06-19-2008, 11:02 AM
I am a social worker, a case manager with pregnant and parenting teens. I have to agree that we are breeding a society that tells young people "spend whatever you want, don't save, when you get in trouble, someone will bail you out.
Time and time again I have a conversation with one of my clients about how she needs to apply for Temporary Assistance (cash benefits) because she can't work. CAN'T WORK?!?! You are 17!!! Pregnancy is not a disabling condition. But nearly all of my clients think that, once they are pregnant, they should get a note from their doctor that they can't stand for periods of time or that they can't walk to work.
Government programs were intended to be a good thing. A temporary solution, to help you while you got back on your feet. Unfortunately, it has exploded out of control. WIC, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Cash assistance - all of these are good things... if used on a short term basis. But I have clients (unlike Katie, who sounds like she is only doing this in the short term) who get mad when they don't have enough formula from WIC for the whole month. WIC is ment to be supplemental - not a supply of all the formula your baby needs.
I would love to see the government reel these programs back in, to a point. There needs to be a societal emphasis on personal responsibility - unfortunately we are so far down the road that we can't just pull the services in one fell swoop.
And now I will get off my soapbox...
Time and time again I have a conversation with one of my clients about how she needs to apply for Temporary Assistance (cash benefits) because she can't work. CAN'T WORK?!?! You are 17!!! Pregnancy is not a disabling condition. But nearly all of my clients think that, once they are pregnant, they should get a note from their doctor that they can't stand for periods of time or that they can't walk to work.
Government programs were intended to be a good thing. A temporary solution, to help you while you got back on your feet. Unfortunately, it has exploded out of control. WIC, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Cash assistance - all of these are good things... if used on a short term basis. But I have clients (unlike Katie, who sounds like she is only doing this in the short term) who get mad when they don't have enough formula from WIC for the whole month. WIC is ment to be supplemental - not a supply of all the formula your baby needs.
I would love to see the government reel these programs back in, to a point. There needs to be a societal emphasis on personal responsibility - unfortunately we are so far down the road that we can't just pull the services in one fell swoop.
And now I will get off my soapbox...