But it also creates opportunity gaps that can last a lifetime. Not just that, it also puts a huge strain on the nation’s economy. The constant, everyday stress of poverty will stunt a child’s development not just physically but emotionally too. Childhood is the developmental stage in life when people form their physical, mental, emotional, and learning capacities that will go on to influence the rest of their lives. Poverty in young children will, increases the probability of underachievement in academics and then dropping out of school will become a huge possibility. That then increases the likelihood of unemployment, economic hardship, and the involvement in the criminal justice system. Basically children living in poverty will most likely grow up to become adults living in …show more content…
2005).
These are a few of the ways that poverty undermines a child's well-being. The lack of income often will prevent parents from meeting children’s basic needs and investing in resources and experiences that will help their children develop. Also the stress created by living in poverty undermines a parent’s ability to devote time, energy and attention to the job of being a good caregiver. The consequences of these are that children born to parents in the lowest fifth of the income scale are very likely (42%) to end up there as adults (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2012).
The Cycle Over 1.4 million people ages 15–24 are out-of-school and out-of-work and are raising dependent children. When youth are out of the education system, lack early work experience, and cannot find employment, the likelihood is poor that they will have the means to support themselves and the needs of their children. Too often, this traps their families in a cycle of poverty for generations (The Annie E. Casey Foundation,