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Post by Patrick on Mar 25, 2009 9:04:59 GMT
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Post by housesparrow on Mar 25, 2009 11:57:01 GMT
The existing tax credits scheme should do the trick, I think. So far as i can see there is nothing to prevent grandparents becoming registered childminders and charging a fee to their working children, who can then claim most of it back in tax credits. I don't see why this wouldn't work.
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Post by bonbonlarue on Mar 25, 2009 12:17:13 GMT
I brought mine up. They can bring theirs up.
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Post by housesparrow on Mar 25, 2009 13:53:25 GMT
Good on yer bonbon! That's what my mum always said to me: "If you have children don't think your're dumping them on me!" She was however rather disappointed I didn't have any. I may be the only one who can't see video links but here's an article in the Guardian on the same subject. The final paragraph says most grandparnts don't want payment....does this mean they wouldn't ask their children for money but are happy to take it from the government?  click |
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 25, 2009 14:24:10 GMT
I think childcare should be recognised and paid as a job like any other, not treated as a kind of luxury privilege for those able to afford it with those who can't jolly well do what they're paid for and stop thinking about other priorities.
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Post by everso on Mar 25, 2009 15:22:14 GMT
I look after my two grandchildren two days a week and I love it. They'll be brought up in an extended family atmosphere, just as my children were. I look upon it as a privilege and wouldn't take money from my daughter or anybody else.
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 25, 2009 15:40:03 GMT
I certainly wouldn't expect the family to pay! The State should pay for childcare the same as it pays professionals and teachers and nurses, and a whole host of professions which perform social services not expected to reap a profit.
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Post by bonbonlarue on Mar 25, 2009 15:50:58 GMT
I don't mind the odd evening babysitting. Or the occasional stopover, swimming...but apart from that, I have my own living to earn. And I'm determined to get the fun part out of them...bringing up my own was bloody hard work...it's nice to be able to enjoy children.
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Post by housesparrow on Mar 25, 2009 15:56:16 GMT
I certainly wouldn't expect the family to pay! The State should pay for childcare the same as it pays professionals and teachers and nurses, and a whole host of professions which perform social serves not expected to reap a profit. Why on earth shouldn't the family pay if both parents are working? Childminders don't work for nothing so why not pay grandparents doing the same job and then (as I suggested) get the bulk of the money back in tax credits. |
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Post by jennifer on Mar 25, 2009 15:59:05 GMT
I haven't got any grandchildren yet. I'd help out a couple of days a week and like Bonbon I'd babysit etc. but I don't fancy the idea of looking after any grandchildren on a full time basis.
My eldest daughter was a nursery nurse manager for ten years. The parents paid a fortune to the nursery but the nursery nurses only got the basic wage.
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Post by bonbonlarue on Mar 25, 2009 16:00:04 GMT
But then we get into...if you're going to pay someone else to bring them up, why have them?
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Post by swl on Mar 25, 2009 16:14:31 GMT
Grandparents should be billed for any childcare they don't do. It's their whole reason for existing. What other animal lives so long after it's reproductive cycle has ended? Grandparents only live so long because of the heavy burden human infants place on parents.
Any grandparent who doesn't do their fair share is an oxygen thief and should be dragged into the street & shot.
That'll learn the buggers.
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Post by everso on Mar 25, 2009 19:44:09 GMT
I don't mind the odd evening babysitting. Or the occasional stopover, swimming...but apart from that, I have my own living to earn. And I'm determined to get the fun part out of them...bringing up my own was bloody hard work...it's nice to be able to enjoy children. BB, I was made redundant last year and at 59 with two toddler grandchildren I kind of fell into it! I love it, and pushing them in their double buggy into town is my twice weekly work-out. I agree that bringing up your own children is hard work - I had two that fought constantly and at times I thought I'd go mad. These two little people, twins, are lovely because I get to give them back.  |
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Post by everso on Mar 25, 2009 19:46:37 GMT
Grandparents should be billed for any childcare they don't do. It's their whole reason for existing. What other animal lives so long after it's reproductive cycle has ended? Grandparents only live so long because of the heavy burden human infants place on parents. Any grandparent who doesn't do their fair share is an oxygen thief and should be dragged into the street & shot. That'll learn the buggers.  I've always had a dread of being dragged into the street and shot. Any second now, I'll have Patrick asking me why I haven't sent the grandkids up chimleys yet. |
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Post by bonbonlarue on Mar 25, 2009 19:52:58 GMT
I don't mind the odd evening babysitting. Or the occasional stopover, swimming...but apart from that, I have my own living to earn. And I'm determined to get the fun part out of them...bringing up my own was bloody hard work...it's nice to be able to enjoy children. BB, I was made redundant last year and at 59 with two toddler grandchildren I kind of fell into it! I love it, and pushing them in their double buggy into town is my twice weekly work-out. I agree that bringing up your own children is hard work - I had two that fought constantly and at times I thought I'd go mad. These two little people, twins, are lovely because I get to give them back. The best bit..handing them back. But if I got made redundant, I'd have to go on the streets or something [doesn't bear thinking about...]...and anyway, all my grandchildren are at school so I'm not needed in that way. |
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Post by everso on Mar 25, 2009 20:04:46 GMT
BB, I was made redundant last year and at 59 with two toddler grandchildren I kind of fell into it! I love it, and pushing them in their double buggy into town is my twice weekly work-out. I agree that bringing up your own children is hard work - I had two that fought constantly and at times I thought I'd go mad. These two little people, twins, are lovely because I get to give them back. The best bit..handing them back. But if I got made redundant, I'd have to go on the streets or something [doesn't bear thinking about...]...and anyway, all my grandchildren are at school so I'm not needed in that way.  |
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 25, 2009 21:30:35 GMT
I certainly wouldn't expect the family to pay! The State should pay for childcare the same as it pays professionals and teachers and nurses, and a whole host of professions which perform social serves not expected to reap a profit. Why on earth shouldn't the family pay if both parents are working? Childminders don't work for nothing so why not pay grandparents doing the same job and then (as I suggested) get the bulk of the money back in tax credits. I think that (about paying childminders) is pretty much what I said. But if the State paid parents to look after their children, then they wouldn't need to abandon them in order to work. Doesn't seem much point in havng children if you're going to treat them like dolls, the way the upper classes used to, only getting Nanny and the Governess to show them off prettied up after tea and pack them off to boarding school aged seven. If that's what you want, don't have children. If you want children, be free to care for them, at least until school age. You might have two parents working part-time on childcare and part-time at other jobs but if there's only one parent, they shouldn't be expected to have to do what amounts to two full-time jobs. |
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Post by housesparrow on Mar 26, 2009 8:52:37 GMT
If there is only one parent she gets state benefits if she isn't working, Piffle - though they are now expecting her to look for at least part time work once the youngest gets to 12 (soon to be seven).
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Post by Coffeepot on Mar 26, 2009 17:43:19 GMT
I'm quite looking forward to being a Grandma (I hope!) I wouldn't mind helping out and babysitting and whatnot. I had no help with mine, I'd have been so grateful for a bit of occassional help, or a night off.
I didn't work when my children were small, when my youngest was at school full time I took a part time job that has flexi-time, so I could fit it around the children, holidays etc.
Years later though I'm still there, I thought this year as my youngest turned 13 I'd be able to work longer hours somewhere.. the credit crunch seems to have spoiled that plan for the moment though.
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Post by Flatypus on Mar 27, 2009 0:14:50 GMT
If there is only one parent she gets state benefits if she isn't working, Piffle - though they are now expecting her to look for at least part time work once the youngest gets to 12 (soon to be seven). I know, but two objections: 1: it is treated as benefit pretty much at the State's discretion with a Victorian sniff at these damned lower orders who should be out working for their betters if they can't afford to keep their own children; 2: the pittance it amounts to shows that. |
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