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End Generational Poverty

KIDS ARE IMPORTANT

Kids who grow up in poverty are likely to be in poverty when they become adults - generation after generation. This cycle must be broken.

But How?

First and foremost, by getting fathers back into the household. Kids are nurtured and supported by a father and a mother providing security, guidance and support ^[8].

• Children who grow up without a Father are... ^[1]
• Five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crimes
• Nine times more likely to drop out of school
• Twenty times more likely to end up in prison
• Seventy-two percent of Black children are born to single mothers

Unfortunately, well-intended Government programs incentivize fathers to be absent from the home. This MUST be changed.

Second, early childhood development is strongly influenced by reading. Parents who incessantly read to their children - even as infants - give them a thirst for learning [6]. ANY reading - nursery rhymes, short stories, tales, Bible stories - are all important, and kids like repetition. Make reading exciting - sound effects, singing parts, silly actions - to increase the interest level. And yes, reading them to sleep is fine too. As a parent you will know you have succeeded when your child, on their own, begins picking up their books and bringing them to you to read, or picking up their books and begin "reading" them out loud. It may sound like babble, but it's your child beginning to emulate your example. Never mind that the book may be upside down 😀 Choose books that teach Good Values. Examples include: Little Red Hen The Very Hungry Caterpillar Button Soup Don't Forget the Bacon Aesop's Fables. There are dozens of stories; some of the most popular: The Tortoise and the Hare The North Wind and the Sun The Lion and the Mouse The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf The Wolf and the Crane The Ants and the Grasshopper The Dog and His Reflection The Crow and the Pitcher Belling the Cat The Young Crab and His Mother The Gnat and the Bull The Stag and His Reflection The Lion, the Ass and the Fox Here's a long List of children's classic books - also here

Following are some other great economical choices for learning tools:

• Flash cards - learn objects (ball, car, kite, etc.), colors, animals, shapes, numbers, letters and more
• Alphabet books - each letter has pictures of objects that start with that letter
• A is for Apple by tiger tales 🡄 this is a very good one
• Numbers books - each number is accompanied by a picture showing objects matching the number (e.g., 5 Horses)
• Activity workbooks with award stickers, hands-on exercises and a wide range of topics
• Scholastic Success workbook series: Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th-8th Grade
• Brain Quest workbook series: Pre-K to 6th Grade

When old enough, require that the parent ^[2]:

• Obtain a library card for their child
• Take the child regularly to the library to check-out books
• Require the child to write Book Reports on what they have read, to be reviewed/"graded" by the parent

Keep in mind that it's YOU, the parents, that your child needs setting the example, not a toy or television program. These tools are OK in very limited doses, but it's YOU that your child is looking to for guidance. Also, beware of television programs and books that have a political or social activist agenda - avoid them at all costs! Examples are programs that sexualize children, and tell them what's wrong with their country. As children they need to learn life lessons and basic job skills - not be indoctrinated into any particular political agenda.

Third, get families into secure, drug-free, gang-free, low crime environments. Twisted political thinking comes up with some of the most perverse ideas. One of these is to remove security controls and security personnel from entrances of low income housing. These controls formerly reduced entry of guns, drugs and malicious personnel from these buildings. But some politicians saw the restrictions of these "freedoms" as racial so they were banned.

Here's why this is so important. Kids who grow up in an environment of drugs, gangs, crime and low values are going to follow the examples they see. Acting out those examples will likely to land them in prison. Incarceration creates a host of life-long collateral consequences that include restricted employment prospects, housing instability, family disruption, stigma, and disenfranchisement. These consequences set individuals back by imposing new punishments after prison ^[3].

It is imperative that options be made available to low income families to elect to live in secure, drug-free, gang-free, low crime environments.

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

1. The financial incentive for fathers to be absent from the home MUST be removed. Therefore, unmarried fathers must be identified - voluntarily, or via DNA testing if disputed - and share financial responsibility for child support, garnishing wages if necessary. If the father is able bodied:
   • If reliable support payments are not forthcoming voluntarily, then the payments to mothers should come directly from the Government.
   • The father, then, should be required to make payments to the Government (plus a handling fee), which are in turn paid to the mother.
   • If the father fails to pay the Government then legal processes such as garnishing wages should be applied.
   • If the father's income places him below the Poverty Threshold, or is unemployed, then the father's Welfare payments should be reduced to cover the child support payments.
   • If the father is incarcerated the Government should cover the child support payments until the father is released.
2. Welfare payments for child support must be terminated - and replaced by an employment contract. The terms of the contract are to hire the parent(s) to a full-time 40 hour per week job to nurture their child(ren):
   • Reading/learning as described in the second point above.
   • Visits to age-appropriate activities such as parks, playgrounds, zoos, aquariums, water pads, swimming pools, Discovery centers, and other hands-on activities
   • Museums (think Space, Science, Music, Adventure, etc. - especially hands-on exhibits)
   The 40 hours per week do not include food preparation, hygiene, shopping, TV babysitting, etc. - only the personal nurturing activities described above. Parents should be required to log the hours spent, and to periodically demonstrate results by showing proficiencies that their child(ren) have attained.
3. Low income housing must be provided that limits residents to those who elect to impose standards that protect their families:
   • Controlled access to the facility
   • Securiity personnel present and welcomed
   • Police presence welcomed, although less likely to be needed
   • Prohibition of weapons on the premises
   • Prohibition of illegal drugs and marijuana on the premises
   • Prohibition of alcohol on the premises
   • Prohobition of gang membership and activity
   • An environment that fosters academic excellence
   • An environment that fosters aversion of crime
   The housing must be provided in areas that are physically separated from housing under Liberal Political control.

MOTIVATION

The goal of these recommendations is not punishment of parents. Parents are the key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty by nurturing their children, not the Government. The goal is to give focus to the priority parents need to give to ensure that their children succeed and become capable, contributing adults. This can be instilled by giving their children the insatiable desire to read, learn, envision, create, and imagine what they will be when they grow up.

Parents have a strong vested interest in the outcome of raising their children. If successful then when they grow old their children will be around and able to help provide the care they need. If unsuccessful the child may have no marketable skills, grow up participating in gangs, crime, or fathering children out of wedlock, and may not be able to be depended on when needed due to:

• Becoming a victim of violence or addiction to alcohol or drugs
• Serving time in prison, then being unable to reintegrate into the community
• Inability or disinterest in attending to the welfare of their elderly parents

Don't Take The Bait

GOVERNMENT ACTION

Federal and State Governments should partner with private publishers, local bookstores and charities: Expand initiatives such as Tennessee-based Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library [4] book a month program for children up to age 6 and New Jersey-based Bridge of Books Foundation [7] for underserved children Enlist 48 – preferably Black – additional sport/celebrity/wealthy state sponsors of childrens' book programs Establish an initiative for companies such as local bookstores, Goodwill, Dollar Stores, etc. to provide Free Libraries of children's books where parents can come to return/exchange books when no longer needed or for new materials Encourage local communities to create and sponsor Neighborhood Lending Libraries [5] (see photo 🢂)

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