Then You Failed As A Parent When He Was Younger...

"I'm worried about a lack of motivation - he's not getting up until one o'clock."

Many parents across the UK will empathise with mother-of three Louise, who is worried her teenage son is becoming disengaged from his studies, as schools remain closed due to Covid-19.

"It's hard enough motivating a lazy 17-year-old boy who doesn't really care much about school in normal times," says Louise.

Yes, being a parent is tough, I'm told.

I'm also told that if you indulge them in their every whim until the age of five, you can damn well forget getting them to become decent human beings past that age. Looks like you just learned that.

"They need the interaction with the teacher, a bit more more than, 'Here's a worksheet'.

"I'm worried my son's not going to bother doing any work now before his A-levels next year and frankly, he's having a nice time, he's exercising lots, playing video games, so why would he start working again?"

Why indeed, since you clearly intend feeding and clothing him regardless..?

"It's very difficult for parents to get their children to knuckle down sometimes," says Rebecca Poole, head teacher of Hampton High in south-west London.

"But it's important not to panic. I would say that if it's creating unbearable conflict at home, don't force it.

"As teachers, we will do our best to repair the damage to learning, the important thing is children's wellbeing and safety.

"Families should hear that, they shouldn't tie themselves in knots - we're in this for a long schlep."

Yes, we should let teachers repair the damage. What could go wrong?

It's Deja Vu All Over Again!

Passers-by were horrified when they saw the young child fall to the ground from a flat on Station Road, Rainham, with a 'horrible thud' on Monday afternoon.

Onlookers screamed for help as the child lay motionless, grabbing the attention of the infant's father who poked his head out of the window before sprinting down to the road.

Gosh, I thought, that looks like a story I've heard before...and the photo in the 'Mail' rang bells.

And lo and behold!

In August 2014, an 18-month-old girl survived after falling 15ft from the front of the same block.

This time, no arrests. I wonder why?

'Far Right Sympathisers' Ain't What They Used To Be..!

OMG! Has a British union partnered with such an organisation?

Who is it? The Klu Klux Klan? The Westboro Baptist Church?

Uhhhh... wait. What? Seriously? 

Yes, apparently so. This is  - of course - yet another front in the ongoing Gender Wars. The 'pre-op transexuals are women and should share your young daughter's toilet space, you bigots!' wing has decided that taking on the nation's mums is a sure-fire victory. 

And didn't one of our greatest writers once have something to say about the folly of that? Yes, I believe he did...  

Her contentions are her children,

Heaven help him who denies!

- He will meet no suave discussion, but the instant, white-hot, wild,

Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

Time, I think, to break this out:

Not As Many 'Poor Choices' As The Justice System...

A woman opened her door to be confronted by a thief who smashed her in the face with a wine bottle. Rebecca Jackson was left with a two inch gash across her forehead in the assault at her flat.

Will the pussy pass come into effect here?

Reader, it will...

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court her attacker, 33-year-old Amy Hollinworth, who has already spent seven months in custody awaiting sentencing, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

*sighs*

At the time of the offence Hollinworth, who has previous convictions, was subject to a suspended prison sentence for burglary.

Well, of course was! Aren't they always?

Adam Roxborough, defending, stressed that the attack on Miss Jackson was an isolated incident and involved only a single blow.

So..?

"Since the commission of this offence there has been a determined effort to address an addictive state," he said.

He appealed to the judge to give her a suspended sentence so she can work with organisations to address her problems rather than spend just a few more weeks in prison.

"She has had a difficult life," he said, adding that she was introduced to Class A drugs by a former partner.

"She has made some poor choices."

She's not the only one, is she?

Strange Priorities...

At the time of Mombeyarara’s arrest, Clare Collier, advocacy director at the campaign group Liberty, described the video of him being tasered as “incredibly distressing”.

Presumably, the fact that this 'gentleman' drove his child in an uninsured car, over the speed limit and while intoxicated, then decided to fight the police who stopped him, isn't even mildly concerning.

Mombeyarara’s solicitor, Terence Channer, from law firm Scott-Moncrieff & Associates Ltd, said: “I am advising Mr Mombeyarara on bringing a civil action against the chief constable of Greater Manchester police for the very troubling use of force in this case.

“The IOPC are currently investigating the incident. I understand [they] have obtained crucial body-worn video footage, CCTV, and mobile phone footage, which they are reviewing. My client and I therefore await the outcome of the IOPC investigation with some interest.”

As do we all. Because if they decide there's no case to answer, the look on your greedy faces will be wonderous to behold.

Rob Potts, assistant chief constable at Greater Manchester police, said: “It is important to us that we demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and human rights in order to earn the confidence and trust of all our communities (Ed: I thought we had just the one..?),” he said.

“That trust is a vital element in GMP protecting society and helping keep people safe across all our communities. We are involved in constructive dialogue with community representatives in relation to this incident.”

And that's your problem. There should be no 'negotiation' with the criminal community. Which is the community he belongs to. 

The Enemy Within (Redux)

We've always known this, haven't we, fellow bloggers?

But it's nice of Boris and Dominic to drive them so utterly insane that they finally crack and reveal it to everyone:

It lasted 12 minutes before a startled Sir Humphrey was alerted to the inadvertent reveal of their plans, and wrestled the Twitter account away from the holder, whose name we'll probably never know...

But screenshots are like diamonds, they're forever.

And now we all know for certain that the famed impartiality of the civil serpents is a lie, a sham, every bit an illusion as the impartiality of the BBC or the integrity of the Press, or the Hippocratic oath of the medical profession.

Whatever you may think of Boris and Dominic, you can't deny they are great at getting their enemies to reveal themselves...

Does Not Compute!

I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that there's no real alligator in the pizza, or the concept of 'halal ham'.

Which I'm advised is usually turkey 'ham'...

No, Just The Once...

*sigh*

RSPCA Inspector Claire Mitchell said the male buzzard was still quite feisty when she picked it from the farmer and a local vet found five pieces of shot in it’s (sic) body.

They are planning to release it once it has recovered.

 Shot. From a shotgun.

Sunday Funnies...

Vanity, thy name is (mostly) woman...

If This Is A 'Partnership', It's An Abusive One...

Trident said it operated a partnered approach with residents in the area while supporting its vulnerable guests.

In response to the claims, Trident said: “As an essential service, our frontline commissioned Homeless Services are currently working with people who quite often have complex needs.

"Whilst we aim to support those most vulnerable in Birmingham and the wider Midlands area, we also aim to work in collaboration and participation with people who reside around Washington Court so a partnered approach can take place.

"This way we can ensure we all work together in providing the much-needed help and support to people most in need in our society.”

And what are these people most in need of?

A retail worker, who has lived in the apartments for 12 years, told BirminghamLive: "I've seen them urinating against cars, pulling down people's fences, we've seen them fighting among themselves, openly taking drugs in front of children and drinking in the street.

"There's shouting and screaming at any time of the day, including in the afternoon. The noise from it is atrocious, we had to have security down.

"It's like a war zone sometimes, you can't hear yourself think. The lockdown has made it worse."

Some 'partnership'. What's in it for the decent residents in the area, apart from an open air production of 'The Best Of Jeremy Kyle'..?