[capt1014]

Originally posted by mzdagrl
Here we go.....

How can a parent be truly involved if, in order to provide a safe home for their children, in a safe neighborhood, said parents have to work two jobs each? Homes are on the rise - in Concord the average price of a three bedroom house is roughly $300,000, yet the median family income is only $45,000/year for a 2-parent (which we all know is rare), 2-child household. Half the family income is spent on mortgage. And with interest rates on the rise, even a less expensive home costs more than it should per month. I was a latch-key kid growing up. Both my parents worked in schools over a half hour away from home, but I had a grandmother who lived down the street who was very involved and retired. (side note, I WALKED there) Social Security doesn't pay enough to live even remotely comfortably, so if you are lucky enough to have granparents around to help out, most of them are working during retirement anyway. Caregivers know that they are in high demand and can charge an arm and a leg for daycare or afterschool care, so they do, which in turn means mom and dad have to work EVEN MORE to afford for their kids to be taken care of. The poverty line has not increased in the same percentage as the cost of living, so even those who can't afford to live don't qualify for welfare. So, this in turn means fewer people without jobs which drives incomes down (less people are working so they don't have to pay as much to get people to come work for them. And, since no proud American is going to work for $5.15 an hour (minimum wage) these companies are hiring illegal immigrants to work, thus making more illegals in the country. And, because all the menial jobs are going to immigrants, we Americans need to go to school for longer and get more and more degrees in order to be qualified for a job that pays a living wage. BUT, in order to go to school, you need to take out tons of loans to afford it, since most colleges cost over $20,000 a year, 1 or 2 grand of which MIGHT be covered by scholarships if the kid is smart or talented enough (add that to the mortgage, cost of feeding and providing for two kids, and that puts quite a strain on the average $45,000/year household).....

Long story short, every "problem" in this country is not a stand-alone issue. Everything is linked in one way or another.

Whew.

Discuss.

Kiera there are other ways to be involved with kids even if both parents have to work. Any influence in a childs life will make a huge impact! So basically what you are saying is just another poor excuse for some lazy ass parent not to be involved. I saw a latchkey kid too. With no one around, no other relatives close.