The graduation gala, that includes a dream dress. What an uncritical piece in the Volkskrant. As if there are no young people who are afraid of the obligatory dress code of a gala. As if there are no parents and young people who cannot afford expensive clothes. As if buying expensive clothes that will only be worn for one day isn’t a joke. Don’t turn your wardrobe into a graveyard full of faded glory, writes the same journalist two days later.
Our 18-year-old son refuses. He doesn’t want to spend money on a suit that he will never wear again and in which he does not feel comfortable. Please organize another graduation party without a ‘dress code’ that has blown over from America. Our 18-year-old opts for a nice pair of trousers that he will wear for years to come. A nice shirt with it, plus a jacket from his father that seems to fit him like a glove. We are also very proud of our son, because he does not allow himself to be forced into line, but makes his own choices.
Margaret van der Hel, Venlo
Cause and effect
The fact that Finland and Sweden want to join NATO is not to invade Russia later. But I haven’t heard them say that yet. A nice way for the respective prime ministers to keep separating cause and effect seems to me to be the following phrase: ‘If Russia withdraws from Ukraine, we will not join NATO.’ It can be that simple!
Roland Voorhoeve, soest
Plus, Basic and Support Group
Again a nonsensical, money-consuming action by education minister Dennis Wiersma. It is well known and scientifically proven that children develop better and faster, also in math and language, if they are given the opportunity to develop broadly. The brain must be able to make connections so that the hemispheres of the brain work together better, and that is precisely what is stimulated in creative subjects. At the same time, it offers children the opportunity to discover what they are really good at.
In primary education, stop dividing children into plus, primary and auxiliary groups. This is stigmatizing and does not raise the level. The grass doesn’t grow faster if you pull it.
The emphasis again on language and arithmetic is mopping with the tap open. Invest in creative subjects, allow children to work with their hands more, make the teacher compulsory to read, make education attractive, ensure that the group size is reduced and give children time to spend a little longer in primary school. Accept that not every child develops at the same rate. Focus on primary education and abolish discussing in the ‘water head’.
Wies Boschma, Adorp
Two days off
My husband and I, healthy retirees over 60, babysit our four young grandsons two or three days a week. According to Mr Buijssen (Dear editors, 13/5) we can also be deployed two days a week as informal caregivers in elderly care. Now I’ve been thinking about what to do with those two days off a week. Would it be an idea that we would work as volunteers on those days in sectors where people are desperate for staff?
Margaret Wagemans, Zaandam
Depressed feelings
State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen is determined to overhaul youth care (First, 14/5). According to Van Ooijen, there is no formula for getting rid of depressive feelings. He argues that a circle of friends, people nearby, or a confidant with whom you can actually share things probably works best.
Can the Secretary of State give me the randomized clinical trial demonstrate that this is indeed more effective than proven effective treatments such as psychotherapy and/or antidepressant medication?
Marcus Huibers, professor of clinical psychology, Utrecht
Speedwell
It is no surprise that the football club with the largest budget, Ajax, has become champion. I advocate that we create an honorary prize in the Eredivisie for the performance champion. Who has the most points per million budget? That club gets the biggest honour, a cup and a driving tour through the city.
The winner of this season: (drum roll…) SC Cambuur with no less than 4.87 points per million euros! Congratulations.
KNVB, do something with it. Because making your money work for you, that’s not really a sport, is it?
Tjerk van der Ham, Arnhem
living
Through my work at the !Woon Foundation, I sometimes see opportunities to somewhat ‘relieve’ the tightness in the housing market.
I have been coordinating ‘Housing Search’ consultations in Amsterdam Nieuw-West for years. A consultation hour where residents support other residents in their search for a home via the WoningNet site.
Experience has shown that a group of elderly people ‘hang on’ in their spacious, social rented home. A group of elderly people who have built up an income over the years that is too high for social housing. It is not possible for them to move to a smaller, more suitable social rental home. Moving to a smaller, more suitable and affordable private sector home would be an option. But there are far too few of these houses.
In order to ‘accelerate’ the flow of homes, I believe it should be possible for older people with a higher income to be able to move to more expensive social housing without any problems.
Another option for freeing up more homes for families is to make it easier for friends of seniors to live together in one house and, if possible, not to cut their AOW pension. Good against loneliness and a house will become available. A win-win situation.
For the future, I would like to argue in favor of rental contracts that state that large families that have ‘shrunk’ again are obliged to move to a smaller home so that the spacious social rental home becomes available again for a family with children.
Esther Turk, Amsterdam
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