[rb808]

Easy, firstly being poor isn't necessarily a bad life, I see a lot more unhappy rich people than poor people. Secondly if you think the children will have a better life will force you to admit you have a bad life and you're doing things wrong. Thirdly a different life will mean your kids will be different and wont fit in so well, wont be around so much and might not like you - is that what you really want?

[lotsofpulp]

While being poor may not lead to an unhappy life, having high income volatility will.

And in the US, low income and high income volatility go hand in hand. You can have your hours reduced or shifted at any time, your industry can get outsourced or automated, you may be deemed to be too old or expensive.

No one is happy with volatility, and no one today should expect to go to work and punch in and out for 30 years, especially if you’re on the lower end of the pay scale. You should be looking out for better opportunities all the time, lest your cash flow suddenly stops.

[GordonS]

> firstly being poor isn't necessarily a bad life

No, not necessarily. But at least where my wife grew up in the Scottish central belt, I think that would be the exception rather than the rule - and by a pretty wide margin.

I think a lack of education played a big part in that, but the most disappointing and frightening thing was that so many parents expected - almost bred - their children to repeat the same cycle of limited education, poverty, benefit fraud, crime, drugs and violence.