I can think of a lot of reasons but they are all based on previous bad decisions lol. Let's say you have a kid at age 18 and can only work shift work to raise your kid. You're probably stuck at entry level or in a restaurant until they're old enough to be alone for hours at a time.

Sure, that's a poor life choice that go you there. Maybe you should have been more responsible. Maybe you should have aborted the kid because you cannot afford to live in this country with it. Idk.

I dont think means to survive should be tied to life choices and frankly I'd rather see that person keep the kid and have enough cash to raise it. The minimum should just be a living wage. It was possible in the 60s with half as productive of a worker, 52.8% corporate tax and 0 living billionaires, it should be possible now with the top end reaching near a trillion in net worth, 9% corporate tax and our working class producing hundreds of billions of dollars in goods.