Having your friends point out holes in your clothes, because they think you don’t know and have the money to go buy new ones

Not inviting people to your house because it’s embarrassing

Hearing adults talk bad about welfare in front of you, and knowing that’s almost the only reason you have anything you do

Never having a “the moment I realized I was poor” moment because it was always obvious

Friends not understanding why you can’t go somewhere at a 2 minutes notice, because it costs $20

Waking up to a roach crawling on your arm

Having a roach crawl out of your backpack at school, and never going without checking your backpack first again

Your 16 year old friend having a way nicer car than your mom

Not wanting to go to the store with your parents because they have to use food stamps, and people you know work there

Buying your clothes way too big so you can fit into them later

People asking why you never wear name brands

Getting good grades because you know you can’t live like this forever

Not having anything to write about at the beginning of school when they want you to write about vacation

Having the same bedsheets as when you were 8, because they still work, even if they have Dora on them

These are just a few of the things I could think of.

I am grateful for being healthy and having a family that cared, but I wanted anyone living like this now to know they aren’t alone and it will get better