Single Mothers in Poverty on the Mississippi Gulf Coast: the childcare connundrum.

Throughout America, fully a third of all single-mother families live at or below the poverty level (Marriage and Family Encyclopedia, N.D.). This harsh reality may have even more striking effects on the Mississippi Gulf Coast which is still recovering, almost three years later, from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. When housing is short, and jobs are scarce, single mothers may face even greater challenges than normal. According to the Marriage and Family Encyclopedia, “for single parents the housing/employment issue is one of affordability and geographic proximity and access to jobs that pay a living wage” (Economics of Single-Parent Family Life, para. 1). Single mothers face more than just the challenge of housing and employment however.

Perhaps the lynchpin to the plan for breaking the poverty barrier is access to affordable childcare. Without childcare, a single mother cannot possibly spend hours a week at work or at school, and she most certainly cannot do both. The average cost of childcare in the United States is $679 monthly for infants and toddlers, with an average cost in Mississippi of $500 a month. (Baby Center). While the cost decreases slightly once a child is pre-school aged, it only decreases to an average cost of $535 per month nationally and $417 per month locally (Baby Center). When a woman’s average weekly earnings are somewhere between $332 and $707 (Pandey &Zhan, 2007) according to education levels, how is she to accomplish the goal of maintaining suitable childcare?

Child Care and Development Fund
Mississippi provides the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program for its poor families. The CCDF is “a federally-funded program designed to provide quality child care services to eligible families of children transitioning off Transitional Child Care (TCC), children at-risk of going on TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and children of all other eligible parents who meet the work and educational requirements set by the Mississippi Department of Human Services - Office for Children and Youth” (Child Care and Development Fund Program, p. 1). To qualify for this program, a family must not exceed the maximum income requirements. They must provide the CCDP with a birth certificate and social security card for the child and a full month’s worth of pay stubs including any additional income for working parents or an income statement and a letter from the registrar’s office for full-time students (Child Care and Development Fund). The program, whose goal is “to increase the availability, afford-ability, and quality of child care services” (Child Care and Development Fund Program, p. 1), issues a child care certificate to the parents who then pay a co-pay to an approved facility (Child Care and Development Fund).

Starting in 2004, the CCDF required proof of compliance with Mississippi child support regulations. When this policy was enacted, the waiting list for assistance from the CCDF dropped dramatically (Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative). While most people agree that child support is necessary or, at a minimum, beneficial to the poor single-mother family, there are many women who shy away from the CCDF program because of this requirement, and their reasons may be very valid ones. The Mississippi Low-Income Child Care initiative states:

However, we heard many stories of instances where fathers who were supporting their children voluntarily lost their jobs when child support payments were taken out of their paychecks. There are also instances where the father is unknown or his whereabouts are unknown. Finally, while there is an exception to the requirement in cases of abuse, this exception is not adequately publicized, and many women shy away from CCDF assistance because they are fearful of the child support requirement. (Key Reforms, p. 1)

Additionally, the Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative notes several areas where the regulations of the CCDF are applied inconsistently or incorrectly. There is an inconsistent application of the continued coverage for thirty days after a parent loses his or her job. ”It appears that [three district-level programs] generally give parents 30 days to find work before terminating their certificates. The responses in the other districts varied from immediate termination to 10 days to 2 weeks to 30 days or longer” (Key Reforms, p. 2) The Initiative goes on to describe these inconsistencies: “The variety of responses is inappropriate. This is an objective policy that should be enforced uniformly throughout the state. Parents have 10 days to notify the DA of a loss of job and 30 days to find a new one before losing their certificates. Under no circumstances should a parent be terminated immediately upon losing her job” (Key Reforms, p. 2)

As an alternative to the problems they may face, many women are choosing instead to place their young children in the State’s Head Start program, which has no child support requirements, and tends to be consistently accessible to working parents (Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative, N.D.). Additionally, Head Start and Early Head Start programs do not require proof that the parent is working. In fact, only two-thirds of parents who use the Head Start programs are employed (Office of Haley Barbour, 2007).
Given the income of poor single mothers and the expense of child care, a single mother must find options to provide adequate care for her children in an affordable way. Programs do exist to provide this care, but she must weigh the options. Head Start schools limit the mother in terms of facility, as only Head Start schools are available as options for this program. In Mississippi, she may choose the CCDF program and pay a small percentage of the cost of care, but she must first prove that she is working and receiving child support, and even then, she may lose coverage if her job situation changes. The problem of child care remains a hurdle that many mothers find difficult, and it will likely remain such a hurdle unless and until more effective programs are instituted to assist low-income single mothers in raising their families.



References

Baby Center. (2007). How much you’ll spend on childcare. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much-youll-spend-on-childcare_1199776.bc

Child Care and Development Fund. (N.D). Child care and development fund (CCDF) program frequently asked questions – fact sheet. Retrieved July 23, 2008 from http://www.cmpdd.org/Childcare%20forms/FAQs.pdf

Marriage and Family Encyclopedia. (N.D.). Economics of single-parent family life. Retrieved July 21, 2008, from http://family.jrank.org/pages/1578/Single-Parent-Families-Economics-Single-Parent-Family-Life.html

Mississippi Low-Income Child Care Initiative. (N.D.). Key issues for reform in the Mississippi child care certificate program. Retrieved July 24, 2008, form http://www.mschildcare.org/key_reforms.pdf

Office of Haley Barbour. (2007). Mississippi early care and education programs: contact information and program data. Retrieved July 25, 2008, from http://www.governorbarbour.com/documents/EarlyCareandEducationInformation_000.pdf

Pandey S. & Zhan, M. (2007). Postsecondary education, marital status, and economic well-being of women with children. Social Development Issues, 29(1), 1-26, Retrieved July 23, 2008, from EBSCOhost Database.

MMA Training for the Significantly Overweight (as promised)

“In 648 B.C.E., the Greeks introduced the sport of pankration” (Walter 2003, para 1). Pankration was essentially a combination of boxing and wrestling and is the basis of the current sport known as mixed martial arts, or MMA, which has been popularized in recent years due largely to the Ultimate Fighting Championships, or UFC. MMA is not just a spectator sport that showcases the talents of top competitors. It is also a wonderful mix of strength and cardio training that can be used as an exercise program for anyone who wants to learn. With the rise in American obesity, and the rise in popularity of MMA, many people are flocking to MMA training facilities, and many are encountering concerns about how their weight may affect their ability to train. Many of these concerns can be easily addressed through proper training techniques that will allow anyone to learn this sport. Despite the many concerns regarding injury rates and obesity, mixed martial arts training can be physically beneficial to the significantly overweight individual. It can become part of a diet and exercise program that will alter the body composition and change their lives for the better.

As more studies are done on the issue of obesity, it becomes evident that many health problems can manifest as a result of being significantly overweight. It is commonly known and understood that obese individuals are at a heightened risk of diabetes and heart disease, but studies also suggest that excess body weight puts one at a higher risk of injury. In fact, “a new study on the subject says about one out of every four obese people report personal injuries in men and about one out of every five obese women report the same. This may be compared to the one out of six normal weight men and one out of eight normal weight women who report such injuries” (Obesity can increase, para. 2). This heightened injury risk should be noted by a prospective fighter who is significantly overweight. If he or she goes into training armed with an awareness of this risk, its causes, and its manifestations then he or she may be more self-aware and better prepared to utilize proper training methods to avoid these injuries.

As many people know, “obesity can limit the amount of physical strain a person can take” (Obesity can increase, para. 5). Having excess body weight puts more strain on the bones and joints that move the body, and this strain adds up over time. Therefore, it is necessary for the obese fighter to monitor the amount of stress on his or her body to avoid overexertion.

The first and perhaps most widely recognized aspect of MMA is the stand-up fighting or striking. The most commonly used stand-up style is muay thai: the Thai art of kickboxing which uses punches and kicks as well as strikes from the knees and elbows. While many people perceive this as dangerous because of the bumps and bruises, there are certain other inherent risks to muay thai training when the fighter-trainee is significantly overweight.

For the fighter, the greatest risk is injury of the lower body’s joints. As a recent study by W. Gilleard and T. Smith (2007) noted, obesity is “a factor in reduced motion magnitude at the hip joint and the lumbar spine, possibly owing to a mechanical effect of interposing adipose tissue restricting joint range of motion” (p. 1). This means that an overambitious or overly forceful kick can cause strain and injury to the hip joints. The knees are also at risk for injury during training, as many kicks use a knee extension, and the technique of dodging and weaving to avoid punches requires significant and frequent bending at the knees. If the obese person has not been getting regular exercise to strengthen the lower body, the necessary muscles will be weak. “Weak quadriceps and hamstrings [and] poor alignment” are frequently the culprits of knee pain and injury” (Sherman 2006, para. 1). “The simplest ways to keep your knees healthy,” Alexa Joy Sherman (2006) advises, “include staying fit and maintaining an appropriate weight” (para. 2). These weak quadriceps, hamstrings, and lumbar spine areas are also quite prone to muscle strain when they are used vigorously, and MMA training is “more rigorous training than almost any other sport,” according to top UFC contender Chuck Liddell (as quoted in Walter 2003, para. 19). This is very normal, and as long as the obese person does not overexert himself or herself, these muscles will strengthen over time ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

Another area of concern is the risk to the sparring partner that the obese person’s physical condition may affect. There is a common misconception that a higher body weight leads to more powerful striking. While “research has generally indicated that obese adults present with greater absolute strength and power of muscles of the trunk and lower extremity, the effect appears to be highly site-specific” (Byrne, Henning, Hills, Steele & Wearing, 2006, p. 2). Given the known musculoskeletal issues with obesity previously noted, this does not translate into more powerful strikes. Striking is not dependent on site-specific power, but on the body’s ability to create the right amount of force in the right position ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). There is more risk that the obese fighter will injure his or her sparring partner by misplacing kicks. Since the range of motion in the hips is limited, the leg often cannot hit the intended target with the necessary precision. This can often result in a kick that is intended for the thigh to impact the common peroneal nerve directly. It should be noted, though, that this mishap is common regardless of the size of the fighter. There is slightly more concern with the obese fighter, as his or her range of motion is inherently more limited than that of a person of average weight. ([name removed for public posting], Personal Communication).

Each of these problems can be avoided by proper muay thai training, which will enrich the obese person’s training experience in multiple ways. Training by using a heavy bag or a thai bag will help any fighter develop proper form before working with a partner. This is essential to the prevention of partner-injury, and it also provides the fighter-trainee with an excellent cardiovascular and muscular conditioning session. Using the speed bag and the double-end bag will develop precision in the punches. Once the trainee has enough precision, he or she can transition more easily to working with focus mitts and thai pads without running the risk of misplacing a punch and accidentally hitting a partner in the chest or face. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). These things together provide a good, rounded kickboxing program for the obese person. Use of the bags to develop precision also strengthens the muscles of the lower body, and the repetition creates a greater range of motion in the hips and knees. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). As part of a weight loss program, kickboxing is very effective, as it burns approximately 720 calories per hour. (If Your Goal Is, 2005, ).

The other part of MMA training is grappling which is most commonly presented in the form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This is an art that involves submission of the opponent primarily via joint locks and chokes. When an obese person enters jiu jitsu training, there are a couple of things that must be considered. Due to the noted musculoskeletal concerns, many trainers believe that joint locks can cause greater injury to an obese trainee’s joints, and that the muscular stretching that occurs when these joint locks are applied will cause too much strain. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). While these limitations will take time to overcome, there is much that the obese person can do to speed the process. Frequent stretching is required for any fighter but is even more important for the overweight individual whose range of motion and flexibility are limited. Yoga has been very effective for increasing flexibility, and is highly recommended by trainers. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

The other largest concern with jiu jitsu is that the obese person will lose his or her balance during a move, and will smother his or her opponent. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication). The easiest way to overcome this obstacle is by proper training. The training techniques used for muay thai will help build precision and balance, and the stretching exercises or yoga will help one to achieve flexibility. In addition to these, there are many solo jiu jitsu drills that will help the obese individual further condition his or her muscles and gain the necessary strength and precision to spar with a partner, or as it is called in jiu jitsu, to roll. Any certified jiu jitsu instructor can show the trainee a series of solo drills. ([name removed for public posting], personal communication).

Anyone can use these principles to learn MMA, but they are especially important for an obese person. It is important to remember to discuss these things with a potential instructor, as they will be able to tell the student which drills might benefit him or her most as well as how much experience the instructors have had addressing these issues through training before. In a good program with a qualified instructor, students can almost always lose weight and reshape their bodies. Schools that have tracked student weight loss have shown that students lost on “average [ten] pounds a month” (Orange County Jiu Jitsu and MMA, para.2). Many people have lost even more weight. D******S***** [name removed for public posting] (personal communication) lost 90 pounds in four months using the diet and training principles for MMA outlined by his trainer, J********T******** from D***** D******* Biloxi, MS [names removed for public posting]. I have personally lost 128 pounds in the last nine months using the training principles given by S**** B******, a professional MMA fighter of Georgia’s T***** B***** [names removed for public posting]. If the obese individual trains properly and exercises caution to avoid injury, this weight loss can be beneficial and even life changing.

References

Byrne, N.M., Hennig, E. M., Hills, A. P., Steele, J. R., & Steele, J. R. (2006, February). The biomechanics of restricted movement in adult obesity. Obesity Reviews, 7(1) 13-24. Retrieved June 11, 2008 from, EBSCOhost Database.

Gilleard, W. & Smith, T. (2007, February). Effect of obesity on posture and hip joint momentsduring a standing task, and trunk forward flexion motion. International Journal of Obesity, 31(2), 267-271. Retrieved June 11, 2008 from EBSCOhost Database.

If your goal is weight loss. (2005, March). Natural Health, 35(3), 84. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from EBSCOhost Database

Mink, R. (2008, March) A New Grip on Talent. The Washington Post, p. E01. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603982.html

Obesity can increase the chances of injuries. (2005, July). The American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Retrieved June 2, 2008, from www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Obesity-Can-Increase-The-Chance-Of-Inuries-4024-1/

Orange County Jiu Jitsu and MMA. You will change with our training. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http://www.ocjj.com/index

Sherman, A. J. (2006, September). Strong in the knees. Natural Health, 36(8), 45-48. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from EBSCOhost Daabase.

Walter, D. F. (2003, December). Mixed martial arts: ultimate sport or ultimately illegal? Retrieved Jun 11, 2008, from http://www.grapplearts.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts-1.htm

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