Am I the only one

Someone mentioned that people moan about the government "not doing enough" for families. I choose to stay at home with our 1 year old, I do not get welfare, do not have a medical card etc. So no they don't do anything for our family anyway. I'm not saying that they should, like I mentioned it's a decision we made, and not a permanent one. I'd hate to think that people assume that all stay at home parents are fleecing the system.

EDIT: I know a few people on the dole, I come from a rural area and I think unemployment effects those areas more. I also know a couple of long term unemployed people who are trying very hard to get out of the rut they are in. One in particular went on to have a very successful career after dealing with the depression that kept her unemployed for so long.

I'm on disability allowance. It sucks. Most of my money goes towards rent as I can't get rent allowance because I'm over the limit, and there's more of a chance of me winning the lottery than there is of getting a council house.

I've come off disability allowance a couple of times, to work full time and part time. I've a good education, made possible through the disability supports in the university. I worked for a year once, and another time full time (in a fairly high pressure job) before my illness caught up with me.

The worst part is when you're doing well, and can fathom doing something. Whether it's education, or getting a job and you're looking through listings on the websites, and suddenly you go through a patch that brings you back to nothing, and you can't imagine ever being stable enough to work.

I've tried to find short-term contract work. I write, quite well and that was mostly what a previous job was. My thinking would be I could work short-term contracts when I'm well enough, and that'd mean I actually have some spare money. Similarly, I've checked with a few business owners who I'm friendly with if there was a chance of working on an ad-hoc basis. Where if they have work and I'm well enough I can do a few hours. That doesn't work for businesses though. They need regularity.

To be honest, I'd even work for free if the work wasn't just stacking boxes, and it meant I could accommodate my illness. It's soul destroying to have nothing productive to do with your day. The problem is the flexibility needed in accommodating me. My uncle had the social welfare people sort him out with something like that. He's a carpenter who destroyed his back working on roofs (which is far too common.) He's had implants on his spine to help control his constant pain. He's been prescribed killer level opiates, but doesn't take them because he's only fit to lie in bed staring at the ceiling. He's got a few hours organised with the DSW to use his carpentry with a business that can be flexible.

I have my occupational therapist trying to find an employer, through their own contacts, who could take me on on that basis.

I know a few people on disability allowance. All of whom have worked with accommodating employers for a few months at a time. The reality is that people with disabilities often have needs that don't align with what employers need. Which is a pain, because there's only so much you can take of sitting at home.

I'm a stay at home mother and as such have made quite a few friends who are stay at home mothers. I assumed that we all lived on either one salary or, as some of my friends do, supplemented the family income with money earned through childminding. But I discovered last year that some of the mothers receive a weekly payment from the state, I'm not sure how. I know some who were made redundant on maternity leave and as such were entitled to nine months unemployment benefit as they had paid stamps towards that and everyone I know who received that genuinely did look for new work and most found it. But there are a few who women have a payment even though they haven't worked in years, intend to continue as a stay at home mother and are married to their child/ren's father. I had one woman complain to me that she wouldn't be at playgroup for the next few months as she had to do a 13 week course in order to keep her benefit. I really don't know how that works?

mariaalice wrote: »

Its most likely family income supplement or a mean's tested benefit.

Would family income supplement be dependent on the stay at home parent doing a training course? And would FIS specifically be given to the stay at home parent? I thought it was given to the earner?

I know a woman who's in her mid 50's and has been on the dole for life. Drawing big time on healthcare and rent allowance, yet she's the first person whole criticize the "gubberment".

Between the top layers of society destroying the place with million-euro handshakes and so many sponging from the dole, it really is a great old Ireland to stay going at all.