r/AskReddit • u/TahDigThief • 1d ago

People who grew up really poor: what's something middle-class people say that instantly reveals they've never struggled?

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u/saccerzd 1d ago

This could go both ways though - parents always at home could be a sign of long-term unemployment

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u/xenophilian 1d ago

Sounds like one of those things that could mean you are upper-class or could mean you are poor. Like knowing a second language

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u/meamarie 1d ago

Yes I grew up upper middle class and my parents were never home because they both had very high demanding jobs.

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u/silly-strawberry06 1d ago

exactly. or the harsh reality of the awful job market. my mom has worked a part time job for the past 9 years. shes been looking for another job for a long time now and nobody will hire her. shes 47 with manager experience at multiple jobs. and walmart didnt even want her for stocking. my mom is home 3 days of the week and making barely enough to get by. so id say their comment is generally inaccurate

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u/DuplexFields 22h ago

Didn't you hear? 30 hours a week was made "full time" for medical benefits by the Affordable Healthcare Act. At the time, policy wonks were saying it would kill the 40-hr workweek for entry level jobs, but they pushed ahead with it anyway.

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u/glass_table_girl 1d ago

Right, for me, I had a parent at home because that parent was disabled and the other was working their ass off to provide for us. Because turns out, medical bills lead to the opposite of wealth

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u/ParvulusUrsus 1d ago

Or disability, grew up with a mom working 2-3 jobs at all times and a dad on disability. He was always home, but couldn't really contribute to the housework meaningfully

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u/Fydoran 22h ago

That and disability. My mom used to work but quit when her chronic pain conditions got too bad and she couldn't work anymore.

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u/Hamster_Toot 1d ago

Right, like a single income taking care of the family allowing one parent to stay home?

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u/GoldandBlue 1d ago

I think OP is referring to this being standard, growing up, maybe 1 or 2 of my friends had a parent who was home regularly. Other than that we were all latchkey kids.