

To be annoyed at this registrar?

(34 Posts)
GrrrArghZzzz Thu 04-Oct-12 17:15:07

Backstory: My DH has always been the SAHP, as due to a physical disability he hasn't worked since University; however, during my pregnancy my entire department was closed down. So we're unemployed at the moment (hopefully to change soon!).

I had a very difficult birth with DS2 (midwife told me I was the first person she had to press the emergency button twice for), so I sent DH to register the birth. All should have been fine and dandy. But when he got home, I noticed the occupation section was wrong. When I asked DH about it I got this story:

Basically, even though I know from DS1 that we didn't have to put an occupation down, the registrar with DH was quite forceful that he should put something down. She also wouldn't allow DH to be put down as Stay at home Dad or Stay at home Parent, apparently because I was not currently working. She told he he could put down as unemployed and I could be put down housewife or stay at home mum (why I can be one when he's unemployed but cannot be one when I'm unemployed is really annoying me). He said that would have to do as he hasn't done anything since University. She asked him what he did there and quickly finished everything else. She never asked what I did in University and apparently didn't want to hear what I had done previously as it's now what I've done most recently.

So the end result is that it lists DH as an archaeologist though he's never worked as one a day in his life and I'm put down as a housewife even though I'm very much not. I found this whole thing to be very strange. I tried to contact them, but all I got was they could add a note to the form but the current info would stand.

So AIBU to be annoyed by this? The obvious sexism has resulted in me having an inaccurate/dishonest certificate.

whogivesaduck1 Fri 05-Oct-12 11:42:59

fab! i very half arseildy (?! SP) studied law for a level. i failed sad so i can be put down as a lawyer! woohho!

HazleNutt Fri 05-Oct-12 11:39:57

We had a lot of fun a couple of years ago when DH was just setting up his company, (had quit his job but technically not yet self-employed), but we were buying a house and filling out tons of forms. So every time someone asked for his occupation, we told them "househusband".

- no, not possible, what was his last job?
- why not possible? If I was not working, would you not put "housewife?"
- well yes....but that's different!!

BigFatLegsInWoolyTIghts Fri 05-Oct-12 11:24:57

I have a degree in acting but am a SAHM...I am going for "Hollywood Superstar and Arse Wiper"

That is ridiculous and insulting to you and your DH choices - I am sorry it happened clearly the Registrar was a dinosaur. angry

I had a opposite experience when registering dd2 birth - as I we put DH occup down then I was asked and I said homemaker or whatever as I had been out of work environment for a few years by then. But the registrar (a woman) insisted I put down my most recent occupation. So it is down to the individual Registrar how they approach the form filling it seems.

sarahbanshee Fri 05-Oct-12 09:48:08

Surely stay at home parent (or homemaker or whatever) should be a option these days? Ludicrous if this is the policy - hope it is just the registrar getting the wrong end of the stick and a bit of retraining is all that is required.

Although as i did PPE I like the idea of being philosopher, politician, economist. Think I will add raconteur and balladeer to round it off...

CelineMcBean Fri 05-Oct-12 00:55:59

I would be furious! Complain about the sexism as well as the inaccuracies.

This sort of thing is not that uncommon sadly. I remember a thread where somebody was listed as a "domestic servant" with her husband as the employer on their home insurance paperwork (although that was so ridiculous it was funny and was altered very quickly).

Happybunny12 Fri 05-Oct-12 00:49:51

English Lit degree... What would that make me? Some would say a professional Looker-out-of-the-window...

TheDoctrineOfSnatch Fri 05-Oct-12 00:29:04

YANBU. How rubbish.

SPsFanjoLovesItGangnamStyle Fri 05-Oct-12 00:23:51

I was put down as student on my sons birth cert although I wasn't one and had finished college months before I had him.

I studied business so I should be easily a entrepreneur then grin

LDNmummy Fri 05-Oct-12 00:19:23

That is really annoying and ridiculous and YANBU.

Still having a bad day, Genealogists, obviously.

Will go to bed now.

Waiting for someone to say Won't someone think of future genealologists. (Though KRITIQ came close)

Sadly rules are rules when it comes to - them forms won't fill themselves in you know.

OP, annoying yes indeed, but your thread will inform future parents to be more stubborn/creative when it comes to dealing with officialdom - my Marriage certificate is might be null and void because I totally made up my Parent's occupations!

deleted203 Fri 05-Oct-12 00:05:15

I've got military history and politics degree. I'm going for 'Dictator of a Small African Country' on my certificate I reckon......

HissyByName Fri 05-Oct-12 00:02:44

Write and reject the certificate and insist it is changed to reflect you and your H more accurately. If he is a SAHD then that is what you insist they put.

He's not unemployed, any more than you would be if you were caring for DC FT.


KRITIQ Thu 04-Oct-12 23:55:11

How infuriating!

I'd get a copy of the council's complaints procedure and submit a formal complaint. You might also want to speak with your local councillor about the matter. It's quite likely that her actions may have contravened the local authority's equalities policy.

When DH and I were married, they wanted really detailed descriptions of our jobs, and what our parents did (including mine, who are both deceased.) I would think that accuracy would be important as the document becomes part of the public record. Generations from now, one of your descendants will get completely the wrong idea of what you both did for a living.

Just curious, but let's say your job was as oh I dunno, Widget Factory Team Leader. Wouldn't it be more accurate to describe you as "unemployed Widget Factory Team Leader" or similar rather than just "housewife" (yuck, what an outdated term.) Maybe call your DH an "unemployed architect," but I don't get why he couldn't be SAHF if that's what is.

Complain, definitely complain.

Redbindy Thu 04-Oct-12 23:41:53

This all sounds a bit weird. Why couldn't she registered you both as unemployed? That would look much better on the birth certificate than archaeologist and housewife.

PedanticPanda Thu 04-Oct-12 23:28:18

I really don't understand this. Your dh is unemployed so she used what he studied as his occupation. You're unemployed so she put you down as a housewife as your occupation. Didn't ask what you had studied at all, didn't ask your previous job or anything...

I'm angry on your behalf!

mayorquimby Thu 04-Oct-12 23:22:41

sweet. I'm a philosopher.

Dozer Thu 04-Oct-12 22:20:04

That is terrible! How sexist. Complain.

elliejjtiny Thu 04-Oct-12 21:24:52

Definately complain. Is the SAHM option new? When I had DS1 and DS2 I wasn't allowed to list SAHM as my occupation, it had to be housewife or whatever job I did previously. I think I'm listed as a nursery nurse for DS1, housewife for DS2 and carer for DS3 although technically I've had the same occupation for all 3.

BruisedFanjo Thu 04-Oct-12 20:43:09

They did this to us when we registered DD. We had both been made redundant (i know, bad luck at the worst time). She put me down as SAHM, but DP as "engineer" as this is what he did before redundancy. Why not put both as "unemployed" as that's what we were? And I obviously wasn't a SAHM before DD as she was my first! Strange lady.

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos Thu 04-Oct-12 19:55:03

I'd be more annoyed with your DH than the registrar that doesn't have much choice about the way she has to fill in forms.

From what you have said I don't see why he couldn't have put himself down as unemployed and you down as whatever you do.

GrrrArghZzzz Thu 04-Oct-12 19:45:40

Commander grin

I will certainly complain. I started it off by emailing them about it, but seem to have been completely rebuffed. I'm currently planning to write another more strongly worded one (as my first was written in a confused sleep deprived days) and I plan to go into the office when I've got enough energy to head into town.

The whole thing is just bizarre.

halloweeneyqueeney Thu 04-Oct-12 18:23:56

oh definitely complain! how sexist! and totally inaccurate it's a legal document!

Hopeforever Thu 04-Oct-12 18:19:37

Complain and get the form corrected

Not what you need right now, but the future of all stay at home dads depends on you!

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