Beverly W

These changes to claimant commitments make me so angry. I cannot put into words my dismay despair and frustrations. Yet again, the importance of good parenting seems undervalued.

Not everyone can afford the luxury of working in a job they deeply love, with great pay and conditions and a marvellous employer who allows you to bring kids to work when you can't access appropriate childcare because you need to be flexible in your role.

Not everyone can afford the luxury of having extended family or friends around to muck in at short notice with domestic help practical or financial support when life throws a spanner in the works and the strain of running a home combined with family life and work doesn't equate to the dream of the supposed work life balance you were promised or the shorter working week that doesn't exist.

Not everyone can afford the luxury of an amicable or tolerant relationship with their ex partner who happens to pull their weight sufficiently when it comes to childcare responsibilites.

Yes lone parenting is work. Being a positive role model is work. Running a home is work. Being a good citizen, living a life of decent moral standards and values is work. Trying to do all this on top of sustaining low paid unfulfilling employment without the back up of reliable dependable practical and finacial support is maddness. It leads to burn out. "You can't pour from an empty cup" they teach on parenting courses. Where or when is there likely to be opportunity to afford any downtime unless you count sleep? As any good childcare practitioner knows - childcare is continuous. 24/7.

Yes people may argue why should the tax payer foot the bill? However, does the job come first or the child? Are children being treated as second class citizens? You only need to look at episodes of antisocial behaviour involving youngsters for the answers, or look at the difficulties of caring for children with additional needs, or what happens when children are unwell and the parent looses pay whilst the child minder still gets paid?

The political rhetoric is unhelpful. What is it that is being implied? It seems they are trying to vilify/blame those who are according to them are a burden on the system.

They make their proposal appear positive whilst in reality, it amounts to turning people against each other.

Whilst appearing to suggest positive benefits, of their policies, they hide behind a noble intent i.e. helping the tax payer by crushing/conning the poor and getting them into work whilst really they're looking to save money and syphon off more tax.

For some people working may well lead to a better life style, financial independence, adult company, job satisfaction career progression. However most people simply don't ever earn enough to make a better life for themselves.

Bottom line is whatever circumstances have caused that parents situation to be what they are, they are of no consequence. We are the product of our own environment, one which as the countries role models, they themselves have set poor examples, manipulated and destroyed over 13 years of austerity.