The Effects of Alcoholism on Children

Alcoholism is also known as a disease. Growing up, as a child, I had a friend whose dad was an alcoholic. This was a very sad environment that she lived in. I am almost positve that he was also physically abusive. I can remember her not wanting anyone to come to her house because she was afraid of what her dad might do or say. This was a huge embarrassment for her and her mother. My friend was abused mentally as well. There were many times that she was late for school or maybe she just wouldn't show up for a day or so. Her mother was a wonderful person and provided much support for her during her childhood and teen-age years. An alcoholic can totally disrupt family life and cause harmful effects that can last a lifetime. I think my friend suffered from low self-esteem and depression and most likely is still suffering today. 

The minimum legal drinking age varies dramatically around the world. Most such laws apply only to drinking alcoholic beverages in public locations. The only country with a minimum legal age for consuming alcohol at home is the United Kingdom, which prohibits drinking below the age of six.

Internationally, the average age at which drinking alcohol first occurs is 12 years and about 80% of young people begin drinking alcoholic beverages regularly at age 15 or younger according to the World Health Organization (WHO).


Hunger in Nicaragua

Nicaraguans are no strangers to hunger. The country is considered the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere. I was able to be part of a mission team and visit there in 2006. Hunger among the people was definitly an issue. Many of the children were not afforded the opportunity to attend school. Many children had to begin working at an early age. The more time the children spent working and out of school, the less likely they are to return. Therefore, their educational levels were very low.

Stop hunger Now is a hunger relief agency that is working on a commitment to end huger. Stop Hunger Now has shipped over 3 million meals to Nicaragua and more is on the way. Visit stophungernow.org
for more information.

Child Development and Public Health

Nutrition is a vital public health measure that impacts children daily. As an educator, I see hungry children daily. It is fortunate, in the United States and in public schools that there are programs that sponsor needy children and their families. Free and reduced breakfasts and lunches are provided for children in schools. Our district also has a food program that sends home a bag of food for children and their families to have over the weekend.  I have seen children be disappointed when inclement weather hits and they are out of school for several days.

However; nutrition in Africa is much worse. Food insecurity and malnutrition give rise to many consequences for health and development, with mothers and children most vulnerable to the devastating effects. Malnourished mothers are at a greater risk of dying in childbirth and of delivering low-birth-weight babies who fail to survive infancy. Children are vulnerable to the consequences of food insecurity and malnutrition because of their physiology and high calorie needs for growth and development. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of death of more than 2.6 million children each year, a third of under-five deaths, and a third of total child deaths worldwide.

My Childbirth Experience and Childbirth in Cambodia

The birth of my first son is not a story many people will want to hear. I would love to tell you it was a wonderful and uneventful experience, but it was not. My son went past his due date and due to his expected size, my doctor insisted that he induce labor. After 12 hours of intense labor I was finally dialated to 10 and could not deliver. The doctor told my family he was not sure I would survive and a C-section could not be preformed. After 4 more hours passed, I finally delivered a 9lb 13 oz happy and healthy baby boy. There are many other details, but I will not be sharing those. It is true that one forgets the pain after the child is born. I would absolutely do it all over again! I chose to share about this experience because I will never forget the happiness I felt after the delivery was over. Once you hold the precious baby in your arms nothing else matters.

After doing some research about childbirth in other places, Cambodia sparked my interest. In Cambodia after a woman delivers a baby she is not allowed to breastfeed the baby for 1-2 months, therfore someone else does it for her. Also, after a woman delivers a baby she is placed on a bed with a fire burning underneath the bed. This is called "roasting" and  the fire is supposed to heat up the body and prevent illnesses after the postpartum period. This process takes about a week.Cambodian women also sit on a hot rock each morning after delivering. Sitting on a hot rock is suppose to keep the uterus from coming out. Most Cambodians deliver at home using a midwife. These practices are much different than the ones we practice in the United States.