So many choices, so little time

I was very surprised by today’s welfare simulation. I never once thought that being on welfare was easy, yet I never thought it would be so hard. This is in part because I am not yet aware of how much child support costs or what is takes to buy a car and a house. Those costs all add up very quickly and those are not even half of what a women needs to pay; not to mention if she has children. These women all have different situations and all need different types of help.

That is where their choices come into play. The numbers of choices are one thing that is definitely not lacking when it comes to the welfare system. Generally speaking it is a good thing to have choices, most often a great thing, but this often turns into a problem when welfare is concerned. Women and their families are offered so many choices that it is hard for them to know which choice is best for their individual families. These choices often overlap, thus making it tough to make a decision.

Another problem with these choices is that they most often take time. TANF for example, takes two weeks before any cash assistance is seen and sometimes that is two weeks too long. When something goes wrong (whether it be the loss of a job or a sick child) actions needs to be taken immediately and many of the choices to not recognize the point of time.

If women were better informed about their choices and they understood what each choice met then they would be more knowledgeable and would be able to do what is best for themselves and their families.