Children are incapable of avoiding poverty by virtue of their relative’s socioeconomic status, because they are reliant on assistance from others. The experience of poverty in childhood contributes significantly to a person’s subsequent health and wellbeing (Davidson, 2014). Growing up in relative poverty, unable to acquire the minimum average standard of living, can lead children to suffer higher incidences of adverse health because of exposure to countless hardships. In Heather O’Neill’s novel Lullabies for Little Criminals, she demonstrates the powerful impact social determinants of health can have on Canadian’s quality of life. In the case of Baby, growing up in a low-income family added stressful dynamics to the relationships she had,
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The experience an individual has in their childhood has the capacity to shape the foundation for their futures. When a person is exposed to intense negative environmental and social factors for long periods of time, the affect these factors have on a person’s life accumulate and in turn health results worsen (Davidson 2015). In Lullabies for Little Criminals Baby being raised with no reliable support figure was strongly correlated with her family’s unstable economic status. When Jules and Baby’s mother, Manon, found out they were expecting, at the age of fifteen, Manon’s family no longer wanted anything to do with her. “The health of an infant relies on how much a mother is supported by family and friends (Davison, 2014, p. 97).” If a mother does not have enough support it poses challenges to her physical and mental health which also impacts the health of the newborn child. In addition to this, after Manon died, Jules was left without the guidance and income sufficient enough to access the resources and services require to properly raise a child. In order to obtain the minimal resources Jules often left the city trying to make a living by selling different items. The consequences Baby faces because Jules was always gone, shows the effects a lack of an attachment figure can have on young person’s life. The Davidson textbook notes that an “attachment figure” is fundamental to providing a strong base from which a child can set out and explore its surroundings. It is also a key component responsible for learning, for personal growth as an independent individual, along with developing the sense of being a valuable member of society (Davidson, 2014). This explains the roots of many of Baby’s behaviours throughout the novel. Without Jules presence, Baby develops many issues
The experience an individual has in their childhood has the capacity to shape the foundation for their futures. When a person is exposed to intense negative environmental and social factors for long periods of time, the affect these factors have on a person’s life accumulate and in turn health results worsen (Davidson 2015). In Lullabies for Little Criminals Baby being raised with no reliable support figure was strongly correlated with her family’s unstable economic status. When Jules and Baby’s mother, Manon, found out they were expecting, at the age of fifteen, Manon’s family no longer wanted anything to do with her. “The health of an infant relies on how much a mother is supported by family and friends (Davison, 2014, p. 97).” If a mother does not have enough support it poses challenges to her physical and mental health which also impacts the health of the newborn child. In addition to this, after Manon died, Jules was left without the guidance and income sufficient enough to access the resources and services require to properly raise a child. In order to obtain the minimal resources Jules often left the city trying to make a living by selling different items. The consequences Baby faces because Jules was always gone, shows the effects a lack of an attachment figure can have on young person’s life. The Davidson textbook notes that an “attachment figure” is fundamental to providing a strong base from which a child can set out and explore its surroundings. It is also a key component responsible for learning, for personal growth as an independent individual, along with developing the sense of being a valuable member of society (Davidson, 2014). This explains the roots of many of Baby’s behaviours throughout the novel. Without Jules presence, Baby develops many issues