Another Petition to Downing Street

Here I go again, not usually political on here, but this one came to my email and is equally distressing to me, so what better method to try and raise awareness and get the petition signed, than to post it here and hope that some you will be interested and sign it.

Downing street's probably never seen so much from an American before! Actually, since I'm resident here, I can sign it. I can't vote though. If you're a UK citizen living abroad, you can also sign it.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/forcedvaccines/

Its a petition against the latest labour folly of wanting to make vaccinations mandatory for all children (as is the case in the states, and australia, unless you have a medical or religious objection). The thing is here, the government provides child benefit payments to all citizens no matter wealthy or poor, its one of those wonderful social system rights. Now they've decided that if you don't vaccinate, you may not get the benefit either. In my view, it appears to me that slowly but surely the government is trying to dismantle the social benefits system. Again whether you agree with vaccines or not, unless you've done the research on the full implications of it (which I have for my own children) then you can't dictate to another parent. Another argument entirely, but the bigger question for me is, why are they changing these things, when in fact, they don't want certain medications, etc. available on the NHS due to the cost. Are they going to make everyone pay for the vaccines-- like the big business that it is in America?

Well, anyway, check out the petition if you want to make your voice heard. Thanks!

ENOUGH Interference.

I know I've been slacking a bit here. But carrying on from my post about the fabulous book I've been reading, Enough by John Naish, I'd just like to say to the British Government, ENOUGH INTERERENCE you misguided, out of touch, overpaid bunch of BAST****. Ok, there it is.

Actually I'm just riled up by this tidbit of new legislation (one of many that keep sneaking in by the way, while the general public is lolled into absurdity by reality tv, binge drinking, binge eating, sports, technology-- i.e. think about anything except what the government are doing in your name--for you) about breastfeeding laws and indecency. Thanks to Veronika Robinson for creating this petition, and I've added the link here so you can add your name to it if you feel so inclined; its really easy and every voice can make a difference--indeed it may be the only thing that will. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/breastfedright/

The current British government is introducing an 'Equalities Bill' which of course sounds great, that's what they are good at, sound bites, but what it says really is that a woman has a protected right to breastfeed her baby in public --up to the age of 6 months! After that then a woman can be charged with indecency. Whether or not you agree with breastfeeding, or breastfeeding in public, a woman (and her baby!) should not be denied this fundamental human right. And like Veronika has said, in this culture where there are page 3 girls (topless) in so-called news-papers, on view to anyone and everyone, as well as all the other nudity that is accepted on television here, to villianise the most natural thing for a breast to be doing, is criminial in itself... it shows how backwards, muddled up and distorted the culture really is.

I'm going to take a breath now...

NHS says No..

Yesterday my son wasn't too sure about eating his raisin bran. He said it smelled, well, like raisin bran. He had to examine the box and then after I poured the milk on, he decided it smelled ok to eat. I am starting to relax more around his sometimes quirky tendencies and sensitivities to things like smell, and this has made life more peaceful for all of us. Since we suspect he might have Aspergers and/or ADHD these sensitivities now have a context in which to make sense.

We have been waiting for a referral from the NHS (National Health Service) after our GP asked for it on our behalf, and a letter back came stating that we have to go through the school educational psychologist first before any referral to a specialist can be made. This despite the fact that the school suggested we see our doctor for a referral! But my son's teacher has been very helpful (I'm sure she's exasperated as well!) and has made an appointment for us to see said educational psychologist later this week. This is my first foray into specialist care in the UK, and I'm still navigating the school system!

The NHS so far has been a mixed bag for me, where I have had the blessing of two free births, and excellent midwifery care, but also seen one of my husband's friends die due to misdiagnosis of melanoma. My husband has also experienced the 'brush off' from his GP after complaints of aches and things that won't go away. Its the budgeting thing, the need to spend as little money as possible to keep the NHS going. This sometimes results in lack of proper care and attention, whereas in America, it can go the opposite route, you can spend unnecessary amounts of money to no real effect.

Steiner Monday

Monday is our Steiner parent & toddler group and although I rarely look forward to getting on the bus, I do look forward to the time there. Its a peaceful little space, where the adults can participate just as the kids do. We generally sit around the table and work on different craft each week, which the kids can join in on if they choose. Today it was colouring leaves through paper and then painting over it with watercolour.

The children range in age from roughly 18 months to 3 years, at which time they can then go on to Steiner Kindergarten. Our group leader likes to describe Steiner education as 'old-fashioned' where the toys are simple, such as wooden, or from nature such as pine cones and conkers. The dolls are soft and stuffed with wool, so they are warm and soft to cuddle. Stories are told and songs are song, all following a rhythm of the day and season. It is gently repetitive, so the children learn and come to look forward to it. The Steiner philosophy in a nutshell is 'head, heart & hands', so all three are engaged in the education.

After a somewhat stressful weekend partly due to some planetary line-ups, I feel rather relaxed now. Today's herbal tea 'Love' could've had something to do with that, as I enjoyed three cupfuls, made from rosehips, lavender and chamomile.

Hooray for older mums!

I just came across this tidbit of info courtesy of workingmums.co.uk.

The Observer (Oct. 28, 2007) in The Guardian Newspaper noted a report citing a new book by Professor Elizabeth Gregory that says women who have their first child in their 30s or 40s live longer. This is good news for me as my first was born when I turned 30 and my second at 36. I never considered having children any sooner and at one point in my early twenties, thought I'd never have children at all!

In her new book Ready: Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood , Gregory says older mums are more prepared for motherhood, more likely to be financially stable and more focused on the family. I have found this to be absolutely true for myself. Apparently this is because they have already realised career and other ambitions, are more likely to be in settled relationships and/or have a good support network. This has also been the case for myself, not that I have given up all previous desires, but I did lots of clubbing, drinking, travelling, cavorting, finished university etc., in my twenties, and have no real need for those things now. I certainly don't feel like I'm 'missing out' due to the kids. The career thing is ongoing, and I assume will find its place in my life again when the time is right.

I'm looking forward to reading this book as it also says that older mothers live longer than their younger counterparts and cites a report by the Population Research Centre at the University of Texas which suggests the best age for childbearing is between 34 and 40. Reasons for this include older women are more settled, less likely to engage in risky behaviour and have a more healthy and conscious pregnancy.

Another another study was also cited which shows that women who give birth after 40 are four times more likely to live to 100 plus. I'm not sure that I even want to live that long, but since there's been some negative press about older mums and health risks associated with it (like increased risk of Downs Syndrome), I find this new information refreshing. I was also surprised to learn that the average age of new mothers in Britain is 29, despite having the highest teen pregnancy rate of all European countries.

Over protected childhood?

According to The Children's Society, Britain's kids are in danger because of over-protection by adults. The article on Yahoo news here, says that fewer kids are forming long-lasting friendships due to adult fears for their safety. They are not being let out on their own, nor given freedom to play without adult supervision, resulting in increased depression, alienation and anti-social behaviour. I can certainly see these effects present in the younger population now and don't doubt it. But as a parent, it is very difficult to let go and trust that your child will be safe. How young is old enough? Some seven year olds are let out to play on their own, and there is chatter about irresponsible parenting.

I know I've written about this before, and it is the dilemma of parenting. Thinking about my own childhood I recall freedom to walk to and from school from about 8 years old.. and not only that, but there were no 'after-school' clubs, we just went home with our key and let ourselves in..while mom still worked. At 12 I snuck off with my best friend on the bus 'downtown', which was downtown Chicago.. we survived, found our way around and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd have a heart attack if my kids did that!! But ever since I have been the one who is 'good' with directions, can always find my way and can read all sorts of maps (GPS may take away the art of map reading soon). I also drove my best friend's mom's car when I was 15, on the motorway... we weren't trouble makers by a long-shot, and yet we did take risks. There were times indeed when I felt maybe I'd taken too big of a risk, yet I dealt with it and since then have taken calculated risks, including in business.

So was I neglected then? Well, I don't feel that way, and I did well in school, etc. etc. But now as a parent, I wouldn't consider leaving my eldest on his own any time soon -- and then if I did, in this country, social services would probably be knocking on my door rather quickly. So what's happening? I do want both my children to have freedom, and to be independent and well adjusted.. I know what I was capable of, despite my parents best intentions, and yet as parents do, I don't feel my children should do the same.. but won't they be equally capable if I allow them to? If I teach them to be? Every child is unique, and has different capabilities at different ages, so I know such decisions will have to come from my gut, and I'm hoping I'll know when the time is right. Arghhhh..the conundrum....

Child well being

My internet home page is set to yahoo news, which is probably not the best thing for my mind. Most of the news is bad, as I have complained about in the past, but these past two days its been downright heartbreaking. I don't even have to read the story, the headlines are enough to send me to despair. Today I have learned that Unicef, the children's charity has released a report about child welfare in the richest countries of the world you can have a look at http://www.unicef.org.uk/press/news_detail.asp?news_id=890.
Not surprising, the UK is near the bottom in terms of putting children's welfare first. A somewhat local news story here in the past two days is that a two year old girl has been murdered in her home, possibly by her uncle. It is not pleasant and I don't want to write about the details. Its a tragedy that yet another child has been failed, has been unprotected, unloved. Its a tragedy that the man in question is only 19 years old, a life not yet lived, and yet possibly a life so heinous that one can't imagine the interiors of his mind. They say that child abductions and the like have not really increased over the years, just the publicity of them.. but this past year I can recall several 'sensational' cases where the children have been unsafe in their own homes. And generally, this is what the statistics bear out, unfortunately, its the people we know.

So this Unicef report measures and compares overall child well-being across six dimensions: material well-being, health and safety, education, peer and family relationships, behaviours and risks, and young people’s own subjective sense of their own well-being.

There are a total of 40 separate indicators of child well-being – from child safety & poverty, to educational achievement to drug abuse – are brought together in this overview to present a picture of the lives of children living in the richest countries of the world.

North-European countries dominate the top half of the table, with child well-being at its highest in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The United Kingdom and the United States find themselves in the bottom of the ranking.

The UK ranks in the bottom third of the country rankings for five of the six dimensions, not encouraging at all. The US is in the bottom as well, and that doesn't really shock me frankly, but what I find troubling is the size of the country versus the size of Britain. If Britain is failing equally, then to my mind (not that scientifically oriented by the way) it is failing worse because it is that much smaller. It is so frustrating as well, being so close to Europe that they can not seem to learn from their better-off neighbors. Naturally no country has top marks in every category, and there is no Utopia to be found, but I am still searching.