9781422280584

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Chapter One

Family Troubles

When babies are born, they are extremely vulnerable . Unlike most other animals, newborn humans can’t take care of themselves at all. The process that we call “growing up” is basically a series of steps toward becoming more and more independent. But even middle-school kids are pretty dependent on the adults around them for food, shelter, and education. Consequently, it’s easy to understand why the family is the center of most kids’ lives. And it also makes sense that a lot of the fears and anxieties that kids have are related to their families. When you are dependent on others for your own survival, it’s natural to worry about the safety of those people. Even very little kids understand, at least on a subconscious level, that the fate of their parents is intertwined with their own.

Words to Understand

deployment: the movement of troops into a particular area. deportation: the act of forcing a noncitizen to leave a country. incarceration: being confined in prison. subconscious: the part of your mind you are not always aware of, or the things you are thinking about beneath your daily thoughts. vulnerable: easily harmed or attacked.