Power and Freedom Brings Out Who We Really Are

[Dave Hounddriver]

20 minutes ago, KurtVD said:

if it comes home empty handed

. . . it gets in trouble from the parent.  Who do you think teaches these kids to beg?  I have walked past many houses where mom and pop are on the front step with a toddler who can barely walk and speak baby talk.  They quickly tell their kid to walk up to me and say "hey Joe give me money."

So if mom and pop are sending the kids out to beg for money then all they will learn is they get punished if they come home without any

[KurtVD]

10 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

. . . it gets in trouble from the parent.  Who do you think teaches these kids to beg?  I have walked past many houses where mom and pop are on the front step with a toddler who can barely walk and speak baby talk.  They quickly tell their kid to walk up to me and say "hey Joe give me money."

So if mom and pop are sending the kids out to beg for money then all they will learn is they get punished if they come home without any

This reasoning doesn’t hold up. Sure they will punish these kids, if they think they didn’t do enough begging, or some parents beat their kids either way, that’s a sad reality. However, if nobody (or hardly anybody) gives any money to begging kids, they (the parents) don’t have any other choice than to accept this reality, no amount of beating will bring them money in their pockets.

It’s like child labour: as long as there are employers around who will send 7 year olds down the coal mines, there will be parents desperate enough to give them their kids for a dollar per day. But wherever governments have seriously cracked down on child labour and prosecuted the companies who employed them, it’s over. These people are still poor, but they find another, usually better way. 

[KurtVD]

30 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

True they wont but school does not provide food either. You have to spend money to go to school here. You might even have to donate to some of the teachers needs.

If you’re genuinely concerned about this, I suggest to either give money directly to a school, or, why not, create a foundation or something that provides that kind of help. Anything would be better than giving money to begging kids, IMO. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

29 minutes ago, KurtVD said:

Anything would be better than giving money to begging kids, IMO

You are right, in your opinion, but it would take everyone's opinion before the following would work and that ain't gonna happen

38 minutes ago, KurtVD said:

if nobody (or hardly anybody) gives any money to begging kids, they (the parents) don’t have any other choice than to accept this reality

The reality exists because there are a lot of bleeding hearts who will give.  You do not have to be one of them.  In fact, many of us on this forum preach "Scroogism" but secretly give a few pesos now and then.

I don't know you personally, but perhaps you have given a few pesos from time to time, despite your hardline approach?

33 minutes ago, KurtVD said:

I suggest to either give money directly to a school, or, why not, create a foundation or something that provides that kind of help. Anything would be better than giving money to begging kids, IMO. 

Unfortunately, there are no workhouses for the poor kids,  but there is the DSWD.  Funny how kids would rather beg than go to them though.

[Reboot]

9 hours ago, KurtVD said:

This reasoning doesn’t hold up. Sure they will punish these kids, if they think they didn’t do enough begging, or some parents beat their kids either way, that’s a sad reality. However, if nobody (or hardly anybody) gives any money to begging kids, they (the parents) don’t have any other choice than to accept this reality, no amount of beating will bring them money in their pockets.

It’s like child labour: as long as there are employers around who will send 7 year olds down the coal mines, there will be parents desperate enough to give them their kids for a dollar per day. But wherever governments have seriously cracked down on child labour and prosecuted the companies who employed them, it’s over. These people are still poor, but they find another, usually better way. 

Child labor always dies on its own once an economy and people becomes wealthy enough.

[Gary D]

We stayed in the Swagman once and went to the nearby Shakeys. The security guard had his son with him begging from the customers as they passed in and out.

[KurtVD]

22 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

don't know you personally, but perhaps you have given a few pesos from time to time, despite your hardline approach?

No, never since a friend told me what I just wrote in this forum (successful begging equals bad future prospects), because I don’t consider this a hardline approach, on the contrary. I really think you’re doing them a disservice by giving them cash. If you can’t help it, buy them food, clothing, school supplies, medicine if they’re sick, anything really but cash. I’ve traveled a lot in Cambodia where you see considerably more poverty (openly at least) than here, but then you also have a lot of young women who can’t even read and write, which means it’s impossible for them to get a job as a waitress, for example. Instead they will be working as ‘bargirls’, their only option really at this point. So every time you’re giving money to a 10 year old, you’re part of the system that will push her into this line of work later, and I don’t wanna be that guy. 

 

EDIT: There might not be more poverty in Cambodia, but I remember seeing more beggars

Edited June 25, 2018 by KurtVD

[KurtVD]

9 hours ago, Gary D said:

We stayed in the Swagman once and went to the nearby Shakeys. The security guard had his son with him begging from the customers as they passed in and out.

Exactly, that’s why it’s our responsibility to NOT give them money. As long as it’s good business, there will always be unscrupulous parents, sending their kids to beg for money.  

[KurtVD]

10 hours ago, Reboot said:

Child labor always dies on its own once an economy and people becomes wealthy enough.

Not true, every country I know of has had to write laws to suppress child labor, and enforce them. What is true, however, that rich people won’t send their kids working (usually). But tell me, how large is the percentage in the world of poor people, and do you think there will ever be a time when poverty will be a thing of the past? Maybe, and hopefully yes, but until then we need laws to prevent child labor, no question about that. I mean, there are even  so-called sweatshops in first world countries, with underage illegal immigrants working for a few dollars a day - until they get raided, that is. 

[sonjack2847]

21 hours ago, KurtVD said:

If you’re genuinely concerned about this, I suggest to either give money directly to a school, or, why not, create a foundation or something that provides that kind of help. Anything would be better than giving money to begging kids, IMO. 

If you give to the school I doubt it will go on the kids.There is a charity in Dalaguete,Cebu who go to a different local school each month they distribute supplies to the kids and feed them that way it is made sure it goes on the kids.