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I think that you are taking the Op's post the wrong way. She only said that both she and her husband work full time retail jobs and she wishes that people wouldn't look down on them for doing so. They are hard working and self supporting and are raising their teenager to be a hard worker, too.
It's just weird to look down on retail/restaurant workers like they are somehow on the dole and gaming the system in some way. They are doing honest, needed work and they are supporting themselves and their families.
I wasn't responding to the OP's post. I was responding to a poster who said the poster deserves to be commended.
As a single parent, I took what was available job wise. And there is nothing wrong with leaning on programs to aide your family. I paid in via taxation . I didn't ask to be taxed. When the need to be supplemented kept the home warm I dern well didn't allow society to dictate shame or guilt. I worked, I paid my share in.
If this couple kept the relationship healthy and their family in tact. That is a wonderful success!
Not a fan of thinking poverty makes a person appreciate or somehow make them more ambitious. Many things can be a catalyst for appreciation/ gratitude.
When making an earnest living the by product is a set of standards for the kids to incorporate. Glad the OP is earnest.
As a single parent, I took what was available job wise. And there is nothing wrong with leaning on programs to aide your family. I paid in via taxation . I didn't ask to be taxed. When the need to be supplemented kept the home warm I dern well didn't allow society to dictate shame or guilt. I worked, I paid my share in.
If this couple kept the relationship healthy and their family in tact. That is a wonderful success!
Not a fan of thinking poverty makes a person appreciate or somehow make them more ambitious. Many things can be a catalyst for appreciation/ gratitude.
When making an earnest living the by product is a set of standards for the kids to incorporate. Glad the OP is earnest.
There is government aid available to those that need it. It's a social safety net plain and simple. We never know what our life circumstances will be and what the future may bring.
At the same time, you should be able to go to work, work hard every day and not be looked down upon or have people that you don't even know making big assumptions about you. You don't owe anyone your life story.
My biggest issue with the OP was about her daughter paying for her own cell, etc. I wonder if she fails to see that her daughter may feel an obligation to lessen the load. And that’s not a kid’s “job”. Maybe OP should take advantage of social safety bets in place and better her circumstances through education and training.
My family was by no means well to do, especially in my young years- my mom was a waitress and my dad was a cook. But they worked themselves up and out of those roles because they wanted more for themselves but mainly for their children.
My mom went to college, one class at a time on Saturdays for years. She started out as a teachers Assitant, then a paper and finally a full fledged teacher after literally 10 plus years of weekend college classes. She has pretty severe dyslexia and never gave up on herself despite college being a struggle, raising her kids and working low paying jobs.
My dad sans even high school diploma worker his way up to become an operating engineering by taking courses that increased his practical knowledge. At 60 he took GED classes and successfully passed. He said for years he had a sense of shame that he stressed the importance of education to his children and didn’t have much of his own on paper.
My biggest issue with the OP was about her daughter paying for her own cell, etc. I wonder if she fails to see that her daughter may feel an obligation to lessen the load. And that’s not a kid’s “job”. Maybe OP should take advantage of social safety bets in place and better her circumstances through education and training.
My family was by no means well to do, especially in my young years- my mom was a waitress and my dad was a cook. But they worked themselves up and out of those roles because they wanted more for themselves but mainly for their children.
My mom went to college, one class at a time on Saturdays for years. She started out as a teachers Assitant, then a paper and finally a full fledged teacher after literally 10 plus years of weekend college classes. She has pretty severe dyslexia and never gave up on herself despite college being a struggle, raising her kids and working low paying jobs.
My dad sans even high school diploma worker his way up to become an operating engineering by taking courses that increased his practical knowledge. At 60 he took GED classes and successfully passed. He said for years he had a sense of shame that he stressed the importance of education to his children and didn’t have much of his own on paper.
The Op works for T-Mobile and T-Mobile has an employee education reimbursement plan. I'm not familiar with the terms of that plan but Op probably knows all about it. It's possible that she and/or her husband are taking advantage of it. They also have a solid work history of sales, cash handling, utilizing new technology and showing their customers how to utilize new technology.
T-Mobile also offers full time employees paid time off, as well as, a 401K type retirement plan. There are probably retail and fast food employees walking around with more money in their 401K plans and having less debt than a lot of office workers.
You can learn an awful lot at "just" a retail job.
The Op works for T-Mobile and T-Mobile has an employee education reimbursement plan. I'm not familiar with the terms of that plan but Op probably knows all about it. It's possible that she and/or her husband are taking advantage of it. They also have a solid work history of sales, cash handling, utilizing new technology and showing their customers how to utilize new technology.
T-Mobile also offers full time employees paid time off, as well as, a 401K type retirement plan. There are probably retail and fast food employees walking around with more money in their 401K plans and having less debt than a lot of office workers.
You can learn an awful lot at "just" a retail job.
This is good news, that some companies offer this. This is a counterbalance to the impression one gets, that corporations are trying to slough off some employee benefits. Helping employees pay for higher education is huge!
I work at T-mobile. My husband does too and it’s where we met and ended up getting married. When people learn that I have 2 kids, they automatically assume I rely on the government when in reality, we both work very hard to provide for our kids and never took a single penny from the government. We are a working class family living paycheck to paycheck. Although our finances aren’t the best, we manage to make it work. My oldest is 14 and is already working at her first real job. She pays for her phone bill, clothes, spending money and everything that she wants.
Great, good for you! I'm glad things are working out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poksmpo
For kids who don’t have parents with money to hand to them, they develop a work ethic at a young age since they have no choice but to work.
Ummm, ok...I'm not sure the anecdote proves the rule though right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poksmpo
Kids who get things handed to them will eventually get spoiled.
And now you've gone into talking about something in which you don't even have an anecdote for as a rule.
We spoil the crap out of our daughter....or at least try to. Whatever she wants, she gets. Funny though. She wants very little. She had no say in the queen bed or big screen TV...but she didn't want a bike. Mother offered her a Tesla and she turned it down as being too expensive for someone still learning to drive. She's pretty frugal actually.
Now, I have no problem with working younger. I did it and I think it helped me a great deal. Work ethic is not just a bastion of the working families though.
I wouldnt assume anyone was on assistance unless they didn't work...but even then it doesnt mean they're on assistance.
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