But what if, it turns the other way
round?
I first met this family seven years
ago. During that time, the single mother has only two children. Three years
later, came another baby and just a year ago, a new life was added in their
population.
She has four children now, with two
ex-lovers (I can’t say husbands because she didn’t marry either of them) and
now living with the biological father of the last two children. Her sister
claims that the mother chose to abandon the father of her first child simply
because the guy had become sterile. Though the man can pretty well support her
and their baby, she preferred to abandon him with their child because of her
selfish reason which is the thought that the man can no longer help her produce
a baby.
After they separated, she “fell in
love” with another guy. They lived together and she got pregnant with her
second child. Their affair was short-lived because the man had died leaving her
and her babies alone.
You know what happened next. She
found another man who was able to accept the fact that she already has two kids
with different fathers. They were able to have no only one but two babies. Her
new “husband” is a contractual worker, earning 200php per day, which is not
able to support the whole family considering that they already have four
children.
She tried to look for a job.
Fortunately, her sister was able to refer her in a factory that pays
satisfactorily. But to her sister’s dismay, she didn’t last long in that
occupation. She just attended the three-day training that paid 200php a day
then had gone AWOL leaving a few debts in the canteen of the factory and making
her sister pay for what she owed. Well, that is not the first time that thing
happened and definitely not the last. She had tried working before but she just
can’t seem to make herself last in a job. Employers are tired of her.
We are questioning how can she be a
good mother to her kids? Those stated above are not the only reasons why we
doubt her capability to satisfy the needs of the children.
She is a drunkard, was a drug user
(unsure if she still does it up to this day), and a gambler. She has a friend
who often goes to their house and bring alcoholic drinks. Each time she gets
drunk, which is frequently, she and her live-in partner quarrels and keep their
neighbors wide awake. Eventually, they get physical and the guy ends up
sleeping in jail.
On the gambling part, every time she
has money or the guy hands over his salary, she plays “tong its”. One time, her baby was “sick” and someone gave her
400php. Instead of bringing the child to the hospital, she went gambling.
The guy she’s with right now is just
the same as her –a gambler and a drunkard. Their only difference is that her
partner has a job and takes care of all the household chores.
These things have a great impact on
the kids. From what I can see, they are neglected. All four of them are malnourished.
I don’t even know if they have an unending colds or if it’s something worse
already. They seldom bath for goodness’ sake!
The first child often gets in to
trouble in school. Just a couple of weeks ago, he punched a girl on the face.
The teacher called for both parents but his mother did not even bother to show
up in school. Not only that, she just let him go to the computer shop without
studying. Doesn’t she worry that her child might not be able to pass this time?
Last school year, he was barely passing.
On the other hand, the second one
goes to school twice a week at most. The third one which is a girl is already
at the age for kindergarten but she doesn’t send her to school. She says she
wants her children to graduate high school and if they’re lucky enough, even in
college but how will that happen if she doesn’t even motivate them to attend
their classes?
Yes, I am in no position to question
her but the children are the ones who are gaining nothing. The money she gets
from the 4Ps program of the government does not even go to the kids. She spends
them all on cigarettes, alcohol and gambling.
____________________________________________
Group 2
Anna Mae Alamag
Jeska Nicole Cabiles
Dally Delos Santos
Rensea Mae De Vera
Isabella Herreria
Feby Andrea Laroco
Danna Ruiz
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