There was this big huge study a few years back that was quoted all over the place. The cycle can be broken and it is very important to believe it can be broken and to tell the young people especially that it can be broken. People had to do two things, and they were pretty much OK at a fairly young age.
1) They had to not have children out of wedlock.
2) They had to stay off drugs and I presume excessive alcohol.
3. Three things..they had to finish high school.

That was it. Now, I would sure as heck try to channel them (OH DEAR I USED THE CH WORD, AN EDUCATOR'S BIG NO NO)into vocational and occupational learning in high school, with the expectation that they would go on for further technical training or college after high school. This would be for every student. The ones with the Harvard trust funds set up at birth and everyone. Everyone.

Young women have been sold a bill of goods that they can have babies when they want, with whom they want etc. It is a real good path to poverty, or a way to remain in it if you were born into it. Without getting into religion, morality, culture, mores etc., pure economics should drive this behavior. It guarantees two parents for the baby, assuming each chose reasonably well.   It assures some sort of delay in the reproductive process. It insures a whole other set of aunts, uncles, grandparents etc.

If you don't like poverty, take your pick. Start with children born out of wedlock, particularly to very young teens (and that has to be prevented one way, and that is by chaperoning them and not allowing them opportunities) or drug use. They sort of go together it seems, but not always. If you like poverty, keep saying that everyone has all these rights. That is where those particular rights lead. And keep saying the cycle can't be broken. Of course it can be broken. how did your grandparents break it? How did the immigrants from Vietnam, Etheopia, Guatamala break it? By being married, having a family structure where the elders took care of the youngsters while parents worked backbreaking jobs, by having teens contribute to the family earnings, by overcrowding in housing but eventually buying houses, by cooking at home, etc. etc. By encouraging their children to do well in school. By eating beans instead of prepackaged meals. By boiling diapers on the stove instead of buying disposable diapers. By fixing old cars up....a million ways. Find such a family and do what they do. And don't bother saying I don't want to help them or I blame the victim. I am quite happy to pay whatever taxes it takes me to solve these problems. mg

mg