Youth and Abuse Month

Over the next several months all over the globe there are several different youth events including Youth Day in Toronto on June 24th.  May is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and both of these topics are very important issues.  Especially these days with such an enormous population, and so many different ways for kids to make a wrong turn, we really need to shift our focus to the youths and remember that one day they will be the ones we count on to run our world.  We talk about terrorism, natural disasters, economic struggles, bank industry thieves, and corrupt governments, but we don't hear nearly enough about the kids.  We live in a time where babies are continuing to be born at a rapid pace, and there are no signs of it slowing down.  Think about it like this; for the families that are struggling to stay above water, which seem to be the majority, what this means is that typically mom and dad are working a hell of a lot more than in the past just to make ends meet.  The reports have already shown that in North America the time where 1 parent could be a stay at home caregiver is just not the case anymore.  This leads to more time where young kids are unsupervised.  That's if both parents stick around.  In the world we live today the reality is most families are not staying together, putting even more financial burden on the primary caregiver.  Again this leads to more time for kids to be unsupervised, and I'm sorry, but even if you raised the best child in the world, if you don't have the money to enroll them in extracurricular activities, live in the best areas, or have a nanny or after school sitter, your child, with a lack of supervision, will find trouble.  We need to fight for more after school programs, more community centres, more outreach programs that help keep these kids occupied and on the right path to future success.  How can a struggling family afford to enroll kids in the programs we have today?  It will cost well over $350 to play 2 sports, and that's just one child.  Swim class, there's another $100 every 4-5 months, and what about daycare?  We must raise more money for free or low cost programs and assistance.  I came from a great place, and for many years I found a way to slip through the cracks, it lead to a lifetime of difficulties, hard choices, and way too many moments that I wish I never experienced.  If we can keep just one kid from ending up in jail, in a gang, homeless, or dead, then we are already winning the battle.  Let your local MP know, start a Blog, donate some time at a local school, whatever it takes, we have to keep are children active, stimulated, and protected, because the alternatives are not appealing.  Please let me know your thoughts, and I urge you to comment with suggestions of your own on how we can make things better for our children.  I know being a father of a 3 and 1/2 year old boy, that I would die a thousand deaths before I ever let him experience half of what I did.