What was the main driver of the 300%+ house price rise from the mid 80s to mid 00s

Prudent

Selling off of council homes

Greed - mainly.

lostinrates

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

So my wife was talking to one of her colleagues the other day.....

Colleague- So Mrs McT, when are you going to have kids? (for the umpteenth annoying time)

I really, really hate being askedthis question. I mean, where does one start answering it?

''well, er, its not for want of trying''? Its a horrid question and the answer can only either make the questioner feel bad or the quetioned to feel uncomfortable, whether its through lack of want of chidren or no lack of trying for them.

SingleSue

Ahhh but you also then get after having the first one......when are you going to give him/her a brother or sister then?

I still actually get asked if my baby making days are over, would I fancy another one, usually with the comment, "Well you aren't too old yet"...it's rather tedious explaining that my baby making days stopped on October 15th 2001.

tommy75

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"increased availability of credit"

"done, close thread?"

lostinrates

SingleSue wrote: »

Ahhh but you also then get after having the first one......when are you going to give him/her a brother or sister then?

I still actually get asked if my baby making days are over, would I fancy another one, usually with the comment, "Well you aren't too old yet"...it's rather tedious explaining that my baby making days stopped on October 15th 2001.

At least you have an element of choice over the background behind the question! I have wondered if people think we're doing it right, or need help!

SingleSue

True....I know how it feels by the way, we had to go for fertility treatment.

Back to the now and the question, I usually have to explain why I can no longer have children, they usually think I have just decided not to and when I do, then start saying about regretting not having a daughter, or I was much too young to give in..or something other rather silly.

By the way, never regretted the hysterectomy, the not having a daughter or felt less of a woman.....the relief of pain and suffering was enough to make it worth it.

carolt

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baileysbattlebus wrote: »

OH and I used to feel the same way - people used to think we had a fertility problem because we didn't pop them out when we were first married - I didn't have the heart to tell the family we didn't want any - but in the end I suppose mother nature won out - and one day I felt I just had to have one - no logic there at all - just an overwhelming urge for a child - strange isn't it.

We have 3, and they have been all of the above and sometimes we have felt they were more hassle than they were worth - that happened once they were grown up though, not when they were children.

We have a grandson live with us now, his mother is here too - but we more or less bring him up and he is all of the above too.

One the other hand children are non judgemental and will love you regardless of your mistakes, they make you laugh and make you cry they make you frustrated and angry at times and can be the best manipulators in the world.

There is never a dull moment with children - the last couple of weeks have seen GS pass a karate assessment - he was so thrilled - he wanted to wear his new belt to bed along with the rest of his kit as pyjamas. He was given a merit award in front of the school from his headmaster - embarassed - but thrilled. His prancing around in in his Christmas play seagull(?) outfit - the tears when he poked someone in the eye when we was wearing his "beak". He is 8.

As the advert says - priceless.

Would I have them again if I had the choice - in a heartbeat.

Loved this post. Nearly moved me to tears.

I'm sure Hamish not having kids explains A LOT. I suppose if I didn't, and was never planning to, then I might (a) have time to post endlessly on here and (b) value money above all else. And (c) do things like rubbish climate change just for the hell of it.

Don't know, can't really imagine not wanting kids. Children are ...don't know how to put it in words, but the post quoted above does it better than I ever could, anyway.

Cleaver

carolt wrote: »

I'm sure Hamish not having kids explains A LOT. I suppose if I didn't, and was never planning to, then I might (a) have time to post endlessly on here and (b) value money above all else. And (c) do things like rubbish climate change just for the hell of it.

Not sure I see the link between not wanting kids and valuing money above all else.

carolt wrote: »

Don't know, can't really imagine not wanting kids. Children are ...don't know how to put it in words, but the post quoted above does it better than I ever could, anyway.

Imagine, if you will, something you have no interest in or desire to take part in: morris dancing, collecting bus tickets, cross stitching, metal detecting. Bascially imagine doing one of these things every day for 18 years.

You're now imagining how people who don't want kids feel about having kids.

carolt

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Cleaver wrote: »

Not sure I see the link between not wanting kids and valuing money above all else.



Imagine, if you will, something you have no interest in or desire to take part in: morris dancing, collecting bus tickets, cross stitching, metal detecting. Bascially imagine doing one of these things every day for 18 years.

You're now imagining how people who don't want kids feel about having kids.

Fair enough, though I don't really 'get it'. Having children is about loving other people, being part of a continuing human history, part of a wider society.. I didn't express it very well, but I suppose I rationalised that the only cause for Hamish's baffling persona on here could be his basic dislike of all other people incl children, and his valuing of material things (like house prices) over people.

No offence intended to other willingly childless (let alone unwillingly childless) people, honest.

Thinking about it, I still don't really understand how anyone can separate children from people generally, as though children are somehow like bus tickets, as per your example. Children are people - saying you'd hate to have children to me = I hate other people.

Or if not, what am I missing here?

treliac

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carolt wrote: »

Or if not, what am I missing here?

Perhaps it's the constant demands, tiredness, self-sacrifice and drain on the pocket that comes with having children and 'doing the job' properly, that puts off those who aren't sufficiently motivated.

...............