Had a deli, once. The dilemna of throwing out pies at the end of the day for economic reasons or feeding them to the local kids.... oh well, sure a bit cunning some of them, waiting till closing time and pocketing the money. Kids who hadn't had a proper meal, because their parents were lost in alcohol, abusing each others, the kids just walked around the streets. I can imagine that the "together" parents would not want their kids exposed to kids not properly washed, nits in their hair and so forth, but who is going to care for them?
No one wants kids taken away from their parents, but it would sure help if some of these less fortunate kids had some care, a good meal, learn how to look after themselves. Much of the personality is apparently formed by 5 years of age, according to the psychology I learnt years ago. For Aboriginal kids, talking with the good elders is essential and from my experience in low socio-economic areas you really see it is about lack of hope and education, not about race.
Amazing too, how quickly even older kids and kids from good homes can fall into "Lord of the Flies" scenarios, when stripped of their supports.
Maybe the most needy kids who get a hand early on, with Govt. assisted, (probably State Govt), may have half a chance of breaking that cycle of poverty and go on to become happy, well adjusted kids. When you realize just how desperate, how demoralized, how hopeless people can get, turning to other drugs beside alcohol, the psychoses from pot, yet alone amphetamines, the damage they do to themselves and everyone around them.
If we don't do something, the next generation could slip into despair as everything seems just too hard, too out of reach to them. Not everyone is going to make the footy team or become a pop star. Whatever is done, best at the family level, community level, but there needs to be a few strong and caring to guide and assist the weak. It will pay. Especially for the kids, they are the most vulnerable, they are our future. Can we afford not to care?
ABS
a.b.c. learning centres limited
