ways in which the average dis'er

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have no children, I am no longer a home owner, gave up my job, and it has been a long time since I have been to WDW.

 

[Colleen27]

We're dead broke by DIS standards; we're dangling from the bottom of the middle class by our fingernails. We're probably not going to have one million to retire on, never mind two. We drive ancient cars and when our kids start driving they get clunkers, not new models even if a new car has more safety features. We won't be fully funding the kids' higher education because we care too much about actually living life to save every extra penny for their college. I'm borrowing to finish my degree so we do have some debt. That doesn't stop us from traveling. And we have mediocre credit scores for silly reasons like "not enough history" and "too few accounts".

Only one of my three kids lives up to the DIS standard of academically gifted, athletically talented, and internally motivated (and sometimes I wonder if aliens dropped her off one day because she doesn't get any of that from me!). My oldest is in an alternative high school because he's a lousy student in a traditional classroom, and he's going to trade school rather than college. My youngest is a solidly average student. That's probably because we take the kids out of school for vacations.

My husband smokes. My kids play outside without an adult watching. My 2nd grader is allowed to walk home from school, and my 17yo doesn't have a curfew. We've used the phrase "Be home when the streetlights come on" more than once. More than once this week even. The teens don't wear bike helmets. We don't get to know parents before the kids go over to play, nor do we grill them about gun ownership.

Oh, and we live in an antique fixer upper that only has 1.5 bathrooms for the 5 of us. We should be done fixing it up right about the time we're ready to downsize to something less high maintenance.

 

[SC Minnie]

I was never a SAHM. DD actually went to *gasp* daycare. We won't have $2 million in our retirement accounts. I cook very little from scratch, don't have the time or desire. DD worked in HS and is working while going to college. We had intended to cover all her expenses in college but sometimes life has other ideas, she will graduate with evil student loans. Her first car was older than she was.

 

[wenrob]

I don't "cover my plate" with the wedding gifts I give...

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I don't "cover my plate" with the wedding gifts I give...

I always carry enough change just in case:

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

As poor as most DISers make me feel, I think the happy couple should give me a gift after feeding poor old me.

 

[lustergirl]

great threads. Glad to hear there are other messed up people in this world besides me (just kidding). I definitely have my own faults. I have gained and lost the weight so many times I can't keep track anymore. I have thousands of dollars in school loans that are gradually paying off. I drive a 2010 Ford Escape, nothing brand new. My sons grew up on McDonald's. hot dogs and boxed macaroni and cheese. They are just fine. My hubby and I argue alot as sometimes we have different points of views.

 

[Land Shark]

I didn't allow our kids to play outside unsupervised...I MADE them.
Our kids went to public school AND had to ride the bus.
I'm still paying off last fall break Disney trip.
My wife enjoys shopping at the second hand thrift stores.
Yes, you will find dog hair in our house. Two 125 lb. shedding dogs cannot be kept up with constantly.
I like expensive wine, bourbon and tequila. I DRINK cheap wine, bourbon and tequila.
I pack my lunch instead of going out. Sometimes that makes me look anti-social and I don't care (maybe I am?).
My car is 10 years old.
We are happy this way.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Some of these confessionals are a bit sad and depressing.

 

[justgrace]

Some of these confessionals are a bit sad and depressing.

IMHO, I don't think so. All of these people are sharing what is real life for them, which is much the same as the majority of Americans. I think most can agree that many on the internet stretch the truth to make better appearances than what is reality (especially on the DIS). I don't think any of the confessionals are sad, I think they're real.

 

[Colleen27]

IMHO, I don't think so. All of these people are sharing what is real life for them, which is much the same of the majority of Americans. I think most can agree that many on the internet stretch the truth to make a better appearances than what is reality in real life (especially on the DIS). I don't think any of the confessionals are sad, I think they're real.

And most of them have a distinctly upbeat tone.

I can't speak for anyone else, though I'm sure many who posted on this thread would agree with me, but I'm HAPPY to fall short of DIS standards in so many ways. We made conscious choices that got us here - living on one income, starting a business (that ultimately failed, but in my book that's better than getting to old age and wondering "what if?"), pursing a "dream" degree rather than going back into a practical field I didn't enjoy, raising the kids in the country so they could have old-fashioned freedoms, etc. And I enjoy the fact that all three of my kids have the confidence to follow their own paths, rather than all meeting some idealized, uniform, externally imposed version of "good enough".

 

[sam_gordon]

Some of these confessionals are a bit sad and depressing.

I thought you said these were "disguised brags" or something like that.

Is our life perfect? Heck no. Are we sad or depressed because of what we're "missing"? Absolutely not.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I refuse to hold in farts if there's better than a 50/50 chance I can get away with letting them out

 

[justgrace]

What my kids think of your father's invention...(sometimes I get the generic brand and take them all out of the box so kids think they are the name brand stuff)

Hahaha!! I got that from Gretchen Wiener on Mean Girls (love that movie!).

Sadly in real life, none of my family can claim the title of breakfast pastry inventor! LOL

 

[justgrace]

I refuse to hold in farts if there's better than a 50/50 chance I can get away with letting them out

Oh my! The average DISser would certainly not approve!

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I thought you said these were "disguised brags" or something like that.

Is our life perfect? Heck no. Are we sad or depressed because of what we're "missing"? Absolutely not.

I'm not talking about being perfect or having no money. There are other issues here that make me sad and depressed. It seems like some people are intent on showing how hip it is to be a lackadaisical parent but that's just me.

 

[jt'smom]

Some of these confessionals are a bit sad and depressing.

I'm not talking about being perfect or having no money. There are other issues here that make me sad and depressed. It seems like some people are intent on showing how hip it is to be a lackadaisical parent but that's just me.

This thread doesn't make me sad or depressed. It makes me laugh. I'm sad and depressed for you though, if you aren't getting or enjoying the humor.

And now I'm really laughing because I had no idea I was either hip, or a lackadaisical parent. That's awesome!

 

[willowsnn3]

It was one of those Very. Important. Threads which went on for several pages.
The proper way to eat a dinner roll is to break off a bite-size piece w/ your fingers & eat the piece you've broken off - not bite into the roll. You're also supposed to put a little pat of butter on your plate &, using your butter knife, butter the piece after you break it off - if you're so inclined to butter your bread.

I must have missed the roll buttering thread also. We usually just pass around the plastic tub of store brand margarine and just swipe the roll in it. Also works with corn on the cob.
And, why yes, I DO lick my fingers if I'm eating something messy, sloppy or drippy. I was afraid to admit that on the finger lickin' thread.

 

[sam_gordon]

It seems like some people are intent on showing how hip it is to be a lackadaisical parent but that's just me.

I think for most on here they're intent on showing that what OTHERS think is important, isn't in their lives. You may think that makes them "lackadaisical", but the point is what YOU think doesn't really matter. Just because your kids get good grades, are good athletes, have scholarships coming out of their ears, your house is always clean, and you manage to go to Disney multiple times a year doesn't make you any better than the rest of us. No, I'm not saying you've claimed that about your life. I'm just giving an example.

 

[Art 1]

I have no children, I am no longer a home owner, gave up my job, and it has been a long time since I have been to WDW.

Nothing wrong with any of that!