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"Mark, wake up! It's time to get ready for school!"

"But mom! I'm tired! I am sick of school I don't want 

to go!" Mark complained to his mother. 

"You know Mark, some kids in the world would do anything to be able to 

wake up each morning and go to school"

"What do you mean Mom? Don't all kids get forced to go to school by 

their moms and dads?

"No, Mark. Some kids aren't as lucky and don't get to go to school. Some 

kids have to stay home and even some kids as young as you have to go to 

work instead to make money"

What Mark's mother was saying perplexed the young 10 year old boy. 

"Your lying Mom! Only grown ups have to go to work. None of my 

friends have jobs"

"In some other places in the world, families need their children to work to 

have money for food and a home to live"

"But Mom....." 

"Now Mark, we are going to be late! It's time to get ready for school, we 

can talk more about this during breakfast"

"Mom, what kinds of jobs do these kids have? Because I would quit 

school too if I could be a soccer player."

"These jobs are not nice and fun jobs to have Mark," his mother 

began to explain. 

"These children would rather go to school and have fun with their 

friends and learn. Instead, they are forced to do very tiring and 

sometimes dangerous jobs."

"Like what?" Mark questioned. 

"Well, many different jobs. Some kids are stuck in factories making 

things like clothes, furniture and electronics.

"Alright Mark, grab your bag and soccer ball for recess. Time to start 

walking to school." 

"Mom, do these kids get recess and snack time like I do?"

"No Mark, most of these kids are stuck inside from the early morning to 

late at night. Sometimes, they don't get to go outside at all or see the 

sunlight. In some cases, they don't even get food to eat," Mark's 

mother explained. 

"Don't their moms and dads care about them?"

"Of course they do! But sometimes the moms and dads have to work 

jobs just like these ones too. These jobs don't pay a lot of money which 

is why sometimes kids and parents must both go to work."

"You said these kids make clothes? Does that mean kids my age are 

making the clothes I'm wearing?" Mark questioned.

"Probably a few items of your clothing were made by them or other 

adults. Lots of the clothes that are sold here in Canada are made from 

these types of factories. Your Dad and I try our best to only buy clothes 

from stores that do not use these types of sweat shop factories to make 

their clothes. We try to only buy clothes where we know the workers are 

treated nice, have safe jobs and are paid fairly."

"See that logo over there that lady is wearing. That's a company that uses 

these bad factories" Mark's mother points out.

"Why would she buy clothes made by kids?" Mark asked.

"There's many reasons why. Some people don't realize the clothes they are 

wearing are made under these conditions. Some people can only afford 

these types of clothes."

"Why don't all companies make their clothes in good factories, 

Mom?"

"The people who own these companies try to make clothes as fast and 

as cheap as possible. Sometimes it's less expensive to make clothes in 

other countries because they pay the workers less and the cost of 

running a company there is less."

"What can I do to help?" Mark became determined.

"Asking questions like this is a good start. Telling your friends at 

school and teacher is also helpful. The more people that know about 

these problems the better!"

"I can do that, Mom!"

Mark ran over to his teacher as soon as he got to school that day.

"Mrs. Williams, did you know I am lucky to be at school today and every day! 

Did you know that some kids have to go to work instead of going to 

school?"

"You know Mark, you are very right! That is a great point you made," Mrs. 

Williams replied very impressed with Mark.

As Mark continued to share with his teacher everything he learned that 

morning, Mrs. Williams realized how important this topic was to inform her 

class about. 

"I have the perfect book we can read today during novel studies, 

class! Mark reminded me today of a little boy I once read about named 

Iqbal..." Mrs. Williams announced to her students.

The students in the class were all very interested to learn about kids in 

different parts of the world and the struggles some of them go 

through every day. Mark was very interested to hear about the 

factories his mom told him about. He was very excited to go home that 

night and share with his parents all the new things he learned.

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