Intergenerational Poverty Final 1

Jordan Gibby

14 Apr 201609:47

Summary

TLDRJulie Cheever, a single stay-at-home mom, shares her struggles with poverty, raising seven children, and caring for her youngest son with disabilities. She emphasizes the different perspectives and challenges faced by those in poverty, including the 'cliff effect' and the importance of education. Despite hardships, she has a plan to return to school and become an interpreter, highlighting the resilience and problem-solving nature of those living in crisis.

Takeaways

🏡 Julie Cheever is a stay-at-home mom who has lived in her current home since the end of August, almost a year.
👨‍👧‍👦 She is the oldest of seven children and had to start taking on adult responsibilities at a young age due to her mother's hearing impairment and subsequent illness.
🕊️ After her mother's passing at age 16, Julie took on the role of a mother figure for her siblings, managing household chores and ensuring their well-being.
📚 She struggled with school due to the lack of time for homework and other activities, highlighting the challenges faced by those in poverty.
👶 Her youngest child, Drew, has disabilities requiring significant care and attention, including daily physical therapy and catheterization.
💔 Julie became a single mom in September, which added to her struggles of maintaining a clean home without help from a spouse.
🏘️ She discusses the issue of situational poverty, often caused by events like divorce, which can lead to a lack of resources and financial stability.
🔄 Generational poverty is hard to break, but change is possible if one person in a family can make a difference for future generations.
🎓 Education is seen as a key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and Julie emphasizes its importance to her children despite her own regrets.
💼 Julie was laid off from her job at Walmart and Sam's Club, and the reduced work hours offered were insufficient for her needs as a single mom.
🧩 Poverty is multifaceted, involving a lack of various resources, not just financial. The 'cliff effect' is a barrier where increased income can lead to a loss of public assistance.
👩‍🏫 She aspires to go back to school to become an interpreter, a part-time job that can provide a good income while allowing her to care for her son Drew.
🤔 There is a societal judgment towards those in poverty, with misconceptions about their character and abilities.
🛠️ Living in poverty requires constant problem-solving and a crisis mentality, which can be difficult for those in more stable economic situations to understand.
👩‍👧‍👦 The importance of support for single moms, especially those with children with disabilities, is emphasized, as it is challenging to meet all needs while working full time.

Q & A

How long has Julie Cheever been living in her current home?
-Julie Cheever has been living in her current home since the end of August, which is less than a year.
What role did Julie take on in her family at a young age?
-Julie became the voice and ears for her hearing-impaired mother at the age of three, making phone calls and conveying messages. When her mother got sick at age 12, she started making meals for her family, and after her mother passed away at age 16, she took on the role of a mother, ensuring her siblings were ready for school and their homework was done.
What challenges does Julie face as a stay-at-home mom with a child with disabilities?
-Julie faces the challenge of managing her time between her responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom and caring for her youngest child, Drew, who has disabilities. She has to perform daily physical therapy with him and catheterize his bladder every three hours.
How has Julie's life changed since becoming a single mom?
-Becoming a single mom in September has made Julie's life significantly harder. She struggles daily to keep her house clean without any help from a spouse and has to manage all responsibilities on her own.
What does Julie believe about the perspective of people in poverty?
-Julie believes that people in poverty have a different perspective and learning environment compared to those from middle or higher classes. She mentions that when people from higher classes try to help, they often don't understand the unique challenges faced by those in poverty.
What does Julie think about the impact of divorce on poverty levels?
-Julie observes a lot of situational poverty due to divorce. She explains that when a father goes to school and the mother doesn't because she was relying on him, and then they divorce, the mother can end up in poverty without a job or education.
What is Julie's view on the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty?
-Julie believes that education is crucial in breaking the cycle of poverty. She regrets not getting a college education herself but has instilled in her children the necessity of higher education.
How does Julie describe the experience of being in poverty?
-Julie describes poverty as not just a lack of money but also a lack of various resources. She talks about the 'cliff effect,' where individuals may not take a job that pays slightly more because it could result in losing significant public assistance, making it harder to get out of poverty.
What is Julie's plan for her future career?
-Julie plans to go back to school to become an interpreter. She believes that working as an interpreter would allow her to earn enough money while working part-time, which would enable her to support her family and take care of her son Drew.
How does Julie feel about the judgment people may pass on those in poverty?
-Julie feels that people often judge those in poverty, assuming they are lazy or have personal issues like drug or alcohol problems. She emphasizes that being on state assistance does not mean one is a bad person and that anyone can face hardships.
What does Julie think about the mentality of people living in poverty?
-Julie believes that people in poverty often have a crisis mentality, where they are constantly problem-solving and living in the immediate future, focusing on the next steps rather than long-term planning.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Life as a Single Mom and Caregiver

Julie Cheever introduces herself as a stay-at-home mom to her children, who she has been raising since the end of August. She grew up in a family with seven children and had to take on adult responsibilities at a young age due to her mother's hearing impairment and subsequent illness. After her mother's passing, she took on the role of a parent, juggling school and household duties. She discusses the challenges of poverty, the different perspectives it brings, and the generational impact it can have. Julie also shares her current struggles as a single mom, dealing with the care of her youngest child, Drew, who has disabilities and requires constant attention and medical care. She touches on the issue of situational poverty, often caused by unforeseen circumstances like divorce, and the importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty.

05:01

💼 The Reality of Poverty and Aspirations for the Future

This paragraph delves into the complexities of poverty, emphasizing that it's not just about a lack of money but also a scarcity of resources. Julie talks about the 'cliff effect,' where an increase in income can paradoxically lead to a loss of public assistance, making it difficult for individuals to escape poverty. She regrets not pursuing higher education but instills its importance in her children. The paragraph also addresses societal judgments about poverty and the misconceptions that people have about those who receive state assistance. Despite the challenges, Julie has a plan to return to school to become an interpreter, a career that offers flexibility and sufficient income to support her family. She also advocates for more support for single moms and emphasizes the importance of being present for her kids amidst the constant problem-solving that characterizes life in poverty.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Stay-at-home mom

A stay-at-home mom is a mother who does not work outside the home and focuses on raising her children and managing the household. In the video, Julie Cheever identifies herself as a stay-at-home mom, which sets the context for her daily life and responsibilities, including caring for her children and her son Drew who has disabilities.

💡Hearing-impaired

Hearing-impaired refers to individuals with a loss of hearing that is significant enough to impact daily communication and activities. The term is used in the script to describe Julie's mother, which influenced Julie's upbringing and early responsibilities, such as being her mother's voice and ears from the age of three.

💡Disabilities

Disabilities are physical or mental conditions that limit a person's movements, senses, or activities. In the video, Julie's son Drew has disabilities that require daily physical therapy and a catheter to be inserted in his bladder every three hours, illustrating the additional care and attention needed for children with disabilities.

💡Single mom

A single mom is a woman who is raising her children without a partner or spouse. Julie became a single mom in September, and the script discusses the challenges she faces in managing her household, caring for her son with disabilities, and the emotional and physical toll it takes on her.

💡Poverty

Poverty is the state of lacking sufficient financial resources to meet a person's basic needs. The script explores different aspects of poverty, including situational poverty due to divorce and generational poverty, which is a cycle that is difficult to break. Julie discusses the complexity of poverty and the judgment people may face for being in such a state.

💡Public assistance

Public assistance refers to government programs that provide financial help or services to people in need. In the video, Julie talks about the challenges of relying on public assistance and the 'cliff effect,' where a small increase in income can lead to a significant loss of benefits, making it hard for people to escape poverty.

💡Education

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and habits. Julie regrets not pursuing higher education but emphasizes its importance to her children, indicating the role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and improving one's life prospects.

💡Crisis mentality

A crisis mentality refers to a state of mind where an individual is constantly focused on immediate problems or emergencies, often at the expense of long-term planning or broader perspectives. The script describes how living in poverty can foster a crisis mentality, as Julie and others in similar situations are primarily concerned with immediate survival rather than future goals.

💡Interpreter

An interpreter is a professional who translates spoken or signed languages, often used in situations requiring clear communication across language barriers. Julie expresses a desire to become an interpreter, which reflects her aspiration to find a career that allows her to balance work with caring for her son.

💡State assistance

State assistance is financial or other forms of aid provided by the government to individuals who cannot support themselves. The script discusses the stigma associated with receiving state assistance and the misconceptions people may have about those who rely on it to survive.

💡Problem-solving

Problem-solving is the process of identifying, analyzing, and solving problems. In the context of the video, living in poverty is described as a constant need for problem-solving, as individuals must navigate numerous challenges and crises to meet their basic needs and survive.

Highlights

Julie Cheever has been living in her home since the end of August, approaching a year.

Julie is a stay-at-home mom to her children, having taken on this role after her mother's passing when she was 16.

Raised as the oldest of seven children, Julie had to start helping her hearing-impaired mother at a young age.

Julie's family faces challenges due to her youngest child's disabilities, requiring constant care and physical therapy.

Becoming a single mom in September has intensified Julie's struggles with housekeeping and support.

Julie discusses the complexity of situational poverty, often resulting from unforeseen life events like divorce.

Generational poverty is hard to break, but one person's change can impact future generations.

The importance of education is emphasized as a means to break the cycle of poverty.

Public assistance can create a 'cliff effect,' where increased income leads to loss of benefits.

Julie's experience with Walmart and Sam's Club ended with her position being eliminated, highlighting job insecurity.

The judgment society places on those in poverty is misguided and based on stereotypes.

Julie aspires to return to school to become an interpreter, seeking a balance between work and family life.

The transcript emphasizes the need for more support for single parents, especially those with disabled children.

Living in poverty requires constant problem-solving and a crisis mentality.

Middle-class individuals often fail to recognize the struggles of those in poverty and judge them unfairly.

Julie's story illustrates the resilience and determination of those living in poverty to provide for their families.