Blog # 9 - Working Poor Women’s Unpaid Labor

I personally feel that conditions faced by working poor women and those faced by children in poverty are much the same. I feel this way because many of the working poor women are the mothers of these children in poverty. In both states, there is constant food insecurity, there is a lack of affordable housing, and there is a lack in available insurance. According to NCCP there is nearly 13 million American children living in poverty which amounts to about eighteen percent. This number continues to grow as our economy gets worse and the cycle continues. Children who are born into poverty are often forced to stay in poverty throughout their lives due to lack of opportunities and lack of education. Much like urban poverty, these children grow up with poor education and often barely receive a high school diploma or GED. There is generally no form of higher education due to the fact of them becoming parents or having to help support the family they grew up in.

There are other factors that play a role in the children in poverty. According to NCCP, poverty among children is the most prevalent within African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians. This could be a result of these groups having fewer opportunities than other groups in America. Another influence on child poverty is the generation they are born into. Those children with immigrant parents are more likely to be in a state of poverty than those children whose parents are not immigrants.

Many of the parents of children who are in poverty are working hard but just cannot seem to keep their heads above water. For example, in the news post story from NPR about Annice and Edwin Greene, they are fighting hard to try and make it on their own. These types of situations make it very difficult to accept the stereotype that those who use welfare or those who are poor are lazy. I agree with Chaudry in the recommendations to help with child poverty. I think that there should be increased funding for childcare programs and being that single parent homes are becoming more mainstream, I feel there should be more aid, or even just more of an understanding for those in that position. I feel that the government should create more opportunities for people in these situations to allow them to get back on their feet and out of poverty.