Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

     A child that I know experienced violence in one of the worst ways possible. “Wendell’s” father was robbed, shot, and killed from a gunshot wound. This child had a close relationship with his father. He was 6 years old when this happened. This child was able to cope and survive due to the support of his mother, family, and his friends. The boy’s mother is a religious person who believes that ones trust in God can bring him through anything that is negative.  In addition, Wendell’s family members and his friends love him. During this ordeal, his friends came and spent the night with him as they had prior to the violent death of his father.

    

     The resources that the boy used were his family, friends, and reliance on God. He goes to church with his mother on a regular basis. Without a doubt, his family, friends, and his teachers were all concerned about how he would function because he and his dad did many things together. Whatever he needed and most of what he wanted was given to him by his parents. His dad worked long hours to make sure his family had what they needed.

      

     Wendell has remained friendly and caring about people. I am convinced that “the family function for people of all ages is to afford a safe haven of love and encouragement” (Berger, 2009, p.383). In addition, I believe friends and people who genuinely care about children can help them overcome obstacles that they have in their lives.

      

     I wanted to learn about the lives of children who live in Cuba.  My concern is due to the problem that Cubans experience with poverty, problem with past ruler, Fidel Castro, and the danger the people are willing to face to get out of Cuba.

“Under the child labor code stated in1997 Human Rights Report, fifteen and sixteen year old Cuban children receive training towards a job or can cover for absentees during a shortage of workers. This code also states that Cuban students over the age of eleven must devote between thirty and forty-five days of their summer break to working on a farm” (International Labor Rights Forum). However, they are limited to a maximum of eight hours a day. “It is mandatory that Cuban children attend school until the ninth grade” (Yarow, Clark, Hitchings, & Hamm, 1998, par. 2). 

     

     Another problem in Cuba is with the educational system. Many children especially those in rural areas did not have the same access to school as those in urban areas. Fidel Castro, previous ruler of Cuba, did away with private schools. Then, he provided government paid school for all children. The socioeconomic conditions and living in rural areas continues to hinder the progress of education in rural areas.

     

     “The International Labor Rights Forum has played a leading role in fighting to eradicate forced and child labor” (International Labor Rights Forum). This group informs people throughout the world about countries that have children working long hours in dangerous places to produce goods to sell in other countries. Groups who hope to help these children hope that other countries will be discouraged from buying good from countries who encourage these practices. This is a worthwhile idea. However, I did not find any evidence of drastic measures to stop the unfair work laws for children in Cuba.

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood. (5th ed.). New   York, NY: Worth Publishers

International Labor Rights Forum. Stop Child & Forced Labor. Retrieved from: www.ilrf.org/child-and-forced-labor.

Yarow, S., Clark, L., Hitchings J., & Hamm, J. (1998). Child Labor and Child Work in Cuba. Retrieved from: www.tulane.edu/~rouxbee/kids98/cuba5.html.