Latest news with #youngmum
Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Angela Rayner: We're giving young people a stake in the future
Nobody expected much of me when I become a young mum at 16. I was suddenly faced with serious responsibilities for putting food on the table, paying my bills and giving my son Ryan the best possible start in life. With support, I rose to the challenge. I got a job, I paid taxes, I supported my son. But my story isn't unique. There are many other 16-year-olds across this country who are working hard every day, paying their taxes, caring for relatives and contributing to our society. By law, they can get married and serve our country in the armed forces — but, unlike their peers in Scotland and Wales, 16-year-olds in England and Northern Ireland can't vote. Why not? Unlike our opponents, this Labour government is not running scared of a generation that's hungry for change. That's why we are giving all of the roughly 1.6 million 16 and 17-year-olds who are eligible the right to have their say at the ballot box for the first time. This is about fairness and transparency and giving the young a stake in our country's future, bringing them into our communities, not excluding them. It's about delivering on our manifesto to commitment to secure votes at 16. But it's also about strengthening our electoral system so that it is fit for the 21st century — because we cannot take our democracy for granted. We face growing threats to our freedoms at home and abroad and it is too easy for malign actors to meddle in our electoral system. Dodgy shell companies owned by anyone, funded from anywhere, and without even a single day of trading, are allowed to finance our political parties. This is while individual people must be on the electoral register to donate. This is a dangerous loophole that's clearly unfair and open to abuse. It must change. At the same time, we are making those receiving political donations responsible for checking that there is no foreign interference involved in the money they are offered. We're also giving the Electoral Commission powers to fine those who break the rules up to £500,000. • 16-year-olds can vote in next UK general election We have a collective responsibility to keep our democracy and those who represent us safe. The shocking abuse and intimidation we witnessed during last year's general election shows the scale of the challenges we face. Candidates from across the political spectrum faced appalling treatment, including death threats, and women and ethnic minorities suffered the most. Among those targeted were my friend and colleague, Rushanara Ali, our brave and brilliant minister for homelessness and democracy. Quite apart from the terrible toll on individuals, this victimisation is likely to deter many good people from standing for public office and deprive our country of their contribution. It's an attack on our freedoms and our way of life — and we won't stand for it. So, we're introducing tougher sentences for those responsible for threatening behaviour and removing requirements for candidates' addresses to be published. We are also taking steps to boost participation by removing barriers to make it easier and safer for people to cast their vote. Changes made by the last government went too far by effectively excluding those who didn't have access to the right documentation. This Labour government is committed to removing barriers to democracy while keeping safeguards in place so that more legitimate voters can have their say at the ballot box. That's why we are allowing the use of UK-issued bank cards as ID at polling stations for the first time, building on last year's change to add the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card to the list of accepted ID. These are common-sense reforms to get our democracy back on track in changing times and ensure that everyone has a say in its future. This should include younger generations who have been failed for too long by 14 years of chaos, neglect and decline. In stark contrast to those who oppose these plans, this Labour government has something to offer them. The biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, our mission to Make Work Pay, including thousands of young people getting a big raise in April following increases in the national minimum wage and living wage, a fairer deal for people renting and much more. This is our Plan for Change in action, a plan to grow the economy, put more money in people's pockets and unleash opportunity. This is democracy in action, led by a government that is building a country that works for all.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: I used to hate being judged, but then a woman on a train praised my parenting
I had my eldest child when I was 19, and being a young mum can be tricky – I was used to feeling judged by other people in public. One evening, I was on a crowded train home in Melbourne at peak hour, which is also witching hour for toddlers. My two-year-old son just started losing it, so I was distracting him with silly noises and games. It was largely working and he was mostly laughing and squealing with delight. I registered that it was annoying some passengers, but the alternative would have been much louder and annoying for us all. Making matters worse, no one offered me a seat, so we were standing up and bumping into other people, who were getting pissed off. I was close to tears when an older lady moved forward and stood next to me. She was there for a while and could see I was getting very stressed out. Right at the point where I felt like the train would keep going forever, she put her hand on my arm and said: 'You're doing a great job.' It was so nice to hear. Those words of encouragement made a stressful situation a lot more bearable and have always stuck with me. I've no doubt she was a mother herself. I'm a midwife now and often when I see mums on the edge of the abyss, I think of that woman and try to share her kindness. I tell them: 'Your baby's loved and fed – you're doing good.' Mums don't hear that enough – in the public eye, mothers are under a lot of scrutiny, far more than fathers. I know first-hand how much a word of encouragement can turn the day around, and make things feel a little bit easier. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
The kindness of strangers: I used to hate being judged, but then a woman on a train praised my parenting
I had my eldest child when I was 19, and being a young mum can be tricky – I was used to feeling judged by other people in public. One evening, I was on a crowded train home in Melbourne at peak hour, which is also witching hour for toddlers. My two-year-old son just started losing it, so I was distracting him with silly noises and games. It was largely working and he was mostly laughing and squealing with delight. I registered that it was annoying some passengers, but the alternative would have been much louder and annoying for us all. Making matters worse, no one offered me a seat, so we were standing up and bumping into other people, who were getting pissed off. I was close to tears when an older lady moved forward and stood next to me. She was there for a while and could see I was getting very stressed out. Right at the point where I felt like the train would keep going forever, she put her hand on my arm and said: 'You're doing a great job.' It was so nice to hear. Those words of encouragement made a stressful situation a lot more bearable and have always stuck with me. I've no doubt she was a mother herself. I'm a midwife now and often when I see mums on the edge of the abyss, I think of that woman and try to share her kindness. I tell them: 'Your baby's loved and fed – you're doing good.' Mums don't hear that enough – in the public eye, mothers are under a lot of scrutiny, far more than fathers. I know first-hand how much a word of encouragement can turn the day around, and make things feel a little bit easier. From making your day to changing your life, we want to hear about chance encounters that have stuck with you. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you're having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here
The Sun
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was a teen mum – staff wouldn't even let me get my kid's ears pierced, I had to call GRAN for permission
A YOUNG mum has lifted the lid on raising a baby as a teenager - and revealed she's even had to call in her own mother for 'parental permission'. Rebecca, now 26 and a mum of three, regularly gives an insight to her family life on TikTok (@rebeccasharon_x) where she boasts almost 24,000 followers. 4 4 She first became a mum at 15 whe she gave birth to daughter Olivia, now 11. And she admits it was "pretty wild" being responsible for a baby when she still faced age restrictions of her own. In a TikTok video, she said: "I have been a mum since I was a child. I always think it's so weird how I was a mum and I couldn't even buy like a lottery ticket. I couldn't even buy alcohol. I wasn't even old enough to leave school yet. "Having a baby at 15 is pretty wild because you're not allowed to do anything." "But I wouldn't have had it any other way", she continues. "Because it's the most amazing thing ever being a mum, no matter what age you are. "She's like my wee best friend. She's my bestie even though she doesn't even want to hang out with me anymore half the time. "I really do believe that I was supposed to be a mum young because I love being a mum and I think when my kids are older and they don't really need me as much I'm gonna be so lost. "I don't know anything else but being a mum. I'll not know what to do with myself." Rebecca - also mum to Arabella, two, and 10-month-old Maisie - revealed she was even dismissed as Olivia's parent by workers when she took her daughter in to get her ears pierced. She had attempted to treat her little girl to the piercings when she was in primary one but was left stunned when an employee didn't believe she was her mum. Recalling the incident, Rebecca said in her TikTok clip: "See being a younger mum right? It's all fun and games until nobody believes you. "Olivia's going to get her ears pierced and it just reminded me of the time Olivia got her ears pierced like the first time. "So I took her down to get her ears pierced when she was going into primary one. She was so adamant she wanted it done. "So I took her down to the shop to get them pierced and I said to the woman 'oh she's going to get her ears pierced' and stuff and then she was asking me how old I was and all that and if I was her parent. "I was like yeah, that's my daughter." At this point, Rebecca was forced to call her own mum to come down to the store and vouch for her. 4 4 She continued: "I had to go and get her gran to come back down with me because the woman didn't believe that I was her mum. "I was the parent, I was consenting for her to get her ears pierced and I had to go and get gran." Rebecca's clip, captioned "A memory I will never forget", quickly racked up 77,000 views. And it turns out she's not alone, as other young mums shared their own memories in the comments. One said: "I remember years ago my mum took my to get my belly button pierced ( she had me when she was very young ) and the woman REFUSED service without proof of my birth certificate and said she 'didn't believe' my mum, she was heartbroken." A second wrote: "I've had this SO many times. Or I've been with family members and they assume they are the parent." Meanwhile, a third chimed in: "I used to get this anytime I went to A&E or the doctors with the kids, my dad always takes us and they would speak to him as if we were both his children." Relieved, Rebecca responded: "Yess!!! I'm glad I'm not the only one."
Independent Singapore
04-07-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Young working mum burnt out at work says she's trapped by finances and BTO loan eligibility
SINGAPORE: A local Reddit user took to the platform to ask for advice concerning her particular situation, as the young mum was feeling stressed to the point of burnout at work. Although she wants to quit and explore her options for a new job, she can't afford it yet. In a post on r/askSingapore on Thursday (July 3), u/Feeling-Bunch-212 described herself as being in her mid-20s, with one child, a nine-month-old daughter, and working a full-time job. At work, she's been 'really unhappy' due to the long working hours as she often starts her day early or works past midnight. The management and her bosses are workaholics, she wrote. She added that, having just returned from maternity leave, she was told that she had taken 'too much annual leave (about 18 days in six months),' which made her wonder what the point of giving employees annual leave is if they're not expected to use it. While she wants to resign, she's uncertain, especially because they'll be getting their build-to-order (BTO) keys next year, and she needs to stay employed to qualify for a higher loan. Additionally, while she's looked around for jobs, the job market at present isn't great. See also Blockchain is paving the way for something new: Smart Companies However, her mental health has been affected, and she constantly feels stressed. She would like to take a break, but is concerned that it will be hard to re-enter the workforce afterwards. 'What if I'm just being a loser, part of the strawberry gen who can't handle tough things thrown her way?' she asked, adding that one advantage of her job is that she can work from home thrice a week, which may not be the case in the next job she gets. 'So I'm really torn between staying for financial security or leaving for my own well-being. What would you do if you were in my shoes?' she asked. In the top comment on her post, a Reddit user urged her not to resign until she finds another job. They also urged her to stand up for herself, to refuse overtime, and to set clear boundaries for deliverables, as she now has new responsibilities as a mother. This way, if her company decides to let her go, it will be after a long process. ' But you've continued to collect salary in the meantime, bought yourself more time to find another job, fulfilled whatever you need to for your BTO. Mentally, think of it as a game of chicken. It's almost like you're daring your boss to get angry and fire you, in which case, the boss is the one who looks bad doing this to a new mother and not being understanding at all. Even your own HR will probably advise your boss not to fire you because of the possibility that you'll raise a complaint about discrimination,' the commenter added. Another urged the post author to communicate with her spouse. 'Speak to your husband first. There needs to be a consensus if you quit, as there will be a loss of income. How will it affect your standard of living and loan amount? If you really need the money, don't quit — it's simply trading one form of stress for the other. Once the euphoria of quitting, aka taking a break (maybe one month?), wears out, you'll start to panic if you are unable to get another job. Ultimately, it depends on your current financial status and how long you can take being jobless… My advice is, don't quit without a backup,' they wrote. See also Survey: Singaporeans Are More Stressed Than Global Average 'You are not a loser. Being a mother is probably the hardest thing a woman has to go through without having work stress on top of it. Gosh, this is the reason why Singapore's fertility rate is as low as it is. The toxic work culture, lack of empathy, and flexibility for working mums are not unique to your experience. Sadly, there's no repercussion for returning-to-work mums or being toxic in general. However, your leave is your entitlement, and you have legal rights to enforce it… Nothing is more important than your mental health and relationship with your partner. It's difficult as it is with a new baby,' a Reddit user sympathized. /TISG Read also: 20 y/o woman says her mum forced her to start working right after polytechnic
