‘Kids in poverty' And so we get either a headline in the paper, or some politician endorsing this message.

I am amazed and disappointed that so few people seem to want to address the real problem.

The other day we had a woman who was complaining that she was having trouble looking after her family and it turned out that she had 11 children.

May I just simply say that it is time people realised they have to take responsibility for their bodily urges? In a modern country everyone has access to birth control.

Less children equals more food to go around, which makes for well fed and happier children and less stressed parents.

It is true our welfare system has run amok and some will argue that the consequences are not their fault. More fool us as a society, that we have let it happen.

W Painter, Tauranga.