Over the past few months my family and I have had a hard time financially.  We are no different than anyone else.  My wife and I operate our own business and I work full time for another local company. We suffered a series of events that left us without a dime, literally. 

First our company lost a key contract back in September.  The income from which we were relying on to pay off this years (and last years) personal property taxes.  Next I got a severe infection in my lower right leg that nearly killed me. Add in some medical bills with the back taxes.  Then the overtime at my fulltime job went away.  My plan was to offset the loss of income from our business with overtime at my job.  Oh well.

Throughout all this, we were having to explain to the kids why there weren't any snacks in the snack bowl, cans in the cupboards, or food in the refrigerator.  We had to tell them why we cancelled a family trip to see relatives, and why their cell phones didn't work.

Throughout this whole time they said they understood (they are 11 and 16). I took them at their word.   A few hours after each conversation about money they would ask for something trivial..."hey dad let's order a pizza" or "dad on your way home from work, stop and get us some candy bars".  It would really ***** me off because I was thinking to myself,  "What a couple of selfish kids. I just told them I didn't have a dollar to my name!".  After several of these incidents where I nearly lost my cool I had a sudden epiphany.  MY KIDS HAVE NEVER BEEN WITHOUT.  They can't relate to what it is to be truly without any money!  

All this time I've been pretty much feeling like a loser that can't support his family.  Now I realize that I may be struggling, my wife may be struggling, but my kids are doing just fine.  They don't feel the economic pinch we are in.  I guess I'm meeting my obligations after all.   I'm NOT loser.  Not yet anyway.