If Other Kids Call You Poor

My Sweet Kids,

I know there have been times you have felt poor. There are vacations we can’t go on, the hand-me-down wardrobes, the times we didn’t send you to a friend’s birthday party because we couldn’t afford to buy them a gift. Little expenses that have seemed to be no big deal to other families have been enough to discourage us from participating in the activities you’d love to do or joining in on events other people are doing. When money is tight, every decision feels more weighty.

But while there are times you have felt poor, we have never been truly poor. We’ve done what we could to shield you from the stress of it all. As adults, we know the reality is that you’ve never been without food or shelter. Our bills have always been paid and we know where to go for help if we need it. We live within our means which have at times been meager.

Rebecca Tredway Photography

When one of you children came to me to ask if we were poor because a kid at school had said something to you about it, my heart broke. I never want you to feel like you are less than because our income is less than. I never want you to worry. I don’t want you to be teased or to feel self-conscious about the car we drive or the clothes you wear or what you bring for lunch. But the truth is, I can’t protect you from what the other kids will say whether that’s about our financial situation or your skin color or your weight or your test scores. People can be cruel and in some ways, I’m thankful for this opportunity not to change the world to make it easier for you, but to teach you how to be tough enough to survive it while staying tender enough to love those who are struggling next to you.

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