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Saturday, September 13, 2014

A Day In The Life Of A Child In The USA

We often think our country and the world are getting worse but maybe we don't look hard enough at the things that count. Consider the following regarding children:
In 1990, 105 children would die each day before their first birthday.  In 2014, 66 would die before their first birthday.
In 1990, 10 children were killed by a gun each day. In 2014, that number is down to 7.
In 1990, 6 children died each day by suicide. In 2014, that number is down to 5.
In 1990, 719 children were born each day with a low birth weight. In 2014, that number is 865.
In 1990, 27 children were born into poverty. In 2014, that number is up to 1392.
In 1990, 217 children were arrested each day on drug charges. In 2014, that number is 408.
In 1990, 1,849 children were abused each day. In 2014, that number is 1837 each day.

So fewer children are killed each day, more are born into poverty, low birth weight is up, suicide is down, child deaths before age 1, are down, death by gun is down but abuse is about the same.

Some area's are down, some are up and some are the same. So in summary things are roughly the same 24 years later. Not particularly worse but not particularly better either. We sometimes believe the world is going to hell in a hand basket but when it comes to children it is about the same. So my question is why is it the same? What have we as society been doing regarding children the last 24 years? Perhaps we are doing it wrong. Could it be the old values may be best but we have zoomed past them so fast that we have lost them and their benefit?

Far be it from me to make that determination but I find this information worthy to consider. Have we really made progress in the past 24 years regarding our children? Children are our future.

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