I've told my story here before. Poor white kid, single mom. Section 8 project housing for 19 years of my life. Thugs, violence, and gangs in my neighborhood. Eating government cheese sandwiches. Got may ass kicked a lot. I have been shot, twice. Been robbed, beat up for my skin color.
I went to prison, parole, minimum wage jobs. I know how it feels. I was everything I dislike, but born into it, not really as a choice.
I made a promise to myself that I was going to break the chain. I was going to beat the odds and promised my children a better life. I strived through hard work. No sick days, no vacations, no extravagant spending and saving pennies, i got my ass up everyday and went to work starting from the bottom. I went to school, I paid my own way, I sacrificed a whole lot to get where I am today.
I feel bad for kids born with a parents like mine, or lack of parents like I had. I blame the parents. I'm just saying, I did it by myself with no one to help me. If I can do it, anyone can. I am no one special. Just a regular guy who imposed self discipline on himself to beat the modern day slave era of poverty and government assistance. It sucks struggling, feeling helpless, being hungry, poor, and thinking there is no way out. But if you accept those things and settle for the easy life, you will stay where you are. If anyone is hungry enough, they can do anything they set theirs goals to accomplish and it wont be easy. I say this to my children all the time, I try and lead by example.