Do all children need dental care, over education, and food???

All right, I wasn’t going to post on this subject, but I keep seeing the bus shelters and billboards all over the city, and I just have to post my feelings. I know you all know we have it really good up here in Canada, and I love my Country, super proud, and stoked to be Canadian. I also didn’t want to come across as the asshole who doesn’t think all kids should have good teeth, because that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, just hear me out. What I’m not stoked about, what I’m not excited about, is this dental care for everybody under seventeen. “You get clean teeth, and you get clean teeth, AND YOU GET CLEAN TEETH.” Slow down Oprah Wynn.

You know what else I’m not impressed by, is the way she is spending my money. How did we end up with her?? Like, I don’t recall us voting? Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this how it happened?

McGuinty quit.

Her party, the liberal party, put Wynn in power. I’m paraphrasing but I think that’s how it came to pass.

And I have some opinions on some things. For starters Ms. Wynn mother of three, grandmother of three, do you know what kids don’t need in Ontario?? Free dental care, until they’re seventeen. You know what kids do need in Ontario? A school system they can count on. Where the teachers aren’t disgruntled every full moon, and strike on them. An education system where they can be in a classroom that doesn’t have more than thirty kids to one teacher. A school where they specialize in teaching new Canadian’s the English language while not holding kids who already speak English as a first language back. Extra staff that can spend the time with kids who are new here, getting them to learn English, before just throwing them in a classroom filled with kids who have been speaking, and reading it since they came out of the womb. Hell, in some cases with this new breed of super amped, moms, YAY YOU! Some kids are being educated while still inside their Mommas. What about kids who go to school HUNGRY? We don’t think a meal plan at schools would be more beneficial than teeth? I mean yeah you can’t eat if all your teeth rot out of your head, but then if you have nothing to eat, what good are your teeth anyway??? Not supporting kids inside the classroom, or them being able to receive the attention they need from an overcrowded system is a sure fire way to lose them along the way.

I mean, seriously let’s think about this…good teeth over education? That’s a no from me.

Good teeth over healthy meals for kids in need? That’s a no from me.

Straight white teeth over free sports, music, and drama programs for kids? Another no from me.

Let’s discuss what a positive impact free sports programs, or free music programs at local community centers would make. We have so many stats that praise the impact of music on learning. Sports and their character building qualities, how they get kids off the street, keep them from falling into a gang, and then into crime. These are programs I’m happy to give you 40 whatever the hell % tax I pay to you. H.A.P.P.Y to give you my money for shit like this. All day long, I will give you money for programs that enrich the lives of children, give them skills to take out into the world, inspire and motivate them.

But teeth? Really?

For real? Teeth?

That’s what you’re doing with my money???

I’m just saying what the f*#k good is a mouth full of straight teeth going to get you if you never finished getting your education because you got overwhelmed, ended up falling behind, got discouraged to the point that you QUIT school all together? What good will those amazingly white teeth do for you if your family has no food on the table? And once they’ve dropped out of school, and are hungry, they’re going to go and hang out in a community centre and play sports, or learn an instrument, or something to take their minds off the fact that they’ve fallen behind.

Oh wait. No they won’t. Those programs aren’t getting the money they need, so they aren’t real options are they?

Listen, I know all about the benefits of good teeth/healthy mouth, and how it impacts your life. It is damn important, and I’m blessed that even though my mother was a single mom, on a fixed income, she had an incredible benefits program, so I have fabulous teeth. Praise be to the benefit Gods that crossed my path. I’m very much aware of how lucky I am for my healthy mouth, so please don’t email about white privilege and that I don’t get it. I DO GET IT. (And if you’re reading this Dr. Nkansah, thanks for my adult teeth!) My point is that I think our money that goes into the pocket of the government, needs to be managed by people who are looking at the bigger picture, the entire well being of the development of a child, not just their teeth.

Because teeth, over everywhere else we’re falling short of caring for children? Really?

Really?

Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm…