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Idea to send: |
| Topic | Parenting |
| Content | As an employee of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, I find it deplorable that to get married, we get an incentive for taking a class, to drive, we are required to pass a test, and to have or raise children there is no such push.
I took several courses in college on Child Development, Delinquency, Psychology,and the like, I grew up in the normal fashion, proceeding from infancy to adulthood myself, as well, and still yet, my own children confound me sometimes. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to try to do the right things for your child if you have no decent role-models, little education, and few economic resources. It is frightening, to me, to hear about teenagers having babies, or to hear grown-ups talk about their "spoiled" 2 month old.
Why is it that in this State we value ANYthing more than our children? They truly are the future, and the schools are trying.....but they cannot possibly, in less than 8 hours a day both socialize and adequately educate, nurture and teach, our children. Seems to me like more money on the front-end would reap bigger rewards on the back-end.
My idea would be that there be some significant (at least a full reimbursement, but preferrably an amount exceeding the cost itself) tax break or incentive given to all pregnant women and their partners for taking and successfully completing an accredited parenting program-that includes a child development component. Then, every five years thereafter-until the children came of age or were no longer their dependents on tax returns, if a parent renewed their course, or took another, they would get full reimbursement from the State, plus a more modest incentive.
If children are truly a priority, then these incentives should be more than just token amounts such as the free or reduced cost marriage licenses for PREP. These classes should be somewhat longer in duration, and there should be a pass/fail test upon completion before incentive certificate is earned. AT A MINIMUM, the classes should cover, basic child development and growth issues, discipline, rewards, a brief overview of the academic prep work needed to prepare a child for school, and should also include a comprehensive hand out that has as an attachment all related governmental agency phone numbers, in case the family does, at some alter point, need help. Kids don't come with owner's manuals-why can't we be the first State to help write one?
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