The Solution | Teen Ink

The Solution

May 18, 2023
By srusselli BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
srusselli BRONZE, Los Angeles, California
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

According to the US Census Bureau, about 12% of the US population is below the poverty line, and that number is barely decreasing. A solution must be put in place to aid those that have been struggling. We need to find a way to balance this country. My proposed solution is to have babies begin working and providing for their families as young as 1 year old.

Babies begin developing motor skills as soon as they are born. By the age of about 12 months, they are capable of performing many simple movements, such as pulling, pushing, and grabbing. These skills could be put to good use in several ways: jobs, exercise, motor skills development, and many more. One idea is to make a job out of pulling and pushing a lever. Hand-cranks can be used to generate electricity, and can therefore be done as a job. Most hand-crank generators produce about 10 watts on average per hour. Children of the age of 2 are capable of performing more rigorous physical activities, such as walking and even pedaling. This is the perfect time to put your child to a more respectable job: biking. A biking generator can generate around 10 times more electricity than a hand-crank generator can, which is about 100 watts per hour. Not to mention, babies are the perfect workers, as they are easy to manage and they don’t complain.

Not only is this beneficial to the baby's family's financial situation, but it is also directly beneficial to the baby. The exertion of energy and muscle strength gives the child all the exercise it needs to stay healthy. According to the National Health Service, toddlers (children aged 1-2 years old) are encouraged to partake in light physical activity for at least 3 hours a day. Preschoolers (children aged 3-4) are also encouraged to be physically active for at least 3 hours a day but at a moderate or intense level. This job gives your child the ability to experience 4 times the encouraged amount of physical activity a day. This stage in a human's life is especially crucial because the child is still rapidly developing, so the key to raising a healthy child is by making sure all of its physical needs are met. 

Most houses in this day and age use about 5,000 watts of electricity per day. If toddlers work for 10 hours a day, each toddler will produce around 100 watts of energy. Therefore, 50 toddlers could charge 1 home in a day. The toddler will still have the recommended amount of sleep and 2 extra hours for eating and rest. If preschoolers worked for just 12 hours a day, each one could produce around 1200 watts of energy. In that case, just 4 preschoolers could charge a house. They would also have the recommended amount of sleep, along with extra time to eat and rest. 

My solution is the perfect way for families to get back on their feet after the crash of the stock market. It gives the children of the family the opportunity to work and support their family at a young age. Sign your children up now for the opportunity of a lifetime. You won't regret it.


The author's comments:

This piece is a satire about the utilization of child labor. This is not to be taken literally.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.