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AIBU?

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If you grew up poor do you ever miss it?

229 replies

Fstt1978 · 08/03/2025 21:43

This is a weird one. I grew up very poor , generational benefits, insecure housing etc.
I'm now firmly middle class to anyone looking in , and I'm probably romanticising it, but sometimes I find myself missing the simplicity of my other life. It's hard to talk about as it's very crass, and I have a lovely secure life now, but sometimes the choice of everything is overwhelming. Can anyone relate? I do not wnat to come over as tone deaf or entitled etc but I do find the class jump hard.

OP posts:
paintedpotoflove · 08/03/2025 21:47

I’ve never grown up poor but my parents did.

they came from what was essentially a slum in Glasgow in the 40s/50s. I don’t know if they miss it and they talk about how hard times were but also how good the people were and the sense of community that they don’t have now.

ive maybe not answered your question and I’ll likely get my arse handed to me on a plate for using the word “slum” but that’s what they use and where they were born had slum clearances.

AppleKatie · 08/03/2025 21:46

I know what you mean OP.

what you miss is the simplicity of being a child in that situation, no choices everything understood,

you aren’t missing the adult worries because they weren’t yours at the time.

loropianalover · 08/03/2025 21:46

Can I ask what you mean by the choice of everything now?

Why don’t you pick the ‘live simply’ choice?

It sounds like you’re romanticising your childhood/memories more than anything. It’s completely different being poor when you’re an adult - you’re hyper aware of it, you’re getting calls about unpaid bills, you’re worried about the electric turning off etc.

LastHeraldMage · 08/03/2025 21:44

No.

I don't miss growing up poor, when there was ice on the inside of the windows, or any other romanticised stuff like that