Like many of the children in this neighbourhood, Andrea's and Beth's children
go regularly to the neighbourhood youth club, which they describe as primarily
a social gathering place for children in their community. Andrea is always
conscious of finances and she reveals, "Like for me for my…the
three kids it's $25. It goes from September 1st of one year to August 31st
of the following
year…They draw pictures. They can play games. They can listen to music."
All of the parents report the Club scheduling more trips outside the area
in
the summer. Their children have planned activities with the youth club in
the neighbourhood and many also participate in church groups. Andrea feels
the range of activities offered is quite limited, but being economically
dependent, she feels that she has no voice in this matter and has to take
what she can get for her children from those who have the power and authority
to make the decisions.
Neither Andrea nor her husband are religious or go to church, but like
many families in their neighbourhood, they take advantage of the church bus
that makes stops in their neighbourhood and allow their children to participate
in the "Church up [the] road…they go to [church group] on Wednesday
nights and they go to church on Sunday morning…A bus goes around and
picks them up and drops them off." The program offers additional literacy
activities
as Andrea elaborates, "They have memory verses and stuff they gotta remember…On
Wednesday nights they earn badges and stuff." Michelle's children also
participate in this church program, but she admits that she uses [church
group] as a
privilege and says "but if they're bad, I take it away from them." In
the summer, special activities are also offered by [church group], although
Andrea
is quick to point out that like the [youth club], these are limited and she
has to accept what is offered since "beggars can't be choosers."
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