Issues Children Face
...children are lacking sufficient medical treatment. This is because they have no health coverage. The reason they have no health coverage is because many parents can’t provide or afford it. Also many are ignorant of the programs that are available to help children in these situations. Other issues are verbal, sexual, mental, and physical abuse. As our children grow into their teen years the lack of problems do not diminish. Teens are faced with the ever changing and complex world that exists and their role in it. Substance abuse is a way for some to deal with the pressures of every day life. Over half of all seniors, over a quarter of all sophomores, and nearly a third of all eight graders have used an illegal drug at least once according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (www.connectingwithkids.com). Teens and substance abuse is not a new problem. The new phenomenon is that it is happening among younger age groups, the types of drugs are different, but they have the same deadly consequences, and more and more girls are participating in drug use. A child in the eighth grade using drugs is unthinkable. Many people would like to put blinders on and say, “not in my community or it’s the children from poor sections of town”. Although children living in poverty tend to be at a higher risk, the reasons for adolescent substance abuse are very complex. They can range from genetics and childhood behavior to attitudes and family issues (www.connectingwithkids.com). There are so many reasons that we can’t understand or contemplate them all. But in order for us to make a difference we need educate parents, teachers, and the community at large on this and all issues concerning our children and teens. Education of the types of drugs that children and teens are using is extremely important. Many people do not know of the diversity of drugs out there. Horse tranquilizers, pain medication, huffing, and ecstasy are all drugs that are relatively new. Teens seem to be trying thing they can get their hands on. Another issue that we need to be educated on is the role of teen girls and their place in this society. They face the same issues as teen boys, but they can be magnified. Men and women may be striving for equality, but the plain fact is that girls and women are more vulnerable in certain situation. Especially when there is drugs and alcohol involved. Another area where the consequences for girls are magnified is with sex. Not only do girls need to worry about dealing with life in general they need to worry about date rape, pregnancy, and being taken advatage of sexually. Violence is escalating among the teen population. Nearly 80 percent of all teen deaths are the results of violence which makes violence the number one primary cause of death for American teens (The Editors 6). There is violence in schools, violence in neighborhoods, and violence in the home. Voilence in schools Many join gangs to feel important, part of something, because they lack family, money, and/or protection or because they need family, money, and/or protection. The decline of the American Family raises all kinds of issues among teens. They feel neglected or just out of touch with their p...