A 33 year-old mother of three living with her children and parents in Humboldt, TN.

[The author's household includes herself, both her parents and her three children ages 12, 13, and 16.]

1. HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT

Interviewer: How do you maintain your household on a day-to-day basis, such as the resources you use in running your house?

Author: Well-uh, I just take it one day at a time and we do the things that we have to normally do and my mom and dad goes out an' work. I stay at home an' I get my kids together for school, but other than that it’s okay.

Interviewer: How much time do you have to supervise your children?

Author: When they aren’t in school, I have all day to supervise them or whatever.

Interviewer: Do you have any other resources that help in parenting your children?

Author: No, mama [ma'am?]. I went to parenting classes. I’m not in class now.

Interviewer: Do you receive any assistance from outside your circle of family or friends?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Compared to two years ago, supporting my household today is much easier.

Interviewer: How are your children doing in terms of their physical health?

Author: Fine.

Interviewer: All three.

Author: Yes.

Interviewer: How about their safety?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am]. They are doing fine.

Interviewer: How are the children doing in academics performance in school?

Author: They do well in academics and sport and stuff.

Interviewer: How about their behavior in school?

Author: They have good behavior.

Compared to two years ago, the general well-being your children is much better.

Interviewer: How well is your household meeting its basic needs?

Author: Well, I generally, you know, my basic needs are well taken care of.

Interviewer: As far as, you don’t have any trouble with basic needs or necessity like: food, clothing?

Author: No mama [ma'am], I’m not having any trouble.

Interviewer: So there is nothing that you think are helping you meet your basic needs?

Author: I get my AFDC [Aid for Families with Dependent Children] check and that helps out a whole lot. I take care of my kids with that and then I help my mom and them with a couple of bills or something, but other than that it does a great job.

Interviewer: Is that the only thing that is helping you with meeting those needs?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Do you feel like there is anything that interferes with the meeting of those needs?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Compared to two years ago, you family’s ability to meet its basic needs is much better.

Interviewer: How well is your housing meeting your family’s needs? Well, one part would be as far as the size, do the house fit the size of the family that lives within it?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Do you find the physical condition to be fine?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: What about the safety of your neighborhood?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Do you find were you live is convenient for work, school, child care and visiting your relatives and such?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: So the size is okay for you and your kids and mom and dad?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Compared to two years ago, your housing is much better.

Interviewer: What feeling have you been experiencing the most lately?

Author: As in been depressed or something like that, well I have been in a good state of mind. I try to keep my mind on good things and not bad things.

Interviewer: What has been influencing your positive attitude you have now?

Author: Sometimes I say to myself that I am going to get better and I am going to get out and find me a job. ‘Cause right now I get AFDC, it helps me out a whole lot and it keeps my mind to keep on to try to move forward and to press on. I am going to try an' find me a job, so I can get off of the systems. But for right know it is doing a good job.

Interviewer: Do you find that your emotional well-being affect you finding a job in any way?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Do you find that it affects your parenting?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Have you ever sought help in the past for you emotional well-being, as far as, if you feel depressed? Have you ever had to seek help for that?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Compared to two, years ago, your emotional well-being is much better.

Interviewer: Could you tell us about your current or last job?

Author: Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.

Interviewer: Was the wages and benefits, were they sufficient?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am]. It is more efficient than it is now, because I wasn’t even getting minimum wage working at KFC. I was only getting $5.15 a hour.

Interviewer: How is that?

Author: That’s how much they would start you off with, they did[n't] even start you out with minimum wage.

Interviewer: How long ago did you work?

Author: That was just last year.

Interviewer: Did they offer you any kind of training or advancement at all?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Were the hours, did they work for you?

Author: No, I didn’t get as many hours. So my check, I would get paid every two weeks. So I really looked for my mom and dad to help me, when I got that, so. It wasn’t much.

Compared to two years ago, the wages and benefits of the job, which is your benefits now are much better.

Interviewer: What, if anything, has changed for your result of your involvement of the Family Service Counseling program?

Author: I go an' I talk to her, she is a good momentum. What ever I say it stay there, I mean, I can really express myself. She has really done a great job, just going an' talking with her and stuff.

Interviewer: Do you find being apart of FSC has improved the way you run your household?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: How about with your children’s behavior?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Do you find that we help you with your basic needs better?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Is your housing situation, have that been affected in any way?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Has it help you the way you feel personally right now, has it helped?

Author: Yes mama [ma'am].

Interviewer: Have it affected you with the job situation?

Author: No mama [ma'am].

Your community of neighborhood of residence: Humboldt

Gender: Female

Last year of school completed: Not answered

GED: Not answered

Race: Black

Ethnicity: N/A

Does your partner, spouse or co-parent live in the household? No

Do you currently receive any cash public assistance (TANF)? No

Manner in which story was originally given: Tape recorded