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Eve Merriam uses The Inner city Mother Goose to touch upon issues such as parenting skills, lack of schooling, drug-dealing, and crime that children may be exposed to because living in North-American cities in poverty-dense areas. The picture book displays these issues in a brutally honest way that leaves the readers wanting more. Seeing as the book is pictures and poems, it does not leave room for academic research to be incorporated. The research conducted shows that the issues that Merriam portrays in this book are realistic, but do not capture the grim reality that is child-poverty. While conducting research, there were plenty of areas  within the topics she mentioned that Merriam did not include in her book, I still left these in the essay because I believe that they are important issues to be recognized. While the issues presented in this book were accurate, they did not capture the depths of this issue. The statistics about Toronto that I have displayed in this Padlet are appalling, considering the fact that this issue is rarely address in local media. Further research should be conducted on the lasting impacts that poverty has on children, seeing as my research was sparse in this area. Unfortunately, inner-city poverty is a systemic issue that cannot be solved in one fell swoop. Policy makers need to come together to work on taking steps toward lessening the rate of inner-city poverty for children with the understanding that this issue is systemic and the children that are suffering in impoverished conditions have the right to explore their potential and prosper in life.

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Crime and children in inner-city poverty

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Crime and children in inner-city poverty

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According to “Child Maltreatment and Violent Delinquency: Disentangling Main Effects and Subgroup Effects”, children from “economically disadvantaged” backgrounds are more likely to experience neglect and abuse (Mersky and Reynolds 247). Exposure to violence and victimization are experiences that youth living in inner-city poverty commonly face (Spano et al. 681). Children who are exposed to violence, whether it is violence being inflicted on someone else or being a victim of abuse themselves, are more likely to perpetrate in violent behaviour (Spano et al. 681).  In this image, it is unclear if the young man actually shot the adult with the gun, thus perpetrating violent behaviour, or if he is just holding the gun and someone else shot the adult. It should be noted that not all neglected and/or abused children participate in violent behaviours. The children who are exposed to violence in urban settings are at a higher risk of participating in violence behaviour because they “develop cognitive schemas that view the world as a hostile place” (Spano et al.682). As children grow up in environments where witnessing violence is normal, they begin to lose their inhibition regarding its use and will consequently increase their use of violent behaviour (Spano et al. 684). In terms of carrying guns, inner-city youth are motivated to start carrying guns for “defensive (victims of violence) and offensive (violent youth)” reasons (Spano and Bolland 206). Based on the expression on the child’s face, it appears as if he is experiencing gun violence for the first time, and will most likely become a frequent gun carrier because of what he has seen. Victimization and violent behaviour are a result of a concentration of violence in inner-city impoverished neighbourhood (Spano and Bolland 209). This study views gun carrying as a “cause (youth gun violence) and consequence (violent victimization as a precursor to defensive gun carrying)” (Spano and Bolland 209).

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Images in this online exhibit are either in the public domain or being used under fair dealing for the purpose of research and are provided solely for the purposes of research, private study, or education

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Parenting and child poverty in the inner-city

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Parenting and child poverty in the inner-city

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The study “Unpacking the Relationship between Parenting and Poverty: Theory, Evidence and Policy”, cites a complex relationship between inner-city poverty, parental stress and neighbourhoods and environment (La Placa and Corlyon 11). Poverty has an impact on parenting because it can provoke some parents to be more depressed, anxious and stressed, which can disturb parenting (La Placa and Corlyon 21). In the image that goes with the poem “Taxi man” the distressed look on her face shows that she is in an agonizing situation that she needs to get out of. This study found that disrupted parenting, not poverty, can be the “key determinant affecting child outcomes” (La Placa and Corlyon 21). In the case of this poem, although it may be an exaggerated circumstance, it is clear that there was some element of disrupted parenting at play. The fact that disrupted parenting is a key factor in this poem comes from the fact that the house that the mother and her family are currently inhabiting is on fire and she is not there to protect her children. Child and neglect and lack of parenting were dominant in lower income parents, this study shows that parents are incredibly resilient even in unfavourable circumstances (La Placa and Corlyon 19). Parents of children living in inner-city poverty often sacrifice their food and resources so their children will have enough to survive (La Placa and Corlyon 20). This study indicated that parents living in poor neighbourhood are more likely to face “stressors and psychological constraints”, which can result in anxiety and depression, in comparison to families living in less deprived areas (La Placa and Corlyon 19). As a result of this agitation, anxiousness or depression that stressed parents may be feeling, they may display “more authoritarian and/or inconsistent parenting patterns” which can negatively impact child outcomes (La Placa and Corlyon 17).

This resilience and type of parenting style as mentioned in academic research is not shown in the selected poem or image, but it is important to note seeing as it was a prominent aspect of my research.

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The repetition of the words "Taxi man, Taxi man" in the poem reflect a sense of urgency from the speaker, which in this case is the mother (Merriam 31). The cab driver replies to the mother and says "...cabs don't go to Harlem" (Merriam 31), this means that the area of Harlem is unsafe, and that is why cabs will not go there.

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Merriam, Eve. Pages from The Inner City Mother Goose, Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 30-31. Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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According to “Drug Use, the Drug Environment, and Child Physical Abuse and Neglect”, this study cites higher levels of local drug sales reflecting on a lack of resources for families within their impoverished neighbourhood (Freisthler et al. 253). In the poem “Jeremiah Obadiah”, Merriam uses the depiction of a drug-dealing child to reflect upon the fact that more illegal drug sales reflect on a lack of resources in impoverished communities. Increased levels of “child physical neglect” are reported from parents that have witnessed drug sales in their neighbourhood and live in cities with increased reports of drug-related crime incidents (Freisthler et al. 249). Additionally, drug markets in inner-city neighbourhoods are known to enforce drug transactions with violence, this violence could result in a culture of violence being perpetuated in these areas (Freisthler et al. 254). Neighbourhoods that have more “active drug environments” make it easier for people living in these areas to access illegal drugs for personal use (Freisthler et. al 254). This piece of academic research is reflected in the fact that not only is Jeremiah Obadiah a drug dealer himself, he is also dealing drugs as well.

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Hi!
I hope you enjoy this Padlet I have created, as I had a fun time making it for you.
I just uploaded this Padlet to PDF and the order in which the text boxes are presented do not make any sense, and you cannot see the connections I have made. I would prefer if you viewed my Padlet via the actual website, as my Padlet communicates the information I am trying to get across much better as compared to the PDF.
Here is the link:
https://padlet.com/selina_lafarciola/childhoodandthecityfinalproject
Also: I do not want my work featured in any conference/exhibition.
Thank you
Selina Lafarciola

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The expansion of inner-city neighbourhoods came in the United States came in the 20th century. (Votruba‐Drzal et al. 2) Shifts in the economy, the public service sector and housing market led to these neighbourhoods having a concentrated poverty rate, high unemployment and consequential social isolation (Votruba‐Drzal et al. 2). While academic achievement is major way in which children can rise to a higher socioeconomic position, this is threatened for children who grow up in poverty (Votruba‐Drzal et al. 1). Children who live in poverty are at a systemic disadvantage, with less “academic competencies” that translates into lower academic achievement in school (Votruba‐Drzal et al. 1). In North American inner cities, child inhabiting these areas experience “chronic environmental stressors” such as: overcrowding, constantly changing living situations, lack of adequate housing, this can lead to parental distress which consequently inhibits the development of children who are suffering in these situations (Votruba‐Drzal et al. 3).  Findings from the study titled “Neighborhood Poverty and Children's Academic Skills and Behavior in Early Elementary School”, suggest that children living in poverty within North American cities experience a “neighbourhood disadvantage” that leads to “poorer achievement scores”, especially with children who live in inadequate housing situations (Morrissey and Vinopal 182). Although the poem does not explicitly state that Jeremiah does not do well, his attitude towards school points to the fact that he may not be doing well in school. In the line “When I go to school by day I snore, snore, snore” (Merriam 14), the quote shows that Jeremiah mostly sleeps in school. This blasé attitude that Jeremiah has towards school is most likely a result of his disadvantaged neighbourhood and the peers around him not valuing school as well. These household disadvantages can also explain behavioural outcomes in an academic setting (Morrissey and Vinopal 182). In this poem, the readers can see the ways in which Jeremiah acts out in the school setting, whether it is questioning the teacher’s authority, or dealing drugs in school.  Jeremiah’s household disadvantages have led him to act out in school.This study highlights an income gap in terms of academic achievement in school (Morrissey and Vinopal 188). The income gap is seen in preschool, this income gap that is presented at a young age is predictive of an insufficient academic outcome (Morrissey and Vinopal 189). Seeing as the income gap only gets wider in elementary school, this impacts children’s long-term success (Morrissey and Vinopal 188). Another study details the characteristics of family stress theory to explain the disparities in academic achievement for children living in poverty within North American Cities (Miller and Votruba-Drzal 384). The family stress theory suggests that “economic disadvantage affects early academic skills by giving rise to increased family stress and lower quality parenting” (Miller and Votruba-Drzal 383). In the poem “Jeremiah Obadiah”, Eve Merriam writes about “everybody hustling” in Jeremiah Obadiah’s community (Merriam 14). While the word “hustling” has several connotations, it is possible that the “increased family stress” that families in impoverished conditions experience has led Jeremiah to the life of doing drugs as well as drug dealing on school property. Although the poem and image accurately represent the life of an inner-city child living in poverty, it does not cover the topic to the fuller extent that academic research does.

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This is an interesting video about a man named Terence navigating Toronto youth homeless shelters!

CBC. “Toronto Youth Terence Captures His Life In a Homeless Shelter with a Camera Phone | Red Button.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 Aug. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm5RHmfuyJo.

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Toronto Youth Terence Captures his Life In a Homeless Shelter with a Camera Phone | Red Button

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Making it local! Child Poverty in Toronto

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Making it local! Child Poverty in Toronto

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This video came from a CityNews broadcast that dates back to around two years ago.

Toronto, CityNews. “Census Shows One in Four Kids in Toronto Lives in Poverty.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmSYKNPnnG0.

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Census shows one in four kids in Toronto lives in poverty

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Picture from 2018 Toronto Child & Family Report: Municipal Election Edition, Children's Aid Society, 2018, p. 11. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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Making it local! Child Poverty in Toronto

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Making it local! Child Poverty in Toronto

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This picture depicts the areas in Toronto that contain the highest amounts of child poverty Merriam, Eve.

Citation
Picture from 2018 Toronto Child & Family Report: Municipal Election Edition, Children's Aid Society, 2018, p. 18. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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This poem gives the readers a better idea of what Jeremiah Obadiah's life is like. In the image, one can see that Jeremiah is taking a message as well as snuffing, as depicting in the second line of the poem. Jeremiah describes the "hustle" and "rough" life that surrounds him. Jeremiah describes school as boring and pointless. While Jeremiah describes the teacher smelling him, presumably the teacher smells tobacco or cannabis, he jokes that the teacher may want some. This joking tone that Obadiah takes in the eighth line implies that he does not take school seriously. In the second last line, "my stuff", is most likely drugs that he gets in the "schoolyard"

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Merriam, Eve. Pages from The Inner City Mother Goose, Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 13-14. Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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This image depicts a young man, presumably Jeremiah Obadiah, smoking with textbooks in his hands. Jeremiah has a young peer of his in the back, looking to the side.  With the fence at the back of the photo, one can infer this photo takes place in an academic setting

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I'm Jeremiah Obadiah, puff, puff, puff
When I take the messages I snuff, snuff, snuff
Everywhere you look around, it's tough, tough, tough.
Everybody's hustling and it's rough, rough, rough. When I go to school by day I snore, snore, snore.
Teacher passes by me and she sniff, sniff, sniff.
Come on, teach, you want to try a whiff, whiff, whiff?
Got to get a pass so class can be dismiss,
Got to get get a pass to get and piss, piss, piss.
I'm Jeremiah Obadiah, where do I get my stuff?
Right out in the school yard, puff, puff, puff.

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This image shows a woman, whose expression shows signs of distress, pointing towards what we can assume is farther down the street. The taxi driver has a shocked expression on his face with both his hands up in the air, to imply there is nothing that he can do about this situation

Merriam, Eve. Pages from The Inner City Mother Goose, Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 30-31. Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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Taxi man, Taxi man,
Quick drive me home!
My house is on fire
And my children all-!

Sorry, lady,
Even in an emergency
Cabs don't go to Harlem.

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This image depicts a man being shot, while members of the community are upset by this and in distress. To the front of the image there is a child, with a slightly confused expression on his face, holding the smoking gun.

Merriam, Eve. Pages from The Inner City Mother Goose, Simon and Schuster, 1996, p. 35. Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. Photo by Selina Lafarciola

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In Eve Merriam's The Inner City Mother Goose, the author accurately depicts various aspects of childhood poverty in the city when compared to scholarly research on topics relating to child poverty in the city

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How is childhood poverty in North American cities during the 20th century and 21st century represented in children’s literature and how accurate are these depictions when compared to selected secondary sources?

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Childhood poverty in North American cities from the 20th to 21st century

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Poverty in the city as it is depicted in children’s literature

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Bender, Max. "HD Photo By Max Bender On Unsplash". Unsplash.Com, 2019.

Freisthler, Bridget, et al. "Drug use, the Drug Environment, and Child Physical Abuse and Neglect." Child Maltreatment, vol. 22, no. 3, 2017, pp. 245-255.

La Placa, Vincent, and Judy Corlyon. "Unpacking the Relationship between Parenting and Poverty: Theory, Evidence and Policy." Social Policy and Society, vol. 15, no. 1, 2016, pp. 11-28.

Merriam, Eve. The Inner City Mother Goose, Simon and Schuster, 1996

Mersky, Joshua P., and Arthur J. Reynolds. "Child Maltreatment and Violent Delinquency: Disentangling Main Effects and Subgroup Effects." Child Maltreatment, vol. 12, no. 3, 2007, pp. 246-258.

Miller, Portia, and Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal. "Urbanicity Moderates Associations between Family Income and Adolescent Academic Achievement: Urbanicity and Achievement." Rural Sociology, vol. 80, no. 3, 2015, pp. 362-386

Morrissey, Taryn W., and Katie M. Vinopal. "Neighborhood Poverty and Children's Academic Skills and Behavior in Early Elementary School." Journal of Marriage and Family, vol. 80, no. 1, 2018, pp. 182-197.

Spano, Richard, and John Bolland. "Disentangling the Effects of Violent Victimization, Violent Behavior, and Gun Carrying for Minority Inner-City Youth Living in Extreme Poverty." Crime & Delinquency, vol. 59, no. 2, 2013, pp. 191-213

Spano, Richard, Craig Rivera, and John Bolland. "The Impact of Timing of Exposure to Violence on Violent Behavior in a High Poverty Sample of Inner City African American Youth."Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 35, no. 5, 2006, pp. 681-692.

Votruba‐Drzal, Elizabeth, Portia Miller, and Rebekah L. Coley. "Poverty, Urbanicity, and Children's Development of Early Academic Skills." Child Development Perspectives, vol. 10, no. 1, 2016, pp. 3-9.