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David's Diary |
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Forum Responses - 3rd December 2007
03/12/2007
Here are my responses to some more of your questions and comments on
the Webcameron Forums. I hope to be posting some more later in the
week.
How does David Cameron define a 'family'?
Author:
canvas
Canvas has asked a few times now how I would define a ‘family’. I don’t have a special definition. The usual definitions involve people choosing (or through birth) to live together as a unit, especially when this involves children.
So this doesn’t always involve the very narrow definition of a ‘family’ which canvas provides. And when I answered MattFeisty’s question about family values in another thread, I made clear my view that all families do a vital job, and that there are things like flexible working arrangements which we can do to help all families.
In respect of marriage, I also said in that thread that, of course, not every marriage lasts, and some couples are much better off apart. But I do think policies which recognise the importance of marriage end up strengthening families and in doing so strengthen society. This is because marriage is the clearest commitment a couple can make to each other, their children, and society. So we want to end the ‘couple penalty’ in the benefit system, which currently pays people to live apart, and to recognise marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system.
David Cameron Heads to the White House. A Good Idea??
Author:
canvas
My meeting with President Bush was a very positive one, and gave us the opportunity to discuss a range of issues including Iran, Afghanistan, free trade and climate change. These are all issues that Britain and America need to work together on, and it was the right time to discuss them.
All in all it was a very successful visit, including meetings with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Chuck Hagel, the Treasury Secretary, the Head of the World Bank, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I also delivered a speech, focusing on the Balkans, at the Brookings Institution, and – as you can see on the video - had the opportunity to pay my respects at Arlington National Cemetery, where many of American’s heroes, including her war dead, are buried.
Posted by tonymakara 03/12/2007 20:46:51
Subject: Two parents is best!
As a single parent, and someone who brought my son up from being a baby, I feel that two parents is still the best scenario for the child. Being a single parent is hard work, especially in the early years and at times it is difficult to be both mother and father. A big problem is that in single parent families there is no second parent there to re-enforce any discipline. In a two parent family most of the discourse takes place between the parents and the children are on a different level and that creates a healthy amount of distance and respect. However in the single parent family the main discourse is between the parent and child, this changes the parent/child dynamic and sadly in many single parent homes that familiarity can breed contempt. Particularly in a home where no father exists and a boy feels compelled to 'take over'. So to my mind two parents are best because they not only share the careload but also provide that extra tier of authority in the home.
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