Its a wonderful life... Want to try.....?? A Single parents View.. !!xx!

viktory

It was an interesting programme - but the only purpose it served was to entertain. I would have loved greater explanation as to how one of the girls (sorry, don't know which one) could go from £110 to £35 after housing costs. That was very misleading as it made it sound like her housing costs were £75 per week and the posts from single parents on here have demonstrated that they are nowhere near that high. I actually muttered out loud that they should have given us a SOA!

I felt desperately sorry for both girls, actually. They had the most appalling upbringing. That poor girl whose alcoholic mother didn't even know the surname of her the man that fathered her child! That was clearly devastating for her, which makes it so much more important that this kind of depraved behaviour (which is becoming depressingly commonplace) stops.

The only part the really annoyed me was when they were in the shops. All the whinging that they couldn't afford a coat that cost £100. One actually said that she felt she would never be able to afford such an expensive garment and that she felt uncomfortable in such shops. I felt this was almost telling us to feel sorry for them because the benefits they get don't strech to such luxuries. They aren't actually supposed to! I can't afford to buy a coat that cost £100 on a whim and I work full time. If I want an expensive item I save for it. Anyone else can do the same.

Very pleased to see the one girl starting work :T

And the less said about the fathers of the children the better. It is about time these young men were forced to face their responsibilities - or pay the consequences. It takes two to tango - or do the horizontal bop!

missk_ensington

Oh I missed Pramface! Had it written in my diary as well cos I really wanted to watch it, does anyone know if its being repeated on BBC3/4?

Someone mentioned 5-6 pages back that I was managing great on a part-time wage; I wish I could say this is to my detriment and take such credit, but I'm actually better off working 16 hours a week. I looked at working full-time over the summer but would be only £80 a month better off after the tax credits were reduced, and of that £80 I would be paying petrol an extra 2 days which is about £4 a day. Why bother?

Its been worth more to be over summer to have 2 free days to oversee builders etc in my house and do some stuff myself to save money like stripping wallpaper so I don't have to pay decorator to do it.

Good luck to all the parents on here who have achieved so much already, and I hope this thread has been inspirational to some parents who have had a hard time of it. Being a single parent is hard emotionally as well as financially, more so when you are young and keep hearing what great nights out your friends are having, or for me personally when uni is holding a prom night or trips to Alton towers etc and I can't go to them.

Just have to stay focused and remember your goals! x

black-saturn

viktory wrote:

That was very misleading as it made it sound like her housing costs were £75 per week

My last rented house was £75 per week.

starlite_2

They sometimes repeat cutting edge on more4 or at stupid o clock in the morning on channel 4.

Broken_hearted

Am I the only one who felt sorry for the girls. I felt they were a bit used by C4, comments like thats a lot of toys and showing them smoking, drinking and clubbing.
I'd like to see a show with older single parents and working ones so we could compare.

looby75

Broken_hearted wrote:

Am I the only one who felt sorry for the girls. I felt they were a bit used by C4, comments like thats a lot of toys and showing them smoking, drinking and clubbing.
I'd like to see a show with older single parents and working ones so we could compare.

I did think that some of the comments from behind the camera were a bit harsh to say the least. Especially the bit about the Christmas presents, personally I thought that the mum had done really well and should have been proud of herself for managing to get some really nice toys for her boys. I did lol about the comment about the postman pat bike only being £22 and that she had started buying the toys in feb, very MSE

Scarlett1

viktory wrote:

Consider yourself corrected. Even if DH hadn't happened along I would still have got off my butt and made something of my life. That is the sort of person I am - and the reason I am like this is because of the example my parents set me, by working hard and relying on no one but themselves. Which is why it makes me mad when posters accuse those that work and expect their teenage children to fend for themselves when they get home from school to be bringing up their children badly. A burden, I think it was called.

I truly believe that the way you are brought up has a direct bearing on how you turn out as an adult. For example, my parents always worked. My siblings have always worked. I have been working for years although I needed the benefit system for a while. Now my children work. My 18 year old daughter has a full time job and is also training to become a special constable and my son has chosen to work his summer holidays so that he can have extra pocket money. That is the work ethic.

My fear is that the families that choose not to work and live on benefits will bring up children who think that getting pregnant and living on benefits is the norm. I have seen it happen.

First point is that you didnt get off you're butt to do anything with you're life until you're husband came along, so you did not do it own you're own merit, and with due respect if someone has a partner to share the childcare and bring an extra wage home it enables them to go on a build a life that they want.

I actually have more respect for the single parents that go out out to work and build a life for themselves on their own back and not wait for a man to come along before they do it.

Not all single mums are from gym slip back grounds, a lot of us actually worked from the age of 16 upwards until we had children so I can agree with some of the points you have made above.

Scarlett1

viktory wrote:

Thanks for that. May I impose further and ask if single parents have to contribute to their rent and water rates?

I privately rent so have a top up, and my water rates are £30 per month, would you like to put you're SOA so we can compare

MORPH3US

Did I miss-hear on the programme last night, or did the girl with 2 kids say something along the lines of "I only had sex with him 2 times and used protection both times but I still got pregnant both times"?!?!

Personally I have no problem with single parents when they have had a child in a loving relationship but the relationship fell apart.

What I do have a problem with is young girls who get pregnant when they have been in a relationship for a few weeks or months even through their own stupidity or through the belief that it will get them a flat and benefits.

Ok so accidents happen with contraception but I don't for one minute believe that "accidents" have been responsible for all the teenage pregnancies in the country!

M

Forgot to say, after watching the programme last night, there were a few things I wanted to comment on:

1. Noticed that the girl brought hovis bread, branded cereals and wore designer clothes - myself and my gf are on nearly £20k a year each and we can't afford branded cereals and bread and other foods etc. We also don't buy designer clothes. Most of my clothes come from Tesco, Asda or Matalan.

2. I laughed when she was looking at the £90 Firetrap coat in House of Fraser. Again, myeslf and GF could never spend that much on a "fashion" coat!! And there she is saying "I don't think its overpriced" ?!?!?

3. I would give great credit to the girl who got a job at the end of the programme. To be prepared to work even though she would only be £40 a week better off gives her great credit! Its the governments fault here though and you can understand why most people like that wouldn't work their !!!!!! off for the extra £40 prefering to stay at home to watch Trisha!!

Scarlett1

missk_ensington wrote:

Oh I missed Pramface! Had it written in my diary as well cos I really wanted to watch it, does anyone know if its being repeated on BBC3/4?

Someone mentioned 5-6 pages back that I was managing great on a part-time wage; I wish I could say this is to my detriment and take such credit, but I'm actually better off working 16 hours a week. I looked at working full-time over the summer but would be only £80 a month better off after the tax credits were reduced, and of that £80 I would be paying petrol an extra 2 days which is about £4 a day. Why bother?

Its been worth more to be over summer to have 2 free days to oversee builders etc in my house and do some stuff myself to save money like stripping wallpaper so I don't have to pay decorator to do it.

Good luck to all the parents on here who have achieved so much already, and I hope this thread has been inspirational to some parents who have had a hard time of it. Being a single parent is hard emotionally as well as financially, more so when you are young and keep hearing what great nights out your friends are having, or for me personally when uni is holding a prom night or trips to Alton towers etc and I can't go to them.

Just have to stay focused and remember your goals! x

I missed it aswell nice post :beer: