Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

A Family Growing up in Poverty

 I talked with one of my Head Start parents that had grown up in poverty and was still struggling with the stresses of it today.  Tammy told me that growing up she and her family lived in a very small 2 bedroom apartment and depended on food stamps each month to buy groceries.  She remembers her dad always worked out a system to ensure her family would eat nutritionally so immediately after they would get their stamps, he would rush out to the supermarket and buys fruits and vegetables as well as meats and dairy products.  Her clothes were either handed down to her from her brother or made by a family member.  Very rarely did her mom buy new clothes at the store as well as shoes.  Her dad worked but only got paid minimum wage and after the bills were paid there was usually nothing left.  They did not have health insurance so living in poverty kept them from seeing a doctor unless it was an emergency including a dentist.  Tammy also remembers that a few times her family had gotten behind on their utility bill and she woke up one morning and her power was cut off.  Knowing the refrigerator was off and the food was going bad, her dad began calling the utility company and the Department of Social Services for assistance with getting their power turned back on. She said by the time the power was restored, her family still had lost all of that month’s food. 

Tammy said because her family was under so much stress all the time she often stayed at a friend’s house.  When she turned 17 she became pregnant and now at 20 she is still finding it hard to get her life on track with a good job because of dropping out of school her senior year to have a baby.  She is trying to make a difference in the life of her child now so she does not continue to grow up in poverty.  Tammy is now in getting her GED and planning on going to college to turn things around. I’m so proud of her!

Poverty in Ethiopia

Located in East Africa, Ethiopia’s poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture which accounts for more than half of its economy, employing 80 percent of its population. With an estimated population of 78 million people, 78 percent of Ethiopians struggle with an income below US$2 a day. The international news is now plagued yet again with a new wave of drought and famine.

Ethiopia (2013). Retrieved from http://www.thp.org

Some of the other causes of poverty in Ethiopia are:

·         Arid conditions leading to irregular production in the agriculture sector.

·         Improper marketing strategies of agricultural products.

·         Degrading ecology

·         Technological knowhow being poorly developed.

·         Transportation facilities are poorly developed.

·         Failure of the rural people in participating in awareness programs meant for them

·         Absence of sufficient rainfall

·         Shortage of food products owing to several conditions.

·         Absence of proper socio economic infrastructure. This includes lack of potable water, proper education and health programs.

·         Unstable political scenario.

Poverty in Ethiopia (2013). Retrievedfrom:http://finance.mapsofworld.com/economy/ethiopia/poverty.html