It won't just be teenagers who reject national service: their mothers too

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has revealed that 18-year-olds will be forced to carry out a compulsory form of national service if the Conservative Party is re-elected at the next general election.

Under the policy, 18-year-olds would have the choice of full-time placement in the armed forces for a year or one weekend a month for 12 months as a volunteer in their community.

The party would aim for the scheme to be open for applications by September 2025, and the scheme would cost around £2.5bn a year, with plans to fund £1bn through a ” repression of tax evasion and fraud”.

Many mums and dads were quick to voice their displeasure over the matter, taking to social media and parenting forums like Mumsnet to share their thoughts.

“This feels like a threat, not an election promise,” wrote a Mumsnet user named catchlock, while a poster known as cavernclub said: “This would create a generation of teenagers who would just want to rebel against authority – being “forced” to do something against your will at this age is very counterproductive The times and culture today are very different than they were after WWII. .

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A few called the idea “ridiculous,” while some parents simply worried about their children being forced to do something they didn't want to.

“I have a 14-year-old son with autism and learning problems. He can't even tie his own shoelaces or ride a bike. I'm very scared of an idea like this,” confessed one mom. Another responded: “My 17-year-old daughter has a lot to do with her paid part-time job as well as her bachelor's degree. She also does not need to be an unpaid volunteer caregiver.

However, not everyone was opposed to national service, with some saying it would be “beneficial” for young people as a learning experience.

A Mumsnet user named MaryMaryVeryContrary wrote: “I think national service is a great idea in theory and would hugely benefit today's teenagers, but I don't think they would implement it effectively at all. This would probably end up being a huge waste of money.

And PurpleChrayn added: “I'm definitely in the minority but I'm for it. I have experience in two countries where service is compulsory – Singapore and Israel – and it turns out that the children are by and large mature, responsible and hard-working due to their military training.

But what do experts think of this idea?

Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley told Metro.co.uk she is worried about teenagers' mental health if they are forced into national service, as she claims it could be “catastrophic” for them .

“Currently our teenagers are going through a huge mental health crisis, with a lack of services to help them and therefore forcing them to sign up for national service I think would contribute to their mental health problems and could be catastrophic,” he said. she declared. .

“Even volunteering will cause anxiety in those who are already struggling and the military is really only for those who absolutely want to do it – it’s definitely not for everyone.”

Kirsty continues: “Another issue is those who already know what career they want to pursue and are hoping to go to university. They would have to integrate volunteering into their studies and this could make it difficult to find appropriate work to help finance college.

“Then there are teenagers who undertake apprenticeships and gain qualifications whilst working. Should they then volunteer or take a year off to join the military?

“I think having these things as an option would be a better idea, because there would probably be good adoption, but forcing teenagers to do it. No.'

She added: “Many teenagers are already volunteering in their local communities through the Duke of Edinburgh Award and organizations such as Boy Scouts and Girl Guiding. St John's Ambulance also has a cadet core, as do the RAF (Air Cadets) and Army and Navy – perhaps that £2m would be better spent helping these organizations and improve the mental health care of our children?

Natalie Costa, a former teacher who now works as a confidence coach for parents and children at Power Thoughts, was also concerned about the impact national service would have on young people's mental health – although she did not He wasn't completely against the idea.

She told Metro: “I think in some cases it can certainly be beneficial for many teenagers, but I'm also concerned about the impact it will have on mental health. Young people are struggling more than ever and there is a huge lack of funding and support for mental health, SEND services and more.

“Overall, the emotional resilience of children and adolescents has changed dramatically since the pandemic and I am concerned about the effects of this mandatory decision on adolescents who are forced to participate but struggle with their mental health.

“Teenagers have faced an immense amount of uncertainty and change over the past few years, which only adds to the growing number of mental health problems we have seen. Expecting 18 year olds (who have been at such a vulnerable stage of development in recent years) to be part of national service will not be in their best interests.

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