WIC
I know I’ve talked about this before, but bear with me.
People who try to humiliate people for using WIC are a special kind of low. I find it rather embarassing to use WIC, what with the coupons and you have to separate everything out and all. I know that someone might look down on the fact that I am getting free milk when I’m also spending $3.49 on a People magazine.
But that is no excuse to try to humiliate someone. In my case, of course, I get WIC automatically because my kids are foster kids. Which just makes these judgemental people look worse. I guess I could not use it, but on this trip I saved about $50 and that is $50 I would rather spend to take the kids to the water park or to do something fun. They deserve milk AND water parks (and most other things) simply for their life situation. But even if they weren’t foster kids, it is rather presumptious for someone to mock someone else for being in a lower station of life than themselves. Karma’s a bitch. The old woman who mocked me in front of Snowbaby and Callie today might one day end up needing a free gallon of milk and some cheese.
All I know is that I hope I am more often like the cashier, who took extra time to pack all my groceries in double bags and put them in the cart and smiled nicely and patted Snowbaby on the head because she knew I was upset, than the woman who mocked me for taking care of someone else’s children.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:25 am
I’m sorry that happened. I know how that feels and all I can say is $#c* her. Karma has a way of teaching people about the things they do.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:28 am
There is a special place in hell for people like that. (The beyotch at the store.)
I used WIC with TJ, because I was financially needy at the time. Even though I was living with my parents, who were, I guess comfortably lower middle class income. I had no problem using the WIC checks, because the money I saved on those basic items, meant I had more money to spend elsewhere for the benefit and well-being of my child.
I didn’t need (or qualify for) WIC with Boog. But I wouldn’t have hesitated to take any subsidized help that was offered. People who are too proud to take advantage of assistance are only hurting themselves and their children.
You won’t hear me complaining about my tax dollars going to help needy children, either.
Just my opinion, albiet a strong and steadfast one.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:34 am
It wouldn’t take much for me to get out my pimp hand and let that heartless whore have it on your behalf. I’ll even leave a WIC coupon stapled to her forehead with a nice little note as a calling card.
Let me know.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Ohhhh man that is brutal. I hate the f-n double standard, that the poor should forgo all luxuries since they are freeloaders anyway. I HATE HER and anyone else who has the GALL.
I think in this state WIC has been giving out cards that look like regular debit cards. I hope you can eventually get one too.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:46 am
*gapes*
That’s just completely amazing and disgusting to me. I just … I can’t imagine having so little shame that it would seem okay to mock someone else in public for somthing like that.
Sending you internet-cookies and good thoughts!
(also, I see you have a 2SMRT4U.com ad on your sidebar, there. Awesome! I ordered a few of their free rings for some of the teens I work with, and made them go through and read the webpage; it’s pretty good)
June 13th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I am from Canada and we dodn’t have WIC but I’m guessing that it is some type of subsidy. It drives me crazy when people judge others when they have no knowledge of a situation. What I do when someone is really rude is to just look at them with as much empathy as I can muster and say ” I am sorry that you are filled with so much hate and anger, I hope your life gets better”. Most people feel embarrased after that and don’t say anything else. But the best part is that I can usually let it go after that, meaning that the situation doesn’t keep eating at me.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:49 am
i heard an amazing comeback to this kind of situation over a dozen years ago (it’s stuck with me that long).
i was at a grocery store and the woman two people in front of me was juggling two *small* kids (maybe 1 and 3) and was paying with some kind of food stamp or other gov’t assistance and it was taking her a couple of minutes to get it sorted.
the people between us started in with comments about ‘trash’ and her spending their (presumably tax) money because she couldn’t keep her legs together etc. and then back on to the ’spending their money’ thing…
the woman paid, turned around and said (non-sarcastically), ‘i do want to thank you for the money you contribute. their mother passed on and their father couldn’t look after them anymore. i’ve taken them in, and can give them a lot of love, but i don’t make enough to support them and the other children i’m raising, who were also in difficult family circumstances. i am gladened that we can work together to make sure that these fine young children have a chance.’
She smiled (genuinely), took her kids and her cart of food and was off.
The man in the couple at least had the good grace to blush.
this might not work if your kids are older (because you don’t want them to feel bad or exposed as ‘not yours’ when that’s not the case of course). but for wee ones–i think all they probably picked up on was someone being nasty and mom handling it with dignity and aplomb.
me, i would much rather have my tax dollars go to support needy kids than most of the junk that the gov’t buys!
keep up the good work.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:54 am
I can’t believe someone would have the odasity to belittle you like that! Yes, your kids definitely DO deserve nutrition AND extra fun things, and its great that you are able to use a program like WIC. People should keep their negativity to themselves, at least in front of kids!
- Angel
June 13th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
I know it happens all the time. A friend of mine found one particular cashier who was a decent human being and she would always stand in his line, no matter how long it was.
People can be dirtbags.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I would gladly accept WIC subsidies, even with rude comments in the grocery line. Sadly, our foster child is too old for those subsidies.
Sorry you had to put up with the rude comments, though.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
WIC saved us for years. One cashier told me it was the largest order she’d ever seen. Soy formula, baby cereal, juice, peanut butter, eggs, cheese, regular cereal, and milk for 3. I bought everything except the milk at the beginning of the month (and usually ran a couple of days short on formula).
I ran into one hateful cashier. I reported her to both the store and WIC.
Couldn’t she see my age and figure it out or was she merely nasty to anyone who showed up with WIC or food stamps?
Probably just nasty but I took it personally.
My funny People magazine story. I never buy it but I spend about the same amount for a caramel macchiato at Barnes & Noble and sit there and read the magazine. That way I can truthfully say I don’t buy celebrity magazines.
And of course I glance through the Nat’l Enquirer while I’m waiting in line.
Give me enough time and I can rationalize anything.
Hugs
June 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Kris Kristoferson wrote it a long time ago:
“Jesus was a Capricorn, he ate organic foods.
He believed in love and peace and never wore no shoes.
Long hair, beard and sandals and a funky bunch of friends.
Reckon they’d just nail him up if He come down again.
‘Cos everybody’s got to have somebody to look down on.
Who they can feel better than at anytime they please.
Someone doin’ somethin’ dirty, decent folks can frown on.
If you can’t find nobody else, then help yourself to me.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I can’t believe people like that. She sounds like a complete bitch. I will be going to get WIC on Friday for my little one even though we don’t “need” it. He qualifies and so therefore he will have it.
I know when WB was a baby, I was only 19 and if it weren’t for WIC I don’t know how my boy would have had formula.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Honey, if your kids qualify for WIC, of course you take it! It’s there for a reason. Thank goodness our country has had enough socialization to realize that people deserve a leg up. Especially kids! You can’t kill a**hats but you can ignore them. They can judge you all they want - they will have to reap the bad karma, not you. Enjoy People!
June 13th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Anyone who would begrudge food and milk to hungry kids is a sad excuse for a human being. Period.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I’ll be using WIC to get formula for our new baby we just got for foster care 2 days ago…and I will likely have both Cookie (18 mo) and baby (8 weeks) with me. I already know the cashier at Kroger I’ll go to - she’s NICE when I use my vouchers. And if anyone in line dares comment, I may cuss. WIC is a blessing from above. I use it with pride. It enabled us to do this work that otherwise we might not be able to afford to do. I used it for Cookie, and I’ll use it again for Ginger.
June 13th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
We have a WIC store right by the WIC office, and I go there as often as I can to pick up formula for the foster babies, rather than going to my local grocery store. It’s sad to have to do that, but the comments and eye-rolling get really tedious. I confess that I have, on occasion, said to people: “I’m a foster parent. What are YOU doing to help children in crisis?”
June 13th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
What a total b*#$* that old woman was. I’ve never had to use WIC personally, but I have MANY friends that have and I would never think of doing anything, saying anything, to even make them more aware of it, none-the-less make fun of them in anyway. I think that it’s much more a statement on her personality and the sad state of life she must have if she gets off on making someone she doesn’t know, someone who is TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN THAT HAVE NO ONE ELSE, feel small. Like everyone has said, Karma’s a b*%$* and have faith, it WILL get her one day.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Thanks for reminding me that the people in line with me are people, sucky or not.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I worked as a cashier at a grocery store for awhile and I was never annoyed to have a WIC family come through my line. I actually enjoyed doing something different for a few minutes and chatting with the woman (or man) about their children. I am sad that some of you have had problems with rude cashiers.
I hope that you can forget about that woman. She must have a pitiful life if she feels good by tearing other people down. I am truly happy that my tax dollars are helping families like yours.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I’m so sorry Baggage. I’ve been Snowbaby - I grew up eating government cheese, and even now, 30 years later and financially stable, I still feel the shame of being poor. The woman in the grocery store is like so many of us, reaching snap judgments based on limited information. Thank you for sharing your story and reminding me to keep my own mind open when I see others making choices that I don’t understand.
June 13th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I’m ashamed of that old lady. I’m sorry that happened.
June 13th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
It was well said many, many years ago:
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”