is nowhere in the 'shall we have a baby decision process'.

I also wish that posters would stop saying about accidental pregnancies. We couldn't possibly afford more children, in fact I lived in dread of finding myself pregnant. Concentrates the mind wonderfully about contraception does a bit of healthy fear of the consequences. This was over 30 years ago, I am sure contraception has become a lot more reliable since then, as well as free.

seven-day-weekend

Agreed Terry D, good post.

Your daughter is the same age as my son and in a similar financial/home position!!

SandC

Natalie6999 wrote: »

When we decided to have children, we didn't know that 8 months into my pregnancy my husband would become seriously ill & unable to work again & that due to the strain of my husband's illness I would suffer a traumatic birth that would send my body into shock causing rheumatoid arthritis.

we did not choose to be in a situation where we have to rely on benefits & tax credits, but as we are we have to make the best of it.

That is exactly what the system is there to do Natalie. It is there as a safety net for those who find themselves unable to work. I hope things are easier for you now.