BritGuyTN

I'm really not impressed with the sense of entitlement that the OP has

Personal responsiblity - if she wants to have a baby the make sure you have the insurance cover or money to pay for it.

Don't expect tax payers like me to pay for you

We don't even have a kid but we've taken out short term diability to pick up a portion of my wifes salary when pregnant and nursing and have health insurance

Not sure how:

40 hrs @ $9 = $360 a week before taxes and ss w/h
$360 @ 52 = $18,720 annually before taxes

without benefits it seems, translates to

"is more than adequate for a basic family's needs"

Having a kid right now would seem grossly irresponsible, no matter how 'desperate' you are

BornFreeish

I feel for the OP.

After reading the first post I went back and read ALL of her posts.

Pet the last thing you need is a child. You need to get out there and get yourself a job, get health insurance, get a life.

You need a good kick in the rear for biting the hands of well meaning people who gave you very kindly meant advice.

Stop whining and moaning about trivialities. Support your husband who has up to now supported your idle ass. There is not one good reason why you shouldnt get out there and get a job. Do it and come back and talk about having a child when you are in a position to support it.

snowbunny

I am American and grew up in South Texas.

They manage because in the main they work very hard and their expectations are lower in terms of material goods. They also have huge extended families and lifelong family friends to lend a hand, and you won't have that support network. They are comparing their quality of life here compared to that of Mexico, and you'd be comparing yours to the UK.

Octang Frye

I saw a rainbow. It was pretty. Do you like dogs? Dogs are nice.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

You probably mean "Medicaid" which here in CA is called "MediCal" It depends.

tonrob

She's already made a much more positive response to everyone's advice - just elsewhere...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...02#post6875602

jumping doris

Good job you don't work for the Samaritans.

How do you know she has an "idle ass", she could have applied for lots of jobs. I think your response to her is really quite offensive.

Gingerert

...and just think! If this were a socialist country and we had universal healthcare this discussion would never have started!

Ah, God Bless Privatisation. Stealing money and sanity from the masses since 1776.

meauxna

If it wasn't the medical question it still would have been 'is ther a child payment I can claim' or something else. Having a baby on a minimum wage single income still doesn't seem very sensible.

scrubbedexpat099

If you are coming from the UK it is a question you may well ask. $9 is above minimum wage. I know people who are in this postion but they both work.
And survive, just.

tonrob

She doesn't seem to have - he knew that because he read all of her posts:

Did you click the link I posted above? She explains more about her background there.

Mallory

This might be helpful.

http://www.tachc.org/Community_Resou...AQMedicaid.asp

meauxna

Only barely above our state minimum; I understand the context.
Like you say, 'just'.

scrubbedexpat099

I hae read the previous posts, it does sound like a bit of a pickle, I am not going to make any judgement calls, there are plenty of people who find themselves in difficult situations, sometimes an easy out to others is not so obvious.

The 2 things that concern me is the additional complication of another mouth to feed and the waiting till in laws die to sell the house to move back bit. The latter more so, but both suggest a step back and re-think. Which may be very hard to do.

SecretGarden

I suppose it all comes down to how big you are on personal responsibility. To me, being in a "bit of a pickle" would be losing one's job unexpectedly and despite measures taken to prevent a pregnancy you end up pregnant. That is a situation that is beyond one's control. Setting out to become pregnant without being able to independently PAY for said baby is another thing entirely, and a completely avoidable situation.

You're absolutely right. Stepping back and re-thinking is very hard to do, particularly when you are lonely, probably bored, depressed, yearning for something of your own, and not feeling well. Completely my point at the start. When your life is in the toilet, why would you choose to bring a helpless baby into it? You can be the most loving person in the world and if you can't adequately take care of the child's basic needs financially AND emotionally....well, bad move. And I'm sorry, but depending on where you live in this country, $9 an hour (I'm assuming that's his gross amount) is just not going to cut it when the baby gets sick or needs something unexpected. Happens ALL the time. To put it another way, her entire family is going to have to exist on less than five pounds per hour in a country that does not have a National Health service (yet).

I wouldn't have offered my opinion if the title of the post had been
"Am I Eligible For Medicare or Similar?" But it reads, "Am I Entitled To Medicare or Similar?" The first wording asks a simple question which was answered. The second invites an opinion. At least that was my feeling when I read it.

So, now it appears that there were others who felt the same way. I just happened to be the first one to say it. My hope is that things will settle down for her, she will begin to have control over more things and these aspects of her life will fall into place. And I really hope that his job remains secure and he doesn't end up losing it in this economy. Because THAT would be a "bit of a pickle".

~SG