Yesterday I was a bit emotional at different points for different reasons. Some FB friends had posted different articles supporting the crack down on benefits to programs like SNAP and TANF cash out of their ignorance I suppose. These laws are passing I think out of the ignorance of the masses which I will admit to being part of until recently. There was a time not long ago which I will admit to being the one judging SNAP shoppers based on what was in their carts. Now that I am one of the community and have taken the time to get to know others who are shopping with benefits I find that very few people are abusing the system. Everyone "knows" someone who is abusing the system, they are the exception to the rule though. Most recipients are families like ours who are trying to get past a rough spot in their lives with very little assistance from the government. In order to get that assistance which in our case is $89 for a family of 4 we had to give up any privacy. Our lives and finances were raked over the coals and each financial decision questioned. Sure we may have received more if a few of our decisions were less responsible but the majority of people I meet are trying to do their best and just need a little help for a short period of time. Based on my past of judging people based on what is in their carts I tend to look at my own cart with a questioning glare. Sure there are fruit snacks in there and occasionally even a steak, the horror. Does the fact that I buy some snacks for my son's lunches and a low end piece of beef to cook at home mean I am "wasting" the meager funds I have been allotted? Why do we judge? Why do I feel the need to justify my purchases when I am feeding a family of 4 on $89 plus whatever I can afford to spend out of my own pocket? Compassion would go a long way in today's society as well as questioning why we spend soo much time looking at how the poor spend their benefits and not enough time questioning how our representatives in government spend our money.
That was a good part of my morning, stewing over that topic and then my life had to go on. Allergies are worse than ever in this part of the country so we have been swamped at work. Yesterday, after a busy work day I rushed to drop off some books at the library which were due, then out to the grocery store to pick up some paper towels for a trade and again the horror of it I bought some hot dogs to fix for dinner and a package of bird seed I found in the clearance section. The bird seed will feed the birds in the area as well as be used for craft projects with Logan. Anyway, after the grocery store I picked up the kids from the sitter and completed 2 trades close to her house. Once I made it home with the kids I passed them on to their dad, who had to take a break from school work and job applying, while I rushed out to mow the small bit of grass in our front yard before the storm rolled in. We have a reel mower which most of the time I find relaxing to use while the kids play in the yard but last night it was just a sprint to get it done. I managed to beat the storm and get it done in almost no time after which I grilled out hotdogs and made homemade shells and cheese for dinner. The munchkin loves this meal and I can not blame him it is a pretty tasty cheap and easy meal. After dinner, baths and play time it was bedtime. I took a shower after getting the tiny one down while the munchkin snuggled and played on my phone with his dada. By the time I got out of the relaxing hot shower they were also asleep so I carried the munchkin to his bed and laid down to read a little before going to sleep. The night was far from over though, the tiny one woke up at 1:45am and did not want to go back to sleep. As I was sitting on the couch with him hoping he would go back to sleep I also had the thought that I wish he would stay small, snuggly and squishy with fat rolls like he is now. This is silly as I want them both to grow into happy adults but I do love this time when they want to snuggle with me. The munchkin woke up with a coughing jag during this time and needed a drink. About 3:30am I was able to go back to bed and sleep until the 6:18am alarm for the day.
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