I was extremely disturbed by the article, "The Migrant Child." The information alone is enough to touch anyone but I was more upset at myself for being so naive. I'm sure I'm not the only one that takes where our food comes from for granted. Just a trip to the grocery store and we've got what we want for a snack or a meal to feed our families.
Americans depend on migrant farmworkers for the economy of agriculture. If we depend on them for the majority of our fruits and vegetables, then why are they the most neglected groups of our nation's poor? A typical migrant family earns less than $5,000 per year, according to Young Children, (2001). Way to show our appreciation, huh? I had no idea there were still families in this day and age that work so hard with little to no help from their communities.
Since migrant farmworks have to move so much in order to follow the crops, the migrant farmchildren are the ones who suffer the most. The article says, "When children's homes keep moving and are determined by changing employment, their development can suffer. And constant moving may contribute to feelings of mistrust and isolation in young children. They may have difficulty forming attachments with other children and adults." This goes back to earlier topics we've covered, trust vs. mistrust and secure attachments. I agree 100% that childrens abilities to trust and form attachments are critically impacted by the constant moving and never knowing where they'll end up or how long they'll be able to stay in a certain place.
The constant uncertainty of a migrant child's life is unfathomable. I can't imagine the cycle of poverty, or the poor health and education of migrant families ever changing if they remain invisible and we, as Americans, remain conveniently unaware.
The article was a real eye-opener. My mom grew up in orchard country and was around the migrant workers all the time. Between her and the political field of saying how we cover these people on DSHS/foodstamps etc I had a very negative impression before the article. What I realize now is that these families have a hard life with very few opportunities. They work hard and instead of being a drain they contribute to a vital piece of our lives everyday... putting food on the table. They are doing more honorable work than many people in our world.
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