OP here - with an update.

Cousin's resume was updated and quite strong, I may say.

She submitted it for an opening at a good company, f/t job with benefits.

Dressed for Success is getting her proper attire for her interview. A really nice salon is giving her a new haircut, for free! And a med spa is providing her with a facial, for free as well!

She is so excited about the opportunity and is so thrilled for the next chapter.

I haven't told anyone in real life. LOL.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I sent her some cash, I am updating her resume (she has an associates degree), and some stuff for her kids (back to school).

She's extremely grateful and I am hoping she gets her career going (not just dead end jobs).

thanks for the suggestions, everyone! fingers crossed she keeps moving forward.

Good for you, OP.

OP here.

I sent her some cash, I am updating her resume (she has an associates degree), and some stuff for her kids (back to school).

She's extremely grateful and I am hoping she gets her career going (not just dead end jobs).

thanks for the suggestions, everyone! fingers crossed she keeps moving forward.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Offer to pay for birth control? This sounds like a problem she caused by having so many kids to be honest. Is she just sweet? Because having five kids doesn't make someone a good person - its not good for the environment and doesn't sound like she's able to do much for them if she and her husband are out of work a lot.

You are an idiot

What was idiotic?

Anonymous wrote:Offer to pay for birth control? This sounds like a problem she caused by having so many kids to be honest. Is she just sweet? Because having five kids doesn't make someone a good person - its not good for the environment and doesn't sound like she's able to do much for them if she and her husband are out of work a lot.

You are an idiot

She does have the ability to go back to school. Buy the kids clothing and send food gift cards for groceries. Don’t push your beliefs on her.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t the Bible say “don’t give them fish, teach them to fish”. Skill building is the only thing that will break the cycle.

No, the Bible says Jesus
magically fed people fish

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeding_the_multitude

People like this can soak up everything you have to give and come out worse. MYOB.

Anonymous wrote:Take her on a trip somewhere.

And where are the 5 kids while you treat mom to a trip?

Take her on a trip somewhere.

With 5 kids she needs a husband that WORKS and become herself a skilled homemaker, prepare your own food, track money and bills.

Childcare is time consuming but rewarding. I hope she like kids since she has 5.

Anonymous wrote:Her youngest is 6 or 7. So going to school for a trade would be a challenge. She was in school and I think she couldn’t afford it plus all the costs at home. So could never pull herself out of poverty. Just scraping by.

It just sucks.

Can you pay for her to go back to school or help find her scholarships and help do the paperwork? She could go to online school or community college. Nursing degree (hospitals need nurses) and she could be a nurse aid first. Or look at being a teachers aid at public school (junk pay but usually good insurance if you work in a blue state). There’s night school or she could look for classes while the kids are at school. If she goes to night school could you help pay for a part time babysitter?

Or look at trade schools - plumbing, electrical, hvac. My dad was a plumber (he died when I was young) and made good money. Off hours but if her husband is out of work or she has older kids when on call that would work.

I would spend money to offer to help her get a good job with decent benefits. I think helping the kids with school supplies or visiting and sticking their fridge with healthy foods might be a good thing too.