Alex Gonzalez

Laura Govoni

English 1302

November 26, 2014

Poor Children Aren’t Happy

The socioeconomic status a child is born into will greatly impact his or her development. “Several ways of measuring SES have been proposed, but most include some quantification of family income, parental education, and occupational status”(Bradley). Poverty and low living standards are formidable factors that have clearly been show to negatively influence child development. While children face challenges imposed by social resources and stress-induced factors brought on by family and neighborhood, the impact poverty has on a child can clearly be seen. (Bradley) One common thread which links troubled kids is poverty. It has been established economically disadvantaged children perform poorly in school, which creates a chain-reaction that continues onto adulthood. Essentially, poor children grow up to become poor unhappy adults. Unfortunately this cycle perpetuates and as the poor child grows up to be the poor adult, the poor adult gives birth to another generation of disadvantaged children. As the trend continues many other components begin to take hold. Health, obesity, academic achievement, and the ability to rise above poverty are factors that drown poverty stricken families. (Jensen) Unfortunately when viewed through a social lens those whom fall below and are considered the lowest common denominator remain in that unfortunate position generation after generation.

Works Cited

Bradley, Robert H., and Robert F. Corwyn. "Socioeconomic Status and Child Development." Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 53.Iss. 1 (2002): Pp. 371-399. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.

Jensen, Eric. Teaching with Poverty in Mind What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do about It. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2009. Print.