<< If you don't have an emergency fund to support your family for at least 6 months in case you're laid off, that's your own fault. If it leads to not being able to feed your children, that's abuse through neglect. If a family breaks up, it's still BOTH parent's responsibility to care for the children. If a parent dies, it's the surviving parent's responsibility to care for their children, and this should have been done by securing life insurance BEFORE hand. Your failure to plan ahead does NOT become my responsibility to support you.
Your views are great on what parents should do. Unfortunately, in the real world, daddys and mommys don't always stick around like you think they should. They don't always pay child support, or help take care of their kids. Views like yours are what makes the world the place it is becoming. So many people are me me me, mine mine mine. What happens one day if its you? What if you get laid off, and neither you or your wife can find a job paying what you had? Then its time to go work for minimum wage, if you can find one. Then what? Pay your rent or mortgage. Pay your electric to keep it on, along with your heat. Come up with money for gas/insurance, for transportation to and from work. Buy food for your family. Then pay every day for their lunch, whether they brown bag it or buy it at school, you still have to buy it. Along with keeping your kids clothed, shoes on their feet, backpacks to carry, and school supplies. Along with all of lifes other neccessities, such as laundry soap, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. Lets see you pull that off on your own, and if you can, (which I am sure you are going to insist you could) good for you.
And as for people who are poor being abusive parents, grow up. I am a damn good mother, and my husband is a damn good father. I spend tons of time with my children, they are loving, respectful kids, who are well behaved and disciplined, and have never been abused. My kids are honest, forthright, and generally sweethearts with a ton of friends. My husband got laid off for a few months, it happens, and at the time, neither of us could find work. Eventually, we did, and got back on our feet, with as little help as possible from programs such as the free lunch program. I am sorry that you feel the need to look down upon me and mine, because of your views, and I am sorry the change you paid in taxes towards those programs has caused you to be so bitter, but thats your choice. I just hope you put your nose down before it rains, I hear drowning can be an awful way to go.
I am done posting/reading this thread. The views of some of you, and how much better you think you are than everyone else because you have something in life is sickening. Good for you that you made it, good for you that life worked out for you. But not everyone is always so lucky. And like it or not, life is partly luck, partly what you do for yourself. You can have all the skills in the world, but if the opportunity isn't there, you won't be going far. I for one am glad I was poor for a while. It taught me alot, including compassion for others, and maybe made me a bit less judgemental. And those lessons, in my view, are priceless. >>
GF, you could not be more wrong.
I give to a number of charities, AND donate time.
My point is NOT about being selfish, as I am anything but. It is about ENTITLEMENT. Please reread my points, and show me one place where I said people shouldn't help those who CANNOT help themselves. I haven't.
And, again, my life is not luck. Everything I have and everything I am I WORKED for. I started with nothing, and have been given nothing. I have no special skills, in fact, I'm pretty talentless. What I have I've gained through HARD work and determination. Nothing more, nothing less.
Then again, it it makes you feel morally superior to simply call me selfish, so be it. But I'll gladly stack up time and monitary charitable donations with you any time.
And I'm not "bitter." I believe in freedom. Manditory entitlements and government nanny programs are anathema to freedom, for both the taxed, and the recipents.