A review of things you need to know before you sign off on Thursday; Kiwi Bond rates cut, migration & tourism updates, successful NZGB tender, Crown a/cs show taxpayer stress, record high benefit levels, swaps stable NZD firmish, & more

The gap between the have good parents and the have nots is growing by the year. Mobile phones don’t help, even some otherwise ok parents ignore their kids while continuously browsing crap. Hard to know what the solution is, I do think the law needs to come down on this child abuse, it needs to be as illegal as hitting kids. There shouldn’t be a need for schools to be feeding kids either when a loaf of bread is $1.19. Feed the kids then send a social worker over to find out why the parent didn’t. 

Ironically, they're partly a result of the system you promote, with respect. 

Winners take more and more, the poor get the picture. And turn to solace, which may involve drink and/or drugs. They are also, by definition, the least able to look after themselves. 

And, to be blunt about it, if landlords weren't rentier-ing off the poor's ever-less cut of the (now shrinking) pie, they might have more room to wriggle. 

Buy some books for the boy - Seuss comes to mind for that age/stage. Read to him. Won't take long. You might find it's second-generation, though....

The only way to break the cycle is to get thesse kids into a stable environment and then education. I'm involved with one such organisation, it's expensive to deliver and emotionally very tough work on those on the front line. Until we as a nation recognise and value this work, nothing will change. Funding has become very tough under the coalition (even though we have the most bloated cabinet in our history).

I have seen kids like you describe go on to complete high school and get into trades and the workforce, it is possible if we don't abdicate it to someone else to do.

A lot of people don’t even notice what’s going on with kids, it’s definitely tough out there.

Statistics shows these kids stand no chance. Maybe 1 in 10 will break through to a productive life but the majority unfortunately just continue the cycle. 

Yes, and at about 1.30am the Police with minor child are knocking on the door of the grandparents saying you are the next of kin can she stay here?

My wife and I deal with this everyday as the advocates for the grandparents who have no idea what to do, who to approach, where the $ are coming from to feed another mouth let alone clothes and basic necessities. The are ways and means to get through this but it is stressful, time consuming and just downright disheartening trying to navigate the social welfare system. If the grandparents are working then it's worse.

Both in our 70's advocacy under Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is voluntary. No recompense of time and energy. 200 plus on the books in this part of Eastern Waikato and that's the ones we know about. There are success stories however.

Thats heart breaking... the I Have a Dream Trust is doing a great job at trying to help break that cycle and give kids a better chance at life, I wish I could donate time instead of money but if anyone else there can assist either way please take a minute to check out what they do

Love this thread. Judging by comments below others do also (almost rivals a realestate article) - shows our country probably does want to have some of these conversations and take a hard look at ourselves. This aspect of NZ has far more impact on our net migration figures than we expect I suspect. 

These children are the next crime wave, abuse statistics, or disenfranchised culture war waiting to happen. 

we used to invest heavily in parenting, two weeks post baby in hospital, extensive plunked support, domestic purposes benefits etc. 

We also used a lot more social pressure to leverage what was ‘acceptable’ which while awful for the recipient- probably had wider social benefits. 



According to the research - if that kid is ‘safe’ then he’s probably capable of learning whatever we want to teach him - he just needs one person to show an interest. 

I don't think crickets had much to do with it.  

Poverty trap. Old fashioned terminology but no other two words could better describe what it is and all the danger and desperation that goes with it. 

Emergency housing is usually for people who's life circumstances has them in sudden need for alternative housing, often domestic violence.

How that needed to come into play is by continually shrinking familial or social groups, and increasingly fragile parental relationships.

Much (most) of the problem surrounds absentee father's.

If you haven't already, I strongly suggest a read of "Life At The Bottom" by Theodore Dalrymple. It would be a fairly old book now (written about increasing crime, poverty, societal 'decay' in the UK with a focus on the so-called "underclass") but the principles apply here too. Don't agree with all of his work, nor the term underclass, but there are some good insights.

I asked ChatGPT to give a brief summary ... it's been a while since I read it but this seems to hit the nail on the head:

• Rejection of Personal Responsibility:
  
  Dalrymple argues that a widespread avoidance of accountability contributes to societal dysfunction. Many individuals blame external factors—such as upbringing, societal oppression, or bad luck—for their problems, which undermines their ability to improve their lives. I would you can see this in action in the NZ justice system. Commit a crime and some financially-incentivised-to-do-so lawyer or do-gooder judge will claim you aren't responsible for your own actions you are merely a vessel adrift in a sea of previous misfortune.

• Cultural and Moral Decay:
  
  The erosion of traditional values, such as hard work, self-discipline, and respect for others, leads to a sense of nihilism and meaninglessness. This cultural decline fosters destructive behaviors like crime, substance abuse, and family breakdowns.

• Over-Reliance on the Welfare State:
  
  He believes that generous welfare systems encourage dependency, discourage initiative, and strip individuals of their dignity. This reliance can perpetuate poverty by creating a cycle where individuals lack motivation to pursue work or self-improvement.

• Influence of Intellectual Trends:
  
  Dalrymple critiques modern intellectual movements, such as moral relativism and the excessive focus on self-esteem, which he sees as undermining critical thinking and ethical standards. He argues these trends excuse bad behavior and erode societal cohesion.

• Breakdown of Family Structures:
  
  The rise of single-parent families and the absence of stable parental figures are identified as significant contributors to the underclass’s struggles. Without strong family support, children are more likely to face emotional and behavioral problems, perpetuating the cycle of dysfunction.