With just about anything in life, more progress is made through collaborations than individually. However, we live in a society wherein every man being out for himself is the norm. Unfortunately, this preference is not only slow-paced, but it can, at times, be detrimental.
A recent collaboration that is beneficial to the whole is the forthcoming S-Line Raleigh to Richmond (R2R). The expectation is that it will route commuters from Raleigh to Richmond with its freight line end points in Raleigh and Petersburg, VA1. This is helpful for several reasons: Cost of living, commute time, congestion, and emissions to name a few things. The project received funding from the Biden Administration, but had been in discussions for several years prior2. The collaborative efforts of NC and VA for the right of way as well as federal funding is what is finally pushing it forward. This is not the only major commuter change expected on the East Coast.
Next spring, NYC has plans to begin a daily toll for individuals commuting to Manhattan3. This change is expected to take place by June, and the near unanimous decision to approve the initiative is remarkable. It has been well-known that congestion has been a major issue for the borough for quite some time. Some of the success seen with decreased congestion during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders was inspirational to press forward with initiatives such as this.
During the early changes that took place as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, it was commonly thought that remote work would be the new norm. While the option to telework has become more common than before, it has not taken the place of going into the office. There are individuals who prefer to work on site, and individuals who are required to work on site either due to employer preferences or due to the natures of their jobs. So, the congestion continues. Not to mention the consistent growth that the Triangle has seen, much of which has been individuals and families relocating to this area from New England states.
In this area, working multiple jobs used to be a choice to allow people to move beyond their current lifestyles. Over recent years, it is leaning towards becoming a necessity to keep up with the cost of living, which has seen steady increase in the Triangle with the population growth in this area. Otherwise, people live with family, friends, or in a shared home. Remote work helps to ease some financial burdens, especially when it comes to children.
There is a question of whether parents are able to maintain the cost of child care. The overall number of children being raised in a one-parent household has had a slight decline in the U.S. in recent years4. However, latchkey kids have become more prevalent following lifestyle changes during COVID-19 restrictions5. For some, this may be unavoidable. But for others, collective parenting may ease some burdensome economic and lifestyle impacts.
Latchkey kids help parents, but is it always good for kids? You may end up with an individual who is highly independent, but you may also end up with an individual who is co-dependent and has abandonment issues. You may end up with a child who grows into an adult with trust issues. You may be raising someone into being a total recluse. It seems that the only real benefits are the expectations of self-sufficiency and the monetary savings. For those parents who simply choose to go at it alone, there may be a need to reevaluate a few things.
For generations, many parents have taken to the notion that programs in place to assist out of challenging situations is a way of life as opposed to temporary assistance. Countless men and women have opted to rely on child support, and child support is often times counted as source of income. There are many times that child support is sought by the states due to one parent being a recipient of public assistance of some sort. This is support that follows after the division of the family unit, and is often times without effective co-parenting. Here is where some of the cause of having latchkey kids can be attributed. In either event, the paying parents may live below the poverty line, and are possibly unable to sustain minimum standard lifestyles because of financial obligations that are incongruent with the cost of living. These are some of the people already depending on shared living before any increase in the cost of living.
While these may be posed as hypotheticals, just talk to a few paying parties. Honestly, these descriptions are putting it lightly. Homelessness is a very real result from situations like these. It is the human equivalent to an insolvent business. One in such situations would be incredibly grateful for human capital to alleviate the burdens of: Lack of co-parenting, court-imposed support, and wages incongruent with the cost of living.
Are the court systems so bogged down with the forever adjudications of any claim that no real effort is put into collective parenting? It would be amazing to see comparable power and effort put into family collaborations as is put into business and political collaborations.
References
- “S-Line Raleigh to Richmond Project.” North Carolina Department of Transportation, 6 Dec. 2023, www.ncdot.gov/divisions/rail/s-line-projects/raleigh-richmond/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
- “S-Line Gets $1 Billion, NC Gets $3.5 M for Rail Lines.” Wake Forest Gazette, 6 Dec. 2023, wakeforestgazette.com/s-line-gets-1-billion-nc-gets-3-5-m-for-rail-lines/. Accessed 15 Dec. 2023.
- Siff, Andrew, et al. “NYC Congestion Pricing: How Much Drivers Will Pay, Exemptions, Surcharges and More.” NBC New York, 30 Nov. 2023, www.nbcnewyork.com/traffic/transit-traffic/nyc-congestion-pricing-how-much-drivers-will-pay-exemptions-surcharges-and-more/4908358/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
- “U.S. Children Living in a Single Parent Family 1970-2023 | Statista.” Statista, 28 Nov. 2023, www.statista.com/statistics/252847/number-of-children-living-with-a-single-mother-or-single-father.
- “How the Pandemic Has Forced a New Generation of Latchkey Kids.” com, 15 Nov. 2021, www.today.com/parents/how-pandemic-forced-new-generation-latchkey-kids-t238822.