Yes. It certainly couldn't be because sex is enjoyable and protection is an inconvenience. It's because they can't wrap their minds around the "economic implications" that babies are expensive, yet they are well-versed in the specifics of the child tax credit. You know these poor people inside and out.

how come "daughter" and "laughter" don't rhyme? Huh? Stupid fricking English language.

Oh, a lot of poor Apalachian folk have a lot of chillen coz they just really like chillen. It's a cultural throw-back to being Irish or Scots/Irish. The Irish loved lots of kiddies around--even during the Potato Famine. Cultural.

Yes, I'm struggling with this as well... doesn't make sense.
In Random Family (different demographic, same problem), it seemed to come dowm to culture/tradition (emulating parents and others in community) and ignorance/inconvenience of birth control.

[quote=Brianna]how come "daughter" and "laughter" don't rhyme? Huh? Stupid fricking English language.

mmmm.......but daughter and slaughter rhyme....

Growing-up I was very poor, for US standards. I have been homeless and have actually known hunger. I do not wish to go into it more than that for several reasons that I, also, do not want to go into.
I know this because of the people around me growing-up. I remember when I was around ten a neighbor was telling his kids to have sex and I was surprised, sleep-over, his response was "well, s-what we were made for, we got the -quipment". It was not sarcastic or said with a hit of humor.
One of my few childhood memories.

I suspect you already know the answer to this one. It's because English is the melting pot of languages. We've picked up words from everywhere. An informative and quite entertaining book on the subject is The Mother Tongue: English and how it got that way.

yo momma is so poor...she can't even afford to pay attention!
yo momma is so poor...when I saw kicking a can down the street and asked her what she was doing...she said "Movin!"
yo momma is so poor...when she goes to KFC she has to lick other people's fingers!
yo momma is so poor...when she heard about the last supper she thought she had run out of food stamps!

:headshake

You like the momma comments, don't you? I've seen like half a dozen from you so far. Not criticizing, just noticing.

True, in some childish way I suppose, I do find some humor in replying to people about their moms. Half the time, I don't even think about it, but in this instance, I put those your momma's so poor jokes only because this is a dirt poor thread :eyebrow:

I'm so po' I'm bumpin' old threads to try and keep warm....

With my reduced salary since I have left active duty combined with medical bills from trying to use Tri-Care Reserve rather than totally depend on the VA, things are tough. On top of that, I still pay child support on 2 kids at the rate established when I was on active duty. Plus I support my adoptive daughter (not legal, but I'm the only one who has tried to be a father figure) because her mother is a severe drug addict and Bryanna has to live with her grandparents whose sole income is social security. Finally, I help out my father who as a retiree lost almost everything in the stock market a few years ago.

I'm so poor, I'm planning on moving into a tent on a little piece of property I own. It is my hope I will be able to construct a paleo style pit house to live in. I'll be able to save money to help put my 2 oldest girls through college. Unfortunately, there is little chance I will live to see Addie go to college, but she should be well taken care of with my survivor's benefits and her share of my SGLI.

I never know what to say about posts like yours Sarge. I'm lost for words. If you were in my town I'd find a way to help you somehow. Even if it was just to have you round for dinner once a week.

There are so many stories like yours. Most of us don't think about it as much as we should.

Pathetic response I know, but I don't feel it's my place to say any more.

It really isn't that bad of a lifestyle. I've lived in far worse conditions while in the military. I think I can be quite comfortable. Plus, I'm doing it for my kids. Anyone would do the same

I posted some pics of the pithouse I'm hoping to build. They mysteriously disappeared. Anyway, they are remarkably cool in the summer and easily heated by a pit fire in the winter. I plan to add solar panels for 12 volt batteries. Of course there will be no running water, but I can handle that. Here's a repost of the pics

Very cool. What more could you need? :)