As someone making a household income of 200k, pre COVID was wonderful, actually didn’t have to worry about even thinking about money, now though, shit is getting thin… if it’s that way for me I feel horrible for everyone else less well off. Really is a shit show when 6 figures can’t secure you from having to go paycheck to paycheck.
Sounds familiar, my 3rd grade teacher flagged me for ADD, but my parents were anti-psychology and in the “he’s just being a typical energetic kid. The lack of supports left me an awkward kid, who developed an unhealthy eating habit to get enough dopamine, which they then mocked me for and belittled my struggle to manage my weight. My wife witnessed it firsthand when I first brought her and my 2 year old son to visit, I broke down from embarrassment but she stood up and yelled at them for like 30 minutes about their wretched behavior. She definitely was the best choice in my life.
Facts, my parents never accepted who I am and wanted me to be another racist robot like them, they were flabbergasted when I didn’t return home after losing my first big job. I had met the woman who became my wife, she and life taught me way more than they ever did, the only thing my parents did right and ultimately hated me for was buying me a set of science encyclopedias which allowed me to find my passion for science.
My dad was a rush limbaugh guy in the 90’s then moved to info wars, my mother who he married when she was 16 dotes on him due to his history of being abused as a child, so my dad never grew up, never learned any hard lessons, and she never made anything of herself but to be his voice box when I refused to debate him on politics.
My mom then only called to relay her struggles, or to nudge me on politics, I would call her on holidays and gift them lavishly with my nice IT job, especially after my dad was forced into retirement during Covid.
Anytime I mentioned a challenge in my life they would turn it around and tell me how they had it worse, when I told them good news, it barely registered.
The last straw was when she called me just before the last presidential election to strongarm me into voting for Trump. She crossed a line and I hung up. Haven’t talked since, and finally have peace in my life, well some peace anyway.
Yeah I’m lucky that my kids are full grown though they both still live with me because the job market is ass and my oldest is low functioning, and my wife is disabled, so still taking care of all 4 of us off my paycheck and my wife’s disability, I’m going electric next year probably(if my work bonus comes through) though I’ll still have to buy my youngest’s gas for his trips to college etc. really hoping things make a change for the better, else I’ll probably never retire, and I’ll still be housing my kids until they inherit the place.