Introduction
The effects of poverty on children are important to understand because it affects millions of children every day. Poverty is a problem all over the world, one that we cannot fix, however we can help make the lives of children whom live in poverty easier. We cannot magically change their living situation, but if we recognize the signs of children in poverty, we can help them.
This topic highly interests me for a variety of important reasons. First off, I see how many of the children I work with suffer from poverty. These children cannot change their lives financially, but they still carry the burden as if they could. Secondly, I live in a predominantly old and lower class community. We have several low income housing plans along with a large amount of children in our school districts whom are low class. My heart continuously breaks for these children. Lastly, this topic interests me because I too once was one of the children that felt the burden of my mother’s financial hard comes. I cannot honestly say I lived in poverty or was low class, but my mother struggled hard to make the basic ends meet. Because of this, I felt some of the same types of burden that children in poverty feel. The effects that poverty has on children interests me because it is a large part of my life and our world, it is a major problem in our society today that needs addressed. I chose this topic because my professional goal is to be the best teacher, friend and counselor I can be to the children I serve. In order to best help these children, I feel it is important to understand and know how poverty affects children in their overall development. An educator needs to know how it affects children in order to tweak techniques and help children become the best person they can be.
According to studies done in 2012, nearly 16 million children in the United States alone live at the federal poverty level. That is nearly 22% of all children. That sentence single-handedly tells us why this topic is imperative. With so many children who live at the federal poverty line, educators need to understand how poverty affects children. Poverty can impede a child’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physical problems. Poverty can contribute to poor health such as obesity and diabetes and mental health issues such as acting out. Children who live in poverty also have a much greater risk of being abused, neglected and killed. Research is clear that poverty is the single greatest threat to a child’s overall well-being and development! Not only educators, but also all humans should know the affects that poverty has on children in order to provide help to the ones who need and deserve it most, children.
This topic relates to our class “Child, Family and Culture” because it directly concerns both children and families. Poverty influences how the families operate, how the child fits in and their roles. In our class, we are learning about the child and how they fit into their family. Each family is different and unique. Poverty is a huge epidemic in our world today, so many children fall with in the poverty level of the United States. To understand the child, to best help them, we must understand how poverty impacts their lives. Once we comprehend the ways that the child changes because of poverty, we can help them learn, control their anger, be their friend and ultimately change their lives.
To conclude, poverty is inevitable in our world today. Daily, we come in contact with at least one child who suffers from poverty. The affects of poverty on children are horrendous, that is why it is important to recognize the ways that poverty changes the child.
This topic highly interests me for a variety of important reasons. First off, I see how many of the children I work with suffer from poverty. These children cannot change their lives financially, but they still carry the burden as if they could. Secondly, I live in a predominantly old and lower class community. We have several low income housing plans along with a large amount of children in our school districts whom are low class. My heart continuously breaks for these children. Lastly, this topic interests me because I too once was one of the children that felt the burden of my mother’s financial hard comes. I cannot honestly say I lived in poverty or was low class, but my mother struggled hard to make the basic ends meet. Because of this, I felt some of the same types of burden that children in poverty feel. The effects that poverty has on children interests me because it is a large part of my life and our world, it is a major problem in our society today that needs addressed. I chose this topic because my professional goal is to be the best teacher, friend and counselor I can be to the children I serve. In order to best help these children, I feel it is important to understand and know how poverty affects children in their overall development. An educator needs to know how it affects children in order to tweak techniques and help children become the best person they can be.
According to studies done in 2012, nearly 16 million children in the United States alone live at the federal poverty level. That is nearly 22% of all children. That sentence single-handedly tells us why this topic is imperative. With so many children who live at the federal poverty line, educators need to understand how poverty affects children. Poverty can impede a child’s ability to learn and contribute to social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physical problems. Poverty can contribute to poor health such as obesity and diabetes and mental health issues such as acting out. Children who live in poverty also have a much greater risk of being abused, neglected and killed. Research is clear that poverty is the single greatest threat to a child’s overall well-being and development! Not only educators, but also all humans should know the affects that poverty has on children in order to provide help to the ones who need and deserve it most, children.
This topic relates to our class “Child, Family and Culture” because it directly concerns both children and families. Poverty influences how the families operate, how the child fits in and their roles. In our class, we are learning about the child and how they fit into their family. Each family is different and unique. Poverty is a huge epidemic in our world today, so many children fall with in the poverty level of the United States. To understand the child, to best help them, we must understand how poverty impacts their lives. Once we comprehend the ways that the child changes because of poverty, we can help them learn, control their anger, be their friend and ultimately change their lives.
To conclude, poverty is inevitable in our world today. Daily, we come in contact with at least one child who suffers from poverty. The affects of poverty on children are horrendous, that is why it is important to recognize the ways that poverty changes the child.
Recent studies show that the brains of poor children are impacted by poverty
Conclusion
I have learned many things from the topic of how poverty affects children. From my research, I can now say with out a shadow of a doubt that I better understand how and why children in poverty act and learn the way that they do. Children that may look the same operate and function in a totally different way if one suffers from poverty.
Children who live in poverty have many different cognitive delays than those who are from middle or high class. Children who are in poverty can have developmental delays, which include both limited and long-term developmental deficits that range from zero years of age up until seventeen. These children may also have a learning disability, which is defined as having exceptional difficulty in learning to read, write and do arithmetic. These children will then in return under-achieve in school and fall behind which then again leads to poverty. Emotionally, children who suffer from poverty will feel neglected, insufficient and not proud of any accomplishments. They may also feel put down and not try in school. Children who live in poverty will also show behavioral problems such as violent outbursts and hurting others. Physically, children can be obese from having poor cheap food choices. This can also lead to diabetes and low iron. Children who live in extreme poverty will be under weight and lack nutrition. Children who live in poverty may also experience broken bones from working at an early age along with scars from not being able to afford proper health care. These children, ones in poverty, may also become sick much easier because of lack of nutrition, poor hygiene and clothing choices. The affects that poverty leaves on children in unlimited!
I believe there are many proactive steps that we can take as a society. We can set up programs that help cloth and feed children who are in the federal poverty level. With respect to the families, we can suggest help lines that we must know ourselves. We can forward information that we have such as local food banks and clothing shelters. As educators, we need to never leave a child behind and understand how each child learns. It may take more time to educate a child in poverty, but we should never leave them fall behind the waste side. We can also set aside time for after school programs that help children learn which can end the poverty cycle. As I continue to research the affects that poverty has on children, I also see programs that can help. Proactive steps would be early intervention, to recognize the signs of poverty and try to stop them in their steps, provide materials and resources for children to learn.
I have learned many things from my topic, all by which I find highly important to my professional and personal life. In a world that we live in now, we should know how children respond to poverty and the best ways to help them.
Children who live in poverty have many different cognitive delays than those who are from middle or high class. Children who are in poverty can have developmental delays, which include both limited and long-term developmental deficits that range from zero years of age up until seventeen. These children may also have a learning disability, which is defined as having exceptional difficulty in learning to read, write and do arithmetic. These children will then in return under-achieve in school and fall behind which then again leads to poverty. Emotionally, children who suffer from poverty will feel neglected, insufficient and not proud of any accomplishments. They may also feel put down and not try in school. Children who live in poverty will also show behavioral problems such as violent outbursts and hurting others. Physically, children can be obese from having poor cheap food choices. This can also lead to diabetes and low iron. Children who live in extreme poverty will be under weight and lack nutrition. Children who live in poverty may also experience broken bones from working at an early age along with scars from not being able to afford proper health care. These children, ones in poverty, may also become sick much easier because of lack of nutrition, poor hygiene and clothing choices. The affects that poverty leaves on children in unlimited!
I believe there are many proactive steps that we can take as a society. We can set up programs that help cloth and feed children who are in the federal poverty level. With respect to the families, we can suggest help lines that we must know ourselves. We can forward information that we have such as local food banks and clothing shelters. As educators, we need to never leave a child behind and understand how each child learns. It may take more time to educate a child in poverty, but we should never leave them fall behind the waste side. We can also set aside time for after school programs that help children learn which can end the poverty cycle. As I continue to research the affects that poverty has on children, I also see programs that can help. Proactive steps would be early intervention, to recognize the signs of poverty and try to stop them in their steps, provide materials and resources for children to learn.
I have learned many things from my topic, all by which I find highly important to my professional and personal life. In a world that we live in now, we should know how children respond to poverty and the best ways to help them.