I just saw a segment on CNN about kids, high school age and younger, who are dropping out of school to take care of a home bound love one. These kids are caring for a mother, father, grandparent, or sibling on a full-time basis because there is no one else available to do it. The compassion they show is inspiring indeed. But at the same time it is totally shameful that they are even be put into a situation like this.
It is estimated that there are about 1.3 million kids in this situation. They have dropped out of school to give constant care to a loved one. By leaving school at such an early stage they are almost guaranteeing that they will live a life of poverty. This situation does not occur in any other developed country besides the U.S. We are the only developed country in the world that chooses to make healthcare a privilege of those who can afford it instead of a right to all its citizens. This terrible situation is a direct result of that choice. Unfortunately there are hundreds of other examples to be found.
I pray that someday we will provide universal healthcare for our elderly and disabled so that future kids do not have to make the choice of staying in school or seeing that a love one is cared for. SHAME ON US FOR EVEN PUTTING THEM IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS…..
RJ's Corner - Having My Say 
Well said, as always, R.J. Yes, shame on us as a country. And what an inspiration these self-sacrificing kids are in this selfish culture we live in. It seems so obvious that we should be building a universal healthcare system for our people. Why we can’t get there is obvious too…a government too immersed in it’s own power and money plays to remember they are there for good of all not the few.
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Well I put most of the blame for this with the insurance companies. They don’t want to be driven out of such a lucrative business. Everyone seems to be so worried about debt these days but won’t go with the biggest elephant in the room. If the true cost of our current healthcare system were actually known it would stagger the mind of even the most anti-socialist conservative. We need to learn what the rest of the world already know and that is single payer is less complicated and less costly.
When I watched these kids on that report on CNN I, like you was astounded by their self-sacrifices. These kids have more maturity than most of the “grown ups” I know….
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