Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Poverty is a stress that I had to deal with in my childhood. My mother was a single mother for most of my childhood, and has 3 children. We are all 6 years apart in age. We always had the things that we needed, not necessarily the things that we wanted. I remember when I was a child, we struggled to eat well, lived in a house that was so cold in the winter that the water in the toilet froze and washed our clothes in the bath tub at times. I feel that I have overcome this through my education and working really hard to overcome. Poverty is a heartbreaking reality for families all over the world, from our own neighbors, to the cities and states we live in to other countries. While my personal story has many other details that I choose not to share, it is impossible to pretend that poverty doesn't effect  many families. Living in poverty not only effects children's ability to learn (hungry children have a hard time concentrating) but also effects children's self esteem and parent's confidence.
 In Texas this year alone, 37% of single parent homes are living in poverty. Furthermore, according to globalissues.org, about 80% of the world lives on less than $10 a day. A day. Some ways that this issue is being addressed is through aide provided by the state. In Texas, this aide comes in many forms, from food stamps, to aide with child care and rent. Hopefully, by banning together, and facing the reality of poverty we can come up with solutions that will be lifelong and not only circumstantial. As educators, I believe it is important for us to know the resources available for families and have relationships with families that will allow us to encourage families in need to reach out for help.

For more information visit:
http://spotlightonpoverty.org/states/texas/ or
 http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats