I've just read a report about the conservative party's idea for having a baby nurse for each new mother. By new mother I take it that this service would only apply to first time mothers. The cost would obviously be a factor seeing as birth rates are so high in this country. One way of cutting the cost could be to limit the service to mothers aged 21 and under. It seems the plan would be rolled out in disadvantaged areas first. One problem that could pop up is the language barrier: I read an article in The Sun yesterday that claimed one in two babies born in this country have immigrant mothers.
I'm in favour of this policy, but I wish it wasn't necessary. I'm only in my late thirties but I remember when girls were taught to cook, clean and look after siblings by their mothers. Unfortunately not many girls receive this education any more. Teenage girls now expect to be out with their mates while mum gets on with all that stuff that seems to happened as if by magic.
And don't call me a sexist pig, we still live in a society in which the man continues to work (if there is a man) while the woman (or increasingly "the girl") stays at home to look after the baby. Those skills that should have been passed on by mother are the ones that can make all the difference to a Childs first few months and the new mums sanity.
So, a sensible policy from the Conservatives, but one we should not need.
6 comments:
I'm in favour of this policy, but I wish it wasn't necessary. I'm only in my late thirties but I remember when girls were taught to cook, clean and look after siblings by their mothers.
Precisely and the same process of loss has started over here.
I was never taught how to cook and clean and all the things that come with being "grown up" and yet when as a very naive 18 year old ended up in lewisham with a baby i managed. Now all these young girls get everything done for them without even having tried for themselves. Maybe its a good idea but i think people would surprise themselves with what they could do if they had to.
Maybe reserve it just for those that are most vulnerable.
Kate "Maybe reserve it just for those that are most vulnerable."
I agree, but the number of the vulnerable is increasing at a disturbing rate.
A good point Steve. So that needs to be dealt with...dont see it happening in my lifetime!
I am not sure about this policy personally. My daughter is 13 and seems a fairly typical girl. Yet she loves being in the kitchen with her mother and trying her hand at cooking etc. How she would cope with a child is, of course, anyone's guess but her general attitude leads me to think she would be fine.
The danger as I see it is that, instead of reducing dependancy on the State, we will end up increasing it.
Pablo,
There are still plenty of girls who, like you say learn from their Mothers. Unfortunately we are now getting to the stage where we have an increasing number of teenage Mothers with little or no family support.
I feel this policy would come across better if it was made clear that the nurses were there to instruct rather than to do everything for new Mothers.
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