I'm know I'm not the only person in the world that has one of those days. You know the kind of day that lasts forever even though you wish it would just be over. The problem is that I've been having these days for the past five years. It's kind of sad that a sixteen year old says that. It truly is. i recently signed up for my ACT. When I was signing up they asked me about the income of my parents. I live with my mom, who is a food & beverage manager at a hotel. She also has two other bartending jobs. My mom makes $40,000 a year. Then I had to add on the $16,000 she gets from my dad a year. Now this is the part that gets me. My dad makes $100,000 a year. The $16,000 is only 16% of his yearly income. My father rents a duplex with his girlfriend, so there are two incomes in that house. My mother has custody of three kids. Even though my older brother, who is 18 and graduated from high school, does not get counted in the child support anymore. My mom still has to buy food for us, clothes for my little sister, school fees, and she had to put money that she didn't have, down for my brother college education. My father refuses to pay anything for my brother's college education. And by law he's not required to.
This is when I start feeling guilty. My mom has always been a hard worker. She wasn't around much when I was little because she worked two jobs. So that meant my brother and I were left at home with my alcoholic and bi-polar father. He never hit us, that's because we were too terrified to actually do anything. We learned how to put ourselves to bed at an early age. But I don't blame my mom for any of this. She did what she had to do and she got the job done. By the time my little sister was born, my dad got a nice paying job and we became a family that could afford the finer things in life. I got adjusted to the life, but I was never able to get comfortable in it. I knew that it wouldn't last forever and of course it didn't. I went from living in a beautiful four bedroom house, totally redone with a pool, hot tub, beautiful yard, and located in a nice, peaceful subdivision. Now I live in a two bedroom townhouse, where our next door neighbors are literally next door, the faucets drip and the garage door won't close because our landlord can never seem to make it out to the house, and half of the things I own are in boxes because I have no space for them in my room where my bed takes up more than half the space. But I still am proud of my mom, because she's doing the best she can. I got a job as soon as I could. I work 30 hour weeks and get paid $6.50. Along with my 30 hour weeks, I have to keep up with my school so my car insurance is affordable. I cheer everytime I see gas prices go one cent lower. I shop at Aldi's and Goodwill, so I don't spend too much money on myself. And I rarely go out with my friends, so I'm not tempted to spend any money. I know, what an exciting life.
I get very jealous of my fellow students. I live in a very affluent town. Right across the street from my house is a multi-million dollar mansion. It literally looks like a hotel. That's nice to look at every morning. The kids I go to school with only shop at Ambercrombie and Hollister. Girls that wear $100 jeans that are torn and ripped. Boys that drive around in Benz. I know 5 kids that have parents that own their own plane. My mom doesn't even own her own car. Do you see the difference? People ask me why I hate school. I don't hate school, I just dislike the people in the school. And not because they have money, but because they have money and they still complain. They can get $100 from their parents without even asking (I know this because I've seen it). When I get my $200 check, I start rationing it right away. I just wish some of the kids I go to school with would understand why I'm not always in a good mood, why I don't go on field trips, get a year book, or eat lunch everyday. I know my situation could be a lot worse but it's definetly not the best. Some days I can deal with it and some days I just get frustrated. Is anyone else in a similar situation? How do you feel about single moms, child support, even kids who get everything and kids who don't? Tell me what you think.
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I admire single moms the most because they are less likely to get high paying job, yet most of them are able to raise their kids. My mother told me she could never have done it alone without my father. Until these days, my dad is the one who is bringing money into the house. My mother likes to spend money because she grew up as a rich girl. As for child support, I don't really know much about it. But it probably requires a lot of work so I applaud your mother. I understand how you feel completely. I'm one of those people who don't ask parents for money as much. I try to live on with what I have and spend it wisely. I seriously don't understand why rich kids are not satisfied with their lives. Do they want to become like a royal family or something?
I wish I could understand why rich kids aren't ever satisfied. I've seen Super Sweet 16 and it makes me sick to my stomach. I think they've just been waited on hand and foot their whole life, it's what they expect. And as they get older, their wants get bigger and more expensive. And I think that's were the dissatisfaction comes in to play. I blame the parents for not saying no. I do truly believe that the kids that get everything will always lead a life of nothing. I don't understand it. I can't and I never will. All I know is that I'll never ever let my kids get to that point.
i go to school with kids who have cars flown in from italy and when they crash it because they ran a stop sign, their parents "had better order me a new one and have it here by friday because i NEED to go out". it makes me sick. i hate more than half the people in my school. i am a very hateful person, and they just make it worse. and yes, i wholeheartedly support single mothers, especially when they work as hard as yours does. she sounds like a tremendously strong woman. i am so glad to hear that you appreciate your mom because i hear my peers talking about how much they hate theirs and i just want to slap them and say "yea well at least you still have one!" because my mother died when i was 10. i am so happy that you love your mother and that she is such a wonderful woman. i wish we had a few more women like her in the world. as for your situation, i sincerely hope that a miracle comes your way. blessed be.
That was a great blog... thanks for sharing.
There are a lot of selfish people out there who never stop to think about the lives of the people around them. Often others fade into their environment and become the same importance as a tree or a car, nothing more. I'm glad that you could share with us your thoughts and maybe open our eyes a little bit!
both sides and styles of life---i'm glad things are in so much clear perspective for you and that's because of all you went through
i was always poor and that's all i know how to be- i never spent money as easily as the people around me did ( when i lived in the city, everyone around me was poor)
two years ago, my family moved to a relatively well off place and got a three bedroom house (it's not separate- we still have neighbors RIGHT next to us but it's better than the old place) the only way we could afford it on my dad's 27,000 a year job (we're immigrants and my dad's degree from pakistan is worth nothing in america) is because of his brother who has been in america for about 20 years and is a psychiatrist, he lent my dad the money for down payment
this year- I had the greatest struggle and decision to make- I left a private really good university because it was too expensive and I now go to a public college so it would be easier on me and my family, i could not watch and get along with people who spent money and seemed to think it grew on trees (i know they know it's not on trees but like...ah.)
"Things have a life of their own. It's just a matter of waking up their souls."
--Gabriel García Márquez
http://www.progressiveu.org/231615-this-is-a-muslim-girls-plight
And even though i have actually thought about it
until now i didnt understand it. my mom works 2 jobs and although she id suppose to she doesnt really gete any child support from my father. She is always stressed out so i try to stay out of her way as much as possible.
but i suppose that people dont really know what they have until its gone so they dont understand how bad it can actaully be.
Calie* Blanco