You know what really grinds my gears?

[ExiledGael]

"Throw him/her with a babysitter as soon as they can"

My God what happened to you, that's ridiculuous.
In my view bad parenting, and people not being able to have the time for their own children is one of the main problems in society today, and results in a lot of our social problems.

[pintsofguinness]

In my view bad parenting, and people not being able to have the time for their own children is one of the main problems in society today, and results in a lot of our social problems.

I couldnt agree more.

[Puckoon]

In my view bad parenting, and people not being able to have the time for their own children is one of the main problems in society today, and results in a lot of our social problems.

I couldnt agree more.

I think you are being a little disingenuous to the parents that devote everything to their children, but every now and then avail of a generous offer of babysitting from family/friends so that they can nourish their own life just a little with some time to the shops, or a nice dinner or a movie or something.

[pintsofguinness]

In my view bad parenting, and people not being able to have the time for their own children is one of the main problems in society today, and results in a lot of our social problems.

I couldnt agree more.

I think you are being a little disingenuous to the parents that devote everything to their children, but every now and then avail of a generous offer of babysitting from family/friends so that they can nourish their own life just a little with some time to the shops, or a nice dinner or a movie or something.

Agree with that too, it's the ones that leave their children with a babysitter all day and dump them again every weekend.

[Puckoon]

Youd have to suggest these people are in the minority, and if they are that bad at parenting, maybe the children are better off with the babysitters.

[pintsofguinness]

Youd have to suggest these people are in the minority, and if they are that bad at parenting, maybe the children are better off with the babysitters.

Not from what I can see, most people (around my age) with children have a babysitter bringing them up.

[Puckoon]

Well theres a couple of reasons other than laziness that can attribute to that.

The cost of living is astronomical these days, being a stay at home mum is now a financial luxury that many two parent families simply cannot afford. Single parent families can most definitely not afford that, even with state benefits. What would you prefer, a single mum to stay at home and sponge, but be with the kids, or go out and work and pay for a babysitter?

[ExiledGael]

In my view bad parenting, and people not being able to have the time for their own children is one of the main problems in society today, and results in a lot of our social problems.

I couldnt agree more.

I think you are being a little disingenuous to the parents that devote everything to their children, but every now and then avail of a generous offer of babysitting from family/friends so that they can nourish their own life just a little with some time to the shops, or a nice dinner or a movie or something.

Perfectly reasonable, and healthy for the family I would say. I'm not blaming parents at all, it's the world we live in, I just feel sorry for parents forced to work every hour God sends to be able to bring up their children in any kind of financial comfort.
It's against everything we should be about, and the claim that maternity leave, enabling a mother to spend time with her newborn, is a bad thing is unbelievable.

[pintsofguinness]

The cost of living is astronomical these days, being a stay at home mum is now a financial luxury that many two parent families simply cannot afford. Single parent families can most definitely not afford that, even with state benefits. What would you prefer, a single mum to stay at home and sponge, but be with the kids, or go out and work and pay for a babysitter?

Surely a majority of single parents would be better off staying at home on benefits rather than working and using a large proportion of their wages paying a babysitter?

[Puckoon]

But then you'd be complaining about the people who are having babies and you are paying for them!

[pintsofguinness]

But then you'd be complaining about the people who are having babies and you are paying for them!

Yeah but you can't blame people for doing that if they're better off on benefits.
It's the governments fault.  You're better off sitting in the house on benefits than if you went out and worked for minimum wage - what sort of a system is that?

[Square Ball]

private black taxi drivers in Belfast, esoecially those who park outside the Europa

[ziggysego]

The Derry ones aren't much better. Have to fight with them, everytime I want a lift. Bastards.

[Stanley]

"There was never any of this maternity leave or equal rights 50 years ago and the human race got on just fine."

Did they? Quite possibly a few arguments there, but there's no point going into that.
Maternity leave means a parent can devote time to a newborn child, resulting in a better child eventually to be part of society. What's the alternative? That's the best way for the child, and humans must have that as their main interest.

Yeah the parent can devote time to a newborn and then throw him/her with a babysitter as soon as they can.

AZ is correct you just say stupid things for attention, sad but suppose this is your stage, so get on with the acting.

If you're not prepared to be sensible then just don't bother.

Why do you make stupid statements and just leave it at that?  I repeat what do you propose, a mother has just given birth her new baby, should she be expected to go straight back to work, should the baby not be allowed to be given the best care by it's mother and best nutrition by being breast fed for the first few months of it's life?

[Newbridge Exile]

Angie Phillips off the weather on BBC Newsline

Totally agree her repeated use of the L word when referring to Derry led to me to send in a complaint about it to the BBC, doesn't seem to have done a big pile of good though( Oh and Nadine Coyle too, hard to believe something as easy on the eyes can be so sore on the ears )