| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 3:49:38 AM | I was watching a report on the baby bonus a while ago, and one of the interesting facts was that in "middle class suburbs" the nany bonus had no real effect on the numbers of babies born. The mothers still got the bonus, but it did nothing to increase the birth rate.
In the poorer areas or suburbs however, there was a massive increase in the number of children born.
My concern with this is, you have a boom of children born into young single mother situations, in poorer areas with higher incidences of violence, burglary and unemployment.
This is a bit of a concern for me to be honest. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 4:01:15 AM | I do agree with you to a degree Briz,,
There is the possibility that there are some people that really wanted children but were not sure if they could afford the set up costs of having a baby, once the bonus came in that was enough to say well yes we can have a baby now.
All though I am trying to think positively of all people here,, I truely think the baby bonus is a bad thing for society. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 4:12:32 AM | | Yeah Mainey, I'm not saying just because you come from a certain postcode you're better or worse, but children being born just so the parent can get a quick fix of cash that will be a pittance in the overall cost of bringing up the child has got to be a bad thing. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 4:25:55 AM | One particular dirty slapper got on tv a while back , and like many others ( having babies for money only) b1tched about being stuck with the baby after the money was blown.........obviously thought it was the baby buy back scheme.
It then went on to claim that she should receive the baby bonus ( in full ) every week, and then claimed that "all Australian tax payers were millionares" and could afford it.
She was in her early 20's , had never worked........and had no intention of ever doing so.
Where's that IQ test Whitegold mentioned????????
If this is the governments idea of " prefered breeder " perhaps the rest of us should receive 5 grand for not having a one night stand. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 6:35:28 AM | 60 minutes had a report on this recently. (okay, not the best !)
Not all young parents are irresponsible or out for the money. Some were wonderful people & parents , others were looking at a child as a "cash cow?" They will learn the hard way how much it costs to raise a child!
There was a girl pregnant at 14y/o. She had been having sex at the age of 12!!! I'm sorry. I don't get that. At 12 I was home & asleep by 7.30pm! My parents knew where I was every second. ie. Playing with Barbie at Julie's ................. not having sex!!! If stayed over, my parents and hers knew! Although my Mum & i had "the talk', sex at 12???? No! If someone had sex with my child at the age of 12................. I'd happily go to jail!
I'm 37y/o. My folks were 16y/o & 19y/o. No government benefits. You got a job, supported your family, & saved to buy a house.
No child support, sole parent pension, or "bonus" for having a child. One income, one car................ a happy, joyful childhood! We walked to school, in the rain (with raincoats!) Played on the street , ran under the sprinkler, slip & slide, icypoles, knew every kid on your block, they borrowed your bike or rollerskates & you got them back...................... I feel soooo old!
I feel so sorry for children now. They grow up way too quick! | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 12:51:16 PM |
I feel soooo old!
Well MissMilly, I think you're a young spunk.......So how old do you I feel.....LOL
It's funny how I feel like I'm 25, but know I'm 44.....I'm confused, oh well, such is life I guess.
And yeah, at 12, my daughter was only just allowed to stay up till 9.00PM on a schoolnight. Weekends were different.
Even now at nearly 16 I still tell her to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
I think I've carried over some of my parents parenting. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 2:37:01 PM | so are the parents to blame for this children having babies so early?????
sometimes i definitely think it is - how many parents turn a "blind eye" to what their children are doing or potentially could do? some of these kids know no different, because it is how they too have been brought up. A few kids, a couple of different dads, never a working parent amongst them, know they can get social security, dont have to work if they have a baby etc etc. Parents have a lot to answer for in some cases.
socioeconomics also come into play. the suburb where I live has (but getting better) a reputation for being slightly westy and a cheaper part of town to live. driving to work in the morning you see the girls at bus stops along the way with their pushers, waiting for the bus to go into town. now if they are waiting for the bus most likely they are too young to drive - so estimate for of age would be 16/17. bloody sad. anyway.
Proactive parenting (as far as I am concerned) rather than reactiving parenting is how I try and look at things (as confronting and as harsh as it maybe).
Now my 19 year daughter (who incidentally lives with her boyfriend) thinks that single female who has a baby and is under 23 is disgraceful! (silenting pleased, but stranger things have happened).
but please do not put the words PAID into any centrelink payment - that irritates me more than anything. what work did you do to get PAID?!! underpaid - nope, not at all. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 4/29/2008 2:48:45 PM |
some of these kids know no different, because it is how they too have been brought up.
Funny you say that.
The other day I over heard my daughter talking to a friend on the phone, and they must have been talking about future work or something and my daughter made the comment that "aren't you going to have your own business so you can be your own boss???"...as if not wanting to have your own business and working for someone else wasn't striving hard enough.
I've never instilled this in her, although we have discussed that she could possibly start her own business and she has shown an interest in this(possibly internet based).....But it got me thinking that for most of her mature life she has always known me to have my own business so to her, this was the "normal" way to do it. Working for someone else was the way "other people" did it.....Not that one was better or worse, just different to how she knew it.
So yeah, I think your family life does have an effect, and it can be "normal" to continue living in a way that you are used to.
And I guess that's my concern with the increase in "baby bonus" incentives in areas that have poorer social structures. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/10/2008 8:00:22 AM | I am currently one of those 'underpaid' single mothers,,,, by choice.
I left a secure full time, well paid job (averaging 60K a year) to further my educaton at Uni about 8 months ago. My arguement is this: If my education level goes up, my wages go up, my daughter has a positive educational influence in her life, we both sufer money wise but only till I get my degree. Yes, centrelink benefits are the total pits, how anyone can live totally on centrelink benefits is beyond me, I am lucky that I saved quite a few thousand dollars to help me get through my education years.
Mind you, this is my third attempt at uni- could nt juggle uni (full or part time), single parent and a full time job all at the same time
The bonus's are:
1. I get to spend a bit more quality time with my daughter before she goes to school as I have worked full time since she was 7 months old
2. In the future, because my wages will continue to rise for 8 years after my degree- we will be better off in the long run,, 'work smarter, not harder' is what someone said to me many moons ago
3. my daughter, who turns 5 in september, when asked what she wants to be when she grows up replies ,, a people doctor, an animal doctor, a nurse and a teacher,, lolol, now is that multi-skilling or what!?
4. my daughter , when she sees that I am doing my 'homework', usually decides to copy her mother and she does her 'homework',,,, at 3 years old, she could write her own name, legibaly (sp?) count to 20,,etc, they say that kids copy or 'ape' their parents (role model)so glad they do,
and as for the baby bonus crap, all it is , is an excuse for kids to have kids and more kids,,why cant the government help those who help themselves?
I feel absolutely totally embarrased when I tell people that I am on centrelink benefits, feel like cringing, but at the moment, to further my education im my chosen field, it cannot be helped. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/10/2008 8:11:02 AM | ^^^^^^^^^Actually look at the times when you have little or making ends as fun... and a survival game you can seriously turn it into excitement... even if you lose power but I hope it's not on a cold night......
Congratulation for your positive and smart decision to go back to Uni.... why be embarrassed you are not an abuser you are actually benefiting the country by studying and I am sure you have given enough in your taxes to receive some back now that you are studying and don't forget you will pay taxes again as soon as you start work....
Good luck | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/10/2008 8:17:32 AM | On you Gem, same here!!!!
it can be hard some weeks, but is definately well worth every sacrifice in the long run,,,
I am counting down-- only have about 16 months more of uni left | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/10/2008 1:54:57 PM | Caramel good for you... if you werent a single mum you would be on Austudy anyway so why be embarrassed ... if anyone asks your a uni student...tough if they dont like it.
I think the single parenting payment could be paid differently..... because at the end of the day its the kids who suffer. Given the spiralling cost of rents, lack of public housing and increasing cost of food there are many SP families as well as others at risk of homelessness and malnutrition because basics arent affordable. Maybe a voucher system as was proposed for the baby bonus would be better where rent and food vouchers are given as well as a cash component. Or make the parents attend educational courses aimed at reemployment while the child is under 5 or in the first cple of years of school.
At least the system has changed to where SP's are now required to return to work by the time the kids are a certain age and at 15 SPP ceases all together and becomes Newstart and the kid gets Youth allowance ( currently around $180 a ftn if no working parents). Interestingly a young person with working parents earning above 40K cant get this money yet if the parent claims Family Tax benefit A or A & B they will get roughly that much anyway. There has always been a stigma attached to being on the pension because of a few who do it for all the wrong reasons. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 2:17:16 AM | ^^wow, tell us what you really think.......
I think it is the same as self funding retirees that got off their clacker and now fund their own retirement they dont get any benefits that the old age pensioners get on centrelink pensions neither do working single mums get any of the benefits that their centrelink counterparts get which is wrong. There is no incentive in this country to work for a living if you can help it.
I think centrelink is a rort and plenty of people milk it for all its worth. There arent the staff in centrelink to monitor recipients so it goes un-noticed for decades (yep you can be on it that long!!)
Certainly the formative years of a childs life having mum at home is important until they reach school age. That sort of assistance to mums to be home with their babies is necessary but paying and paying and paying for them to do nothing but sit about is a waste of money.
Single mothers arent underpaid by social security at all. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 2:32:45 AM |
They should be paid as much as a single woman without a kid is paid. Lesson to be learnt: DON'T BRING A CHILD INTO THE WORLD IF YOU CANT SUPPORT THEM! Dumbasses.
The only person resembling your insult my dear child is you.... Goddess forbid you ever breed . The majority of single parents male and female are from relationships that have broken down not some girl going out and getting knocked up by some dumbphuck who lies about using a condom or her contraceptive pill fails ( its only 97% effective) . People dont plan on having relationships fall over who have kids but it does happen and life goes on. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 4:06:09 AM |
They should be paid as much as a single woman without a kid is paid. Lesson to be learnt: DON'T BRING A CHILD INTO THE WORLD IF YOU CANT SUPPORT THEM! Dumbasses.
I was a single mum of two boys when i was 24. The reason: their father used to beat us up on a regular basis. Does that put me in the 'dumbass' catagory? I worked on a casual and part-time basis until they were in school (work hours 9.00am to 2.30pm).
When they were both in high school i worked a shift job (console at servo).
I worked rite up to my 7 month when i was pregnant with my daughter (her 'father' ditched us when i was 11 weeks preg).
I am now a full time student and have been for the last 2 1/2 years, she is 4.
I get the parenting pension and child support.
And i really resent that statment.  How dare you. Unless you are aware of every situation....how bout you just keep your mouth shut.
ps: both of my boys are in full time employment too. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 4:06:22 AM | They should be paid as much as a single woman without a kid is paid.
So you're saying it's ok to be single and on the dole but if you have a kid it should starve...hmm yeah that really makes sense.
For the twelve years that I've been a single parent, all of the single parents I've met have worked, at least part time to suppliment their pension.... and I've met a lot...we tend to hang out tegether so as to avoid ignorant w*nkers that make statements like;
Lesson to be learnt: DON'T BRING A CHILD INTO THE WORLD IF YOU CANT SUPPORT THEM! Dumbasses.
As sexybbw said; the majority of single parents didn't choose to be single parents, and arn't ripping off the system, perhaps the lesson for you should be: 'Don't believe everything hear on Today Tonight.
neither do working single mums get any of the benefits that their centrelink counterparts get which is wrong. There is no incentive in this country to work for a living if you can help it.
Actually they can get benefits, they can get a part pension depending on how much they earn, they can earn up to about $100 then it deminishes at about 50 cents for every dollar earned. They can also get a concession card; so there are incentives | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 4:44:26 AM | ^^^^^ Every thing he said!
neither do working single mums get any of the benefits that their centrelink counterparts get which is wrong. There is no incentive in this country to work for a living if you can help it
Seriously single parents ( Not just women) can work recieve a pension part or full. As a supplement.
ANY Dumb nut today knows a double income is possibly the only way to keep your head above water in this economy. And any dumb nut knows that being a single parent doesnt mean your >20yr old popping out sprogs for the baby bonus. Any dumb nut knows single parents are not single parents by choice, its by circumstance and last time I checked supporting a child doesnt just include finacial support,
But if its scorn and ignorance you want to share this is a really good place to do it, as Im sure all single parents that recieve part or full pensions, and are a bludging burden to society will sit here like doormats and let your have your clearly well thought out and reasonable point of veiw.
A single PARENT, doesn not have this, so a subsidy or supplement is given. When you dont have enough money for the basics, or the insurance, the rego, the groceries, you either rob a bank or work. Incentive is there. | |
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| single mothers: underpaid by social security or...?
Posted: 5/11/2008 9:51:30 PM | Its funny... its been awhile since i have been on these boards and i cant believe this is one is still going...lol.
Although i had a argument with a guy about this same thing on friday night.... He didnt like the fact that I am a single parent.. I do collect support from the govt... it was the fathers choice to not stick around while i was pregnant... that i have been working part - time for the last 3 years... and i have just recently started to get a decent child support even though it is not t he correct amount (he is thinking i piss up the child support payments when i go out once every 6 months if that)... this guy thought i shouldnt be getting any child support and to give the father a break... and that i was the one with the child so i should be fully responsible for raising my son... i told him he has issues and that he needed help and not everyone is a b!tch . I also told him that after a 3 year absent in our childs life the father is back and we are getting on great....but he was a stubborn d!ck and most probably could only see his own problems and not seeing everyone is not like him..... His gf also told me he would abuse her coz she lost her job and she went on payments to get them by until she got another job.... nice guy huh.....
But im also finding out that seeing as i have been working part-time for the last 3 years in the family business.... im trying to get into full time mainstream....i have the experience i get the interviews.... but im seeing alot of employers are iffy on employing a single parent who has been out of mainstream workforce for a period of time.... so how are people expected to get single parents off the payments if companies arent willing to take the risk?
Its not always about the money that is getting paid out to single parents... people are also forgetting that there is a family tax benefit that every family gets.. my sister and her partner receive it plus rent assistance... she has gone back to work part- time... her partner works full time and has a business.... they also get a very large child care rebate.... I know another married couple that gets all the benefits of a low income family.... and another married couple who have 6 kids (all planned) get paid more then a single parent each fortnight payment in family tax benefits.... more and more families are receiving more support from the govt due to interest rates, petrol and food increases... hell my rent has gone up $80 a week, i share with my sister as i cant afford rent on my own and if we didnt agree to the rent rise we would have no where else to go we would be homeless.... i know other single parents that are moving back in with families or share housing coz they cant afford the rent, food and even the basic bills as they too have gone up....
but what icks me the most.... there are 2 married couples i know of .. the govt doesnt know they are married... their hubands are working full time and they are collecting full single parents payments.... and living in housing commission.... both couple have just gone out and bought brand new cars... one has a alpha 2007 model and the other a magna 2007 model..... there is also a mother at school i over heard saying that she is going to be moving in with her bf... but shes keeping the housing commission house for 12 months incase it doesnt work out.
this is long winded and im sorry..... | |
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