Tragedy, Courage and an Over-Simplified View of British Parents
Wednesday 11th of September 2013 | Category: Opinion | Written by: Leoarna MathiasMotherhood can take us in many surprising directions. It can inspire us to take stands, motivate us into action, give us the strength us on to put our head above the parapet. In my own life, I know that I have a greater sense of purpose and a greater supply of courage since I became a mum. I am much more likely to sign petitions, speak out, take issue, fight a corner. Being a role model to two young children has me examining my own behaviour and intentions far more, and leads me to make choices I probably would not have done previously.
When Doreen Lawrence gave birth to Stephen in 1974, she was happily unaware of the reasons why one day, motherhood would lead her to achieve extraordinary things. When Stephen was murdered in 1993, little did she know that her personal tragedy would lead to a national examination of the racism inherent in policing at that time, and that one day she would carry the Olympic Flag at an opening ceremony, and be made a Labour Peer. She has endured very public abuse and yet she continues to set all mothers an example through her good work and tireless campaigning against institutional racism. Just this week, the One Show has nominated her for a National Hero Award. While I can’t begin to imagine what it is like to be in her shoes, my admiration for her in turning such a painful experience into a positive force for change is genuine and deep.
New Term, New Problems?
The last week has also seen the start of the new school term, and with it, the usual flurry of alarmist headlines about this or that aspect of the state of the nation’s education system. This time round, the Centre for Social Justice’s recent report into the relationship between poverty and poor educational outcomes, gave the nation’s press plenty to chew over. And had me questioning whether we were being given the whole picture.
I grew up in a single parent household, in an inner city setting in the shadow of the rumbling M6. I went to an ordinary state primary and then on to a church secondary school. While we did not, fortunately, have to ensure the indignity of genuine poverty that has come to characterise the lives of some 27% of British children, we were not well off by any definition. Nevertheless, and despite the lack of funds, my family instilled in me the importance of making the most of my educational opportunities, and I worked hard and did well.
In its latest report, the CSJ asserts most strongly the link between low income households and what it sees as a damaging lack of both aspiration on behalf of, and interest in, the educational progress of the children in those households. Headlines about children starting school in nappies and not able to recognise their own name abounded, the phrase ‘educational underclass’ appearing across news media sources. But there are plenty of others around who, thankfully, have questioned this assertion. Thus the erudite and insightful Zoe Williams has written in The Guardian about the dangers of making blanket assumptions about how the poorest children are being supported through school. She questions the research findings, finding that the CSJ is “trying to inch their exaggerations and misunderstandings closer to fact”. She argues that the number of children living in low-income households is far higher than the number of children who are starting school having made poor progress prior to that point. Thus, for her, it is over-simplistic to suggest that poverty = poor parenting. I’m pretty certain that plenty of very hardworking, conscientious parents would have been rightly offended last week. Here at Mum Network we’re concerned to present a more balanced view of British parenting, one that reflects the genuine love and concern mums and dads across the country feel for their children. Our interest lies in helping parents to find accurate advice and information so that they are empowered to make good choices for their little ones. So, if you’re struggling with one or more aspects of supporting your child’s development, type a keyword in our search box and see what comes up!
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