Wife Swap

[natalie_1982]

Did anyone see Wife Swap last night where they swapped a Marbella mum and a self sufficient hippy living on a boat mum? What did you think of it?

Would social services get involved if the boat children lived in the UK? I know they were love,d but they would have to attend school here surely? Also, they seemed pretty grubby too, I understand that the parents were against manmade chemicals, but surely there is no need for the kids to be that filthy and to be living amongst pots of poo and wee?

[tiggerblue10]

It infuriated me when the guy was going on about chemicals getting into his and his childrens lungs and then you saw him smoking!!!

[natalie_1982]

Tigger, I am so glad you reminded me of that because that was driving me nuts last night! He was actually holding the baby in one arm with a fag in the other hand!!!

I can understand where they are coming from, but I have to say, I agreed with the Marbella mum that I thought it was a a bit extreme, those kiddies didn't choose that lifestyle. It's a very romantic idea, but I just saw the littluns missing out on so much.

[Ethel]

Children live on boats in the UK - some are home taught by parents (perfectly legal) and some attend school

[natalie_1982]

I realise that Ethel, why are parents taken to court if they children do not attend school? Wouldn't they need to prove that the children are being taught a certain level of education from home?

[Ethel]

A parent of a child who has never been to a local authority school doesn't need to do anything to make it legal if the child is to be taught at home.
If you are really interested in home education, this is a useful site:

http://www.home-education.org.uk/faq.htm

[andrea81]

I was really annoyed looking at this programme. I don't care how people live thier lives, but the mother earth couple were very opinionated and rude. How dare the father tell the child:

"If you want me to pay for you to go to school and clubs like this..... I'm going to have to get a job and work ALL week... do you really want me to do that?"

Poor child was made to feel selfish!

[gina32]

i seen some of it, was the little boy of the marbella woman hers? he was only three and she looked well into her 50's

[Whickerman]

I thought that git on the boat needed a slap and a wash. To put that child on the guilt trip he did was unforgivable.

[gonzo00]

have to say i always fancied the idea of living aboard as it were but that couple were dirty beyond belief,i mean what a pair of bog rats! the way those poor children were living was a disgrace. it should be illegal for parents like those to fill thier kids heads full of so much crap and to deny them a decent education. i know which one of the two featured lifestyles i'd have gone for!

[natalie_1982]

Thanks for the link Ethel, I was looking at this site yesterday:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolattendance/faq/#f aq4
Which confused me as I would have thought that the level of education that the children were receiving would be deemed unsuitable. I'm certainly not qualified (and would not want to at this present time) home school my children.

Andrea and Whickerman, I totally agree about that comment, it was made just to make her feel guilty and she seemed such a bright little thing that just wanted to learn. Also, she kept calling him "Dan" so I assume he wasn't her father and wondered what her biological father's reaction would have been to the way she was beng treated. If that was my child I would fight tooth and nail to get her back in this country, which is why I wondered if social services would have been involved had they been living that lifestyle on the Thames, say.