You May Be Surprised To Learn That Tennesse Just Ranked Number Three For This Truly Terrible Thing
Did you know that one out of ten children in Tennessee have a parent who is currently incarcerated, or has found themselves in jail during their lifetime? Yeah. That’s a real number. Which means three kids in your child’s class at school have a parent behind bars, boys and girls in your church and at the park. Tennessee ranks number three in the country, and that makes this a serious problem.
The problem is so prevalent that $1,250,000 has been budgeted in the coming year to help children deal with the situation and how it affects their performance in schools.
Tennessee kids are also amongst the most likely in the country to commit a murder before the age of 18. Parenting problem? Probably not all of it, but how could you expect anything different from a child that doesn't have a sturdy home?
The numbers are heartbreaking, and the effect of having a parent in prison is on par with some of the most damaging experiences for children, listed as Adverse Childhood Experiences.
ACE refers to situations like the death of a parent, abuse, psychological abuse, and dysfunctional family dynamics. Each situation causes severe stress, resulting in heartbreaking situations for the youth affected.
Certain charities, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters works hard to help with children effected by such a saddening situation, but numbers are dwindling. There are too many little ones and not enough change.
Keep in mind: parental incarceration in Tennessee proves to cross socioeconomic lines. It's not just the folk you'd expect, but precisely those you wrote off for being wealthy or entitled.
When a little one is broken, or acting up, ask why. Don't assume, but take that first step to help those who are hurting. Children don't know how to deal with the severity of the situation, and they need love more than the hard edge of discipline.
Were you aware of our top spot? How can you help?
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