Grumpy old woman

This morning I was listening to the Today programme on Radio 4. George Osborne was cock a hoop about savings made from the welfare budget, savings made by extending the pensionable age. Now I happen to be one of those women. When I started work at 17 I expected to retire at 60. It seemed a lifetime away and it was. Over the years I have been one of the cohort of women who worked because they wanted to and then because they needed to. Relishing independence and women's lib, we took opportunities to try and build careers, looking for equality with men. As the cost of living rose, house prices hit the roof more than once, and childcare became a commercial business. So many of us had no choice but to work to provide security for ourselves and our families. I guess I knew that my state pension age would alter from 60 to 63 some years ago. Suddenly in 2011 that changed to 65 and a half. Talk about moving the goal posts. I have signed the online petition. I do recognise that I have advantages that others may not have, in that I own my house, but I have no professional or occupational pensions. I am divorced. No opportunity to build up a pension pot in response to these changes. No bus pass at 60, though I can buy a senior Railcard. Unfortunately society and employers aren't dealing with this very well. Grandchildren tend to arrive once you are in your sixties. Parents become elderly and need more support. Women in my situation are chasing jobs that should be for the young ones who need to work and establish themselves. Perhaps there would be less of a care crisis for the elderly if my cohort of women weren't still in employment. And then there's the issue of part time, low paid work as skills don't get updated. In my scheme of things five and a half years worth of a state pension, plus a bus pass, represents a substantial amount of money. I have never earned a lot, but I have kept working. I certainly don't want to hear the Chancellor crowing about how much he has saved by taking away more than five years of my pension and everyone else's in this situation. I realise I have become a grumpy old woman!

Mothers Day

I absolutely understand why my children see this as a commercial opportunity they don't want to take part in. I acknowledge the occasion because my mother expects me to and I don't want to hurt her. Observing the dads and children out buying flowers and presents yesterday brought it home to me that this isn't part of my life as a mother. It also set me thinking about my own personal take on the role and responsibilities. In the last year or so of job applications after my archive traineeship I have been asked more than once if the variety of work on my CV shows a lack of commitment. I have been part time, full time and self employed since I moved here in 1993, in a variety of places, some I have returned to with a different role and job title. Sometimes I have had a combination of employers and self employment. This approach to earning a living hasn't been about a lack of commitment. Quite the opposite. My commitment has been to my family. It's been the search for stability, job security, a better salary, more hours and flexibility when needed as a single parent with three children to care for. I have also looked for work that was going to interest me, knowing life is too short to be doing a job you dislike. So this post goes out to all the mothers who put themselves through the demands of training courses,job application forms,scary interviews, disappointments when they don't even got an acknowledgement,and work they compromise themselves to do all in the hope that they can provide a secure present and a better future for their children.