Too poor to buy sanitary towels

Permabear

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Permabear

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FizzleSticks

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infogiver

mariaalice wrote: »

Anyone with any sense knows there is a large degree of dysfunctional behaviour going on, however taking money away from someone had not been shown to cure dysfunctional behaviour.

But no one is saying that we need to take money away, well not me anyway.
What the state has to stop doing is throwing MORE money at the problem and then running away to hide while hoping that the problem goes away.
It's not working.
A member of the Travelling community, an unemployed father of 5 children was recently in front of a Court in Co. Mayo charged with, amongst other things, threatening a Garda.
Having many previous convictions, the Judge was seriously considering a custodial sentence.
Hoping to elicit some sympathy, the accused implored the judge not to send him down, because he had a holiday booked for the whole family in Disneyland in Florida.
When the judge reacted with dismay to this news, the man further tried to correct the statement by stating that it's "only for a week ".
This is not funny. This mans children think that you can sit at home, never earn a day's pay and still have, what is for most, a once in a lifetime holiday.
You can't think that this is good?

_Whimsical_

Permabear wrote: »

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I have to say I completely agree with you, I'd even go so far as to say I think children would be better without internet connectivity. Studies have shown that in adults use of the internet has meant we can process information faster but also much more superficially and that we have "outsourced" some memory to the internet, that is rather than make the effort of actively learning and committing to long term memory we give information a quick scan knowing it'll always be online if we need it.
A diet of constant information that's never fully reflected on or integrated through active learning is relatively useless.

Also information on it's own does not create the rounded people we want as our future citizens or the future professionals whose hands we'll place our lives in. You want people who are dynamic in their thinking, influenced by a broad spectrum of sources but also able to think deeply and weigh up a wide range of factors in any decision. A well-developed attention span, the ability to reflect and considered critical evaluation are essential life skills that have to be learned and practiced. The internet just does not promote them. I dread to think what a generation raised on it will be like. I absolutely think books, poetry, even good films would be much healthier for a child's developing mind.

Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

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There is more to the English curriculum than the Leaving Cert.

Which is a good thing, imo.

Do you honestly think research skills are not valuable?

Your comment about libraries presupposes that all children have access to libraries. But we both know that is not the case.

As to telling the teacher you don't have Internet access?
I have absolutely no doubt that you would be told that was unfortunate - and the teacher would make a mental note that you had no interest in providing the tools necessary to maximise your child's potential.

Permabear

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Permabear

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Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

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Permabear - I'm not questioning your commitment to your children's education.

I'm merely telling you that Internet is considered a necessity by the teachers - and their attitude would be exactly what I said were you to tell them you didn't have internet access. (The English teacher is a witch, tbh - but, that's beside the point.:D)

It matters not a jot whether you or I think Internet is a suitable medium - the fact is - the teachers set the homework - and that homework often requires Internet use.

Permabear

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Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

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I would tend to agree with that.

Though I do think research skills are valuable, I don't think teachers should be in a position to dictate what bills the parents have to pay, particularly those who can least afford it.

I see no reason why such projects can't be done in class, with the information collated, then written up for homework.

However, my opinion doesn't count. As I said - the teacher sets the homework.

Permabear

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masculinist

My understanding of the UK is that while they get less ''cash benefits'' compared to our 'lazy' system, they get lots of benefits which more than make up for it .

A tampon is according to my partner, a few cent each if you buy them in Tesco or Lidl . I'll take her word for it. If your teenage daughter doesn't have tampons , then I'd lay the finger of blame at atrocious parenting. Child benefit is intended to be spent on the kids, not on you.

masculinist

masculinist wrote: »

My understanding of the UK is that while they get less ''cash benefits'' compared to our 'lazy' system, they get lots of benefits which more than make up for it .

A tampon is according to my partner, a few cent each if you buy them in Tesco or Lidl . I'll take her word for it. If your teenage daughter doesn't have tampons , then I'd lay the finger of blame at atrocious parenting. Child benefit is intended to be spent on the kids, not on you.

Sometimes it is atrocious parenting.

Sometimes, it's anything but!

It can be a requirement for extra heating for someone disabled.

It can be a bill being unexpectedly high.
If someone is living on the bare necessities, it takes very little to turn their budget upside down.

There are those who just do not care - and there are those that, for a whole range of reasons, genuinely cannot stretch their budget, even if it only happens for one month.

The question is - what should be done for genuine cases?

Permabear

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infogiver

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sometimes it is atrocious parenting.

Sometimes, it's anything but!

It can be a requirement for extra heating for someone disabled.

It can be a bill being unexpectedly high.
If someone is living on the bare necessities, it takes very little to turn their budget upside down.

There are those who just do not care - and there are those that, for a whole range of reasons, genuinely cannot stretch their budget, even if it only happens for one month.

The question is - what should be done for genuine cases?

No. If a family on SWrequires extra heating for medical reasons then there is a Heating Supplement administered by the SWA scheme through the CWO.
If there is a particularly high bill as a result of,for instance , an unexpected crisis, the the CWO may apply an ENP.
The children's allowance is not included in the means test for any of these schemes

silvervixen84

http://metro.co.uk/2017/03/22/bodyform-is-donating-200000-packs-of-sanitary-protection-to-help-fight-period-poverty-6526038/?ito=facebook

Bodyform has pledged to donate 200,000 packs of sanitary products by 2020. They will be distributed by InKindDirect to charities all over the UK. I hope Tampax/Lilets etc follow suit.

It's a step in the right direction.

Widdershins

I don't think the extra supports are available to working families who don;t receive social welfare payment. Emergency payments for crises, extra high bills, etc.

I suspect a lot of people don't realise their rights when debt collectors come knocking, maybe threatening to take their vehicle(that they might need for work) or they might think if they do not pay, a debt collector can enter their home to take items of their property to settle their debts (or maybe they can and maybe that's happened to some people and set them back further, financially. I'm not actually sure what the law is, there).
I really do think anxiety and depression must play as much of a part as addiction and wilful neglect do in some cases, and the best thing to do is to be compassionate, because people can recover and function normally again, with some support. I know from experience how daunting things can seem with anxiety. Even making a phone call can be a dread inducing idea, even when it's a call to someone you like!.
So I can apply that experience to people in those situations and see how they might end up short of money for essentials.