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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]"Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories. They are heartbreaking. I'm curious how you all were able you break the cycle? How were you able to make better choices?"

Focus and opportunity.[/quote]

My grandfather ran a chinese laundromat in new york. My mom and dad came to this country in their late teenage years and only finished up to high school.

I grew up in NYC. We were poor, but i think what saved us was that my grandfather bought the multifamily house we lived in and so we didnt have to worry about losing our home. But my mom was SAH and my dad was a truck mechanic. When he lost his job in the 1991 recession, he couldnt find work for 2 years. But we didnt go hungry.

We got free lunch at school, but it wasnt a big deal because most students got lunch at the school i went to. Being poor, the NYC public school system gave us unlimited metro cards, so my friends and i could ride the subway all over the city. We went to free museums, concerts, central park, you name it.

I never went on the expensive school trips, did not buy the school photos. My family never took a vacation, ever. I didnt do summer camps. I did free nerd science camps a few summers in high school. Didnt go to the prom because i couldnt afford a suit or the tickets. The only way i got a yearbook was because i was the editor in chief my senior year of high school.

My parents did stress the importance of education. My sister and i both went to college on a full scholarship and then went on to medical school. We now do very well and i spoil my kids rotten.

looking back, im fortunate that i had opportunities to experience things without being rich. Reading all these stories on this thread make me  see that all my materials needs were met so i could focus on education. My parents were loving and stable, even if they were cheap and i missed out on some things typical of an american childhood. I would say i was very fortunate, even though we were poor.

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