What a wonderful thread for us to share!
I remember my so called friends hurting my feelings too many times during middle school/high school. I was the only one in our crowd on free or reduced lunch. At that time we used to get a roll of a month's worth of tickets. If there was no school or I was absent, I could use that ticket on another day and possibly get more than 1 lunch by going through a different line. So, one day we were planning to skip out and go to her house for lunch. She noticed me putting the ticket back in my pocket and she commented, "we don't accept food stamps at my house. sorry, couldn't resist" or something like that. She had no idea how much that hurt.
I also remember many times putting together my little outfits to not appear to be wearing the same thing. It didn't work cause another friend would talk about me to my face. I remember being asked "what you gon wear tomorrow?" And don't let me wear anything really nice or new. She continued to talk about how "shocked" she was to see me in that.
This whole "clothes" thing has continued to affect me in my life now. Even now I find myself shopping to get things that will go with what I already have so I will never appear to be wearing the same thing. I also have a recurring dream where I am either shopping and buying beautiful clothes or I am looking in my closet for something to wear and then I am walking through the high school cafeteria looking fabulous!
As a single mother of 3 I find myself spoiling my children and always trying to give them their heart's desire. I have a strained relationship with my mother now because she did not work (supposedly my dad wouldn't let her). I felt that if she had a job, we would not have been as unfortunate. We were never without food because my dad grew up hungry so keeping groceries in the house was his thing plus he was an awesome cook!
Sorry, this is so long but this is a great thread for us to share. It helps me now when I hear my students put down someone else for not having and they KNOW I will go off on them!
Now I am going to ask each of my kids if they consider themselves poor. Too often they say that their friends have more. I just want them to be happy but also thankful with their Jordan wearing/cell phone sporting selves! I break myself so they can keep up. I hope they realize that is why they have breakfast for dinner somethimes.
