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Good parents 'should be rewarded' | Good parents 'should be rewarded' |
(20 minutes later) | |
Parents who spend quality time with their children should be rewarded through the benefits system, head teachers' leaders have said. | |
Punitive steps like fining parents for truanting children rarely worked, National Association of Head Teachers president Clarissa Williams argued. | Punitive steps like fining parents for truanting children rarely worked, National Association of Head Teachers president Clarissa Williams argued. |
She also quizzed the logic of insisting young mothers work while their children are brought up by others. | She also quizzed the logic of insisting young mothers work while their children are brought up by others. |
A more creative approach was needed, she told NAHT members in Liverpool. | A more creative approach was needed, she told NAHT members in Liverpool. |
Ms Williams said at her association's annual conference that she had twice written to the prime minister questioning the rationale behind "a punitive approach to ineffectual parenting". | Ms Williams said at her association's annual conference that she had twice written to the prime minister questioning the rationale behind "a punitive approach to ineffectual parenting". |
'Listen With Mother' | 'Listen With Mother' |
She asked: "Why do we feel the need to send children into an educational environment at the age of two? | She asked: "Why do we feel the need to send children into an educational environment at the age of two? |
"Are parents so distrusted that we want to separate them from their children at the earliest opportunity?" | "Are parents so distrusted that we want to separate them from their children at the earliest opportunity?" |
She said "real communication" took place at mealtimes around the table, "without the TV and the video games". | She said "real communication" took place at mealtimes around the table, "without the TV and the video games". |
She recalled the "good old days" when mums sat in at schools while their children enjoyed the stories of Listen With Mother on BBC radio. | She recalled the "good old days" when mums sat in at schools while their children enjoyed the stories of Listen With Mother on BBC radio. |
Her association heard stories of "little ones" in early years centres who were not able to sit still because they were so over-stimulated "or just plain tired because they did not get put to bed early enough," she said. | Her association heard stories of "little ones" in early years centres who were not able to sit still because they were so over-stimulated "or just plain tired because they did not get put to bed early enough," she said. |
Ms Williams called for a benefit system which provided incentives for good parents. | Ms Williams called for a benefit system which provided incentives for good parents. |
"What I would like to see is a benefits system that would reward parents for engaging with schools - that could be linked in some way to the benefits they get," she said. | "What I would like to see is a benefits system that would reward parents for engaging with schools - that could be linked in some way to the benefits they get," she said. |
Perhaps parents who spent time reading to their children, going to school parents evenings or helping out in their school, could get higher payments, she suggested. | Perhaps parents who spent time reading to their children, going to school parents evenings or helping out in their school, could get higher payments, she suggested. |
She acknowledged it was a complex area and that there would always be some parents that would be hard to reach, but that did not mean it should not be tried. | She acknowledged it was a complex area and that there would always be some parents that would be hard to reach, but that did not mean it should not be tried. |
"We all know what good parenting is, and in fact unless we actually show that and reward that in ways that people see the rewards, which - let's be honest - financial rewards are quite important. | "We all know what good parenting is, and in fact unless we actually show that and reward that in ways that people see the rewards, which - let's be honest - financial rewards are quite important. |
"I think in the long term it will be less expensive in a society, than one which is forever paying out when things go wrong," she added. | "I think in the long term it will be less expensive in a society, than one which is forever paying out when things go wrong," she added. |
Head teachers were reluctant to instigate "parenting orders" as they did little to improve home-school relationships, she added. | Head teachers were reluctant to instigate "parenting orders" as they did little to improve home-school relationships, she added. |