Parental Involvement In Relation to Poverty

Living in poverty is a challenge for anyone, but when you have children to care for, this situation becomes even more precarious. A family is considered to be living in poverty when its total income is under the threshold for its size: for example, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's poverty threshold for 2012, two adults with one child who make under $15,825 a year would be living in poverty. Poverty affects a family's quality of life in myriad ways, limiting a parent's ability to be involved in family life due to work pressure, lack of time, lack of income and sometimes substance abuse.

  1. Emotional Involvement

    • People living in poverty experience higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety, according to Education.com. These emotions often cause parents to become impatient, detached, and more likely to use spanking and yelling for discipline. The nature of a parent's job also impacts involvement in her child's life: lower-class parents tend to focus on quick, immediate consequences to bad behavior, while middle-class parents have the time and patience to examine underlying issues and work with their children to reinforce good behavior. Time constraints also play into how emotionally involved a parent is: While middle- and upper-class families may be able to have one parent stay at home with a child, lower-class families often have much more limited quality time with their children due to long work weeks.

    Education

    • Parental involvement in education is essential to a child's success. Children with involved parents are more likely to earn higher grades, have good social skills, and move on to post-secondary education. According to an Education Week report, parents are less involved in their child's school when they don't speak English, don't have access to transportation to the school, or can't find childcare. Unfortunately, these three things are major roadblocks for many parents living in poverty.

    Substance Abuse and Lack of Support

    • Adults living in poverty often turn to substance abuse to cope with the challenges of their lives. This hinders their ability to interact meaningfully with their children, and can lead to abuse and neglect, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A lack of community identity can compound the problem. The absence of a support system around poor parents can hamper their involvement in their children's lives. As a result, children might be attracted to gang membership or crime.

    Building Resilience

    • Low-income families might struggle to maintain involvement in their children's lives, but there are ways to strengthen bonds that can benefit these children. The American Psychological Association suggests children can build resilience if parents remind them they have faced hardships and moved on before. Parents can encourage children who have faced painful events to try and keep a positive long-term outlook. They can also talk to children about the importance of setting and reaching a goal, no matter how small.

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