G.K. Chesterton when talking about children said, “as we walk the streets and see below us those delightful bulbous heads, three times too big for the body, which mark these human mushrooms, we ought always primarily to remember that within every one of these heads there is a new universe, as new as it was on the seventh day of creation. In each of those orbs there is a new system of stars, new grass, new cities, a new sea.”
Children are indeed wondrous beings, but is the UK fast becoming no country for young children, or indeed for raising a family? It seems that the majority of parents of young children believe so.
It is already the case that there are fewer and fewer of these wondrous beings being born at all, with live-births having hit a two-decade low as reported by the ONSin August.
To make matters worse, things are not great for the children we do have. On Monday a survey by the children’s charity UNICEF revealed that “parents of babies and toddlers say mounting costs and cuts to local services are preventing them from giving their children the best start in life”.
“The charity warned that expensive childcare, fewer support services and the cost of housing are contributing to parents worrying about their children’s development.
“Of 2,661 parents with children aged four and under surveyed, 70 per cent said it is getting harder to be a parent in Britain. The current cost of living is impacting 83 per cent of those surveyed.”
These numbers should not be a surprise to anyone. In the current economic conditions, it can be very difficult to start or indeed raise a family in the UK. But it is also the lack of a support system which can be the difference between raising a family in a happy and secure environment or not. The pressure on young parents today to both to be in full time employment can make it very challenging to enjoy those early years with their children.
The forces of feminism together with ruthless free market economics make it impossible for most families to survive on just one income, even when there are very small children to care for. Sadly, feminists and policy makers in government profoundly disagree with C.S. Lewis’s sentiment that “children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work”.
The fact that 70 per cent of parents of under fours in Britain today believe that it is getting harder to be a parent in the UK is something that should concern us all. The current Tory administration has for the last decade repeatedly favoured older voters, while punishing young families. While support to young families has been cut, the triple lock afforded to pensioners remains untouched, the Holy Grail of Tory policy.
However, in spite of all this, families should also be wary of entering a cycle of gloom. Raising young children has always been a challenge and it is always the case that sacrifices must be made. In fact, this is the real difference when you become a mother or father: you make daily sacrifices for your children and your time is no longer your own.
Indeed, if you have a toddler even the simplest of tasks, like leaving the house or having a cup of tea, become as challenging as climbing a mountain. Perhaps most people living in affluent, peaceful Britain today will have had very little experience of suffering or hardship until they have children. Indeed, being responsible for another person, their moral, spiritual and educational development, as well as their day-to-day needs, can be overwhelming.
Mothers and fathers have always been willing to make huge sacrifices for their children, something that governments have willingly exploited as they cut back on safety nets.
The Catholic Church could also do more to speak up for families of young children in Britain and the very real hardships they face. Pope Francis in 2022 said that children are an “indispensable resource for the future” and that “consumerism and individualism must be addressed, looking to families as the best example of resource optimisation”.
This is what should influence government and society when determining what resources should be spent on children and their families. In meantime, parents should try to enjoy the wonderful time they have with their wondrous beings.
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