Anyone on strike tomorrow?

[cris_408518]

Smiley.

Children have always learnt to read at home! Schools teach the basics and how, but input and practice at home is what brings kids rading on. I was fortunate in the 50's to got to a very good school, but the input from my parents and family with reading and speling and tables tests were what made the difference.

Kids get to school who have never had a book and just sit in front of little box's and can't even dress themselves. My wife and colleagues throughout the country can tell you which kids get help and encouragement at home and those whose parents dom't bother or sit them in front of box and video games or let 5 and 6 year olds roam streets and estates!

Teachers are there to teach the 3 R's, not to dress your little kiddies hold there hands, show then how to use knife and fork and teach table and general manners. Nor are the teachers there to administer Ritilin to "hyper active" little thugs who have TV's etc in their bedrooms and throw tantrums if they are not allowed to watch it half the night, and then cause chaos in classrooms because there lack of routine and disciplin at home has them bouncing off the walls at school preventing teachers doing their jobs and other kids gettingon as well as they should.

Smiley you are talking rubbish, that sort of attitude and worse is what is wrecking kids and teaching. What the heck do you thing my parents and my wife and I and many others did with there kids. At least you put yours to bed, probably at a reasonable time. Many today don't, in the catchmebt area my wife works in it is common for 5 to 8 year olds to come to school talking about the late night "Arnie" film or the likes of "Basic Instinct" that they have watched. Kids have been in in the last two weeks that have been up watching the Commonwelth Games after mid night.

Your attitude as you describe it would have been judged as

Cr 1 p by your kids teachers and rightly so. Learning at home should be done with interest and caring and fun.

If you want your grandaughter to get on you ghave to understand that the teachers have to handle kids with parents who cared far less than you and do less to teach kids basic life skills like manners and good behaviour.

Your Granddaughters teachers also have "targets" to meet set by stupid politicians who will not turn around to the electorate and tell them that parents have a Cr 1 p attitude and are lazy selfish Bast12ds in many cases who want someone else to sort there problems.

Teachers have been turned into wet nurse social workers by parents and society and MP's, Ofsted and School Consultants have their heads in the sand instead of actually sitting in classrooms and looking at what parents are presenting to the schools door!

Most schools are crying out for helpers to listen to readers and assist in classrooms, if you can spare a little time volunteer at an average 1st school in a "working Class" area and see what the schools staff have to deal with.

A little time in most schools and you will soon understand why schools and teachers need help.

You are right and I only got a B in A level English Literature.

My mum was wild as she expected me to get A* at everything :-0

Not as bad as when I refused to go onto Uni ;-(

 

[sparkes]

Cris

No, I do not think so, but my pension will provide so the house only needs to get a smaller place and some luxury funds. However, myself and many others will look to retire abroad where our pensions mean a better style of life.

Its a shame the UK has nothing to offer my kids for their future, after their Uni fees they will have to look abroad to earn a living that will allow the loans to be paid back. Its not so much the earnings in the UK, its the fact that a young couple just starting off in life have next to no chance of getting on the property ladder anymore.

With wages for a local job being 10-16K and the average 3 bed semi being 170k - 240k, it requires a big deposit to get a house. then they would have to work 2 jobs each to make ends meet.

Our town is a normal medium town in the UK wages are not good but life is. However 250k min for a 4 bed house is ridiculous when the same will buy a 7 bed house, 1 acre of land and 5 garages in many parts of the US. OK I have made 130K on my house in 6 yrs, but that is only true if I sell up and get out of the housing market

Did I just waffle on a lot? sorry

 

[cris_408518]

Current personal events mean we are now looking seriously at the South of France for a home and maybe a samll business for when I give up travelling for work.

But can the last man to leave turn the lights out ;-)

 

[smiley]

Oh dear Chris you are wound up.

My children did read at home and they also had stories read to them, but they also did other things swimmimg, sport clubs, tv, games etc.

The teachers did not like it when my son got double A's in all the sciences and maths as he didn't do his homework, it's not my fault they learned their lessons in the classroom because that is what I told them they had to do and why they went to school.

He also went through A levels and Uni, but left after 2 years to do what he thought was right for him.

If your would up about the children who can't eat, have no manners, go shout at the parents concerned.................

 

[cris_408518]

I' far from wound up and your son sounds a little like me!

But coming out blaming teachers when so many just hand their "little problem" to the schools helps no one. Many kids who want to do well and learn have their chances wrecked by the little Sh1 t's whose parent don't really give a fig about their kids.

But no one including the powers above wants to address what is going on it seems :-(

 

[smiley]

I' far from wound up and your son sounds a little like me!

But coming out blaming teachers when so many just hand their "little problem" to the schools helps no one. Many kids who want to do well and learn have their chances wrecked by the little Sh1 t's whose parent don't really give a fig about their kids.

But no one including the powers above wants to address what is going on it seems :-(

Chris

I agree, twice now my grandaughter had been attacked by a little horror at school, its a red rag to a bull with my daughter.

Pre school, the parents should teach disapline to their off spring, sadly this is not done and is getting worse.

There is no shyness or niceness about my daughter marching in the school when things happen that shouldn't.

By the way we have a doctor on the school of governers, who decided the school should only have semi-skimmed provided for the children, my daughter found out, whoops, there is one full fat milk provided for her daughter. The deal, not to disclose this to the other parents.

 

[LMH]

Current personal events mean we are now looking seriously at the South of France for a home and maybe a samll business for when I give up travelling for work.

But can the last man to leave turn the lights out ;-)

Why's that cris? Are the Mitchell brothers after you?

Smiley icon thingy.

Lisa

 

[cris_408518]

Current personal events mean we are now looking seriously at the South of France for a home and maybe a samll business for when I give up travelling for work.

But can the last man to leave turn the lights out ;-)

Who are the Mitchell brothers ?

I can work from any where in Europe but we have stayed here because of my parents. My dad is dieing and no longer knows any of us not even my mother and is bed bound slowly

slipping away :-(

That is why I have been here for the past two weeks or so.

My wife wants to move before we get to much older and resents paying stamp duty etc to the Government here so we decided to start looking now !

 

[jean and ian]

non of us want to strike, and we are all council tax payers as well so don't want tax to rise by 2% because of the pension, but it is wrong to change our pension scheme half way through, if they want to change it do it to new public sector members as they join,

 

[parker1158]

While I have been out this morning driving around I have listened to two phone-ins on the radio and from what I can make out these strikers seem to have little or no support from the general public.

My opinion for what its worth..,well I'm afraid I don't have a lot of sympathy either. You see I have always been self-employed (apart from two years after I left school) so I have had to make my own provisions for old age. There has not been anyone to wet-nurse me. In my early working life I decided I wanted to retire at fifty, this then became forty-five so I adjusted my life-style and investments to suit. Standing around with a placard moaning was not an option.

As a mater of interest I only have a very small pension plan in place, more as a safety net than anything else. A long long time ago I was advised by a very wise man not to get bogged down with pensions because, as he said at the time, its all going to go belly-up! How true his words were.

 

[CliveV]

OK - I may not be popular with some after this - but what the heck!

Public Sector Pensions are paid for out of current Tax Revenue. There is no fund, just money we all pay as taxes and some of this goes to pay the public Sector Pensions.

The Public Sector worker pays 6% into the pension. We all top that up from the Tax we all pay to the tune of another 15%.

So the Public Sector pension to run costs 21% of a workers salary. - THREE AND A HALF TIMES MORE THAN THE EMPLOYEES OWN CONTRIBUTION - AND WE PAY THAT 15%!

That is a VERY expensive scheme to run. As an IFA - I can tell you that if individuals all contributed 21% into a FUNDED Scheme, then we could all retire in our 50's!!

Some of the "benefits" that were negotiated in the past under the threat of crippling industrial action are quite ridiculous in todays modern and very different world.

The main one is the "85 Rule" - this enables a person to retire at 60 after just 25 years service (60+25= 85) Now PLEASE bear in mind that my pension FUND is now TAXED due to Gordon Browns very first stealth tax. In fact EVERBODY with a funded pension has the Dividend Income that is required to maintain the fund so it can pay all the pensions is now taxed to the tune of

 

[GrahamW]

I am afraid I am with Clive on this one Jean, I have sympathy with anyone who faces changes in their pensions scheme but welcome to the club. Most businesses can no longer afford to fund Final Salary type pensions and those that are still inplace have invariably been altered in some way that effectivly means the employee is required to either pay more or accept a reduced pension on retirement.

The two major factors which have caused this, well one was 911 and the effect this event had on the stock market where most of the pension money was invested. The other was the change brought about by our wonderfull government regarding tax laws.

 

[cris_408518]

This ia all very well and Clive being in the business makes very valid and factual points, it takes all sorts to make a world and run a countries economy and for someone self employed to hit at others as being "wet nursed" is a little unfortunate.

Many public sector workers are on very low pay and have been for years but at one time it was a "job for life Scenario" with a resonable or good pension at the end of their working days.

Millions over the years have traded lower pay for security and a good pension and lower retirement ages.

I along with many others can quote cases of gross inefficiency in the past in Public Sector Jobs. Bad management is the cause and not the fault of the majority of these workers.

Bad managers and poor managerial practice is the fault of those at the top not keeping their eye on the ball.

Jobs for life have all but gone,loads of services covered by public sector workers have gone out to bad management that manages to provide fat returns for shareholders and company owners, whilst many in the public sector still get paid poorly.

The "I'm OK Jack" atitude to these people does little to help and others making out that they are some how greedy is laughable!

When the bill comes in for Iraq and the Olympics and for Olympic

 

[LMH]

This ia all very well and Clive being in the business makes very valid and factual points, it takes all sorts to make a world and run a countries economy and for someone self employed to hit at others as being "wet nursed" is a little unfortunate.

Many public sector workers are on very low pay and have been for years but at one time it was a "job for life Scenario" with a resonable or good pension at the end of their working days.

Millions over the years have traded lower pay for security and a good pension and lower retirement ages.

I along with many others can quote cases of gross inefficiency in the past in Public Sector Jobs. Bad management is the cause and not the fault of the majority of these workers.

Bad managers and poor managerial practice is the fault of those at the top not keeping their eye on the ball.

Jobs for life have all but gone,loads of services covered by public sector workers have gone out to bad management that manages to provide fat returns for shareholders and company owners, whilst many in the public sector still get paid poorly.

The "I'm OK Jack" atitude to these people does little to help and others making out that they are some how greedy is laughable!

When the bill comes in for Iraq and the Olympics and for Olympic

 

[colin(bridgend)]

Having read the various postings on this topic I have a few points to raise regarding children/grandchildren/pensions and the cost of living. Initially regarding meeting my grandson from school I have no worries at all. My daughter has to work to support her two children as she is divorced. I, like thousands of other parents, will do whatever I can to help both my daughter and son through life. My son is at present studying at uni for his degree in construction. He has reached this standard by initially studying for the Btec Diploma in Construction and then seeking employment whilst studying for the HNC/HND and now degree. He has earned his way through education and not sat back expecting to have an income whilst attending full time education. This way he has managed to save money and buy a decent car but more importantly gained practical experience in his chosen vocation - something which full time education will not give. He is still at home at the moment as he has to date not bothered in buying a house until he is in a steady relationship. The need for both parents to work is because of the general attitude to finance nowadays. Money is so easy to come by with plastic cards being thrown at all and sundry and loans/debts very easy to obtain. The majority of people are now living beyond their means and expect help if they get into financial trouble - what has happened to the old saying whereby you made your bed so you lie in it? Youngsters are now getting pregnant in order to get LA housing and then scrounge off the state. My ex son in law will not work as he has a brand new three bedroomed house with all expences paid. He is paying, after all state funding, just

 

[CliveV]

The rates of pay are not that different to that of the private sector when the employee benefits are taken into account.

And Sorry!! - but in todays world a full pension after just 25 years and funding of just 6% is "Greedy"!

Tescos crunched the numbers after Gordon's tax on pensions and told their workers that due to this tax on the pension fund, employees would have to pay another 1% just to stand still. And they certainly do not have the same holiday entitlement, pay rates, security of employment - nor do they have ANY chance of claiming a full 40/80th pension plus 3n/80th (3 x the pension) Tax Free Cash lump sum after just 25 years.

It is greedy because those that want it are demanding that other people pay for it. And the people that they want to pay for it have already suffered high Council Tax increases as well as a deeply pernicious tax on their pension fund THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS!

These same "other people" without the luxury of a Tax Payer sponsored Final Salary scheme would have to pay far far more than 6% a year to achieve the guaranteed benefits within Public Sector Schemes.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

The rates of pay are not that different to that of the private sector when the employee benefits are taken into account.

And Sorry!! - but in todays world a full pension after just 25 years and funding of just 6% is "Greedy"!

Tescos crunched the numbers after Gordon's tax on pensions and told their workers that due to this tax on the pension fund, employees would have to pay another 1% just to stand still. And they certainly do not have the same holiday entitlement, pay rates, security of employment - nor do they have ANY chance of claiming a full 40/80th pension plus 3n/80th (3 x the pension) Tax Free Cash lump sum after just 25 years.

It is greedy because those that want it are demanding that other people pay for it. And the people that they want to pay for it have already suffered high Council Tax increases as well as a deeply pernicious tax on their pension fund THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS!

These same "other people" without the luxury of a Tax Payer sponsored Final Salary scheme would have to pay far far more than 6% a year to achieve the guaranteed benefits within Public Sector Schemes.

Clive, although I fall into the catergory of public funding pension as a retired college lecturer, I agree with you. If a person pays into a pension fund then no matter whether it is private or state funded the resultant should be the same. There should be no concern for a private individual to prop up another person's pension.

 

[cris_408518]

This ia all very well and Clive being in the business makes very valid and factual points, it takes all sorts to make a world and run a countries economy and for someone self employed to hit at others as being "wet nursed" is a little unfortunate.

Many public sector workers are on very low pay and have been for years but at one time it was a "job for life Scenario" with a resonable or good pension at the end of their working days.

Millions over the years have traded lower pay for security and a good pension and lower retirement ages.

I along with many others can quote cases of gross inefficiency in the past in Public Sector Jobs. Bad management is the cause and not the fault of the majority of these workers.

Bad managers and poor managerial practice is the fault of those at the top not keeping their eye on the ball.

Jobs for life have all but gone,loads of services covered by public sector workers have gone out to bad management that manages to provide fat returns for shareholders and company owners, whilst many in the public sector still get paid poorly.

The "I'm OK Jack" atitude to these people does little to help and others making out that they are some how greedy is laughable!

When the bill comes in for Iraq and the Olympics and for Olympic

 

[cris_408518]

As it happens I have a young relative who works in a junior management roll for Tesco,

 

[CliveV]

The rates of pay are not that different to that of the private sector when the employee benefits are taken into account.

And Sorry!! - but in todays world a full pension after just 25 years and funding of just 6% is "Greedy"!

Tescos crunched the numbers after Gordon's tax on pensions and told their workers that due to this tax on the pension fund, employees would have to pay another 1% just to stand still. And they certainly do not have the same holiday entitlement, pay rates, security of employment - nor do they have ANY chance of claiming a full 40/80th pension plus 3n/80th (3 x the pension) Tax Free Cash lump sum after just 25 years.

It is greedy because those that want it are demanding that other people pay for it. And the people that they want to pay for it have already suffered high Council Tax increases as well as a deeply pernicious tax on their pension fund THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS!

These same "other people" without the luxury of a Tax Payer sponsored Final Salary scheme would have to pay far far more than 6% a year to achieve the guaranteed benefits within Public Sector Schemes.

Thank you Colin

The biggest crime ever to be committed by a Chancellor was Gordon Browns tax raid on funded pension schemes.

It does not affect him or the Civil servants that dreampt up the hideous tax.

We all thought that he would restrict Tax Free Cash! - But NO!!! - that would affect him and his civil servant puppets.

"So lets invent a tax that affects pension funds and not us" seems to be the thinking at the time.

 

[CliveV]

cris - the politics of envy gets us nowhere.

As for the Tescos junior manager and the low grade degree salaries you quote - all I can say is that is not my experience and I deal with some retail trade clients and I know what salaries they are on.

But one other important difference is things like sick pay. The NHS sick pay after 5 years service is 6 months full pay then 6 months half pay then a generous ill health retirement provision.

In the retail sector and most other in the UK it is good to get 4 WEEKS salary! - After that it is statutory sick pay at about

 

[coljac]

Colin, I wish I could pick the kids up everyday from school but like hundreds and thousands of other parents my wife and I have to work to pay our way.The kids attend an after school club for 3 hours 4 times a week.They play with their friends ,paint and have lessons on the computer. They also sit and have a light meal as a group and I think the whole experience is a good way of learning social skills.

Once home we give all of my time to our children and read stories to them both before they go to sleep.

But from your post it would appear that we are not good parents .

I only wish that I'd known this as I would never have had them.

Brian ,I dont know you but from what you say i would agree thatyou are good parents . After school clubs is far better than sitting at home watching Tv or playing PC games .Most of my friends and family have both parents working and none of the children seem to suffer ,as you say it is the quality of the time that matters Coljac

 

[LMH]

I'm officially off strike now.

p.s. I believe I own part of Scargills bungalow (according to the Sun newspaper at the time). Anyone remember that?

Lisa

 

[CliveV]

Hi Lisa

Please do not take my views personally!

The issue needs to be resolved as we all live in a different world from that which we enjoyed decades ago.

Annuity rates have tumbled and we are all living longer. In 1990 I secured for one of my retiring clients an annuity on

 

[LMH]

Hi Clive

I appreciate what you're saying, no offence taken.

If someone lets your tyes down at Easter, don't blame me!

smiley icon thingy.

Lisa. xx