Jenn's words: Living in poverty is like being punched in the face over and over and over again.
"Today, I did something I never thought Id do. I yelled at my son for being hungry. Oh sure, there are many parents nodding in agreement because theyve done the same thing. Many have yelled at their kids for asking for one more snack right before dinner was served or for wanting to eat junk food out of boredom. Thats not why I yelled. I yelled because I didnt have extra food to give him and I was taking my frustration out on him. He wasnt doing anything wrong. Hes just a kid, a 7 year old who is full of energy and constantly growing. Of course hes hungry often. Thats what kids do. However, I didnt have enough food for anyone to have extras. Everything has to be rationed out over a week or more. Food stuff needs to be stretched. Already angry and frustrated with our situation, I lost my cool when my child asked a simple question because I knew there was nothing I could do to change it in that moment. My anger turned to worry, another constant feeling in my daily life, as I wondered if this would create food issues in my child. Will he be afraid to eat, knowing that we might not have enough the next day?"
http://poorasfolk.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/jenns-words-living-in-poverty-is-like-being-punched-in-the-face-over-and-over-and-over-on-a-daily-basis/
Short essay, very powerful.