Comments on: Child labor? http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/ Kiva Fellows share their experiences from the field Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:31:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Galena Alyson Canada http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/#comment-1062 Galena Alyson Canada Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:19:03 +0000 http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/?p=383#comment-1062 Wow. I would dearly like to meet you, Maren. 'Lena Wow. I would dearly like to meet you, Maren.

‘Lena

]]> By: Julie http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/#comment-996 Julie Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:08:44 +0000 http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/?p=383#comment-996 This was a really beautiful, well-written entry. You raise some troublesome and thought-provoking questions. It's true that a lot of us may have had "jobs" as children or young adults, but our families more than likely could have survived if we had not been working. Maria Guadalupe and her friends work because they have to, not because they "like to help." In terms of buying things from people, it might help to avoid the whole guilt issue if you think of yourself as being there to give of yourself, not of your possessions. It sounds like you had a genuine encounter with these girls based on sharing (of food and bracelets). You got a lot more out of it than if you had just thrown money at them right away. It's usually when we feel the most uncomfortable that we learn the most and it's best to try to see these kinds of moments as learning experiences. Anyway, that was a lot longer than I intended it to be (I'm just a random lurking kiva blog follower!), but yeah, great writing! This was a really beautiful, well-written entry. You raise some troublesome and thought-provoking questions. It’s true that a lot of us may have had “jobs” as children or young adults, but our families more than likely could have survived if we had not been working. Maria Guadalupe and her friends work because they have to, not because they “like to help.”

In terms of buying things from people, it might help to avoid the whole guilt issue if you think of yourself as being there to give of yourself, not of your possessions. It sounds like you had a genuine encounter with these girls based on sharing (of food and bracelets). You got a lot more out of it than if you had just thrown money at them right away. It’s usually when we feel the most uncomfortable that we learn the most and it’s best to try to see these kinds of moments as learning experiences. Anyway, that was a lot longer than I intended it to be (I’m just a random lurking kiva blog follower!), but yeah, great writing!

]]> By: Maren http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/#comment-990 Maren Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:12:27 +0000 http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/?p=383#comment-990 Thank you for bringing up the issue of farms. After I hit the 'publish' button to post the blog, I wondered if I should have raised that thought. My exact thought was 'if all child 'labor' is wrong, we wouldn't have family farms in the states (which I always wished I had grown up on), no kids helping out around the house, no chores, and just laziness with a massive slap in the face the day you turn 18 and wonder what the heck this work thing is.' Our family has a jewelry business selling at state fairs and other craft shows, and I started working probably at the age of six, or whenever my manual dexterity allowed. I loved it. I was proud of it. I ran into Maria Guadalupe again last night (from the above story) with three of her friends. I asked them more about their education- all four of them go to school all day, then work about 8 hours at night before going home. My concern with child labor is not when it gives children responsibility above playing video games, it's when it keeps a kid from not only going to school, but thriving in school. I remember when I got my first 'real' job when I turned 16, and my parents said I could keep it as long as my grades didn't slip. Maria Guadalupe and her friends are on the border of my concern- they are going to school full-time, but have no time whatsoever to study or play. My real concern for child labor is when parents become reliant on the kids and it keeps them from studying. Like the dozens of women I've met who can't read or write because, when they were growing up, they had to work instead of go to school, and now they are struggling to get by. Thanks for your comments- keep them coming!! Thank you for bringing up the issue of farms. After I hit the ‘publish’ button to post the blog, I wondered if I should have raised that thought. My exact thought was ‘if all child ‘labor’ is wrong, we wouldn’t have family farms in the states (which I always wished I had grown up on), no kids helping out around the house, no chores, and just laziness with a massive slap in the face the day you turn 18 and wonder what the heck this work thing is.’ Our family has a jewelry business selling at state fairs and other craft shows, and I started working probably at the age of six, or whenever my manual dexterity allowed. I loved it. I was proud of it. I ran into Maria Guadalupe again last night (from the above story) with three of her friends. I asked them more about their education- all four of them go to school all day, then work about 8 hours at night before going home. My concern with child labor is not when it gives children responsibility above playing video games, it’s when it keeps a kid from not only going to school, but thriving in school. I remember when I got my first ‘real’ job when I turned 16, and my parents said I could keep it as long as my grades didn’t slip. Maria Guadalupe and her friends are on the border of my concern- they are going to school full-time, but have no time whatsoever to study or play. My real concern for child labor is when parents become reliant on the kids and it keeps them from studying. Like the dozens of women I’ve met who can’t read or write because, when they were growing up, they had to work instead of go to school, and now they are struggling to get by. Thanks for your comments- keep them coming!!

]]> By: zcommodore http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/#comment-989 zcommodore Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:59:22 +0000 http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/?p=383#comment-989 I grew up on a farm in America. We moved there when I was 5. By the time I was 7, I had regular chores on the dairy--feeding calves, cleaning the barn, etc. When I was 9, I was driving a tractor by myself in the fields. By the time I was 12, I could do just about any job most men do on a farm. My parents paid me for the work (partly as a tax writeoff) and I used the money to pay for my private parochial grade school education. My situation was not uncommon for kids who grow up on farms even today. This idea that kids under 12 should not work is crazy IMHO. Kids like to help. They should be given responsibilities from an early age. I realize there should be limitations but if the family is in need and the children can do things to help, there is no reason to hold that against their parents, especially if they are also being given an education. Many kids in America are spoiled and bored. Most of them could be doing jobs and be learning responsibility much earlier if it weren't for child-labor laws. Obviously, working a full-time 40-hour-week would be too much but still there needs to be some opportunities where there are none now. I grew up on a farm in America. We moved there when I was 5. By the time I was 7, I had regular chores on the dairy–feeding calves, cleaning the barn, etc. When I was 9, I was driving a tractor by myself in the fields. By the time I was 12, I could do just about any job most men do on a farm. My parents paid me for the work (partly as a tax writeoff) and I used the money to pay for my private parochial grade school education. My situation was not uncommon for kids who grow up on farms even today.

This idea that kids under 12 should not work is crazy IMHO. Kids like to help. They should be given responsibilities from an early age. I realize there should be limitations but if the family is in need and the children can do things to help, there is no reason to hold that against their parents, especially if they are also being given an education.

Many kids in America are spoiled and bored. Most of them could be doing jobs and be learning responsibility much earlier if it weren’t for child-labor laws. Obviously, working a full-time 40-hour-week would be too much but still there needs to be some opportunities where there are none now.

]]> By: Dan http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/02/19/child-labor/#comment-988 Dan Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:52:48 +0000 http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/?p=383#comment-988 Maren, Your writing is touching and thought-provoking. You raise many interesting questions about child labor and amazingly it seems you touched the lives of those two girls without having to buy a thing from them. Beautifully written. Dan Maren,
Your writing is touching and thought-provoking. You raise many interesting questions about child labor and amazingly it seems you touched the lives of those two girls without having to buy a thing from them. Beautifully written.
Dan

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