Poverty is a universal problem that is also a part of the sustainable development agenda. Although this issue is addressed at multiple levels internationally, there is no fast way to go with eliminating poverty from the face of the Earth. While it is more common to think of this problem from the perspective of physical impact, the psychological facet tends to be excluded from the discussion. Nevertheless, the environment of constant limitations shapes the minds of children, their dreams and the paths they pursue in life, and, most importantly, what they make of themselves.
With the colossal proportion of kids living in poverty globally, this problem surprisingly does not get enough coverage. The documentary under analysis starts symbolically – there is a kid, introduced later on, who is walking on the railroad tracks, trying to repeat some gymnastic moves, but falling over and over again (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). She is persistent, so giving up is not an option.
Five years later, Kalie is portrayed doing the same moves, yet more confidently (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). That is a metaphorical picture of kids who grew up in poverty. Apart from physical hurdles, like dealing with hunger, they faced bullying, lack of institutional support, inability to do better, even though they wanted to, and all the dark sides of adulthood (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). As it would be expected, the cheap areas are those neglected and empty, almost the same way the houses of these kids are.
There might be different classifications, but it seems that it is crucial if these children were born in this unstable financial situation, or if they had a better life. Those who remember life being different seem to be overwhelmed by the drastic changes and shocked by the scope of the loss. They cannot take their minds off the past, and it keeps them stuck in nostalgia. That is why getting an education and a well-paying job, leading a balanced life, are beyond the wildest dreams for so many of them (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017).
However, even making all the effort does not seem to be enough, for instance, doing sports implies the necessity to buy specific items, while the low-income families can barely afford food (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). Therefore, some just start losing hope there is a way out for them.
Most of these children have to mature early, and not in a good way. At the time when some teens play games and ask for new toys, others have to fight for their survival. The uncertainty and readiness for the situation to get worse become part of their existence – canning, mowing, or helping their parents do their jobs – anything not to be left on the streets (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). Their childhood is filled with constant disappointment, with the necessity to compromise, adapt to the psychologically traumatic moments. The overall situation for the parents is grave enough, so no one has the time to deal with children’s emotions (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017).
Therefore, while coping with the immense stress and pressure of public opinion, these kids feel obligated to ease the hurdles for their parents, who also consider themselves failures unable to provide for their families (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). This aspect usually gets put aside, but the relationships between children and parents, to a great extent, affect the psychological side of a poor childhood.
The trauma of kids who lived in poverty cannot be underestimated. The picture of the world they have is dark and filled with the projections of their families’ experiences. Some of them cannot go to school; thus, they start losing the chance to do better in life, and some have to start working to support the family. The US has one of the highest rates of child poverty among the developed countries, and the existing institutional support does not suffice (Neumann & Mucciolo, 2017). All these kids do not want to repeat the mistakes of their parents, but it is often inevitable, as the circle of debt and fight for survival goes on.
Reference
Neumann, J., & Mucciolo, L. (Producers). (2017). Poor kids. [Video file]. Web.