Orbs 'r' Us

Time to get on my Soap Box!

I do occasionally read the news [Sympatico msn] and today I read some disturbing facts!

The topic was “Canada ranks 12^th in UN child well-being study”.

What I want to know is why we don’t rate 1^st?

This was a report put out by UNICEF and they say that they looked at 40 indicators that measure the quality of life for children. See the full story on msn!

We ranked 12^th…far behind the frontrunners; Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland! Granted we are not on the bottom like the USA and the UK but being 12^th is still not good enough!

In the material well-being we ranked higher on the list [6^th] this category factors in the percentage of children living in poverty and experiencing educational deprivation. In the terms of educational well-being we place 2^nd…I don’t know why it seems they are never at school long enough to learn anything. Our poorest ranking is in the family and peer relationships category at 18^th place!

That says a lot for the Canadian family life!

It also states that our poverty rate hasn’t budged for many years! We are considered to be a wealthy country…so what’s the problem?

I say it’s time to give back to our own kids and stop the influx of money/aid to other countries and get our children’s health, welfare and self esteem back on track!

PoD and I have to take the mean stares when we refuse the “Good Will Boxes” sent out at Xmas time. We would put one together if they went only to Canadian families! AJ’s teacher even cancelled their gift giving so other kids in FOREIGN countries could benefit from their generosity. We are not even sure that those items get to them!

Don’t get me wrong…I am all for kids learning about giving to others but can’t those lessons go to seeing to the needy in our own country first! If there is excess to give then give it after we see to ours!

I don’t understand how you can teach giving if we ignore the others starving across the street…what kind of message is that?

These kids are our future and if we don’t set them up right now…when will they learn? We are only breeding more troubles!

More Gripes:
We go out of the country to adopt children…what’s wrong with ours! There are many kids in the Canadian orphanages that would love to have a mom and dad…trouble is most want babies who are trouble free! How can you ignore a child of an older age a right to family life…or would we rather LOOK like we are good Samaritans!

“Charity” should start at home!

We are supposed to be "Proud to be Canadians"... and I guess the young don't matter!