Quoting Coupon Lady:" Same. My parents own a huge kick ass house with a pool and 4 bedrooms, and they bought it in 1986 ... [snip!] ... think their money troubles will be over due to "more" assistance or better child tax etc....Its not right at all. lol "

100% agree.
Here we have WIC. I have seen plenty of women here say they are on WIC but truly believe they are self-sufficient. They seem to factor that help from strangers in their family planning.

Quoting TheNuge:" 100% agree. Here we have WIC. I have seen plenty of women here say they are on WIC but truly believe ... [snip!] ... are on WIC but truly believe they are self-sufficient. They seem to factor that help from strangers in their family planning."

Well then. lol

I have used our assistance before, for a short time. When my house income went from two incomes to me being a single mom, who could no longer afford daycare. I was gald to get off of it within 6 months time. lol

I could not imagine someones life goal, and even more so a parents life goal to have babies and live off of assistance. lol Its crazy.

Here assistance is a life choice for unfortunately most people, you can be on assistance for 40 years here or more lol. They will pay for your kids sports, (which I do like) for the fact that it gets kids off their lazy bums, if the parents truely need the help. But like everywhere most abuse the system for many years.

I would love to have a 4th baby (hopefully a boy) but its not in my budget as a single mom of 3, lol (need a parenter first but whatever) lol I think it would be selfish of me to take away from my other kids to add an extra person on our budget, and have to IDK take away their sports ot Girl guides and brownies, cause I had another kid. lol

I think that kids are owed a whole lot more than the basic needs....Come on, is it really fair when they see something that means a lot to them like a guitar or something and they can't have it b/c parents have no money to get it...I think it hurts who they can be as a person. I am not saying buy them everything...but it is owed to them to get to have certain things and be able to participate in sports or whatever their hearts desire...that makes them who they are!!

Quoting Cade*Lily*Mom:" I think that kids are owed a whole lot more than the basic needs....Come on, is it really fair when they ... [snip!] ... to have certain things and be able to participate in sports or whatever their hearts desire...that makes them who they are!!"

I agree.
Even more so when it comes to kids and extra activities like sports otr other things, even after school activities that may cost extra money, class trips. etc...

I would feel horrible if I couldnt afford to send my kids on a class trip cause I coudnt afford it, or buy school pictures to have as a memory.

I know too many kids that cant play sports because the parents cant afford it at all.

I do buy my kids a hell of a lot of nice things, but because I want to and not because I think its owed to them. But when it comes to sports, I think every child should be able to expierence a sport of choice.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Coupon Lady:</b>" Well then. lol I have used our assistance before, for a short time. When my house income went from ... [snip!] ... an extra person on our budget, and have to IDK take away their sports ot Girl guides and brownies, cause I had another kid. lol"</blockquote>




I was on assistance while being a single mother, got my education and got the smurf off that smurf lol. I HATED it!!!!!!!!

Also, a girl I was BFF's with forever ago got pregnant at 16, got on welfare and is still on it to this day, 10 years later with another 3 kids added to the mix. She seems content on welfare. Every once in a while she'll attempt schooling but will quit for one reason or another (satisfy the worker). I don't get how someone chooses it over earning money. THOSE are the people who shouldn't continue pushing out babies!!!!!!!

Quoting Coupon Lady:" I agree. Even more so when it comes to kids and extra activities like sports otr other things, even ... [snip!] ... I think its owed to them. But when it comes to sports, I think every child should be able to expierence a sport of choice."

Well said Momma...I agree with that too.

I do understand if you need it ...that is what it is there for...but get off of it when you can...don't just stay on welfare because you can

I usually live paycheck to paycheck (until i graduate college) and i just had my 2nd baby. But i still make it all work, my kids both have everything they need and then some.

But i do think that certain people shouldnt be having more kids. Like the women on welfare who have 7 kids and keep on having them. Its just ridiculous.

I don't think its irresponsible if your living pay check to pay check.. Hell we do sometimes but if that means I go without then I'll go without. People don't need to be so quick to judge..

Meh, it really depends. Yes and no really.

Living paycheck to paycheck is pretty different from poverty level. There are just too many variables with that. My parents lived paycheck to paycheck but we all lived in a five bedroom house, went to decent public schools, good neighborhood, and they had two cars. We ate every day, and got presents for Christmas. My parents were and still are middle class no government assistance involved.

My husband and I are also considered middle class. No government assistance, we have shelter, food, clothes, insurance, and so forth. We live paycheck to paycheck too. We have debt, but most is good debt from student loans. The rest is debt from our cat's medical bills over the period of four years. He sadly had to be put to sleep due to kidney failure couple weeks ago. Poor kitty always had vet bills, first day we brought him home he tripped on table leg and sprained his paw lol.

Anyways I digressed a little bit. I think it's really only irresponsible if people TTC and can not even afford basic needs. A lot of the materialistic stuff isn't really needed for a healthy happy kid.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Clk:</b>" Living paycheck to paycheck is pretty different from poverty level. There are just too many variables ... [snip!] ... people TTC and can not even afford basic needs. A lot of the materialistic stuff isn't really needed for a healthy happy kid."</blockquote>




And I agree if you are in poverty level or living off of government assistance or can't afford basic needs then you have no right to TTC

Quoting Back to Noob Status:" Do you think it is irresponsible to have kids if the parents are poor/living paycheck to paycheck? ... [snip!] ... owed more than just the bare necessities in life (i.e. food, basic clothing, shelter)? Curious to see what BG thinks..."

My parents had 3 kids and lived pay check to pay check.. we were on foodstamps for a short while too. They were told when they got preg with my brother that they should consider abortion because they couldn't afford it.
Despite being poor when I was young I had a good childhood. And when I turned 7 my dad got a new job and worked hard and we finally started doing better and got a better house and things just kept getting better. my parents were never "rich" but middle class? Yes. I don't think they were selfish at all.

I enjoy spoiling my kids, if deserving. But I say no.... some of the most happiest children live in shacks and have absolutely nothing... of course these children are not Westernized and "need" every little smurfing gadget to put a smile on their face. Kids should be happy with dirt a stick, and love.

I think it is very subjective.

If you cant provide the basics plus a few extras for your kids, yes, I think it is irresponsible.

I did live pay to pay prior to getting married, when i was a young single Mother of one. However, I feel that I was cash-poor, not poverty poor.'
Meaning, I had a nice apartment, in a beautiful area on the ocean, my utilities paid, good meals on the table every day, clothing, toys, and a few luxuries here & there, but not much of anything left over after paying for everything. Sometimes I had zero cash, not even a quarter in the couch cushions, but we were still provided for. It was not my ideal life, and there were times that she got sick and I had to call my ex and ask for money for medicine, but I feel that I did fine on what I had. If i had to wear the same shoes until they had holes in them so my Daughter could have something cool she wanted, that was that, or do something special, that was that. I did not want to live like that forever though, and worked my ass off to get ahead.

I no longer live pay to pay, but I dont think bad of anyone who does.

I see people say sometimes, that they want their kids to have better than they had, for me it is the opposite, lol.......I had a very spoiled childhood and despite being comfortable (bills paid, some savings, and giving my kids nice things and trips)...I will never be able to live up what my family gave me. But I feel that I do awesome! Esp. given my life circumstances, my first eldests childs father left me and my youngest child father (my husband) died. I am happy with what I can do for my kids.

Quoting ☆stumbleine ☆:" I enjoy spoiling my kids, if deserving. But I say no.... some of the most happiest children live in ... [snip!] ... and "need" every little smurfing gadget to put a smile on their face. Kids should be happy with dirt a stick, and love."

My SO and I talk about this a lot. We constantly talk about how people here in the US are just spoiled and they have no idea and they sit there and judge other parents for being "poor" when our standard of living is outrageous to begin with. If you have food on your table, no matter how it got there, you are more wealthy than a huge percentage of the world and you should be super thankful for that.