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Stumble It!The U.S. is the second worst place to raise children!
by DrLauraMarkham
A UNICEF study earlier this year rated the U.S. as the second-worst country for raising children among 21 developed countries. The study measured everything from the number of books in the home to infant-mortality rates, drinking, drug use and the percentage of children who eat meals with their families.
Child well-being was highest in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, which invest heavily in children and families, offering paid family leave, health coverage, and quality day-care. In addition to flunking on these measures, the U.S. trailed all 20 developed nations except England on children's diet, weight, physical activity level, exposure to violence, bullying and the number of 15-year-olds who smoke, drink and have sex.
Some reasons for America's miserable showing became apparent in the data regarding relationships with family members and friends.
Most American children don't eat the main meal of the day with their parents. Most American children say they don't spend time "just talking" to their parents. And most American children don't find their peers "kind and helpful".
Small wonder that in the ten to fourteen age group alone, there's been a four-fold increase in suicides over the past fifty years. A staggering 1 out of 5 high school students seriously considers or attempts suicide.
Half of all teenagers report that they're “unhappy or depressed;” one in four says that they've been so sad or hopeless in the past two months that they stopped doing some of their usual activities.
Because of its high poverty rate, the U.S. scored in last place on infant-mortality rates, vaccinations, and the percentage of newborns with low birth weights. It also reported more deaths of children from accidental injuries than any developed country, apparently because the firearms-related death rate for children under 15 years old is nearly 12 times higher than that of the other industrialized countries combined.
What do you think? Is the U.S. a good place to raise kids?
About the Author
Dr. Laura Markham, the Dear Abby of Parenting, is a clinical psychologist who hosts the popular advice column "Ask Dr. Laura" at the parenting web site YourParentingSolutions.com, The Good Dr. answers questions from parents of infants through teens, offering parent-tested solutions you can use every day to connect with your kids and create a richer family life. Her work appears regularly on a dozen parenting sites and in print, and she frequently speaks with groups of parents, both online and in person, about transforming their parenting. Dr. Laura lives in New York with her husband, son and daughter.
Child well-being was highest in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, which invest heavily in children and families, offering paid family leave, health coverage, and quality day-care. In addition to flunking on these measures, the U.S. trailed all 20 developed nations except England on children's diet, weight, physical activity level, exposure to violence, bullying and the number of 15-year-olds who smoke, drink and have sex.
Some reasons for America's miserable showing became apparent in the data regarding relationships with family members and friends.
Most American children don't eat the main meal of the day with their parents. Most American children say they don't spend time "just talking" to their parents. And most American children don't find their peers "kind and helpful".
Small wonder that in the ten to fourteen age group alone, there's been a four-fold increase in suicides over the past fifty years. A staggering 1 out of 5 high school students seriously considers or attempts suicide.
Half of all teenagers report that they're “unhappy or depressed;” one in four says that they've been so sad or hopeless in the past two months that they stopped doing some of their usual activities.
Because of its high poverty rate, the U.S. scored in last place on infant-mortality rates, vaccinations, and the percentage of newborns with low birth weights. It also reported more deaths of children from accidental injuries than any developed country, apparently because the firearms-related death rate for children under 15 years old is nearly 12 times higher than that of the other industrialized countries combined.
What do you think? Is the U.S. a good place to raise kids?
About the Author
Dr. Laura Markham, the Dear Abby of Parenting, is a clinical psychologist who hosts the popular advice column "Ask Dr. Laura" at the parenting web site YourParentingSolutions.com, The Good Dr. answers questions from parents of infants through teens, offering parent-tested solutions you can use every day to connect with your kids and create a richer family life. Her work appears regularly on a dozen parenting sites and in print, and she frequently speaks with groups of parents, both online and in person, about transforming their parenting. Dr. Laura lives in New York with her husband, son and daughter.
Posted 7/3/2008 8:14:41 AM
About the Author
Dr. Laura Markham
View profile
New York, NY
About the Author
Dr. Laura Markham
View profile
New York, NY
Interests: Children and Families, Psychology, Being Human, Meditation, Yoga
This blog is written by an individual Wellness.com forum member and does not necessarily state the views of Wellness.com Incorporated or any of its affiliates.
Community Comments!
John 5/22/2007 1:27:58 PM
I'd like to see this report. Can you provide a link to it? I think the United States is as good of a place as any industrialized nation to raise kids because each of us as parents have (some) control over our children's development and environment at home which is most important. By the shear numbers, our nation is addicted to all kinds of crap, but that is no excuse for not exerting one's own control over the things we can control to provide a healthy place to raise children.
5/24/2007 2:26:39 PM
The report is the Unicef Innocenti Report 2007
http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/
The report is the Unicef Innocenti Report 2007
http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/
5/24/2007 2:32:25 PM
John, I agree with you that many of the factors that make the U.S. score low are within the control of parents, such as spending time "just hanging out" with their kids, and eating dinner together. Many, however, are not, such as kids in the U.S. finding their peers unkind.
I wonder how many parents out there regularly have dinner with their children? And if you do, what do you talk about?
-- Laura
John, I agree with you that many of the factors that make the U.S. score low are within the control of parents, such as spending time "just hanging out" with their kids, and eating dinner together. Many, however, are not, such as kids in the U.S. finding their peers unkind.
I wonder how many parents out there regularly have dinner with their children? And if you do, what do you talk about?
-- Laura
amac 6/11/2007 3:08:09 PM
John, I think the freedom, technology, and material comforts in the U.S. afford the opportunity for it to be the best place for children to be raised. However, I think the U.S. education system is drastically under-funded. I think that's a huge problem because education is a key ingredient -- possibly the most important -- to what creates a bountiful society.
Also, I agree with Laura that the quality of family relationships is different than in many other countries. I've been to almost 20 different countries and I can attest that people are way closer with their families in most other countries than in the U.S.
Here, it's a rush to get the kids into college and out to work. Then they move away and call once a week. In other countries families have very close ties. They often live in large homes or communities together and dine every night together. The fast paced materialism of the United States is well... just different.
Personally, I love being independent, living away from my family, and I'm perfectly content. I see them a couple times a year and that's fine for me. But I can see that it's possible that this lack of family closeness might cause some issues. We do have the highest murder rates and quite high crime rates. And we're not even in the top 10 most educated countries in the world. Check out this article: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338.
Don't get me wrong; in all my travels I always come back with a renewed sense of gratitude for life in America. But, I think things in certain arenas are sliding downhill slowly like our education system and being respected internationally. Also, China's arguably the most powerful nation in the world right now. I hope that rumor isn't true! Their gov't is scary! :-)
Disclaimer: I didn't read the report and I don't have kids; I'm just an opinionated young fool!
Amac
Also, I agree with Laura that the quality of family relationships is different than in many other countries. I've been to almost 20 different countries and I can attest that people are way closer with their families in most other countries than in the U.S.
Here, it's a rush to get the kids into college and out to work. Then they move away and call once a week. In other countries families have very close ties. They often live in large homes or communities together and dine every night together. The fast paced materialism of the United States is well... just different.
Personally, I love being independent, living away from my family, and I'm perfectly content. I see them a couple times a year and that's fine for me. But I can see that it's possible that this lack of family closeness might cause some issues. We do have the highest murder rates and quite high crime rates. And we're not even in the top 10 most educated countries in the world. Check out this article: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=1500338.
Don't get me wrong; in all my travels I always come back with a renewed sense of gratitude for life in America. But, I think things in certain arenas are sliding downhill slowly like our education system and being respected internationally. Also, China's arguably the most powerful nation in the world right now. I hope that rumor isn't true! Their gov't is scary! :-)
Disclaimer: I didn't read the report and I don't have kids; I'm just an opinionated young fool!
Amac
John 8/2/2007 2:11:06 AM
Well, we eat at home or together usually and my kids (still young 7,8 & 15) are very tight and fun to talk with. But, every day it seems like some new adult-oriented concept I wasn't planning on talking about (yet) is introduced to them through TV. That's tough and sure we could pull the TV plug, but we're not that radical I guess. We just keep talking about all these concepts and the girls seem to take it all in with facination and interesting opinions of their own. I think the biggest danger is not talking about all the new things they are learning or seeing every day. We have neighborhood kids who try to come over to our house all the time just to get some real food, conversation and positive attention, because it doesn't exist in their home. That's sad and not a geographical issue (I think).
InnerMaryKay 10/22/2007 5:45:32 AM
Hey John,
I pulled the plug on TV over 3 years ago and never looked back. If you met me, you would not think I'm that "radical" either! Is it really "radical" to eliminate the most toxic and prolific source of negative and frenetic energy in our homes? People ask me: "What if you miss something important?" That has never happened! I always mangage to find out what I need to know. And my relationship to my family is the most important. It is their news that is the most important news for me to tune into each day. TV news is not really news anyway. Sports? How about a friend's house for the big game. I prefer to play them with my kids than watch. We kept the "box" and the dvd player. We enjoy an occasional movie without interuption from Big Pharm, Big Foodie or Britany Spears. It's pretty cool really!
And thanks Dr. Markham for your information and excellent website.
I pulled the plug on TV over 3 years ago and never looked back. If you met me, you would not think I'm that "radical" either! Is it really "radical" to eliminate the most toxic and prolific source of negative and frenetic energy in our homes? People ask me: "What if you miss something important?" That has never happened! I always mangage to find out what I need to know. And my relationship to my family is the most important. It is their news that is the most important news for me to tune into each day. TV news is not really news anyway. Sports? How about a friend's house for the big game. I prefer to play them with my kids than watch. We kept the "box" and the dvd player. We enjoy an occasional movie without interuption from Big Pharm, Big Foodie or Britany Spears. It's pretty cool really!
And thanks Dr. Markham for your information and excellent website.
CET 11/2/2007 10:13:18 AM
Amac, do you really think education is underfunded? Increasing funding in the past has not changed results, because the system was left untouched; public schools are monopolies.
If you send your child to public school, then they HAVE to go to the school they're zoned for, not the one you want them to go to. The teachers at my school were downright L-A-Z-Y. To this day, it baffles me on how they got away with being as lazy as they were. They did the absolute minimum to collect their union protected paycheck.
What if that weren't the case? What if you could send your child to any public school you wanted, and the school received funding based on how many children attend that year? That's how they do it in Belgium, the country with the highest international test scores among 40 industrialized nations.
Here's a piece John Stossel did in Reason Magazine on the issue.
http://www.reason.com/news/show/33014.html
Check out this special from 20/20. It's called "Stupid in America".
http://www.viddler.com/explore/RazrHog4Life/videos/1/
PS,
Shoot the T.V. ;-)
If you send your child to public school, then they HAVE to go to the school they're zoned for, not the one you want them to go to. The teachers at my school were downright L-A-Z-Y. To this day, it baffles me on how they got away with being as lazy as they were. They did the absolute minimum to collect their union protected paycheck.
What if that weren't the case? What if you could send your child to any public school you wanted, and the school received funding based on how many children attend that year? That's how they do it in Belgium, the country with the highest international test scores among 40 industrialized nations.
Here's a piece John Stossel did in Reason Magazine on the issue.
http://www.reason.com/news/show/33014.html
Check out this special from 20/20. It's called "Stupid in America".
http://www.viddler.com/explore/RazrHog4Life/videos/1/
PS,
Shoot the T.V. ;-)
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