Has Money Become More Important Than Family?

  In the past couple of years, the economy of the United States has suffered a terrible blow. The Unemployment rate remains at an all time high at around 10%. Many families have suffered because of layoffs, businesses closing down, and reduced product demand. Some of these families are living on unemployment or on a single income. Others have no income at all.  Words  like foreclosure and food stamps have become commonplace in many households. What affect does this have on us and our children?
  Many single parent households are not surviving at all. They are forced to move in with other family members or friends. They are reduced to part time jobs where they suffer from a significant reduction in pay. Many times, they work two or more part time jobs to try to get by. The same goes for two parent households. All of the burden is placed on the "bread winner" while the unemployed member searches endlessly for any type of employment possible. You can only look so long before you get discouraged and give up. What if something  major breaks down  like the car or the furnace? What if the working family member gets sick? Then they may lose the one income they have.
  Mentally, this takes a toll on everyone.. Children as well as the adults in the family begin suffering from stress. There are the constant phone calls from creditors. The constant threat of losing their home is always lurking over them. Things like new clothes for school or a child's extracurricular activities can send parents  into a panic! Children feel embarrassed because they may be about to be homeless.  They may feel neglected because mom and dad  are gone all of the time and working two or more part time jobs. But they are still always broke.They may hate the many arguments that seam to have crept up in their house. Many families do not survive this kind of stress and the parents end up divorcing. Think about the long term affects this could have on the average American family. Scary,isn't it?