'twas a Hard Knock Life: The Tabor Home Story

'Twas a Hard Knock Life, Reviewed by Julie Eberhart Painter, Port Orange, FL This book is a must read for social workers everywhere. The Tabor Home (orphanage) graduates in this anthology make very important points about childhood and their own vision of security. Their riveting stories show how blessed they felt to have been raised in a beautiful country setting, located outside of Doylestown, PA, a community rich in history and culture. Most Taborites agree that orphanages are not a bad solution for creating stability. Children, rather than being constantly uprooted, know where home is. In our current system, children are moved in and out of foster care, raised in unstable environments and often abused by people who become foster parents for the government stipend or to get closer to vulnerable kids. With strong directors such as the Lutheran Sisters, the children who couldn't live with their parents, because of divorce or dysfunction, knew they would be provided the necessities even during lean times. There was discipline, sometimes a little harsh, but reasonably consistent. They learned values and hard work. Many graduates became successful. My husband and I went to school with these youngsters. We didn't know which ones were The Tabor Kids. But the kids felt everyone knew. Most adjusted and spoke of enjoying having so many kids their own age to play with, describing it as a huge family especially during holidays. It grieves me to read that after 100 years of service Tabor Home has been diminished to a very few children. Our child protective service restrictions have changed. These days many kids are in foster care where they have little direction and no stability. 'Twas a Hard Knock Life makes a case for bringing back orphanages. Especially in rural settings where there is room to roam and expand one's imagination. You don't have to know the area, the people or the times to appreciate the stories; they are universal