Parents at Home are Working, too! Sign the petition (link)

A mum who is "working hard" and "getting on", the family way!
Give us our due, Mr Cameron -- respect!!!!

I'm afraid I'm at my wit's end on this one. For years, I've been trying to get my MP -- who is the Prime Minister, David Cameron -- to understand that some people believe it's best to stay home and raise our children rather than going out to work and letting others raise them for us.

This is not a diatribe against those families who choose that option.

It's a diatribe against a Government that once claimed to stand for family values, and at every turn, is aiming to reduce families to a simple numbers game in terms of tax revenue.

Please hear me, Mr Dave -- people "work hard" and "want to get on" in a myriad ways that your narrow definition doesn't even begin to touch.

I work very, very hard, and I want to "get on" in terms of influencing my children to love their studies, to be independent in their education, to be good citizens, to love people regardless age, social status, colour, creed, and to ensure that they're very balanced individuals on an emotional level.

All these results are proven traits that are often found in home educated kids, and for that reason, I have given up my opportunity to strive to be a Headmistress of a school of other people's children, and mentor my children instead.

Again, I say, this isn't pointing a finger at anyone who does go out to work. It's just that the system needs to redress the balance so that anyone who stays at home isn't being penalized in the tax system for doing so.

As it stands right now, a family with one wage earner is severely penalized in terms of tax and available credits when compared to a two-earner family of comparable gross income.

I can't see it as anything but a narrow view of what it means to "work hard" and "get on", as though forcing us out to work is for everyone's good (for one thing, my children would cost more to the taxpayer if I sent them to school than I could ever pay in taxes!).

"I coulda been a contender!"
We all make tough choices every day, but the Government needs to be fair when those choices are valid!
Or, maybe, the Tories don't think  our choice is valid???

So, I'm not asking you to agree that staying at home is better than going out to work. I'm simply asking you to agree that the Government should consider those who stay at home as making a valid career choice, and acknowledging that today's system is penalizing single-earning families when compared to double-earning families on comparable wages.

It's just a matter of giving "Fair Play for stay at home mums and dads".

Tthe more support we can get behind the campaign, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign the petition here:

> http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/fair-play-for-stay-at-home-mums-and-dad-s

Thanks!