Nice People Thread Part 9 - and so it continues

Spirit_2

LydiaJ wrote: »

Would like the NP's opinions about something. There's a Chinese takeaway near us - not actually our nearest but we go there sometimes. DD likes it because sometimes there used to be Chinese girls (one DD's age and one younger) playing behind the counter in the shop for her to talk to while waiting for our food. Last time we went there, the bigger girl (I think she's 10) was helping. The adult was there, but the girl took our order, entered it into the computer system, operated the credit card gadget and took the order slip through to the kitchen. This time, she was doing it again, but the adults were all out in the kitchen. The whole time we were there, the adults only appeared very briefly to deliver food through from the kitchen. The girl took all the orders (both in person and on the phone) and all the payments (both cash and card). She seemed very competent and clearly does it a lot. I don't think she's just "helping". It looks as though she's working. And surely a girl of 10 shouldn't be alone out the front dealing with the customers by herself at past 10pm, even if there is a counter between her and the customers and even if the adults are just the other side of a swing door, should she? Am I worrying unduly, or is this a problem? And if so, what if anything should I do about it?

I would not like to see that but have no idea what to do about it. Having children 'help out' or as a presence in the family business whilst parents are working is one thing, working a regular shift as part of the workforce is another.

If they are not working our front, would they be tucked up or looked after or working unseen out in the kitchen?

Generali

vivatifosi wrote: »

When I was at school there, I was taught that Australia was unique, the only place in the world that had given its name to an island, a country and a continent. In fact I was taught a lot about why Australia is special. This is not something I was ever taught about the UK in a UK school.

We used to get taught that Britain had once been great but wasn't any longer. I would imagine that these days history concentrates on how terrible Britain has been.

If it's any consolation, the hard left have hijacked the curriculum in Australia too or at least they have in NSW.

Doozergirl

LydiaJ wrote: »

It didn't occur to me until this evening either. Helping when the adults are there is a normal thing for children to enjoy doing. Running the show seems different. DD commented on how good she was at doing it, and I said "I expect she's done it lots of times." The girl replied "All day!" with a sigh. Clearly she's not working all day - or not during the week anway - because when she talks to DD they compare notes about school. I've never met a Chinese parent who didn't value their kids' education, anyway. But maybe she is working a lot of evenings???

I think you're allowed to worry for her and to make sure someone knows - if she is working, she needs a licence to do so from the county council. They will want to know how many hours etc as there are restrictions. Who knows, she may have one already.

There will be an 0845 type number for the Childrens Services access centre. They can flag it up to the right section; and there is one, so I think your concerns are grounded.

I'm of the mind that it's better to say something subtly to the right people (and be wrong), than allow a young person to potentially suffer. Do you have a safeguarding co-ordinator at work? If you're not feeling brave to call, do you think they might give you some sage advice?

Doozergirl

vivatifosi wrote: »

But how are the new dining chairs and are you pleased with them?

Could you get a furniture craftsperson to repair sofa? There have traditionally been small furniture factories in your area and to south,so wondered if you could find someone to fix.

The new chairs are lovely, thank you!

We'd had a quote that I choked slightly on. The problem in the main, was that although I loved it, we don't have spare funds for sofa frippery. I couldn't justify it and H couldn't have cared less. It smelled so bad and we'd even argued over it. I had to hoof it out of the lounge into the hallway when he was out and arrange everything else so it wouldn't fit without more hoofing.

LydiaJ

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think you're allowed to worry for her and to make sure someone knows - if she is working, she needs a licence to do so from the county council. They will want to know how many hours etc as there are restrictions. Who knows, she may have one already.

There will be an 0845 type number for the Childrens Services access centre. They can flag it up to the right section; and there is one, so I think your concerns are grounded.

I'm of the mind that it's better to say something subtly to the right people (and be wrong), than allow a young person to potentially suffer. Do you have a safeguarding co-ordinator at work? If you're not feeling brave to call, do you think they might give you some sage advice?

Yes, good idea. I'll have a chat with the safeguarding person at work. Thanks.

According to what I've been finding out online, council licences are for children over the age of 13 working for an employer and getting paid. So far my attempts at googling for the rules haven't come up with anything about 10 year olds working in the family business.

Generali

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/193326/Child_employment09.pdf

The child is working illegally.

Consider the consequences of your actions though. The family may be kicked out of the country for example. If you want to see a criminal punished then fine but if the interests of the child are your thought then dobbing them in mightn't be the best outcome for her.

Your call of course but things like this aren't always simple.

PasturesNew

I think Lydia needs to eat 10 Chinese meals a week for the next month - to monitor things

PasturesNew

Right - it's absolutely tipping it down here. A right deluge.... off to see a house that I can't afford, so have already "written off", that others will most likely be offering more for.

I've decided not to be tempted to stretch myself for any house.... no borrowing. If I can't afford one, just walk away - no point coming up with schemes and loans to stretch .... just to sit on a bean bag for years and regret it when I could have been scoffing indian takeaways.

michaels

our 'pool' is a salt water system but the pump/filter thing converts the brine into chlorine to actually keep the water clean...or would do if we didn't use it more like a bath, draining and refilling with hot water to keep it warm....

Generali

PasturesNew wrote: »

Right - it's absolutely tipping it down here. A right deluge.... off to see a house that I can't afford, so have already "written off", that others will most likely be offering more for.

I've decided not to be tempted to stretch myself for any house.... no borrowing. If I can't afford one, just walk away - no point coming up with schemes and loans to stretch .... just to sit on a bean bag for years and regret it when I could have been scoffing indian takeaways.

It's been an absolute scorcher of a day here: the ends of the leaves on my strawberry plants have got burnt
but now the cool change has blown through and the temperature has dropped from mid-30s to about 20 and falling fast. The air con is off and the doors and windows are all open to blow the stale air out of the house.

I love days like this over here when the weather is almost insufferably hot but you know the wind is going to swing round to the South East at some point and the temperature will drop 15-20C in about 10 minutes.

I did the garden this morning: got the weeds out and cleared away all the bits of gum tree that have blown into the back yard. I was out there at 6am before the heat of the day got going so was done before 9. Then breakfast and watching the recording of the Tottenham match with the Generlissimos.

We had the school fete this afternoon and the Generalissimos are finally old enough to be given $10 and told to b@gger off for a couple of hours. I spent the time sitting under a tree in the shade quaffing water and chatting to a mate I've not seen for a few months.

Home for a barbeque dinner of rump steak with fresh salad, fried spuds and toasted Turkish Bread. The beef was on offer at $7/kg (£1.40*/lb) at a local store: they do a special on meat or fish each weekend to get the punters in. It's one of those sorts of shops that does the basics quite cheaply but has loads of fancy stuff at very fancy prices too so you have to be careful. They do some nice Italian fizzy lemonade at $17/4 can pack (£7.50*)!













*At PN's request I am converting local prices into £s. For the sake of those who care about such things (michaels I'm looking at you here), I'm using the Generali Purchasing Parity FX Rate of £1 = $2.25 rather than the market rate.